Hi, Stage 32 Community!

Our Stage 32 Team has been working diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community!

At Stage 32 you have direct access to industry professionals who’ve overseen the makeup department, written, produced, financed, developed, distributed, consulted on, and represented acclaimed projects like YELLOWJACKETS, WANDA VISION, AGATHA: COVEN OF CHAOS, THE COVENANT, MOON KNIGHT, FIRST MAN, BLADE RUNNER 2049, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, SPECTRE, SKYFALL, NIGHTCRAWLER, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE FIGHTER, THE DEPARTED, SICARIO, 8 MILE, DUNE, WOMAN KING, WAREHOUSE 13, GHOSTS, THE BOLD TYPE, THE WHISTLEBLOWER, and many more.

So without much further ado, let's roll out the red carpet and welcome some of the fantastic new people joining our Stage 32 Community this December!

New Stage 32 Educators-

Emma Louise Smith, Finance Professional

Emma Louise Smith is a seasoned finance professional who has managed the production fund and budget for the UNHCR-funded collaboration with IEFTA since 2018 and she’s credited as Finance Manager on several UNHCR/IEFTA films including BEYOND THE RAGING SEA currently airing on Netflix. Emma’s film work started in 2021 when she was asked to join the feature documentary LATIN FOUR PLUS as Executive Producer and as a Producer on the feature documentary POUR THE WATER. In her consultancy work, Emma sources equity or gap financing for films across a budget range of 1M – 20M+ and as a brand strategy director, she sources additional revenue or reduces production budgets for studios and broadcasters utilizing branded content and product placement deals.

You can still register for Emma’s webinar- How To Create A Compelling Investment Proposal That Attracts Financing For Your Project

Nicholas Bogner, Head of Literary at Affirmative Ent.

Nicholas Bogner is Head of Literary at Affirmative Entertainment. Former VP of Original Programming at TNT and head of development at CRUISE/WAGNER, Nicholas’ clients have had immense success making shorts and creating their own IP.

You can still register for Nicholas’s webinar- How To Make A Feature Film Based On Your Short Film

Donald Mowat, Renowned Makeup Artist

Donald Mowat is a renowned makeup artist, makeup department head, and prosthetics designer. A three-time British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) nominee and Academy Award (Oscar) nominee, Donald’s long list of credits as Makeup Department Head/Designer or Personal Makeup Artist include THE COVENANT, MOON KNIGHT, FIRST MAN, BLADE RUNNER 2049, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, SPECTRE, SKYFALL, NIGHTCRAWLER, PRISONERS, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE FIGHTER, THE DEPARTED, SICARIO, 8 MILE, THREE KINGS, MIMIC, FLY WAY HOME, MARGARET'S MUSEUM, THE PERFECT STORM, THE YARDS and DUNE for which he was the Makeup Department Head/Hair and Makeup and prosthetics Designer.

You can still register for Donald’s webinar- Masters Of Craft: The Art and Business of Film & TV Make Up Artists with Donald Mowat

James Pacitti, Founder of Pacitti Law Firm

James Pacitti of Pacitti Law Firm has been an attorney for nearly three decades and is licensed to practice in California, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. He is the founder and managing attorney of Pacitti Law Firm (PLF), an entertainment law firm based in Beverly Hills, California. PLF represents a broad spectrum of creatives, including producers and production companies, in the development, finance, production, and distribution of their projects. The firm also acts as general counsel to its clients and advises them on a wide array of entertainment matters and intellectual property rights issues. PLF has handled TV and film productions across the United States and the globe, including the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Australia.

You can still register for James’s webinar- TV & Film Legal Clearances: Everything You Need To Know To Safeguard Your Project

Liliana Granados, Esteemed Film Executive

Liliana Granados is an esteemed film executive whose illustrious career has woven through the corridors of entertainment alongside luminaries like Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Eugenio Derbez. Liliana worked as a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helped shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film**.** Recently, Granados served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the film drama department.

You can still register for Liliana’s webinar- How To Get The Attention Of An A-List Star's Production Company

Shannan E. Johnson, CEO of The Professional Pen

Shannan E. Johnson is a former development and current production executive at the Syfy Channel. Shannan is now the CEO of the Professional Pen, a script consultancy developing screenwriters from idea to pitch and consulting scripted teams in streamlining their development process. Shannan has extensive experience working with notes and managing series like HAVEN, BEING HUMAN, and WAREHOUSE 13. Shannan has consulted with Hallmark Media and A Few Good Women Productions, developing emerging to established writers now writing and show running at ALLBLK, Hulu, and Nickelodeon. As a writer, Shannan has staffed on Craig Ross, Jr's MONOGAMY and A LA CARTE, placed finalist in the Warner Bros. TV Workshop, AT&T Hello Lab, WeScreenplay, and Film Pipeline screenplay competitions, and wrote the proof of concept for ALL SCREWED UP now being developed at Sony.

You can still register for Shannan’s 2-Part Class- How You Can Give & Receive Notes For Maximum Effect

New Stage 32 Executives-

Julia Harter, Screenwriter & Producer

Julia Harter is a British-American screenwriter and producer who has experience working in both comedy and drama television. She has written episodes on shows such as CBS’s hit comedy GHOSTS, Freeform’s THE BOLD TYPE, and the DEGRASSI Reboot on HBO Max. She also has experience pitching and developing projects at the producer level. Julia is currently in development on a mystery-thriller series. Julia earned her MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA where she studied both feature film and television writing. Prior to that, she earned her BA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

You can meet with Julia about your Pilot here your Feature here, or about your Pitch Deck/Bible Reviews.

Jalessa Jones, Manager of Scripted TV at Entertainment One

Jalessa Jones is currently a manager of scripted television at Entertainment One (YELLOWJACKETS, CRUEL SUMMER, THE RECRUIT, THE ROOKIE, THE ROOKIE: FEDS). At EntertainmentOne, Jalessa contributes to internal development and provides more focused creative infrastructure to talent-led deals, overseeing all development activities, sourcing starring vehicles, perceiving unique development and producing opportunities, and fostering creative relations**.** Currently, she has UNFRIENDLY BLACK HOTTIES in development at Max with Keke Palmer and Amy Aniobi.

Previously, Jalessa has worked with companies such as MetaMorphic Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Media Res, and Circle of Confusion. At MetaMorphic Entertainment, she nurtured and utilized relationships with peers at agencies, and other management companies to source available writers and IPs to furnish their first-look deal with Amazon. Prior to her time at MediaRes, she assisted CEO Michael Ellenberg, and secured reliable on-set liaisons, built contingencies, and familiarized herself with every project in development, establishing herself as a resource.

You can meet with Jalessa about your Pilot here or about your Pitch Deck/Bible Reviews.

Peter Cameron, Emmy-Nominated Screenwriter & Producer

Peter Cameron is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and producer who most recently wrote for Marvel Studios on VISION QUEST (Paul Bettany) for Disney+. He has also worked in the writer's room on the previous two installments of Jac Shaeffer's trilogy: AGATHA: COVEN OF CHAOS (Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza) and WANDA VISION (Elizabeth Olsen, Kat Dennings) which received 23 Emmy nominations. Other work for Marvel Studios includes MOON KNIGHT (Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke) and Marvel's first special presentation: WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (Gael Garcia Bernal, Laura Donnelly). Prior writers' rooms include Legendary Studio's CARNIVAL ROW (Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevigne) for Amazon and THE MAGIC ORDER for James Wan's Atomic Monster and Netflix. He is also active on the film side of the industry, and - while NDAs prohibit a similar list of projects in development - he is set to Executive Produce THRESHOLD OF FEAR alongside hallowed horror studio Amicus Productions.

You can receive premium notes from Peter about your Pilot here or your Feature here.

Robert Deege, Head of Worldwide Sales for Glass House Distribution

With over 25 years’ experience on both the creative and business sides, Robert Deege is an independent film producer, writer, script consultant, sales agent, distributor, and entrepreneur committed to quality and meaningful content, and endeavors that inspire, educate, and entertain. Robert is currently producing and exec producing a diverse slate of feature films and series. He has helped creatively develop and/or source financing and distribution for movies including the Sony comedy CRASH PAD (Domhnall Gleeson, Thomas Haden Church, Christina Applegate, Nina Dobrev), the Emily Dickinson story A QUIET PASSION (Cynthia Nixon, director Terence Davies), action thriller INTO THE GRIZZLY MAZE (James Marsden, Billy Bob Thornton, Thomas Jane), dancing romcom ASK ME TO DANCE (Briana Evigan, Mario Cantone), teen comedy THE SECRET LIVES OF DORKS (Jim Belushi, Jennifer Tilly, Vanessa Marano, Gaelan Connell), biopic thriller THE WHISTLEBLOWER (Rachel Weiz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, David Strathairn, Benedict Cumberbatch) and Sony’s inspirational family film SOUL SURFER (Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Anna Sophia Robb, Carrie Underwood).

As the current Head of Worldwide Sales for Glass House Distribution, Robert participates in major markets including Cannes, AFM, Berlinale, Filmart, Mipcom, and Toronto, meeting and conducting business with buyers, distributors, and filmmakers around the world. In addition to sales, Robert advises Glass House on acquisitions, distribution, and strategy policies and methodologies; provides creative consultation on script development and features, series, and trailers post/editorial; and helps produce/EP on productions.

You can meet with Robert about your Feature here.

Alessia Cruci, Film Producer

Alessia Cruci is an independent producer with a wealth of experience in the entertainment industry. She is currently in development on two narrative period pieces - DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN set in 1942; as Jews face mass deportations from Berlin, two queer Jews, Gad Beck and Manfred Lewin, confront the harsh realities of Hitler’s Final Solution together. HEART OF A WOMAN set in 1910s NYC, follows the story of the first woman lawyer. Alessia also has a multimedia project in development called PROTECT YOUR FLOWER, following a world where women's health is constantly argued and stigmatized, Protect Your Flower embarks on a mission to redefine women's health and the feminine experience, one powerful story at a time. Last but not least, developing a project called NIGHTFALL, directed by Zac Villanueva, starring Guy Hershler, music composed by Deacon Phillippe, and photographed by Joseph Wise.

Alessia previously served in the creative development department of Columbia Pictures, where she was responsible for identifying IPs for potential development. Her keen eye for detail and sharp instincts helped her provide insightful feedback on dailies, cuts, and casting. Prior to this, she spent a year with Superprime Films, ranked No. 4 on Ad Age's Top Production Companies of the Year, and its parent company ProdCo. Here, she worked closely with the executive team, including CEO Ian Pons Jewel along with many directors including James Grey, Sean Baker, Martin Scorsese, and Chloe Zhao.

You can meet with Alessia about your Pilot here or your Feature here.

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