Success Stories

Greetings! My name is Katherine Arifin. I’m 28 years old. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia. Have you ever been to Indonesia? If you haven't and are planning a trip, you should absolutely contact me here on Stage 32.  Have you ever heard of Komodo dragons? Well, there is an island called Komodo Island and it is where you can find my small hometown. I always dreamed of moving to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, to work and live. The idea of going anywhere else seemed unrealistic, so moving to Jaka...

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,...

“Why don’t we just make it ourselves?” This was the question posed to me in January 2021 by producer Michael Alfieri of Miantri Films regarding my script, The Throwback. The start of every new year gives us a newfound boldness and optimism. “I will lose fifty pounds.” “I will read 20 books per month.” “I will learn Tuvan throat singing.” That’s me. So when Mike posed that question, my response was an enthusiastic “YES!” Why not? Never mind that my annual new year’s optimism routinely vanishes by...

I still remember the email that came to my inbox inviting me to join Stage 32. I was intrigued and quickly clicked through to see what opportunities might lie ahead for me, being someone who’s all about making new connections and discovering new and helpful resources. While we’ve all experienced a degree of online video conferencing burnout from doing far too much of it during the pandemic, the Stage 32 online community that we all know and love can be so impactful. Between requests to “join...

I have been an independent filmmaker for a few decades now and have always wanted to make films in Hollywood.  Living in Vancouver, BC, Canada (I have been here since my early twenties) was the place to come for those who wanted to pursue a career in film and television. It is no wonder they refer to it as “Hollywood North.” I started out as an actor but always felt that I needed to do more. Quickly, I realized that if I wanted to work as an actor, I needed to create work for myself. This is w...

I’m a retired accountant. I started writing a novel 35 years ago but couldn't get an agent to read it. So, I thought if I wrote the script it would get me representation for the novel. I bought the Syd Field book on screenwriting and jumped in. I thought the script was terrific and sent it to producers (this was when they accepted unsolicited material). One producer’s assistant replied that it read more like a made-for-tv movie and was not interested. So, I rewrote draft after draft. I came up...

We started as novelists. We, meaning my wife, Jennifer, and I, who met a mere six years ago as aspiring novelists. Then life stepped in. Then two kids stepped in. Then … I am sure a good number of people here understand. Last year we had the “we aren't getting any younger” talk. Viola’! We tightened our belts and last year wrote our first script based on our own content. As a former technical consultant to a few production companies many years ago, I thought we would be invited with open arms....

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” - W.C. Fields When I read that, I think of the word perseverance. As in, do not give up. It’s easy to think that once you reach a goal, it’s all smooth sailing from there. That as long as you “try, try again” you will achieve the thing and that’s the end of it. However, in reality, that theme has been repeated at every step of my 20-year post-production career. It applies each and every day in the smallest of moments and will likely apply ev...

Animated features and series bring the imagination to life. Animation is so important to the entertainment industry because of the way it connects with every person out there. In such divisive times, we need these films and series more than ever. Recent films like SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE or ENCANTO have captured the attention of wide audiences with their amazing graphics and deep themes. Long-running series like THE SIMPSONS and BOB'S BURGERS bring out the edgy and quirky side of animat...

Isn´t it funny how executives and studios are so quick to shoot you down unless you've got talent attached? Yet, it's the talent that are sometimes the ones that are holding you up? I graduated from a pretty intensive practical filmmaker course in 2008 at the Met Film School, which still ran rings around my University experience in Screenwriting & Cinematography barely 5 years later. Unfortunately, both never opened the door to a job for me despite my best efforts. I only ever wanted to wri...