Cinematography

At age 17, my artist-father was taught a mantra. ‘Near enough isn’t good enough. It has to be perfect.’ So he slaved for his mentor, re-doing work over and over again until one day, the mentor was moved to tears and whispered; ‘now it’s perfect. And that’s near enough.’ But the damage was done. Over 60 years of painting, dad couldn’t bring himself to have an exhibition. Nothing was perfect. It robbed him of so much joy and satisfaction and held him back from moving forward in life. I inheri...

Nominations for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards were announced on December 13, 2021. The awards were originally scheduled to be presented live on Sunday, January 9, 2022 at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and on the CW Network and TBS. However, the ceremony was postponed on December 22, due to public health concerns. What are the similarities in the nominations from previous nominations this year? The differences? What are your favorite scripts? Be sure to comment below!...

Happy Tuesday Creative Army!   My first article as a Fast Company contributor - Three Steps Social Can Take to Foster Community - was published recently and I wanted to share it with you.Having run Stage 32 for over 10 years, I couldn't be more proud of our amazing community of nearly 1 million members and even more so that the business world has recognized our community as the shining example of positivity and productivity anywhere on the planet.   It's been amazing to hear from so many cr...

I wanted to share my experience with other filmmakers on how posting a Stage 32 blog helped me get distribution for my transmedia film project. Part 1 About four months ago in the transmedia lounge, they were having a discussion on transmedia. So, I shared how I was developing my transmedia project Black Salt from comic book to crowd funding for my proof-of-concept film, to video game. Karen Ross, the Community Manager at Stage 32, told me my transmedia journey would make an excellent blog...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from every corner of the globe. Whether you are a long-time member, or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. Now, grab some fresh coffee and let's dive into this week's conte...

Have you ever fallen in creative love? Perhaps you idly chat about your favorite director (like this fun getting-to-know-you post), only to discover that you both love their most obscure film the most. Over your first coffee date, you playfully square off about who has the worst set stories, but you share a laugh over the resiliency it takes to keep going. Now you're about to start a project and your new creative ally is firmly entrenched in your corner. 'How in the world did I get so fortunate?...

Happy New Year, Stage 32! Last month, I wrote a pilot and a feature in my labors as a script doctor and ghostwriter… and in the final tally, I wound up writing 6 pilots and nine features in 2021. Just one of these films was under my own name. Going into 2022, my goal is to make enough headway with my own spec sales, films in development, and transmedia projects that I can charge more, work less, and focus on what I have to give the audience. If I can get my sci-fi heist feature into productio...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32! Since 2011, the Stage 32 team has been working tirelessly to help you stay connected, creative, motivated, and informed. As always, we are committed to bringing you networking opportunities, education and mentoring from top-level industry executives and professionals, and access to decision-makers around the globe all from the comfort of your own home. Recently our efforts have been noticed by the media in a big way. We are incredibly proud and honored that Stage 32...

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, the folks over at Film Riot have put together an epic tutorial on how to make the electro effect from Spider-Man: No Way Home. This tutorial uses Adobe After Effects and will add some major production value to your projects.  Next up, Walt Disney Animation Studios recently shared a behind the s...

Small feature films are roads to much bigger projects. A positive, proactive attitude will propel your work. Here is what you need to give your film a fighting chance against the competition. 1. Aim For Attention Successful projects happen when you adopt a realistic approach to their completion. Don’t think too big too soon. Storytelling as a filmmaker is a lifelong learning curve but a positive attitude is everything. A feature film carries the kudos and longevity that short-form content doe...