Advice

In boardrooms from Burbank to Beijing, the diagnosis is unanimous: the theatrical experience is ailing. Ticket sales stagnate, blockbuster returns diminish, and the cultural footprint of cinema feels shallower than ever. The prescribed cure, championed by a legion of marketing executives, is a massive dose of transmedia expansion. "If they won't come to the movies," the logic goes, "we will bring the movie's world to them; On their phones, in their games, through their podcasts." They se...

For many, the Emmy Awards were too predictable and sugar-coated. For others, it was a successful night that will hopefully turn the tide for a segment of the industry that has been lagging behind for the past two years. Perhaps I have a tendency to see everything through an international lens, but among the Canadian and UK winners, it's hard to ignore that Hollywood is becoming more and more global. And that's a win in itself. Los Angeles will continue to be a beacon for artists around the wor...

As recently announced in Deadline, Erika Alexander's production company has opened their doors exclusively to our community and we're excited to announce we've partnered with Color Farm Media - who will develop and package the winning script of our Diversity Talent Accelerator screenwriting contest! The Rarity of Direct Producer Access Erika Alexander - beloved for her iconic acting roles as Maxine Shaw (“Living Single,” NAACP Image Awards as Outstanding Actress/Comedy Series), Detective Lato...

Good Morning my Warriors of Writing, my Sultans of Storytelling, my Colossi of Creativity! A Preamble Before you dive in, I want to tell you why I wrote this blog post. I will break into this industry, become an acclaimed writer, and set a new standard. This is not a belief. This is a promise. I'm not the best writer, but I'm dedicated to my craft, so this article is for those who are just as dedicated. Those willing to make that same promise and set the path ablaze to create a new standar...

I hope all of you are well and looking forward to making some pretty amazing connections on Stage 32! I am a mother of three girls, one and a half college grads, and a little Einstein. My eldest is an entrepreneur and teaches influencers how to grow, increase leads, and sustainability. My middle child attends SCAD and has been in more films than I’ve ever written. My baby girl has mastered 2D, 3D, and all things technical more than mommy, and preparing to do some work for Crunchyroll. I didn...

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. First up, let’s dive into this in-depth video essay from FilmSpeak: James Gunn Made Superman For Everyone. James Gunn’s Superman is being praised as the hopeful and heartfelt superhero film we needed right now. At a...

I have some exciting news to share that will have a great impact on our region’s creative community. I’m thrilled to announce a new partnership between the Central Pennsylvania Film Commission and Stage 32 Certification on film & TV production training opportunities at our upcoming Facts Fest event. This collaboration marks a powerful step forward in our mission to open more doors for aspiring and working professionals in our emerging film and TV production community. Facts Fest in Central Pen...

I had a long conversation recently with a friend about branding. And as creatives, we often underestimate that. She’s an actress, but she approaches her career like a business, as we all should. And it got me thinking about how the exact same is applicable to us as writers. We want to be seen, we want to be found, we want to be known as writers. But beyond that, we want to be known as the specific type of writer we are. It doesn’t do me any good to try to be found by people who make slashe...

Over the past couple of decades, we have seen all the legacy studios—Warner Bros, Fox, Universal, MGM, and Paramount—gobbled up by giant media conglomerates like so many dots on the Pac-Man screen. The new, more vertical configuration of the current media industry can make it more daunting and confusing than ever for an amateur screenwriter looking for a way to get started on a professional career. There is still one tried-and-true strategy for breaking into the business that works extremely...

International territories are the financial backbone of most projects these days, so it's no surprise that comedies have been struggling to get greenlit. After all, comedy is incredibly regional. Unless we're talking action comedies or slapstick, which translate universally (where's our next Mr. Bean?). But here's what's interesting: studios have recently started greenlighting high-concept comedies again, and streamers like Netflix are doubling down on sitcoms and half-hours. So you have to wo...