Screenwriting

Many of us feel panic and dread when we sit down to write our bios, cracking under the self-imposed pressure to paint a perfect portrait of who we are in this point in time.   But what if I told you that a great bio simply started the conversation of what you can bring to a project and then motivated your reader to to keep that conversation going with you – through a meeting, an audition, a Twitter follow, or a viewing of your reel? Most of us make the mistake of writing a bio that looks bac...

Hey guys. A couple of months ago, we posted the screenplays for Ex Machina (which we're breaking down on Tuesday - click here for more details! and 4 other indie darlings here. Today, we're back with 10 more screenplays, all with awards buzz, available for free including Spotlight, Straight Outta Compton, Carol, The End of the Tour, Trainwreck and more.   No matter what your discipline, there's something to be gleaned from reading successful screenplays. And for screenwriters,...

Our Fearless Leader was a guest on the extremely popular indiefilm podcast, Indie Film Hustle, hosted by filmmaker (and Stage 32 member) Alex Ferrari.  This was one lively show.  RB and Alex covered a ton of ground on a variety of indie film topics.  We ask that you not only listen, but spread the love by sharing the show on social media!  Thanks in advance! Here's a description of the show from the man himself, Alex Ferrari: Blueprint to Make it in the Film Business with Stage 32 Have you...

After three weeks of maintaining progress, staying motivated, working through setbacks and pushing forward, Stage 32 Write Club participants have reached the precipice, the climax, the final battle of our November writing exercise. The end is right around the corner. The final week: How are you doing? Has your project changed or grown? Any last hurdles to jump over? Or will you coast through to the finish? Will your month’s achievements get you one step closer to an overall goal? Please do s...

If you've been around this site for a while, you've heard me say that reading screenplays, good and bad, is, without question, the best way to hone your craft. And, of course, a good screenplay compared against the film produced from said screenplay can serve as a masterclass for filmmakers, cinematographers, editors, sound designers, actors and other film creatives as well. Today, I'm happy to share that the red hot production, distribution and financing company, A24, has made the screenplays...

The October 2015 edition of On Stage With RB was almost 3 hours jam-packed with incredible tips and advice! Up first RB interviewed Jeff Kitchen. Jeff Kitchen has been one of the top screenwriting teachers in the film industry for twenty years, and is a sought-after script consultant. He worked as a dramaturg and taught playwriting in New York theater, and is the author of Writing a Great Movie: Key Tools for Successful Screenwriting. Jeff has taught development executives from all the major H...

This week Stage 32 and the Stage 32 Happy Writers descend upon Austin, Texas for the Austin Film Festival. We are proud to be a sponsor of the 2015 Austin Film Festival and we have a week filled with educational panels, events and more! We invite our Stage 32ers to come join us!   Here's what's in store:     We invite all our Stage 32 members for a fun night to celebrate the most creative community on the planet at the Handlebar Austin Rooftop Patio. This is a 21 and over event. Last...

Whenever a script is submitted in the industry, it is passed off to a reader for analysis. The reader will give the script a "recommend," a "consider" or a "pass." And unless it gets a recommend, probably no one else is going to look at it. So how many scripts get a recommend? About two percent....which means roughly 98 percent of spec scripts are dead on arrival. Many of these scripts make the same mistakes. Here's my take on the ten most common mistakes reported by the studio and network rea...

It’s been said that luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Only one of those things is completely in your control — preparation. Whether you’re a screenwriter, a filmmaker, an entrepreneur or anyone else trying to draw attention and support to a personal or professional endeavor, there’s no excuse not to have your elevator pitch down cold. It needs to be practiced, honed and memorized so that when opportunity rears its head, the words roll off your tongue with an undeniable confidence. T...

Don't forget this Tuesday, October 20 is the FREE monthly online webcast hosted by our fearless leader, Richard Botto. This is FREE to our first 2,000 Stage 32 members that register. Every month RB goes over tips to best utilize Stage 32 for your networking and education, has on 2 industry guests and opens it up to answer questions from our Stage 32 community about the industry and your craft.   Join us at 1pm PDT for the October Edition of On Stage With RB by registering here!   Joining...