Featured Articles

At some point, most filmmakers come across a great idea for a documentary film. It might be an interesting topic or personality, and you just know there is a story that must be told. But similarly to narrative filmmaking, there’s a huge difference between having an idea and being able to carry it into a finished motion picture. We talk about “packaging” in scripted films, attachments, pre-sales, and budgets, but oftentimes overlook the importance of doing the same thing in documentary films....

I have had the honor of being a member of Stage 32 since 2013. To say “It’s rough out there” in 2025 is like saying “the weather is nice” during a tornado. It’s not just rough out there in the entertainment world right now. It’s brutal! It’s a climb out of the pit of Hell’s despair. Imagine this: You are living a happy-go-lucky life until your twenties, when all of a sudden, your brother or sister kills himself or herself. Five years later, your best friend also dies by suicide. And then five...

If you’ve been dreaming of writing the next great romantic comedy, there’s never been a better time to learn directly from someone doing it at the highest level. On Monday, April 21st at 11:00 am PT, Stage 32 is thrilled to offer you exclusive FREE access to 30 Minutes with Mahtub — a live Ask Me Anything event with rising TV writer and rom-com powerhouse, Mahtub Zare Mochanloo. This event is part of Stage 32’s mission to connect our global community of creatives with working industry profes...

What’s up, Creative Army! It’s been a wild start to 2025 for the entertainment industry as a whole. And I know many of you have been feeling it, too. Between my travel schedule, the LA fires that hit close to home, the ongoing M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity reshaping the business, and the powerful resurgence of independent film, I’ve been on the ground, in the meetings, and having conversations with industry leaders every single week. And let me tell you… there’s a LOT happening rig...

Hi, Stage 32! I'm Eric Nazarian, filmmaker, screenwriter, and graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. I was the recipient of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for my screenplay, Giants. This is my overview on making and releasing independent films that have no choice but to get made by going against the prevalent grain of formulaic notions. It is time for us to rebuild the filmmaking system through...

Hey friends! The FUNNIEST TV Comedy Screenplay Contest in the World is Back! Ever dreamt of seeing your TV Comedy script come to life and stream on flat-screens in living rooms across the country? This is your chance to turn that dream into reality! Our Grand Prize Winner will win a Career Accelerator prize package valued at $5,000 that includes script & career development, writer branding and an education package and will be flown to LA to meet industry professionals who’ve worked on iconic...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. This video essay from Film Stack dives into the fascinating career of GARY OLDMAN, an absolute master of transformation. He’s played everything from Dracula to Churchill, Beethoven to Sirius Black. But there was a ti...

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the very individual process a professional creative must go through in order to be present for their “tribe” or be strong enough to lead a team. Especially since doing the work for yourself, BY yourself is essential. It is the foundation of everything else we create. Consider for a moment when you visit a doctor. It is certainly their job to help analyze what ails you and suggest a plan to heal you, expecting them to do all of the work is ineffective at...

You’re ready to pitch your TV series idea. You’re there, in the room or on Zoom, you’re nervous as hell but you know your stuff, you’ve got this, you draw a deep breath, you say that much-practiced logline and end with “it’s X meets Y!” Someone somewhere told you to use “comps”, so you picked two shows or films that bear some resemblance to your show and put them together. They told you to pick comps that were profitable to show your project will be too, but what does “profitable” even mean in t...

Hello Stage 32! As many of you already know, Stage 32 Certification has been training people all around the world in the skills they need to work in the global film production industry. Today, The Made inLimpopo Film Hub is proud to join the over 40 film commissions and guilds working with Stage 32 Certification as a partner to support the Limpono film community. We are also honored and excited that Stage 32 is sponsoring our 2025 Writing for Film Workshop. The winner of the workshop will...