Screenwriting

Here at Stage 32, we’re always listening for the most common questions from you to help you work towards your goals. When it comes to representation, there are a few questions that come up. What’s the difference between agents and managers? Do you need a lawyer? Should you get an agent, manager, or lawyer first? But the most popular question we see over and over in the lounges, in the Writers’ Room, and on social media is how do I get representation as a writer? The answer actually has two...

If you’ve been around the creative writing community for long enough, you know many writers participate in something in November called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The goal is to write 50,000 in 30 days (if you’re doing the math, that’s about 1,700 words/day). There are so many reasons why this kind of challenge can be good for your writing routine, not the least of which is how a writing sprint like this can silence your inner critic. Today, though, I want to share some thoughts...

When it comes to popular TV shows in our “Peak TV” era, industry insiders would have you believe the streaming platforms are dominating - HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+… and the list constantly expands. With only ABBOTT ELEMENTARY truly cracking the Emmy nominations this year from the broadcast world, many believe broadcast series are "dead." Procedural shows, or "case-of-the-week" series, feature a central plot line that only lasts for that singular episode. Popular procedurals include long-...

I’ve been meaning to post my Stage 32 success stories for a while, but I’ve been busy with, well, working on the jobs I’ve gotten through Stage 32. I’ve had jobs where I wrote feature scripts, rewrote scripts, gave feedback on scripts, co-wrote short scripts, and more. I’ve also made pitch decks for writers and directors, and recently, I was hired to make three pitch decks for a writer and now friend, Andy Carpenter. One, Two, Three During the spring of this year, Andy contacted me about maki...

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...

I have been trying to find places to write since I was in diapers. In the picture below, I'm trying to get up the stairs and back to my bedroom to get to the crayons and construction paper. Apparently, I've been trying to get to pencil and paper since the very beginning.  Once I finally had full access to pen, paper, and even computer labs, a new mission came to be. Finding an inspiring spot to write. I made my way to every library within a 20-mile radius. I tried the crook of every tre...

There are two types of value, intrinsic and perceived. The Black Audience is intrinsically valuable. But the Industry’s perception is still lagging. When I started out a few decades ago, folks would ask me, "What's your major?" When I would answer, "Radio, TV & Film," the retort would invariably be, "Oh, you're going to learn how to fix TVs." "I'm going to make TV programs and produce films," I protested. There would be a blank look on the person's face. "Can you make money doing that?"...

There is a saying, where there’s a will, there’s a way. That sums up my belief and experience so far in this journey. I am Jeelan, living with my family in the suburbs of San Francisco, California. All of us are here on Stage 32 because of one common thing that unites us, our love for Movies. To me, movies are not only a passion but devotion. As far as I can remember, movies provide me joy, stirs my imagination, and gives me the escapism I require. At a minimum, one movie a day is my mileage,...

As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Although that saying is usually applies to meeting people. It also applies to your script. That’s why the first ten pages of your script are truly make or break. It can mean the difference between success or pass. The first ten pages not only open your project but also sets the tone, the style, and the promise of what is in store for the reader. Although film is a visual medium, it is first a written document read by a...

It can be a scary process to think of sharing your life story with the public, either in print or in a film. A few years ago, I self-published a memoir and learned a lot from that experience. It’s one thing to tell a friend one of your personal stories, but it’s quite another to explain it to a stranger, a book buyer. To get the general book-buying public interested in your story, well, that takes extra effort. You need to gain attention and keep it. Before you reveal your innermost personal his...