Inspirational

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” ― John F. Kennedy, Address at Rice University, September 12, 1962   Filmmaking is never easy and it’s rarely fun, but I love it anyway. I have been making films since I was a child and growing up in LA. My high-school, of course, had a film program with a wind-up 16mm Bolex. My 11th-grade film teacher actually wrote on my report card that I was a “cinematic genius”....

Prior to the advent of the Internet, faced with early retirement from a career that spanned decades in the executive offices of some of Manhattan's leading companies in the profit and non-profit sector, I searched for a way to keep occupied and stimulated. Cleaning out drawers seemed like a valuable enterprise. Hiding in my desk drawer was an arsenal of creative ideas; a treasure trove of scribbled notes. Endlessly fascinated by people, I had a habit of recording unusual behaviors I witnessed a...

I should start this by putting my cards on the table and stating that whilst ‘writer’ is the box I tick whenever I’m asked for my occupation, I never actually wanted to be one.  There was no study, no passion and certainly no drive. Nor am I what you would call the stereotypical exponent of the craft. I rarely network, know only a couple of other writers and never attend either literary or film festivals although to be fair, I’m never invited to any.  OK, I’ll admit that I can tell a story,...

How did this happen? How did I get here? I still pinch myself from time to time. Not to sound cliché, but the true description of my life today is, surreal. I am an actress. Three and a half years ago, I was a restaurant owner/manager. I have always been creative, but I never knew how to express my creativity. I was always different and was continuously told how different I was... "You talk too much!" and "You're such a drama queen!" are just a few of the comments that were thrown at me. I f...

On my way back from the Cannes Film Festival this year – the film I directed, Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond, an 80min-documentary film, was an Official Selection (at Cannes Classics) – I was wondering if I could gather some tips (let’s say five) for those who haven’t already made the step to grab a camera and shoot, for those (like me) who have no budget just passion, for those who are dreaming of having one day a film in Cannes. Yes, you can.  TIP N°1 – BE INVENTIVE When you work...

As an artist, I can always find people that will compliment my work, even when I know it is not worthy. It's always nice to hear great things about our work, but we really need to know what people are really thinking about our films, good and bad. We all have these 'yes' people around us. They tell us what they think we want to hear. They offer praise but no criticism. But we must have the criticism from trusted people to improve our craft. The best way to receive this criticism is to have a few...

Burst your bubble. Enjoy the process, the experience and the balance. First, for the sake of contributing something educational, here are some simple tips for standup comedy beginners. Get on stage when they call your name. If you take the mic off the stand, move the stand out of the way. It’s a barrier. If you start to say, “What should I talk about next?” You shouldn’t. Get off the stage. When you see the light, finish your bit and say goodnight. Never go over your time. You don’t ha...

Our very own fearless leader, Richard "RB" Botto was a guest on the Small Business Society podcast, and holy h*ll, did he have a lot to talk about! This is 45-minutes jam-packed with motivational, actionable advice. If you're not familiar with Bidsy it features today's most dynamic entrepreneurs talking about what makes their business successful.  Guests include multi-millionaire entrepreneurs, international best-selling authors, world-renowned motivational speakers and coaches, and award-winn...

Initially, the e-mail we received about writing a blog for the site was met with a slight sense of trepidation. We’re not usually the type of people to over-share or over-expose ourselves. Being on a website like Stage 32 for us is a victory in itself. We’re not the best at self-promotion, which is exactly the opposite of what you need to be if you want to work in this industry, we realize. So it’s in part about opening yourself up to the unknown, the dark abyss of having other people critique...

Back in college, my fellow actors and I were eligible for a competition at the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival. A judge watched our production of “Beyond Therapy”, and then got to decide which two actors that would be entered in the competition, but not before sitting down the cast to give reviews of our individual performances. When I got my review she said something that struck me: she noticed that I was a “giving” actor.     As the lead role of Bruce in college pro...