Inspirational

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’m always eager to find helpful insights for navigating life. Stoicism has been experiencing a resurgence of late, thanks in part to books like A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and to Ryan Holiday, whose books and Daily Stoic emails have made the ancient precepts relevant for contemporary thinkers. Stoicism is a philosophy about finding happiness in the “now” moment. It’s about controlling your emotions and the thoughts you think to maximize your life experience. It’s a...

Drawing the Boundary Between Actor and Character: Prioritizing the Actor’s Mental Health in the Portrayal of Human Suffering & Emotional Distress Stanislavski talks about the many inspirations an actor draws from to create a character from himself. From the power of observation and different art forms to the actors’ own experiences of life to imagination itself. The only stipulation Stanislavski states is that the actor must not lose their own identity in the process of becoming the character....

Imagine you have pitched a twenty-five-word book logline to a publisher that not only lands you a four-book contract but also attracts interest from nine movie production companies in one week. Let that sink in. How would you feel? On top of the world? Like all your dreams have come true? As if you’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust and all your worries are over? Well, it happened to me, and while I did feel those things, my central emotion was panic. Why? Because the cinematic catnip I’d us...

Following up on my previous blogs, “Finding Your Creative Tribe” and “Building Safe Spaces”, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the very individual process a professional creative must go through in order to be present for their “tribe” or be strong enough to lead a team. Especially since doing the work for yourself, BY yourself is essential. It is the foundation of everything else we create. Consider for a moment when you visit a doctor. It is certainly their job to help analyze what ail...

The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is running from May 16th- 27th, 2023 in Cannes, France, who's ready?  Stage 32 is thrilled to host an incredible lineup of panels this year taking place at the FilmUSA Pavilion (if you missed our blog announcing the panels, click here). During the day we'll bringing the most innovate panels talking about the shifts in the entertainment industry, and by night, we have some great events in store. If you're planning on attending Cannes this year, be su...

The industry is rapidly changing, but no matter what your skill set or goals, one thing always remains true in entertainment: it's all about 'who you know'. At the center of everything that Stage 32 does is our global community. As you know, this platform is free to join and connect with people at various stages of their careers. No matter what is happening in the world, you can still join in this community and connect with others, so that you have allies that you can turn to for support and c...

We have many different names for the fear that comes along with creative pursuits. Sometimes we call it “Imposter Syndrome.” Sometimes we call it “Resistance” (because, I think, sometimes we hit writer’s block because we’re listening to fear). Sometimes we call it “The Inner Critic.” But no matter what we call it, the effect it has is the same: it’s Snow White’s poisoned apple, that creates a paralyzing slowness that congeals until it looks like death. Fear and I have a long-standing relations...

Hey, Stage 32ers! Whether you're just starting your career or are a total pro, working in entertainment is as much about mindset as it is about doing the work. In today's vlog, I want you to look at your approach to your career so that you can set yourself up for success in the long run. Wishing you a very happy, healthy, & creative week. Cheers, RB If you would like more great industry and career advice, as well as inside access to what's happening behind the scenes at Stage 32, yo...

If your screenplay lands in the forest, will anyone find it? Yes, I’ve mangled an old trope, but the point I’m making is this: as screenwriters we need to proactively ensure our scripts reach producers once we complete our polished creations. After all, the whole point of writing a script is to get it filmed! Fortunately, I discovered the Stage 32 Pitch Sessions. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical at first, but I decided they would be a great way to connect with executives and others in the...