Screenwriting

If you have an idea for a TV show and you're ready to pitch it, there are some elements that you need to have in place before you sit down. Even if your pitch is with an indie producer, you gotta know your stuff. What "stuff," you wonder? Stephanie Palmer, a former executive with MGM Pictures, offers a detailed overview of what each writer should have prepared before he or she has a conversation. Basically, you need to know your story inside and out, and be prepared to answer any questions t...

Congratulations! You’ve booked your first gig as a director. Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into? If not, let's start this post with the traits of a successful director. Then we'll dive into the seven essentials for the beginning director.   A Little Bit of Everything: The Five Traits of the Successful Director Like many film directors, I learned the trade in the theatre. And everything I’ve learned over the course of 30 years and 50 directing credits in the theatre tran...

How does a screenwriter keep his or her momentum after they've completed a script? What do they do next as they wait to hear from potential investors or executives? RB answered this very question for Nicholas, a Stage 32 member and semifinalist in the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Contest. Nicholas garnered attention after his win, and wanted to know what he should do with the handful of inquiries and read requests he got as a result. RB gives it to him straight. And his response is true...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army. It's been an amazing and rewarding week here at the Austin Film Festival.  Always a thrill getting to hang with so many Stage 32 filmmakers and screenwriters.  We'll have more on all the happenings from the last few days soon, but in the meantime, let's get to the coffee & content. Tony Gilroy has built a 20 plus year career by writing a wide variety of screenplays including NIGHTCRAWLER, TONY GILROY, THE BOURNE IDENTITY and ROGUE ONE.  Here's a screenwriting lec...

"For centuries, every agency, company, studio, and writer has relied on the Hero’s Journey as a standard for storytelling. But nonlinear, trans-platform communication has entirely disrupted that model. To rising generations, the standard tropes of classic storytelling have begun to feel slow, obvious, and dated. We yearn for a new, far more dynamic and participative approach…" Jeff Gomez, producer, writer, and CEO of Starlight Runner, is turning the Hero's Journey on its head with the emerge...

If you're reading this post, you're in business for yourself. Most indie creatives are. You are an entrepreneur and you work for you. Therefore, you are responsible for just about every aspect of your business. I am a screenwriter, actor, and ghostwriter (with a small job on the side at a bookstore). As an entrepreneur, I have to manage my books, track my mileage, invoice my clients, and market myself. Really, that's just a fraction of what I do. I also have to establish boundaries with my c...

We are thrilled to share an update from our Stage 32 Comedy Writing Contest Winner Diana Wright. Diana was the Grand Prize Winner for her hilarious TV pilot, ROSWELL, ADJACENT and she has now signed with literary manager Audrey Knox at The Cartel which is a premiere full service management and production company. Their production arm, Cartel Pictures, is surging with 12 feature-length projects released in 2017 alone, including LOVE AT FIRST GLANCE, DEADLY EXCHANGE, and THE STUDENT. On the mana...

If I told you that I have interviewed award-winning screenwriters, producers, managers, and other industry professionals who have worked on projects like the Jurassic Park franchise and with studios such as BBC, Marvel, and Disney without leaving the comfort of my own home, would you believe me? And what would you say if I told you that you could do it too? In fact, let’s go a step further and say you don’t even need to get off the couch to do so. In this post, I'm going to share how I’ve be...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army.  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend and taking advantage of participating in Introduce Yourself Weekend here on Stage 32.  Let's get to the content. First up, as we all know, there's no one tried and true approach to writing a screenplay.  But, by hearing from those who have been successful and keeping an open mind, we might just pick up a tip or two that could lead to better habits.  To that end, here's Jay Duplass speaking to his screenwriting process. Next...

Next week Stage 32 descends upon Austin, Texas for the Austin Film Festival. We are proud to be involved with the 2018 Austin Film Festival for the 6th year in a row! We invite our Stage 32ers to come join us!   Screenwriters Richard Botto & Shane Black (both managed by David Greenblatt) chat with fellow Stage 32ers at the 2017 Austin Film Festival   Screenwriter's Meetup @ Austin Film Festival We invite all our Stage 32 members for a fun night to celebrate the most creative community...