Filmmaking

I’ve been a filmmaker for nearly a decade, a journey filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. Along the way, I’ve experienced the thrill of true collaboration and the sting of exploitation. A recent incident brought these dynamics back into sharp focus, reminding me how my perspective on them has evolved over time. If you’ve worked in a creative field like filmmaking, you’ve likely brushed up against both: the rare magic of a creative partnership and the all too common reality of some...

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, we are exploring The Brutalist, the latest ambitious project from filmmaker Brady Corbet. This deep dive from Frame Voyager dissects the film’s creative journey, from production delays and budget challenges to its groundbreaking use of VistaVision, a format rarely used in modern cinema. It also...

Happy Friday, Stage 32 Community! At Stage 32, we are dedicated to helping creatives like you take your career to the next level. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, connect with industry professionals, or develop your next project, we’ve got exciting new education and executive mentorship opportunities designed just for you! This month, we’re rolling out cutting-edge courses and interactive labs led by Emmy-winning producers, top literary managers, and working executives from stu...

February often highlights love, although it is not always a simple story. Love can be a grand adventure or a lesson in letting go. It is not just something given or received; it is something created. Whether through the connections we build, the stories we tell, or the art we bring to life, love takes many forms. This month I am sharing five ways to see love through a different lens. Love Beyond the Obvious "The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." — M...

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a blog for Stage 32 to share that my short horror script, “Bad Clown” was in pre-production, thanks to a connection I made here on Stage 32 (you can read it HERE). To quickly recap, I met Christine Jansen, owner of Beautiful Darkness Productions through a Stage 32 Lounge Post. She then messaged me and requested to read my short script. I was excited and grateful, but like always, didn’t count on anything major happening.  She read my first short horror sc...

Hi, Everybody! I’m the Head of Certification here at Stage 32. Stage 32’s Certification program is the brainchild of our CEO, Rich “RB” Botto, and I’ve had the privilege of working with RB, our Managing Director Amanda Toney, and the truly amazing Stage 32 Education team to help bring this program to life. Like so many endeavors, creative and otherwise, what started as an idea led to meetings and then designs and then execution and then to launch. Now, Stage 32 Certification is working...

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. For years, Matthew McConaughey was the ultimate rom-com star. If you needed a leading man with charm, a mischievous grin, and an easygoing Southern drawl, he was your guy. But then, something changed. In this video essay from FilmStack, they’re exploring McConaughey’s professional reinvention, also known...

You volunteered for service in the military and then decided it was time to pursue your dreams in La La Land. And guess what? Hollywood is recruiting you! They know you have a story to tell, and they can’t wait to hear it. I always knew I wanted a career in entertainment, and as an Officer in the Army, I was selected to be a principal actor in a theatrical commercial for the National Guard, directed by Antione Fuqua (Training Day). After this experience, I packed my bags and moved to LA to be...

As a writer, I wanted to improve my storytelling and gain more experience. When I reached out to one of Stage 32’s great leaders, K. Ross, asking, "What can I do to improve my writing?" her advice was simple and clear- make a film. Of course, like many writers, I didn’t have millions of dollars to make a blockbuster film. Heck, I didn’t even have hundreds! So, I had to get creative. I joined a 48-Hour Film Festival Group to kick-start my filmmaking journey. Step 1: Find a Crew The closes...

Sometimes, someone comes along who suddenly propels you into an inspirational state that you never felt before. I worked with someone called, Shibu Thomas, who wrote a screenplay and asked me if I would become script consultant and editor. I read the script and edited it for him, but the story was so intriguing and so clever, I was happy to continue to help him work on it. He then made pitches to producers and received great feedback, he had very good written critiques from professionals in...