Inspirational

For the last two years, I have been working on my screenplay, THE POSTCARD. It is based on the true story of my Great Grandparents and all I wanted to do was write a little thing about their story, that wouldn't take too long, I thought around a 20/30 minute short... Two years later, I'm still writing it.   The postcard my Great Grandfather Harry sent to my Great Grandmother Rebecca from the Titanic in 1912.   I was doing okay, but as I was writing it, I found that if I was going t...

Oh hi there, I just got back from LA. “Umm... what?” Yeah, I write movies... I mean, not “movie” movies, at least not yet, more-like blueprints for movies-- you know, ​screenplays​. A pause. There’s always a pause. “Sir, this is a hospital.” Okay, a little background: I’m from New York. No, not the city. Long Island. Yuck! That accent, I know. That little dude who terrorizes bagel shops-- yep. That is home sweet home. And I work in healthcare. I’ve got a good, responsible job tha...

As we inch ever closer to a brand new decade (2020 here we come!), the passing of time has got us reflecting on the past ten years. Undoubtedly, the past decade has been filled with crazy innovations and adventures in the world of filmmaking. In honor of this upcoming milestone, IndieWire put together their picks for the Top 100 Movies of the 2010s. This list has everything - foreign films, animated films, Oscar winners and everything in between. As the temperature drops outside, cozy up...

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...

I’ve often heard Dan MaxXx say on Stage 32 that you should, “Build your own tribe,” and I couldn’t agree more. It simply means build relationships, build your contacts and it will help you put deals – and productions – together. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people - both on Stage 32, and on a wider scale, those attempting to enter the industry – have failed to get that message. Many newbies – and younger entrants – to the industry, have not grasped the concept of building relationships....

Living the Hollywood dream sounds so glamorous, but what is it really like? I got to ask actor, voice actor, producer, screenwriter, director and editor Zack Ward, who has worked in the industry since he was eight, all about it. Are you ready to have your bubble popped? Then read on… Zack Ward, the man with a 124 credits to his name for acting, voice acting, directing, producing, editing and writing, the founder of Grit Film Works and CEO of Global Sports Financial Exchange keeps lighting u...

I felt the warm California sun radiating through my window the moment my flight touched down at LAX. It was like a hug from the Patron Saint of California herself (Lana Del Rey). Of course, twenty seconds later, I immediately started sweating through my no-fewer-than-forty-seven layers because it’s late October and I flew out of the meat locker that NYC turns into because WE JUST SKIP FALL OVER HERE? It was my second time in Los Angeles, and, thanks to Stage 32, I met with eleven Very Important...

We've all had experiences on set that weren't very pretty. Hell, I remember one time a few years back tripping down an entire flight of stairs on a commercial shoot with the DP's very expensive light in my hand. Can you believe I didn't break it? I didn't even break myself. I was a little bruised up, because I used the wall and my body weight to try and keep myself from sailing down head first at warp speed. I had no hands because I was protecting that light like it was my child.   Th...

Hello, Creative Army. A few weeks back, I hosted another content packed AMA (Ask Me Anything).  The members of the Stage 32 community who attended live brought their A-game.  We went for 2 plus hours and covered about 2 dozen questions on film, television and digital related subjects.  And now the entire show is available for you to watch On Demand.   Here's just some of what we discussed: - How to raise financing for features - How to find financiers - How to find finishing funds fo...

We interrupt our previously scheduled blog post for this month to share with you the gut-wrenching experience I am having that does have a silver lining and pays dividends emotionally, spiritually, and with character-building opportunities and a definite shift in both the trajectory and perception of my life...again. Oh, we are getting the gifts of growth now. A funny thing happened to me on the way to this post. I was fired from what I thought was going to be a great opportunity. Perhaps you...