Screenwriting

Hey, Stage 32 Community! Happy Fall! Over the past month, our Stage 32 Education Team has been hard at work to bring in some incredible education opportunities and resources for this fantastic community. This October, you'll have the chance to learn from knowledgeable industry executives, video game writers, award-winning filmmakers, NYT best-selling authors, acclaimed producers, financiers, screenwriters, distributors, and representatives. Impressive creative professionals who have worked o...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, audio can often make or break the quality on a film (even if more and more people are watching things with captions). In this video from the Standard Story Company, you'll see tangible ways you can get the audio you need on your productions, no matter how limited your budget. Next up, we're l...

One of the biggest challenges filmmakers and screenwriters face is to keep their creative energy fresh and high while working on projects that ask years of endurance and at times don't feel creative. What often drove us toward filmmaking - the excitement of creating stories - can quickly become the thing we connect with the less as we work toward building our careers: handling deadlines, finding an agent, raising money, applying to festivals, answering casting calls, and the 100 other tasks ou...

Registration. Red Carpets. Screenings. Drinks. Laughter. Conversation. Connection. The vibe when you connect with other film creatives in person is electric! But it can be gone in a flash if you’re not taking the time to exchange information. To follow up after the excitement has died down, be sure to connect with them on the recently updated Stage 32 App! Of course, you’re meeting TONS of people when attending these events. Maybe it just seems like it because you don’t normally meet ten new p...

We’ve all read those “14,962 Things You Should Do to Become a Successful Screenwriter” lists before, right? Well, halfway through this article, I will give you a slightly different kind of list. It’s a revolutionary, paint-by-numbers guide to how you can become a paid screenwriter, just like me... THUNK! Phil falls off his chair. Rolls on the floor. His face stretched. Tears on his cheeks, laughing – or is he crying? Sorry… I’m ok. (wipes his face/ retakes his seat) Where was I? Oh yes, the...

The idea of a pitch book never occurred to me until I saw Stage 32's promotion of such a couple of years ago. I had what I thought was a solid screenplay but no agent or manager. I had been fortunate to place in several nationally acclaimed contests with my story but no serious callers/producers, although I came close with CAA and Anna Sophia Robb (Bridge to Teribithia) as a possible attachment. I needed another tool. At first, this was something I thought maybe I could do on my own. I studied...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from around the globe. Whether you are a long-time member or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up, some of the best effects are the simplest. In this video from Film Riot, we'...

Want Success? Stop Listening to the Hollywood Narrative! Is it just me, or does it feel like Hollywood is set up to make you fail? Obstacle, after obstacle… Rejection, after rejection… It’s *almost* not even worth trying. And I can say ‘almost’ because those of us who still believe in the magic of our dreams, have a passion so strong that we are going to go for it, despite all of the hardships we hear about. If you are one of those people, like me, I want you to really listen to what...

Networking is too often associated with adjectives such as uncomfortable, artificial, or intimidating. However, there are concrete ways to change your mindset and navigate these situations effectively so it goes back to what it was originally intended for: creating and solidifying meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships, in your industry and beyond. 1) Think About Your Purpose As a film producer, I have always wanted to work with people from all over the world to make authentic fi...

She's too perfect. It's annoying how he always wins. All they do is complain. When I was 19 years old, I decided to start my screenwriting journey. I spent months perfecting my work and paid special attention to my characters. But despite my blood, sweat, and tears, I never got anyone emotionally invested in my stories. People said things like they're too perfect, they win too much, or they're bland and unrealistic. When I read these comments, I was bewildered. Plenty of characters are Ma...