Success Stories

Music has always been a part of me. When I was kid, I used to get in trouble at school for banging beats on the desk, or playing rudiments with my pencil instead of taking notes. I recited every line from Nas' Illmatic and soaked in all the RPG scores/themes. My love for writing came from Soap Operas, oddly enough. I would sit in my 7th-grade Literature class and writing write scripts to improve different storylines and scenes. However, despite my love for music and screenwriting, it wasn't unti...

My name is Danika Maia (Perman, but who uses last names these days?) and I'm originally from the Bay Area in Northern California. I have always been interested in writing and storytelling, since I was a small child. I studied digital media and marketing in college, but wanted to pursue a career in media and journalism afterwards, which I started to do with VICE in 2013 while I was still studying. As the digital media industry began to feel more and more like a job in advertising, I lost my pa...

What is up Creative Army? Today, I wanted to share some exciting news. Our fearless leader, Rich "RB" Botto, who I have worked alongside for the last 10 years, has been recognized by Fast Company as a CEO and thought leader who has been disrupting the industry in which his company operates. As a result, RB has been officially named to the Executive Board of Fast Company. For nearly 25 years Fast Company has profiled some of the business industry's biggest disruptors -- companies that move FAST...

Hello Stage 32 Creative Crew! It is always a pleasure to address the largest and most diverse creative community on the planet. And today I come with some very exciting news. At Stage 32 we’re always working to provide opportunities for creatives around the world to advance their careers through education and access directly from industry professionals. My goal has always been to shorten your path to success - no matter your discipline, goals, or experience level. Stage 32 is a community d...

Now more than ever we could all use some wholesome, feel-good, entertainment that brings the whole family together. And that is just what audiences are looking for! Inspiring, fun, engaging feature films that are for the whole family - not just for kids! Thanks to classic films that leave a lasting impression such as BIG, HOME ALONE, PRETTY WOMAN, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE GOONIES, and new hits such as THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES, A DOG’S JOURNEY, SPY KIDS, and more Family Friendly films offer some...

I’ve certainly had an interesting career in regards to my writing. Began some thirty years ago and can’t seem to give it up, no matter what my sanity wishes at the time. I’ve written fiction, theatre and, of course, for film. All writers should try their hand at various formats; you never know when an opportunity might arise challenging your particular set of skills… I’ve had the ups and the downs… mostly downs. I’ve had at least four instances where my material was ready for production only...

“Are you on Stage 32 too?” Where We Met Years ago, it was 2014 or six (6) years before the global pandemic, I was asked, along with Kevin Shand, the former Colorado Film Commissioner to speak with a group of 35 visiting film directors from the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN). During my presentation at the Colorado Film School, I mentioned Stage 32 as an important platform that the attendees should be aware of. One of the benefits I explained was the ease with which Stage 32 facilitates do...

In our ongoing mission to democratize the entertainment industry for all creatives around the world, Stage 32 is thrilled to announce our 2nd Annual Diversity Springboard Screenwriting Contest! This year's winner will be personally mentored by NAACP Award-Winner Doug Atchison, the filmmaker behind critically acclaimed films including AKEELAH AND THE BEE and BRIAN BANKS! Now more than ever, the entertainment industry is making strides to ensure that voices from all backgrounds and points of v...

Hello everyone! I know this must sound like a promotional blog, or 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 forty-nine-year-old woman going on twenty-one who lives on the island of Aphrodite that is called Cyprus. If you don’t know where that is, it is a tiny dot on the map in the eastern Me...

Preciously few screenwriters strike gold with their first scripts, such as those written by Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Kevin Smith (Clerks), Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich), Kimberly Smith (Boys Don’t Cry), and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting) among a dozen other gifted writers. Most screenwriters take a circuitous route to “getting their first feature film produced.” I thought it would be instructive to share the story of my journey in hopes of gathering diverse stories...