Screenwriting

Many writers want to know how long their scripts should be. And the answer is almost always, “Shorter than you think.” This is especially true, dear creatives, as we start out our careers. The other day on Instagram, writer/actor Shawn Parikh laid to rest the excuse “but Aaron Sorkin gets to do it” – namely, write massively long scripts – by reminding us, gently, that we are not Aaron Sorkin. For us mere mortals, 90-110 pages will do just fine. But why is this the case? Why can’t we push to...

What is more comforting that a TV Comedy? The half-hour classics that soothe the soul are some of the most streamed and beloved shows of all time. Can you imagine going through life without THE OFFICE and PARKS & RECREATION to take the pain away? We can't either - that's why we're bringing back the Television Comedy Screenwriting Contest for a second year! Stage 32 is proud to present the 2nd Annual Television Comedy Screenwriting Contest! Click Here To Learn More Whether you prefer wholes...

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, Stream Wars has put together a great behind the scenes look at the making of Paramount's new film The Lost City. This video features interviews with stars Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and filmmakers Aaron & Adam Nee.  Next up, Lessons from a Screenplay takes a dive into the...

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 20/30 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 to...

We prep. We plan. We come up with moments before, inner dialogue, the character back history and emotional ties. We’re off book, the pitch deck is set, and then…wait, what!? Plot twist. Something interesting happens the moment we step into the audition room, or the camera hits record. Any of our prep or scene-work often times goes out the window and fear sets in. Instead of letting anxiety get the best of the opportunity at hand, or what could happen into the future — which is the cause of anx...

Making It Soft rolling hills stretch endlessly before my bedroom window. The sky is grey most days, but sometimes it explodes in the brightest blue. Just there, beyond the trees, the Irish Sea thrashes endlessly upon the shore, wave after wave, beckoning… Ah… Ireland. So far away from anything even remotely Hollywood. And just a 5 minute walk from where I live, my little village hosted one of the biggest productions of 2021. Disney came, spent 10 million dollars on set design and left m...

To say we just started our writing careers would be an understatement. Before Carol and I met, we were both heavily involved in our separate writing careers; Carol as an Artist Development coach and founder of The ArtEstate, a boutique marketing firm and myself as a professional Chef and International Food & Beverage Consultant. Carol recently signed a publishing deal on her second book. Although I had never completed any screenwriting, Carol encouraged me to write my stories and follow my pa...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, Film Riot shares an insightful video about the hardest lesson they have learned in their filmmaking journey. Additionally, this video answers other filmmaking questions such as how to make your film stand out, whether or not a DSLR is a good investment, and more.  Next up, actor and Stage 32 member Mathew Cornwell has a great s...

IMDb- Internet Movie Database, is the top search engine for Hollywood. The first place we go to validate someone’s credentials and experience is IMDb. Whether you are an actor, director, writer, producer, grip, makeup artist, cinematographer, or editor- more than likely you have a profile on the site with your resume. However, the main website only goes so far, and so deep. The membership component of IMDb Pro gives you access to more proprietary information that is not known to the general pu...

It all started so well. In October 2021, I was on a call with a Director of Programming from a European broadcaster (small but very interesting for my target audience). He said “I like your concept, I want to spread more awareness about renewable energy. Your project fits perfectly”. OH MY GOD! It was happening.   Then, he finished the meeting with “I want this for April 2022 and we can’t really fund the project. So you need to find the money.” While my mind was still dancing, my mo...