Success Stories

A recent poll of creatives found that 37% experience the greatest dip in their creativity on Saturday. But not you, right? You’re going to use today to start, continue or shore up that creative project. Even if that’s not the case, or if you’ve lately found yourself in a creative lull, courtesy of our friends at lifehack.org, here are 30 inspiring and motivational tips to kickstart your creativity. Enjoy!   Surround yourself with creative people.Hang out with writers, musicians, poets...

Hey guys. The 70th Cannes Film Festival is right around the corner, so stay tuned for an update of Stage 32's happenings at Cannes.   In the meantime, we'd love to hear from all the Stage 32 members who are planning on attending the fest along with those who will have films playing in the festival. Last year we had an incredible 33 Stage 32 members who had films screen at Cannes - 2 of those films went on to compete for Oscars: Toni Erdmann and My Life as a Zucchini. This year we know of two f...

If you've been around Stage 32 for any length of time, you know we believe that a positive mindset is paramount to finding success as a creative. We must draw inspiration and positivity from like-minded individuals who fully understand the challenges of the creative journey.   As you also know, we're big believers in paying it forward. Nothing is more rewarding than sharing our experiences and knowledge with others. To us, this is a major aspect of the collaborative process.   This is why we...

As the leaders in online education for film creatives, we're extremely proud to introduce our 2017 Online Film Conference Series. Throughout the year, we'll be announcing events designed to give you timely, applicable information designed to help you succeed in 2017 and beyond. We kick it all off today with our 1st Annual Online Film Finance and Producing Conference!   No planes. No hotels. No expenses. No new wardrobe. No outrageous badge prices. Just you, your computer and you...

I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker around sophomore year in undergrad. I took this class called "Make a Movie" with Billy Field. He threw a camera in our hands and just told us to go make something. Now, the piece we made is something I'll never share, but it helped me to realize I loved filmmaking, and it's something I could do with my life, and be happy.   The best lesson I've learned throughout my films is what it means to be a leader. Yes, you need to have a creative vision, but being on se...

Last night was a very special one around these parts as our good friend Michel Merkt captured the Golden Globe for producing Best Foreign Film winner, Elle. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, Michel has not only been a staunch supporter of all we do here at Stage 32, but he has worked with and mentored so many 32'ers through the years.   Michel was kind enough to invite me to the premiere of Elle at the Cannes film festival last year. To be invited to be part of his tribe during this...

I am extremely proud to announce that two members of our global community are nominated for a total of 4 Golden Globes this evening. First up, it’s my dear friend, Michel Merkt. Michel is an enormously accomplished producer who had 8 films at Cannes this year including 4 in competition. Tonight Michel has 3 nominations. In the Best Foreign Film category, Michel is nominated for producing both Paul Verhoeven’s terrific film, ELLE and Maren Ade’s international hit dramedy, TONI ERDMANN, which ha...

In late 2013 I had started working on the script of my short film In Loving Memory. I had already made my first independent short film Disarray in 2012 at the age of 22 and had been working in the business with my father. He was an acclaimed Bengali filmmaker, Anjan Das, who I assisted in his last 3 international award winning features Achin Pakhi, Bedeni and Banshiwala. I was an Associate Director in my dad's last film Ajana Batas.   My father, Anjan Das, critically acclaimed filmmaker &...

In my screenplay, "Neon Cactus", the lead character states while leading a corporate discussion regarding creativity that sometimes the most creative thing a person can do is nothing - meaning, give creative forces, the muses, the furies and the fates the space to work and a chance to do their thing.  About three months ago, I was doing a daily patrol of the goings on with Stage32 and reached out to a few new folks, including Rutger Oosterhoff, from Blaricum, Netherlands. Blaricum sounds like...

The subject line of the email read "I’m so sorry”. It was from one of the Emmy-winning producers I had been working with for several years on my award-wining true crime drama, CONFESSIONS. After multiple rewrites and the involvement of two notable directors, the latest option was expiring and the project had hit a wall. I had been here before – a rocket ride to the one-yard line and the brink of a “go picture” that suddenly gets stalled. October, 2013. I met Joe Burke over a drink, a friend...