Screenwriting

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Begin it now.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe   Do you love what you’re doing? If you could change anything, from the tiniest wiggle to the largest adjustment, what would you do? Would you keep forging ahead for the dream du jour? Or would you modify, skew slightly left, and leave the beaten path entirely? What will it take for you to pursue your dream? As a child, I dreamed of being an artist. If I...

I believe in growth on both a personal and professional level. Next-level greatness is only accessible if we know how to do a regular check-in ourselves and take inventory of where and how our energy is spent. As Aristotle has said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit." Career longevity of 30 years brings gifts. I have applied myself on many levels, from branding to marketing, to selling to learning how to finance, network, create marketing materials, and be aut...

Script analysis is a crucial component of screenwriting that can make or break the success of a screenplay. By delving into the specifics of script analysis, we can better understand the key elements that contribute to a script's overall impact. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various elements that are looked at during script analysis, from character development and conflict and story chronology to dialogue and theme. By understanding these elements and how they work together,...

Happy Wednesday, Creative Army! As Deadline exclusively announced this weekend, we’ve officially selected the winner of our Empowering Women Script Competition in partnership with Catalyst Studios! Los Angeles filmmaker, Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal has won for her fantastic feature film script, Backlog. A first-of-its-kind screenwriting contest for feature films with a focus on social impact, the Empowering Women Script Competition brought forth some mind-blowing submissions from talented voi...

We all need a little help, every now and then. One of the greatest things about being a writer is that there are so many tools out there designed to help us. The problem is, people don’t know they exist. When you’re a writer, you have to be a Jack (or Jill) of many trades and learn not just about writing, but about editing, and the business itself. It’s all part of honing our craft. And while, at times, the task may seem daunting, I’ve discovered a lot of online resources that I’ve found to...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, 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, in this video from Letterboxd, Oscar winners Martin Scorsese and Leon...

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...