Screenwriting

Humans are creatures of story. We have that innate desire to tell stories. Animation is one of the most useful means to tell stories. In what way? Take a look at beautiful, story-driven animated movies that you've probably seen on screen past and present. I'm sure a number of them have come to mind by now. Many of these animated movies, some we've treasured since we were kids. For some of us, we may have curated a list of the best animated movies and series we've watched. What makes us...

It’s the tedious but oh-so-necessary maintenance of being in this industry: online presentation. Just as we once toiled over the formatting and tone of a resume and cover letter, so now must we polish our profiles. Selling ourselves can be exhausting, but look at it this way - your Stage 32 profile is your invitation to play! We all love what we do, and we love meeting people that make the experience magical. Here’s your chance to set the tone for your ideal-project-made-real! So, pour your favo...

In a classic romantic comedy, two unlikely individuals find themselves entangled in a series of humorous and endearing mishaps as they navigate the unpredictable journey of love, ultimately discovering that true happiness lies in each other's company. All-time classics like SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and NOTTING HILL remind us of the lengths to which we'll go for true love, while saccharine love stories like WHEN HARRY MET SALLY and YOU'VE GOT MAIL remind us that love is sometimes just around the corn...

As writers, we often hear the phrase, “Kill your darlings.” But, that phrase is often in the context of cutting out writing or scenes that don’t work, slow down a piece, or are utterly unnecessary. Recently though, I’ve found myself taking it another way. I’m one of those people who work on multiple projects at once, and two of the things I’m working on had a similar thing happen. I cut an entire character from both. This can be more painful than cutting scenes or entire plot points. In bo...

Where does your career end and your personal life begin? Where does your digital world end and your real-world begin? As a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (EMMYS), I’ve been lucky to be invited to a lot of For Your Consideration screenings and events around Hollywood over the years. At an FYC screening for WESTWORLD a few years back, Jonathan Nolan, the co-creator of the show, had some very insightful words about the dangers of “people becoming brands” via social media. H...

For the last few years, I have been working on my screenplay, THE POSTCARD. It is based on the true story of my Great Grandparents, and all I wanted to do was write a little thing about their story that wouldn't take too long. I thought around a 20 to 30-minute short... Two years later, I'm still writing it. The postcard my Great Grandfather Harry sent to my Great Grandmother Rebecca from the Titanic in 1912. I was doing okay, but as I was writing it, I found that if I was going to say...

Hey, Creative Army! Stage 32's Logline Contest isn't just BACK, it's BIGGER and BETTER than ever with the 1st Annual Stage 32 Ultimate Logline Contest! Every major player in Hollywood routinely hears hundreds of ideas and makes quick decisions based on loglines. This single sentence dictates the uniqueness of the project, shows the bones of your story’s structure, and both your “vision” and “voice” as a writer. You need to boil down your entire narrative, your protagonist’s journey, the obstac...

Good Morning my Warriors of Writing, my Sultans of Storytelling, my Colossi of Creativity! A Preamble Before you dive in, I want to tell you why I wrote this blog post. I will break into this industry, become an acclaimed writer, and set a new standard. This is not a belief. This is a promise. I'm not the best writer, but I'm dedicated to my craft, so this article is for those who are just as dedicated. Those willing to make that same promise and set the path ablaze to create a new standar...

Hi, Stage 32 Community! Our Stage 32 Team has been working diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community! At Stage 32 you have direct access to award-winning industry executives and professionals who’ve written, directed, produced, composed, developed, performed, and represented acclaimed projects such as KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, BLACK WOMEN OWN THE CONVERSATION, RED TABLE TALK, WHAT/IF, UNDER THE SILVER LAKE,...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community! I hope the start of 2024 has been exhilarating and productive for you all! Our Stage 32 Education Team has certainly been hard at work to bring incredible education opportunities and resources to this fantastic community. This February, you'll have the chance to learn from knowledgeable industry executives, actors, award-winning screenwriters, producers, directors, and representatives. Impressive creative professionals who have worked on such projects as...