Distribution

"Every film is a journey, and every journey is a film." - Francis Ford Coppola Hi, Stage 32 creatives, and welcome to all the newcomers! Like you, I was a new member not long ago, and since Coverfly closed and Stage 32 launched the Global Contest Hub, I've seen a lot of new faces. A post recently caught my attention, one that’s familiar to many of us: "Wait, why would I pay to pitch my idea?" For so long, we've been told to be wary of scams and people asking for money. It's a healthy refle...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Let’s kick things off with a huge shoutout to everyone who has already jumped into this month’s Introduce Yourself Weekend. Thousands of creatives from around the world are connecting, sharing their stories, and building relationships that will lead to collaborations, opportunities, and lifelong friendships. If you haven’t yet made your introduction, you’ve still got time! Head over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge before the weekend wraps. Be bold. Introduce you...

I recently sat down with my friend Simona Muresan, co-founder and programming director of the Hollywood Florida Film Festival (HFFF). She was in the middle of prepping the festival’s 9th edition, wrangling over 90 films, sponsors, and an elevated jury lineup, but carved out time to chat about what it really takes to grow a local film festival into something meaningful. What followed offered valuable insights not only into how to scale a festival, but also into how filmmakers can better positio...

I’m proud to share how my Stage 32 Certification equipped me with the skills to produce and release Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story, a film that has set a historic record for Central American cinema. The certification gave me essential knowledge, from project management to international distribution, that helped me navigate the complexities of a global release with confidence. Thanks to those tools, Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story achieved an unprecedented milestone: premiering in 11 count...

Podcasts are a unique way to communicate with a desired group of listeners in an episodic format. Podcasts are designed to appeal to a niche audience; therefore, you have the opportunity to zero in on exactly who you want to talk to and what your topics should be. You’re straight-up targeting people. You never know… Your thoughts and opinions could very well resonate with a horde of like-minded folks and maybe even sway some of those who have different opinions from what you chat about on your...

Happy Monday, Creative Army! For the past decade, it’s been one of the greatest honors of my career to watch the Stage 32 Short Film Program evolve into one of the premier discovery showcases for emerging filmmakers around the globe. This year, I’m proud to announce that we are celebrating the 10th Anniversary of our Stage 32 Short Film Program with a worldwide premiere at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival, one of the most prestigious Oscar-qualifying fests in the world. This program has al...

In today’s entertainment landscape, opportunities move fast, and if you want to grab an executive’s attention, you have to make your pitch count. At Stage 32, you’re not just learning how the industry works; you’re gaining direct access to decision-makers across studios, streamers, and production companies. But here’s the truth: when those execs open your pitch, they want clarity, confidence, professionalism, and a clear understanding of your story on just two pages. That’s why we’re dedicatin...

Happy Wednesday, Creative Army! There are moments in this business when everything changes. Today is one of those moments. With the recent announcement that Coverfly is shutting down on August 1st, and after their prior closure of Industry Arts platforms, we knew thousands of screenwriters around the world were going to be left without a clear path to discover contests, get professional feedback, and get discovered. So we stepped up. As announced on Deadline, I’m incredibly proud to sh...

If you had told me a while ago that I'd be where I am today, I would've said you were wrong. But "wrong" and "right" are subjective, aren't they? They depend on your goals, ideas, and beliefs. Today, I want to share my filmmaking journey with you, along with some tips that might help you if you're dreaming of directing your own short film.  My Unexpected Path to Directing I pioneered female entrepreneurship in Portugal and won the most significant awards a businesswoman could win worldwid...

Yep. MAGPIE FUNERAL, a recent film of mine, was almost dead on arrival. But hey, what independent film can’t say that? Here are three crazy stories about MAGPIE FUNERAL, now streaming on TubiTV, Amazon Video, YouTube, and Google Play. Story One: TIMING IS EVERYTHING. John T. Sweeney, Magpie Funeral’s producer, insisted that the production must start in mid-October of that year. I had the following January in mind. But John persisted. He explained it was imperative principal photography co...