Distribution

The Cannes Film Festival in France is coming up in a few weeks! As you all know, Stage 32 has worked directly with and has had an official presence at the Cannes Film Festival Marche du Film for over a decade. From education initiatives, partnerships, and parties, Stage 32 always has its finger on the pulse of the world's biggest film festival and market. Also, for the last 11 years, Stage 32 has been an official education partner of the Cannes Marché du Film. In addition to our official part...

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...

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...

Stage 32 Reader, we meet again! Most of you know me as a prolific script doctor and as a working screenwriter, but I’ve also got more than a decade of experience working in the trenches of film finance. My career has given me a front-row seat to the rise and fall of packaging and presales as a business model for Hollywood, and I’ve blogged extensively on the unsustainability of any entertainment business plan that cashes out of a project’s risk before we’ve actually sold any tickets. Our succe...

Happy Tuesday, Stage 32 Community! If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that the path to success in this industry is rarely linear, but with the right education and guidance, your momentum becomes unstoppable. Every day, I get to connect with so many of you: writers, directors, producers, actors, and crew who are putting in the work to build meaningful careers. And it’s my absolute joy to help you find the tools, resources, and industry mentors that can move your projects forward and g...

My fellow filmmakers, my name is Tim Ogletree and I’ve been chasing this thing since January 2009, just on the heels of the 2007-2008 WGA strike. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a Radio-TV-Film degree, I made the official move out to LA with a pretty killer short film and a truck full of clothes, books, and DVDs. The short caught some eyes, landed my writing partner and me a manager, and catapulted us into meetings and pitches that led to our first feature script. Tw...

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. I want to kick things off with a fantastic video from Vox that digs into how A24 went from a little-known indie film distributor to one of the most influential names in modern entertainment. From Moonlight to Everyth...

Happy Friday, Creative Army! If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your film to the Croisette, shaking hands with global buyers, or simply navigating the incredible whirlwind that is the Cannes Film Festival and its Marché du Film, this is for you. I’m thrilled to announce that this upcoming Wednesday, March 26th, we’re hosting a completely FREE webinar with the Executive Director of the Marché du Film, Guillaume Esmiol, to help you prepare for Cannes—whether this is your first time attending or...

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 and say hello before the weekend wraps. Be bold. I...