Inspirational

*This blog is co-written by Elizabeth Blake-Thomas and Isabella Blake-Thomas. Embarking on the journey of screenwriting demands more than just creativity—it requires foresight into what makes a script not only compelling on paper but also viable for the silver screen. At Mother and Daughter Entertainment, we understand the intricacies of transforming a script from concept to production-ready material. Whether you're driven by passion, personal exploration, or the ambition to see your story unf...

I have been writing and publishing stories for more than 10 years, first as a novelist. I always wrote in a silo, never sharing my work until I had reworked it countless times. Heaven forbid someone sees my terrible first draft! After publishing two novels this way, I opened myself up to a trusted friend as my next story was more complexly layered. It all made sense in my head, but would my reader get the connections? By bouncing around ideas and sharing my drafts with this friend, I fixed plot...

Television is a lot like food. Really! The packaging piques our interest by showing us what’s inside: ads, posters, etc. We might buy it because a friend told us how much they loved it, or maybe we saw it prominently featured at the front of the store (Netflix’s Top 10). We order it off a menu – think the home page of HBO Max or the evening lineup on CBS. Each restaurant’s menu is different - each platform has its own brand. And we expect to be served what we think we are buying: a bag of M&M’s...

Every creative journey has its storms, those moments when doubt, setbacks, and exhaustion make the finish line feel impossibly far away. Whether you're an artist, filmmaker, musician, or entrepreneur, the road to bringing a vision to life isn’t paved with ease. Instead, it's filled with unexpected detours, financial struggles, and moments where quitting seems like the only option. But here’s the truth: the projects that matter most are often the hardest to make happen. The Weight of the Proces...

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. This week’s featured video essay comes from Frame Voyager, and it’s an absolute ride through the world of one of the most iconic action franchises in film history—Mission: Impossible. The original Mission: Impossib...

As an artist, you’re called to show up in the world. Whether it’s on stage, making a pitch, submitting your screenplay, putting on an art show, you make yourself vulnerable to others over and over again. Making art is a unique process. The initial stages of creating are deeply personal, but, eventually, you need the attention of your audience to bring your creative work to life. Though it began as something private, your art only achieves its purpose and full potential when it impacts someone...

Happy May! This month, I want to explore how love helps you remain steady, especially during tougher days. The days when doubt creeps in, energy runs low, or your direction feels unclear. These are the moments when love can transform from a feeling into a form of resilience. We know that love is not always simple or easy. It may not come with clear answers or appear in the ways we expect. Sometimes, it means showing kindness to yourself. At times, it means choosing to support someone else. T...

No one covets rejection. Not personally, not professionally. Even when we try to wrap it all up in a pretty bow and look for the “bright side” the cold, hard truth is that rejection sucks. Period. That said, if all we ever did were focus on the crap, we’d never get to taste the cream (Sorry, I thought hard about a more appetizing metaphor but just couldn’t come up with one). Recently, an article in Writer’s Digest on rejection caught my eye, and it brought up an experience I’d like to share wi...

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. This week’s featured video essay comes from our friends at StudioBinder- How to Write the Main Conflict of the Story: The Engine of a Narrative. If you’re building a narrative and you haven’t deeply explored your sto...

Dear Actors, you are enough… But do you really believe that? Following over 25 years of working in the performing arts industry as an actress myself, I have also had the opportunity to assist directors, train with incredible coaches, and view the problems that arise for most actors time and time again. It’s an elusive art form acting and what it takes to be a great actor seems to be equally puzzling because great acting looks so simple. But don’t be deluded into thinking that anything th...