Filmmaking

The current Covid-19 virus pandemic has dramatically impacted our lives. Shelter in place, face masks, and social distancing seem to have become the new normal, at least for the near term. Schools are closed, sporting events cancelled, and non-essential businesses have been shut down. The stock market doesn’t know how to react. Creatives watch their future revenues evaporate as SXSW, Tribeca, Coachella and other festivals, large and small, are cancelled. Broadway is closed, uncertain whether pro...

For many years the second most needed element for any movie or project to be successful, outside of a Studio deal, was the Sales Agent. There have been many theories and speculations on the process of getting a sales agent on board of a film or series or project. A lot of it was answered broadly the necessity of a finance plan, talent attachments, and a good script. However, in today's world, which has ALL the power is the Territorial Distributor. Having an A-List sales agent means very lit...

“When you’re writing, you’re conjuring. It’s a ritual, and you need to be brave and respectful and sometimes get out of the way of whatever it is that you’re inviting into the room.”-Tom Waits As is often the case with major life changes, my pursuit of screenwriting came quite suddenly. On July 14, 2018, I sat in a Starbucks and considered my career. You see, I had worked in higher education for eight years, and while there was certainly joy to be found there, I wanted more. It was in this mom...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community!   I hope this blog finds you safe, happy, healthy, and creative. You'll remember, I promised you free education during these challenging times to keep you entertained and to provide up-to-date, no BS information regarding how the industry is handling business during quarantine. I believe we've delivered some compelling and thoughtful panels, roundtables and even a live, online table read. And now we're ready to do it again by bringing you another free, live...

What's up, Stage 32 Creative Army? All over the world, we are all navigating the "new normal" that these uncertain times have thrust upon us. Between quarantine, social distancing, set closures and more, the future of the entertainment industry is uncertain at best... but there is a lot of good that is happening right now. Last week, I had the chance to sit down with my brother from another mother, Alex Ferrari at Indie Film Hustle for what I think is my 7,643rd podcast appearance. As always,...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I hope you had a safe, healthy, and creative week. I've got my Sunday coffee in hand and some content coming your way to help you stay inspired, motivated, and creative while we are in quarantine.  First up, the folks over at The Closer Look have put together a comprehensive guide on how to do a fight scene. A great fight scene is made of much more than kicks and punches, and this video breaks down elements of cinematography, character motivation, and use of weapo...

The Evolution of the Creative process "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes; Art is knowing which ones to keep." -Scott Adams We’ve all heard or referenced the Heraclitus quote, “The only constant in life is change.” I have long held the belief that creativity, like so much in life, changes as well. Writing, I’ve concluded is an evolutionary process. It was a fascinating observation once I realized this was true. I would love to say this was a “road to Damascus” revelation of my...

Hello hello hello to all of you beautiful humans in the Stage 32 Hive! You might be reading this and wondering, “Which voice in my head is doing the talking?” I can assure you it’s all eight of them. But do not worry, they are social distancing. Everyone is FINE. I am honored and privileged to be writing you during this uncertain time, but I am certain of this: The platform for creative thought is open and thriving. Like many of you, all of my projects entering production were suspended inde...

I chose to work from home over twenty years ago, for a number of reasons. I’m not only a writer; I’m also a licensed acupuncturist. The busy and crowded waiting room and space I couldn’t make comfortable for my patients just didn’t ring my bell. The hectic pace didn’t work for me either. Most of my patients were better served by a calm and relaxed environment. They liked the sanctuary and quiet space for an hour that could be part of their treatment. So I continued working at home. The commut...

Happy Wednesday Stage 32 Creative Army! As you may recall back in February, long-time Stage 32 member, blog contributor, webinar teacher, and international film & distribution aficionado, David Zannoni began a series of blogs and vlogs to keep you up-to-date on the business of film across the globe. Originally, David was going to be reporting live from Film Festivals and Markets all over the world throughout the year - but alas, COVID-19 has put us all in the same stay at home boat. So today...