Inspirational

My last post took us off the timeline a bit. (Thank you, Quentin Tarantino and Malcolm Gladwell for teaching us it's ok to meander in our stories and recollections.) So allow me to redirect to my humble beginnings: My friend Brian gave up an opportunity of a lifetime two hours into the first day of shooting. I was neurotic; concerned I would unwittingly reveal this fact to my mother every night as I recounted with her my days on the set. Every time the phone would ring at night I was terror...

It all started at a prep school. Yes, I attended one, and while I could have gone to a number of different schools that were considered prestigious, my mind was sent on one that many considered a joke: Midland. Learning this sometimes surprises people. While others were packing their children off to Thatcher, Tate, Ojai, Villanova, Laguna Blanca, or Robert Louis Stevenson, I was drawn to something completely out of the ordinary.  Midland is fairly unordinary in that it is nearly devoid o...

Once again, Stage 32 is honored to present to you the 4th Stage 32 Short Film Program at the 2019 Hollyshorts Film Festival. Not only will the winners' films be screened, but festival goers can also take in a panel at the festival featuring Stage 32 Founder & CEO, Richard Botto and Indie Film Hustle Founder, Alex Ferrari. Here are the weekend details: Friday August 16, 2019 at 6:00pmPanel: How to Build a Huge Audience For Your Projects and You As a FilmmakerBuilding an audience for your proje...

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” (Or Jill a dull girl.) Our modern world is out of balance because obvious nose to the grindstone work is how we define ourselves, and is seen as the only activity worthy of merit. Not true.The creative, who, to outsiders, looks like she or he is “doing nothing” or “has a lot of free time,” actually is working during those non-structured times. Work brings joy, yet don't let the joy deceive you into a 24/7 work life. That kind of life won't work...

I'm afraid of heights. I don't like climbing ladders. But I also like to get where I want to go, even if it means going up high. The most important thing I have learned in trying to raise money for my first feature film is that I needed to start small—at the bottom of the ladder. Of course, I didn't do that. The first thing I did was try to get a feature made from one of my science fiction/horror novels, the budget of which I estimated would be in the $50 million range or higher. After two y...

An independent filmmaker today has enormous challenges. The biggest challenge is to find the money to get your film made. I have heard so many stories that have frustrated me over the years. Producers with no experience meeting a billionaire and getting a film made. Producers with tons of experience grinding it out to no avail. But that’s not what I want to talk about. And frankly, that’s not what you need to hear anymore. That catch 22 has jumped the shark. We got it. It’s hard and there is no...

If you're a mix-tape master, cue up Paperback Writer by The Beatles while you read this. Books. The original hand-held device. This post will teach you how to publish for Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, and even as a paperback and hardcover book. Really though, the hard part is just sitting down to write the darned thing, especially because not writing can be more pleasurable than writing. Currently, this Stage 32 blog post is really just procrastination from yet another editing pass for my 20...

Many people at Stage 32 often dream of getting their first real writing, acting, or directing credit in a big studio feature, but this can result in overlooking a truly valuable platform: The short film. A short film can help build your resume, get your work seen, or lead to even bigger and better opportunities. And while I never dreamt it could lead to so much, these ideas were the impetus behind my desire to make Crybaby, a 16-minute short film that I wrote, starred in, and co-directed with...

Good morning everyone! It's Monday and we are kicking off another exciting week of creative work. Can you believe we are already at the end of July! The summer is flying by, and at Stage 32, we have a lot to be excited about. I want to let you in on a little behind-the-scenes with Stage 32.   This summer has been one of our most successful yet, with writers in our community being optioned, signed, and requested through connections made through Stage 32.   If you missed my blog last week, I...

So there I was, minding my own business (not really) in a Facebook group filled with actors when I came across a thread where a fellow actor posed the following question: “Do I really need a brand as an actor? I see all of these posts where it says we need to brand ourselves and I’m freaking out. Does it really matter?” The answers that followed the question were varied, to say the least. And of course they did; this is social media we’re talking about. You can say whatever the hell you want...