Screenwriting

You marked your calendars, right? And you're free later today, yes?   I hope so, because I'm hosting a FREE inspirational hour and then some, that takes a dive into craft and industry. I'd love for you to be there for this free webinar later today from 1 - 2 p.m. PST   It's been a busy few months around the Stage 32 offices and for yours truly as it relates to my personal projects. I'm excited to share with you what I'm hearing, what I've learned, and what I've experienced since we...

Happy Sunday, everyone.  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend. Before we get started, a reminder that I am hosting another AMA (Ask Me Anything) this week, right here on Stage 32.  I'll be answering all your craft, business and industry questions in what is sure to be a lively session this coming Tuesday beginning at 1PM PST.  This is a FREE webcast.  You can register here. Now...Coffee ready?  Let's roll. First up, one of the most celebrated and studied screenplays of all time is Chinatow...

There are a ka-zillion teachers, 5 billion books, and 60 million webinars out there to teach you how to become a better screenwriter. There are even writing coaches to guide you. All of them make some really valid points.And all of them have feedback that may be more subjective than anything.Everyday on Stage 32, different questions regarding writing and formatting pop up. And, because we have so much experience here, our writers and other creatives jump on board to answer. (Which we love, lov...

I don't know if you're on Twitter at all, but if you are, you may have seen the #shareyourrejections campaign that flew through the Twittersphere recently. The posts look something like this: I loved it. I loved it so much, I captured some of the very best rejections from filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, and authors with the intention to share them here. You'll recognize some of the names. At the very least, hearing how these creatives were given "the hand" only to come out on top, you'...

Hello, Creative Army!   I appreciate all who attended my last AMA (Ask Me Anything) and those who have written in wondering when the next session will take place. Wonder no more. Let's kick off the final quarter of 2018 with an inspirational hour plus of craft and industry talk on Tuesday, September 4th from 1 - 2 p.m. PST   It's been a busy few months around the Stage 32 offices and for yours truly as it relates to my personal projects. I'm excited to share with you what I'm heari...

Greetings and salutations, Creative Army.  And a happy Sunday to you all. Got a little French press workin'.  How about we compliment it with some content? First up, a look at two of my favorite films, Boogie Nights and the legendary Goodfellas.  How did P.T. and Marty go about setting their mood (visually) for these films?  Our friends at Entertain the Elk break it all down in one cool, comprehensive video essay. Next, another great video from the crew at Lessons from the Screenplay.  Thi...

I was sitting in my brand new Papasan chair a little while ago, whining to my cat (who could care less whether I live or die) that I didn't feel like writing something that had a deadline. After he sauntered away completely disinterested, I got up quite reluctantly and started writing. This little blurb is what came out of me. And for the record, I'm not going to go back to copy edit it, because I'm doing a warm-up exercise as proposed by James Rush, an award-winning playwright who struggl...

A screenwriter walks into an Escape Room… But seriously… this is not a joke. It’s an opportunity to hone your skills as a writer and get in on one of the fastest growing entertainment industries around. A few years ago I was hired to write narratives for two new Escape Rooms. The organization had been successful at tourist-based entertainment programs for nearly two decades, and was looking to capitalize on the growing phenomenon that is the 60-minute Escape Room. As a writer on the loo...

Hey, guys.  Hope you're having a terrific Sunday and cultivating the seed of fantastic and meaningful relationships during Introduce Yourself Weekend. Today, I have 2 videos designed to educate, motivate and inspire. First up, from the Royal Ocean Film society, one fantastic video essay:  Lessons for the No-Budget Filmmaker.  We hear many excuses around these parts regarding the reasons not to pick up a camera and start shooting.  This video will make those excuses moot. Next, it's inargua...

Last week I published a post that talked about the launch of a subscription based service for short form video. That same week, my writing partner sent me a link to an article about an app called BlackPills, another platform for short form content. He did this because we're in the midst of our creating a 10-episode web series called OutSkirts and we're looking for different ways to garner attention. Yes, we'll do the festival circuit. Yes, we'll chase producers down at Starbucks. (No, we won't...