Inspirational

We prep. We plan. We come up with moments before, inner dialogue, the character's back history and emotional ties. We’re off book, the pitch deck is set, and then…wait, what!? Plot twist. Something interesting happens the moment we step into the audition room, or the camera hits record. Any of our prep or scene work oftentimes goes out the window and fear sets in. Instead of letting anxiety get the best of the opportunity at hand, or what could happen in the future — which is the cause of anxi...

Hey, Stage 32ers! Hope you had a productive and connective Introduce Yourself Weekend and, for those in Los Angeles, you were able to join the in-person meet-up! This week the WGA overwhelmingly voted in support of a strike if necessary (just a reminder that this was not an announcement that they would strike). I've been asked a lot if fears of a strike would cause buyers to rush to grab projects that maybe aren't 100% in tip-top shape, giving up-and-coming writers a chance to break in. The tr...

Do you have a screenplay that didn’t get into a competition? A film without distribution? An idea that you just don’t know how to make a move on? I have been in all these positions and more than once. So how do we move forward as artists when the world seemingly continues to push back on us? This is the big question and I hope to provide some insight based on my real-world experience. How I work hard to "fail up" as a filmmaker. For anyone who has read my previous blog posts, you’ll know that...

Networking is too often associated with adjectives such as uncomfortable, artificial, or intimidating. However, there are concrete ways to change your mindset and navigate these situations effectively so it goes back to what it was originally intended for: creating and solidifying meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships, in your industry and beyond. 1. Think About Your Purpose As a film producer, I have always wanted to work with people from all over the world to make authentic...

I don’t know when inspiration happens to you, but for me, it’s in the wee small hours of the morning before my mind and emotions become the loudest voices in the room. It’s when I first awake, when I am not quite “all there”. It’s in the magic original minutes before the myriad of daily concerns rush back into my consciousness. That’s when my inspiration manifests and when anything seems possible. In those moments I can see the path ahead clearly and know what I have to do. No concerns, const...

I started pitching my Horror Comedy game show, JUMP SCARES, near the start of March. I was pitching it on Stage 32 (I posted my show in the Logline Section of my profile). Pitching a project on Stage 32 is great – I recommend doing it! – but it wasn't this alone that led to my signing a shopping agreement. That happened from networking in the Stage 32 Lounges. IT STARTED WITH A LOUNGE POST In the past, I had been a lurker. But, after being inspired by Stage 32 CEO Richard Botto's call to step...

Hey, Stage 32ers! I hope you're all making great progress on your creative projects this week! We always want you to be up-to-date on what's happening in the industry so that you can set yourself up for success. Now that the WGA has asked for strike authorization (a totally expected move), there's a lot of talk about what this means for content and spending when there are so many reports of fear and contraction. Here to break down for you what's happening with content in the midst of all this...

Last year, my co-creator friend Stephani Prescott and I had just entered a development agreement with Cindy Villareal (Majestic Productions), and it’s safe to say a lot has happened since! Cindy is one of the kindest, down-to-earth people you will ever meet, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with her. The development phase was critical as there is so much up-front work necessary to package everything up. We relied on Cindy’s guidance and expertise to get the pitch deck and lookbook...

Being a creator means being ready for rejection. The industry does away with those who can not handle it. Sometimes, we get so passionate about a project that we pursue the greatest of opportunities without a second thought. Or sometimes, we pass on experiences that turned out to be major successes. You will go through this at some point in your career. How do we move on from that? How do we do away with regret and hurt? What do we do when that amazing moment is gone and want to ensure it's...

Hello Stage 32ers! My name is James J. Papa. I met veteran film writer/director/producer, Julia Verdin of Rough Diamond Management through a consult call on Stage 32. As a result, I ended up co-writing the socially conscious project No Address with her. It is about the homeless in California. This is my story! How Julia & I Connected We connected through Stage 32’s one-hour script consults. I strongly recommend this to any writer who feels their script is ready, and polished, and wants to t...