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Trying to monitor multiple things at once is challenging in your acting career: Casting directors, agents, casting calls, release dates, project greenlights, series renewals & cancellations, the list goes on and on. Even if you are an avid reader of the industry trades- Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, etc- you can miss some things that might be of interest. There have been many times when I saw a submission notice, or an opportunity, only to have missed a deadline, or know that hundreds of o...

The writer’s job is never easy, in part because it’s secretly more than one job: it’s three. You need to be a talented writer on the page, a collaborator and idea generator in the room, and a riveting salesperson in a pitch. Pitches can make or break a career – they can be the tool that opens doors or leaves your ideas gathering dust in a pile. So how do you take all the work you’ve done on your project, and present it in a way that will get someone to buy it? 1. Be A Great Storyteller...

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, in this video essay from Just an Observation, he’s analyzing one of the best antagonist characters in cinema, Kathy Bates' Oscar-winning performance as Annie Wilkes in Misery. As he points out, Kathy Bates delivers an unhinged performance filled with contrasting parts of Annie Wilkes' personali...

Horror is debatably one of if not the most misunderstood genres in film and television. Outside of "beloved" intellectual properties, it arguably has one of the most hardcore, savvy, and devoted audiences, but… what quantifies a proper Horror film? Tropes? Jump scares? Demonic creatures? Monsters? A psycho with a machete? How about all of the above? Let's dive in and break down a few subgenres highlighting the best and most diverse stories that will leave your minds twisted and your skin crawlin...

As an artist, you’re called to show up in the world. Whether it’s on stage, making a pitch, submitting your screenplay, putting on an art show, you make yourself vulnerable to others over and over again. Making art is a unique process. The initial stages of creating are deeply personal, but, eventually, you need the attention of your audience to bring your creative work to life. Though it began as something private, your art only achieves its purpose and full potential when it impacts someone...

Hey, Stage 32 Community! We're just two weeks away from the start of the 2024 Austin Film Festival! And I'm THRILLED to announce that the bash is BACK! Stage 32 is back at the Austin Film Festival - and to celebrate - you're invited to the 11th Annual Austin Film Festival Rooftop Bash on Friday, October 25th, starting at 8:00 pm. This year's event will take place back on the exclusive rooftop bar of the Speakeasy, which overlooks the Warehouse District and beautiful Downtown Austin! And...

My short film, Rematch was finally released this year, and I’m excited to share it with the world. It’s a 20-minute domestic dramedy about two contentious brothers shot entirely in my home on an ultra-low budget. I’ve already outlined the hard lessons learned making that film in a recent Stage 32 blog, and I encourage you to give that a read if you haven’t already. However, while it’s important to shine a light on your mistakes, I also wanted to highlight a major success: How Stage 32 was ess...

You’ve spent hundreds of hours pouring into your book or your script. You’re finally finished, and in the midst of your celebration, you realize now it’s time for edits and rewrites. The confetti is short-lived and now you have a decision to make: who are you going to choose for your editor? If your thoughts drift to one of your friends, family members, or even yourself—you may want to reconsider and make sure you have a professional in your corner. Having a fresh set of eyes from a storytelli...

Hey, Stage 32 Community! The Biggest Family Friendly Screenplay Contest in the World is Back! Ever dreamt of seeing your feature film script come to life on the big screen or streaming on TVs in living rooms across the country? This is your chance to turn that dream into reality! Family friendly stories bring everyone together for fun, bonding, and entertainment. From the sheer delight of THE GARFIELD MOVIE to the relentless hi-jinx of KUNG FU PANDA and the emotional depth of IF, audiences c...

Writing a script is challenging in many ways. After you overcome the stress of facing the first draft review and all the reviews after that and then you see the job done it is, without a doubt, a very satisfying achievement. During the process, we can make mistakes (yes, even writers make mistakes) with the way we tell the story. This is why we must keep reading and or talking about script techniques. Today I want to talk specifically about three things we must not do when we are writing a horro...