Filmmaking

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, in this video by In Depth Cine, he’s analyzing the most common 4 reasons why starting a career in filmmaking can be so difficult. All of his points are topics that I’ve spoken on before and we provide many courses right here on Stage 32 where working professionals can help you better understand...

Fun. The main reason most of us got into (or are trying to get into) the film and TV industry is because it sounds so much fun! And it is - some of the best times of my life have been on set. I have been lucky enough to have filmed all over the world, from Pinewood to Bollywood and from Montana to the Sahara. I’ve worked on some really wonderful productions and I’ve been on some really awful productions that if I could get in my TARDIS, travel back in time, and change that timeline - then I woul...

Creating Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. This film is more than just a Christmas story; it’s a testament to perseverance, passion, and the power of collaboration across borders.   As the producer and founder of Café Cinema and Café Televisión, I have always been deeply committed to my craft, striving to deliver work of the highest quality. This dedication has earned me international recognition in the industry, a responsibility I ca...

Happy New Year, Creative Army! Hope you all had a terrific holiday season and are now ready to launch into 2025! Those of you who have been around the site for a while know that on New Year's Day, we utilize the Stage 32 Blog to discuss and share our plans for the coming year. So... What are you looking to accomplish in 2025? What are your creative goals? What skills are you looking to learn? What fears are you looking to overcome? What strategies are you planning on implementing...

There’s a natural soul-searching during this time of year. Do I spend money on my loved ones, or is quality time more important? Have I been spending too much time investing in my work, or not enough? Am I living my best life NOW, or am I still in survival mode? Whether this reflection is brought up by family visits, relaxing vacations, or making plans for the new year, it all comes to a pinnacle as we shift away from celebrating holidays and into starting anew in January. As someone born on N...

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, in this video essay by Frame Voyager, he’s talking about the new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. Based on Elijah Wald's 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!, the film chronicles Bob Dylan's rise from a folk music phenomenon to the seismic moment at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, where his shif...

One of the biggest challenges filmmakers and screenwriters face is to keep their creative energy fresh and high while working on projects that ask years of endurance and at times don't feel creative. What often drove us toward filmmaking - the excitement of creating stories - can quickly become the thing we connect with the less as we work toward building our careers: handling deadlines, finding an agent, raising money, applying to festivals, answering casting calls, and the 100 other tasks ou...

You’re a filmmaker, a writer, a director, maybe even an actor. You want to keep working, but the phone’s not ringing so… you decide to shoot a short film. Before you start down the rabbit hole you may want to ask a few questions. Why do I want to shoot a short film? What resources do I have at my disposal? What resources will I need to obtain? And the most impactful question: What’s it going to cost? Anyone who has ever taken on the challenge of shooting a short knows that there ar...

On behalf of the entire Stage 32 family, I'd like to wish you all a happy, healthy, and loving Christmas and the remainder of the holiday season. While the holidays are a time of celebration, I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the many blessings life has offered and afforded all of us. We personally feel blessed to have had so many of you enter and enrich our lives. The Stage 32 community has grown to over 1,000,000 members from around the globe, and we are beyond honored to prov...

I started acting a little later than most of my fellow thespians. I’d always been a creative person: writing, drawing, and playing music, but acting was something I feared. “Who am I to act?” “Who would possibly be entertained by my performance?” So, out of fear, I never tried acting. That was, until my 30s. My career in the toy industry had stalled and I was feeling less connected to myself. I was getting sick a lot, and I was having trouble finding direction or inspiration. In other words, I w...