Screenwriting

I can see the first sunshine after days of rain so I’ll put off writing this blog. I want to go outside for a walk. But I’m also using a technique that harnesses the power of procrastination to get the blog in my head so I can ruminate on it while walking. The terms ‘rumination’ and ‘procrastination’ come with a lot of baggage. Procrastination is defined as: ‘the action of delaying or postponing something knowing full well the negative outcomes of doing so’. That can cause a lot of anxiety m...

My travels as an author, screenwriter, and feature magazine article writer have allowed me to visit some very exotic places all over the world, and it all started in The Bronx. I attended a Hollywood film school and graduated with honors. I also have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I am a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. I guess you could say it was a unique education. But I learned a lot of things that they don’t teach in film school. And I’m still learning. Screenwriting can be a lonely...

On behalf of the entire Stage 32 family, I'd like to wish you all a happy, healthy, and loving Christmas and the remainder of the holiday season. While the holidays are a time of celebration, I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the many blessings life has offered and afforded all of us. We personally feel blessed to have had so many of you enter and enrich our lives. The Stage 32 community has grown to over 1,000,000 members from around the globe, and we are beyond honored to prov...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Or too busy enjoying the holidays? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices and nostalgia flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, in this video from Audiorama, actor and filmmaker Peter Billingsley relives his time starring as 'Ralphie' in the seasonal favorite, A CHRISTMAS STORY. In this hour-long storytime session, the actor goes through what it was like making the film a...

This blog may be stating the obvious and I don't want to come across as condescending, but I just thought I would impart a piece of advice I gave to a client of mine. I have found while doing my job as an editor, that I have a great responsibility, not just to the authors I work with, but to the work itself. It's not just about spelling and grammar, it is also about what is best for the story and looking at something from the point of view of the reader. I do know, of course, that authors thin...

An Intro From Geoff Hall: It’s amazing who you can meet during the Stage32 November Write Club. I met Sandra Isabel Correia and we have been talking to each other ever since. In one of our conversations, Sandra talked about the ‘soft skills’ of business needed by the screenwriter, if they are to see their projects move into production. Along the way, we also discussed the writer as an introvert (Sandra’s perceptions – below - are amazing and worth spending a moment with, just to take it in)....

Scriptwriting is a thrilling ‘Act Two’ for me, after years of writing fiction. Now, with help from Stage32, I am proud to be signed on by Tammy Hunt, Manager and Co-Founder of Sandstone Artists. On my zig-zag journey to this point, I’ve learned a few things that might be useful to fellow aspiring scriptwriters, especially those who also write fiction. First, some BACKSTORY While I’ve loved movies all my life (my Mom threw parties on Oscar nights) and while my first writings were scripts (a ‘s...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, 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 around 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 this installment of "Directors On Directors" from Variety, Oscar-w...

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...

When I was a tiny baby screenwriter with no experience, no credits, no hope, no foot in any door, and no connections in the industry, I thought that landing a gig where I would be paid to write was almost impossible to achieve. Until, one day, a producer reached out to me and said… “I have two costumes and a barn. Can you write me something?” That sentence led to a series of events that have now culminated in my first TV show being greenlit. Was it magic? No. It was work. Here’s how it...