Screenwriting

You’ve heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”? I’m going to start with something controversial, I hate that quote. This quote has been preached to me on many occasions throughout my career and I can imagine it will continue for the rest of my years. Why this quote? Because my creativity is hard to grasp, I do many things and can do many things well. Does this sound like you? Your creativity doesn’t fit in the societal norms of occupation, the idea that we decide to be or do one...

There are so many different aspects to your screenplay that will guarantee its success. A compelling story is one such aspect, but without interesting characters, the story will just fall flat. Here are some tips to help you write the best characters possible, and bring that story to life. 1. Make The Lead A Likable Person You may want to avoid this, as trying to make a character likable can often make the story dull and uninteresting. After all, if there's no one creating conflict, then the...

As an independent producer, I'm always planning my next project. With a stack of screenplays (many of which are my own), and no Mr. Moneytree waiting to spread his love, it can be challenging. This is why I've taken the Robert Rodriguez approach when it comes to filmmaking. For those of you unfamiliar, Robert Rodriguez's first feature film, El Mariachi, had no crew. And almost no budget. At a meager 7k, he was the writer, director, cinematographer, location scout, sound, and editor. With inflati...

Hey, Stage 32ers! "How do I pitch to Netflix" is probably one of the most common questions we get here at Stage 32, which is why I feel it's important to re-share my thoughts on the subject. What you really need to be asking is WHY your project belongs at Netflix. As all these major companies consolidate, you might be wondering how it will likely impact pitching and your project's path to the screen. And I'm here to answer those questions in today's vlog... Wishing you a very happy, healthy,...

Writing a stage play is a challenge because of the unique nature of the theatre – all of the dynamics of having a real live audience and a limited space in which to tell a story must be taken into account. Writing for the screen is no less of a challenge, but logically the approach must differ due to the medium by which the end product will be presented – the screen - varying greatly from its older cousin, the stage. Writers must appreciate and embrace the uniqueness of these mediums in order to...

Hello everyone! I know this must sound like a promotional blog, a congratulatory blog, or a persuasive blog! Actually, it is none of these! It is just an account of what Stage 32 has done for me at this moment in time. So, please give me a moment for some backstory... My name is Selma Karayalçın and I’m a fifty-year-old woman going on twenty-one who lives on the island of Aphrodite which is called Cyprus. If you don’t know where that is, it is a tiny dot on the map in the eastern Mediterra...

When Covid first came onto the scene I got the worst of it. It was March of 2020 and whatever heinous version of it I had caused me to be bedridden for three months. I couldn’t walk to the bathroom or the bedroom door without collapsing. And even after the symptoms began to subside, it would be another two months before I could walk to the kitchen. Yet, in the midst of that, something wonderful happened. Although my physical body had abandoned me, my mind had not. I was of sound mind, able to dr...

Animation is breaking new ground every day, exploring new genres and pushing boundaries. From big blockbuster movies like SPIDERMAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE and LIGHTYEAR to cult favorite TV shows like ADVENTURE TIME and BLUEY, animation is at the forefront of pop culture and adults and children alike fall in love with endearing characters and amazing visuals. We're looking for that next great voice in animation, and we want it to be YOU! If you have an Animation story that needs to be told, n...

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, whether you're a filmmaker, screenwriter, graphic designer, or another creative, you know how important it is to have a strategy for you career. Sure, you could just make whatever you're in the mood to create, but without knowing where you want to go and having a plan together, there's a chance...

In 2021, I wrote a pilot and a feature in my labors as a script doctor and ghostwriter… and in the final tally, I wound up writing 6 pilots and nine features by the end of that year. Only one of those films was under my own name. In 2022, my goal was to make enough headway with my own spec sales, films in development, and transmedia projects that I can charge more, work less, and focus on what I have to give the audience. I made it my focus to get my sci-fi heist feature into production, star...