Screenwriting

Cannes is just around the corner…and this year feels different. In the best possible way. The festival was built as a counterweight to mainstream cinema, a home for the visionaries and provocateurs that Hollywood didn't know what to do with. But somewhere along the way, the counterweight became the main event. Cannes is no longer counter-programming against the American behemoths. It is the destination: for the industry, for the culture, and increasingly, for anyone who cares about where story...

Every year on May 4th, something special happens. Fans across the world celebrate Star Wars: the stories, the characters, the moments that shaped their childhoods, their careers, and in many cases, their decision to pursue storytelling in the first place. For me, it’s always been a little extra meaningful. It’s my birthday… but it’s also a reminder of how powerful a story can be when it translates across generations, languages, mediums, and cultures. Because Star Wars isn’t just a franchis...

If you are considering attending the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film for the first time but are unsure whether you will be able to navigate it, keep reading. I was in your shoes before I decided to take the plunge in 2024! I hope sharing my experience will give you that final push you need and help you make the most of your time there. First A Bit Of Context I am a director based in Dubai. Earlier that year, a grounded sci-fi thriller feature film I wrote was selected for a series of work...

In the current gold rush of the mid-2020s, every studio is still digging for the next Marvel. We have built a sophisticated vocabulary for success. We know how to scale and how to monetize. However, our fixation on the winners has left us illiterate in the language of failure. We treat a collapsed franchise like a simple lack of luck. In reality, a failed storyworld is a specific, measurable pathology. To build a narrative that lasts, we have to stop looking at the monuments and start performi...

About the 2026 Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film The countdown is on—the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is just around the corner, running May 12–20, 2025, in the breathtaking city of Cannes, France. For over a decade, Stage 32 has proudly partnered with the Marché du Film as an official education partner, and this year, we’re taking things to new heights! Whether you’re a seasoned Cannes regular or planning your first adventure to the Croisette, 2026 promises to be one of the...

Financing in Hollywood is changing faster than most producers can track, and the clearest trend emerging is this: whoever controls distribution controls access. Black Bear is now selling their own films. XYZ is financing their own slate. Voltage acquired The Exchange to play in a bigger sandbox and financing bigger budgets. The old separation between money and distribution is fading. How you get your movie to an audience has become almost as important as the movie itself. With that in mind,...

As we get closer to the Cannes Film Festival and Marché du Film, kicking off in just a couple of weeks, I want to take a moment to share two of the most exciting updates shaping this year’s market experience. As many of you know, Stage 32 is proud to be returning for our 12th year as the official Education Partner of the Cannes Marché du Film, and every year we look closely at how the market is evolving so we can better prepare you to take advantage of the opportunities in front of you. This...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! I hope your weekend has been a creative one so far. Whether you have been writing, filming, editing, or sketching out the next spark of an idea, I have something today that will give you a boost. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. This week’s featured video comes from Variety- How 'One Battle After Another' Shot the Car Chase Scene Like a Gritty '70s Film. Cinematographer Michael Bauman breaks down how they blended the richness of VistaVision with the rough,...

Hey, Stage 32 Community! You’ve spent months (maybe years) perfecting your screenplay. You’ve revised, proofread, and maybe even gotten feedback from a few friends. But when it comes time to get someone in the industry to actually read your script? Crickets. The truth is, getting your screenplay into the hands of the right people is one of the hardest parts of this business. But there are often some common mistakes that hold great scripts back. Let’s break down three of them, and how you can...

The Cannes Film Festival is almost here, Creative Army! In just a few short weeks, the global film community will once again gather on the Croisette for one of the most important, electric, and opportunity-filled events in our industry, the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film. And this year marks something special for us at Stage 32. We are proud to be returning for our 12th year as the official Education Partner of the Cannes Marché du Film. For over a decade, we have worked side...