Filmmaking

Let me start with a disclaimer. Any advice I give is worth just what you pay for it. What do I know? I drive a 15-year old pickup and my last royalty check was twelve dollars. But during a tumultuous advertising career I won more than 200 awards. I have enough chrome and lucite to make a couple of Buicks, some of which were even meaningful. Like the one for a literacy campaign. That award got me a presidential citation. (Maybe Carter or Lyndon or one of those.) I wasn't big on politics. Nor am...

Happy Sunday, everyone.  Welcome to December. Let's get warm with a steaming cup of java and some red hot content. First up today, something a little different.  As many of you know, and some may not, having a qualified script supervisor on set is a must.  There are just some things that can't be saved in post and if you don't have the coverage or continuity, you're screwed.  Here, courtesy of Vanity Fair, Martin Scorsese's long-time script supervisor, Martha Pinson, lays down the knowledge...

Everyday we learn about new streaming platforms that offer viewers more options. Less than 48 hours ago, Variety published an article highlighting the WarnerMedia Streaming Platform as the next streaming service to rear it's head. If all goes well, the virtual doors will be open by the end of 2019. After AT&T acquired Time Warner, it took on the company's hefty debt as well. A large portion of that debt will need to paid down, first. We're sharing the full Variety article below. But for...

Award-winning filmmaker James Kicklighter has been featured in the Hollywood Reporter, The Times of India, Ain't it Cool News and more and has been directing narrative films for the the past 12 years. His films have screened at the Cannes Film Festival and more! He has spoken all over the world on filmmaking. Kicklighter offers tips for aspiring directors, suggesting they start with two important things before diving in. Kicklighter suggests directors start with two important things before div...

It seems like the movie business is open for just about any entity to hop on board and offer services for the filmmaker. Even Walmart is rumored to be boarding the movie streaming train. But when Apple signed a deal with A24 to amp up its intention to offer original content to viewers, lots of filmmakers stopped in their tracks to listen.   A24 is a distribution, financing, development and production company whose prestige credits include 2017’s Best Picture Oscar winner Moonlight. Per th...

I’m sure that you're all familiar with the “Feature Film” format. You have a single story (okay, it may be rather complex) with a single set of actors and characters and a single directorial team. The final product is a consistent product that draws you in and takes you through its “Oh sh..” moments until the end.   Smells like a human to me (Image courtesy of Arijana Rubin)   An “Anthology Feature,” on the other hand, is different. It is a little analogous to a collection, or anthology,...

Hello, Creative Army.  Hope all who are celebrating are enjoying the remainder of the Thanksgiving weekend. Let's get right after it, shall we? First up, a look at one of my favorite films of the 21st century, the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men.  This one is from our friends at Lessons from the Screenplay and comes with the mandate - don't underestimate the audience! Next, short and sweet, some sage acting advice from the versatile Hugh Jackman. As always, I ask that you share thi...

Everyday, we here at Stage 32 do our very best to offer blog posts that educate and inspire. We get contributions from filmmakers, writers, actors, and other creatives at every level of success. And when we don't share a contributor post, we share links to posts from other creatives out there in the world. Sometimes the posts we share fit you and your needs more than they fit someone else's.Sometimes they won't fit you at all.That's going to happen. With over 500,000 thousand members all ov...

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now.” Although this is not the story of a tree, and I can’t say that it has been twenty years in the making, the implications of the proverb still hold true. This story is for the up-and-coming director that may not know the next step in their journey. To the high school student filmmaker that is trying to find their way on the toad to success, and might be looking for something of...

If you're an actor, you know that looking for the next gig is always on your radar. Actors today have more options than ever to find work. Actor, filmmaker, and director Elyes Gabel has appeared on Game of Thrones, World War Z, Scorpion and more! He was on a Stage 32 panel at the Hollyshorts Film Festival and shared some advice on how his fellow actors can maximize their reach with casting directors... Click Here For Elyes' Advice!       Remember, if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube...