Inspirational

Behind every animated film, there's a creator. These creators' contribution to this industry has shaped the industry in large ways. From their visual style, color combinations, the stories they tell, use of inclusive representation, and more, these artists have helped impact their own industry and audiences who love their work.  In this article, you will find nine animators who shaped the world of animation and a few lessons we can learn from their experiences. So let's get into it! Hayao...

Certain success markers have become so ingrained in our industry that we may be striving for them without knowing there's much of an alternative. How did your latest film do? Did it go viral? Did it get into festivals? Any good festivals? How about distribution? Did it make a profit? What’s the Rotten Tomato Score on your feature? How many five-star reviews do you have on Prime Video? Yes, but are those reviews Verified Purchases? While we’re on the subject, how’s your IMDb ranking? How...

I still remember the email that came to my inbox inviting me to join Stage 32. I was intrigued and quickly clicked through to see what opportunities might lie ahead for me, being someone who’s all about making new connections and discovering new and helpful resources. While we’ve all experienced a degree of online video conferencing burnout from doing far too much of it during the pandemic, the Stage 32 online community that we all know and love can be so impactful. Between requests to “join...

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, the Acting Career Center shares 5 mistakes beginner actors make. Hosted by Kurt Yue, an Atlanta-based actor with over 50 credits, this video covers self-tape audition tips, why you shouldn't pretend (or mime) actions in auditions, how to handle your first on set experience, and more.  Next up, The Writers Guild Foundation share...

I had a dream once. I had a dream, and oh! I dreamed it boldly and strongly, and I shouted it into the wind for everyone to hear! And proudly, I proclaimed it, told it to everyone who was willing to listen. With pride in my chest and a thrill in my voice, I called it out: I’m going to be a filmmaker! I’m going to work in the film industry! And so I worked, and I plotted, and I networked, and I wrote as much as I could, and I learned my trade and dipped my toes in, and then… then I took t...

Hi Stage 32ers! We're Sam Sokolow and Rosemond Perdue, and we're now running the Stage 32 education department. We both bring extensive backgrounds in many different aspects of the entertainment industry to the table and will turn over every stone to provide you with important and meaningful education to support your creative and career journeys. Our goal is simple but powerful, to democratize the entertainment industry so content creators, producers, financiers, and artists of all kinds all...

The Talking Draft Method is the fastest way for playwrights or screenwriters to create scenes. A writer records audio of themselves improvising all the dialogue and action, the audio is transcribed, then the text is reformatted into a script. This is not new, it is actually one of old Hollywood’s best-kept secrets. How is started The story goes that in 1934, novelist William Faulkner’s Hollywood career was circling the drain. His friend, film director Howard Hawks came to the rescue. Hawks bo...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from every corner of the globe. Whether you are a long-time member, or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend. First up, In Depth Cine shares a breakdown of how writer/direct...

Since joining Stage 32, I have connected with many great people. This amazing site can lead to great opportunities in the industry.  I left school at 16 and went straight into the workplace. I didn't want to go further into education because I had been relentlessly bullied my whole school life and couldn't face studying any longer. At school, I had been made to feel worthless. I felt like a nobody, but once I found myself in the workplace, I realized it was a world where people were kind...

Hi there, Stage 32! I’m Shellie Schmals, Stage 32 Director of Community and self-declared Cheerleader of Creativity! Previously, I was the Senior Program & Industry Relations Manager at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, where I played a lead role in selecting the nearly 800 films that are considered for each annual Festival. I currently sit on the national board of the Film Festival Alliance (FFA), state-wide Georgia Production Partnership (GPP) as Membership Chair. Locally, I am the Vice Pres...