Screenwriting

Is it possible to make “networking” feel creative, sexy, and fun? (Answer: #Yaaaaas) If you’re a screenwriter, producer, actor, director, etc. then you need to have a “network.”  What is a “network,” exactly? It’s the web of relationships that allows you to do the work you love and get paid for it. You might think, “Ugh, networking is so tedious and annoying!” but that’s a seriously unproductive attitude. Besides, it’s not like networking is a recent development. Since the dawn of time,...

I am honored to present to you the worldwide premiere of the inaugural Stage 32 Short Film Program. This program was curated by the incredible industry executives who judged our First Annual Short Film Contest and features 6 amazing directors (from 3 countries) all with bright futures ahead. This is the same program that played at Raindance last fall and will be shown this summer at Hollyshorts. The films and the filmmakers will also be exposed to over 500 more industry executives working with S...

My name is Erik. I'm Stage 32 Happy Writers coordinator, a writer and the son of a father born to excel in the corporate world – and as a Senior Executive at one of the most prestigious hospitality companies in the world, he did. You can tell I'm classy because I say “hospitality company” instead of “hotel chain”. My upbringing was one of reason, commerce, and common sense which, despite the specific machinations of economy and industry, Corporate America lives and dies on. I know there are wr...

Want to write, act, direct, negotiate, produce, walk a celebrity’s dog? Whatever your dream gig is, if you’re trying to break into Hollywood, there’s no better place to start than a talent agency. Everything you could ever need to launch a successful career is behind those spotless, heavy glass doors in Beverly Hills — or Culver City, you know who you are. The best (and worst) scripts to read. Contacts who will put your resume in the right hands and lie about how great you are to the powers that...

I’ve done it, you’ve done it, everyone’s done it: as you watch a movie or TV show you find yourself screaming “not that again!” or “he wouldn’t do that!” or “that makes no sense!” So now I’m going to list my pet peeves – those things I just can’t stand seeing over and over again in shows or movies. Or those things that just leap out as contrivances that just don’t work. I also reached out to colleagues in the entertainment industry for their ideas. I’d like this blog post to be interactive:...

STAGE 32 NEWS Live From Cannes - Talking Stage 32 Member Success & Cannes News - We wanted to share a Cannes update. So far we have met hundreds of Stage 32 members from all around the world, 32 which have films screening here at Cannes, and that are competing, which has been so inspiring!  Listen to RB's update from the Variety party in Cannes and get the news on amazing things going on here! 10 Reasons To Release Your Feature As A Web Series - You can now shoot a movie on a phone. You can e...

You can now shoot a movie on a phone. You can edit like a pro on a laptop. You can share your work with a few billion people with just a few YouTube clicks. The revolution is here. So why are we stuck on old business models? Why do we still think the best way to further our indie careers is to make a low budget feature, do the film festival circuit and be discovered and signed like it’s 1999? I’m over 50. (Yikes!) and it’s time to let go of decades-old indie filmmaking ideals. It’s tim...

Having a unique and compelling voice as a writer is something we all desire to have. Yet we are told (in forums and by so called gurus) that “We must follow the rules” to be a screenwriter, we must do everything exactly the same as everyone else. People have looked at great screenwriting and found commonalities. However, commonality is not causality. Because if these common things are all that is needed to create a great script, writers wouldn’t be needed. How the Rules came about The rule...

As a woman, I'm sometimes asked why I picked a male dominated business to be in. My response is always the same, “Besides nursing and teaching (with the exception of university, then the workplace mostly consists of males), most professions are already male dominated.” They stop and think about it and then say, “You’re right.” Any woman that wants to have a professional career of her own must always compete among the men. So I have had to learn to adjust myself, to not only compete against them,...

 Meet Stage 32 members from all over the world who have had success using Stage32.com!   Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media buttons at the top of the blog. Or post to your personal blog and anywhere else you feel appropriate. Thank you. As always, we welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the Comments section below...