Inspirational

The film industry is a unique business. Writers, producers, directors, and performers can truly focus and dedicate their time and resources to their passion. However, at the same time, filmmakers often experience frustration, stress, anxiety, anger, failure, overwhelm, burnout, and resentment as they deal with the daily challenges and complexities that characterize filmmaking. The film industry, for most people, is a high-demanding, labor-intensive, financially unstable, prestige-driven, and h...

There are two types of value, intrinsic and perceived. The Black Audience is intrinsically valuable. But the Industry’s perception is still lagging. When I started out a few decades ago, folks would ask me, "What's your major?" When I would answer, "Radio, TV & Film," the retort would invariably be, "Oh, you're going to learn how to fix TVs." "I'm going to make TV programs and produce films," I protested. There would be a blank look on the person's face. "Can you make money doing that?"...

We are entering the last quarter of 2022. It's never too late to take stock of what has been accomplished and amplify all the right actions or course adjustments to finish the year with a bang. I believe in growth on both a personal and professional level. Next-level greatness is only accessible if we know how to do a regular check-in ourselves and take inventory of where and how our energy is spent. As Aristotle has said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit."...

There is a saying, where there’s a will, there’s a way. That sums up my belief and experience so far in this journey. I am Jeelan, living with my family in the suburbs of San Francisco, California. All of us are here on Stage 32 because of one common thing that unites us, our love for Movies. To me, movies are not only a passion but devotion. As far as I can remember, movies provide me joy, stirs my imagination, and gives me the escapism I require. At a minimum, one movie a day is my mileage,...

Well, hello, there! My name is Karen Ross, but please, call me Kay. I wanted to formally introduce myself: I am an actress, writer, producer, director, and all-around free spirit. I currently host a weekly event on Clubhouse called "The Victory Round" to help creatives build their confidence by celebrating their achievements, big or small. Among other many things, I love martial arts, instrumental film soundtracks, the Bard, tea time, and am deeply obsessed with trying new restaurants. I can’t w...

There has been a lot of negative news whirling around about the animation industry lately. Whether it’s about layoffs at Netflix or unreleased projects from Warner Bros. and HBO MAX or unmet box office expectations by even the likes of PIXAR, there seems to a ton of turbulence surrounding the world of animation. I have worked in the animation industry for over 20 years, and I have survived its ebbs and flows. Times like these are nothing new, and to be honest, we’ve survived times that have been...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, we're checking out cinematographer and filmmaker Luc Forsyth's breakdown of the five most essential tools that every documentary filmmaker needs. The information isn't just helpful for documentarians, but for anyone who wants to make content and isn't sure where to invest early for the best product. Continuing the theme of docu...

As creatives, we can all probably remember the first person who took notice of the unique turn of our minds and chose to affirm it – whether that was a teacher, a parent, a friend, a sibling, or an early fan of our work. This person’s words might have given us exactly the encouragement we needed at exactly the right time. The truth is, it’s very easy for self-doubt, self-criticism, Imposter Syndrome, fear, and the inner forces of resistance to win the day. There’s a reason why there are about...

Whether it’s a knock on the greenroom door or a pre-show roll to opening credits, the “5 Until Showtime” shoutout always makes my heart flutter with anticipation. “5 Until Showtime” signals that “it’s happening,” you are happening, and the performance or project that you’ve been working on is now being launched into the world to live a life of its own. Taking anything from idea to implementation is a huge task, with working relationships being the fundamental building blocks to success. The be...

It’s a familiar story: you have the ingredients, a completed screenplay, comparable films, a target audience, a finance plan, a marketing strategy, a ‘wish list’ of talent, location ideas, bundles of enthusiasm... But there’s one vital missing component: funding. As a ‘balanced producer,’ you try to be patient. You wait for emails and calls, make pitches, submit to competitions, consider mentoring schemes and courses, and throw everything at it. But the months and years roll on, and still noth...