Screenwriting

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...

Stage 32 is proud to present the 2nd Annual Feature Screenwriting Fellowship, an incredible opportunity to be mentored by top tier industry professionals and participate in round table discussions with a variety of producers, managers, and writers. Our mentors are looking for the next wave of screenwriting talent -- and we want them to discover YOU!For the last 12 years, Stage 32 Contests have led to dozens of success stories including writers getting representation, sold, optioned, staffed, giv...

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, we love giving writers advice on their craft and career straight from the pros (and if you're a member of the Writers' Room, you see this regularly with our Wednesday Webcasts), so this week, I wanted to share this video from the Writers' Guild Foundation. The Foundation interviews showrunner A...

My father tells me a story of when he realized I was “creative”. When I was a toddler one day I decided the neighbor's freshly planted, new flower bed was in the wrong spot and I needed to replant them elsewhere. I can only imagine my father’s conversation with the neighbors. One: Letting them know what I had done and Two: Trying to explain to them how I did it so quickly, probably covering up how he wasn’t paying attention in the process. I told my father I knew exactly where those flowers n...

Stage 32–the global entertainment industry’s leading social network and educational platform with over 1 Million Members and over 3,000 hours of film and television webinars and classes–and Catalyst Studios–a groundbreaking U.S. production company supporting female-fronted projects–are partnering to launch a first-of-its kind screenwriting contest for feature films with a focus on social impact! The contest is open to feature film scripts by women and non-binary filmmakers of any and all genre...