Tips

Hollywood’s Unicorn Problem: Are Dev Execs Getting Squeezed Out? The traditional development pipeline is broken, and the latest wave of layoffs proves it. After talking with execs, former execs, and producers at every level, one trend is undeniable: Hollywood is betting on individual unicorns over development infrastructure. Studios and top production companies are cutting development teams and walking away from costly overhead, instead leaning on smaller, filmmaker- or talent-driven shops. I...

Podcasts are a unique way to communicate with a desired group of listeners in an episodic format. Podcasts are designed to appeal to a niche audience; therefore, you have the opportunity to zero in on exactly who you want to talk to and what your topics should be. You’re straight-up targeting people. You never know… Your thoughts and opinions could very well resonate with a horde of like-minded folks and maybe even sway some of those who have different opinions from what you chat about on your...

"You're not good looking enough to be a lead actor. You're not ugly enough to be a character actor. You're an average looking guy in his 30’s. Maybe start thinking about what to do after acting" This is what a former agent, the man who was meant to be representing and guiding my career, said to me when I asked to meet and discuss why I hadn't been called in for any auditions for the best part of a year, and how we could work together to fix it. Despite attending acting, accent, and stage comba...

Welcome back to TALKING BUSINESS: Insights from the Independent Film Industry, hosted by Stage 32 Certification International Liaison, Thought Leader, and Business Consultant David Zannoni, of Freeway Entertainment and Zannoni Media. In TALKING BUSINESS, I sit down with top professionals from across the entertainment industry to uncover the business behind the art—from film financing and deal structuring to distribution strategy and international co-productions. Whether you’re a producer, inve...

The Dirección General de Cine (DGCINE), the Film Commission of the Dominican Republic, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Stage 32 Certification—an initiative aimed at strengthening the professional development of the local audiovisual workforce. This collaboration will provide broader access to internationally recognized, industry-endorsed training for Dominican talent. Individuals who complete Stage 32’s certification programs will be included in a global database of qualifi...

As recently announced in Variety, the producers behind The Night and Parallel - have opened their doors exclusively to our community and we're excited to announce we've partnered with Mammoth Pictures - who will develop and package the winning script of our 12th Annual Search for New Blood horror screenwriting contest! The Rarity of Direct Producer Access With a mission to produce genre projects for a global audience, Mammoth Pictures have been making a name for themselves as horror/thriller...

So...many...pitches… That’s the God’s honest truth about what often runs through my mind when I check my inboxes. On social, on email, and anywhere I can be hunted down, I get your pitches. Lots...and lots...of pitches. And the reality is- that’s a big part of my JOB! And while I may not be coming across as super enthusiastic at the moment, I am always excited to discover a concept that resonates with me, that’s unique, that's pitched well. The problem is, lots of these pitches that I sift throu...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. Let’s start with this brilliant video essay from FilmStack: When An Actor Was More Than Just Funny- Ben Stiller In the 2000s, Ben Stiller was everywhere. That was the golden age of the studio comedy, when the Frat...

14 years ago, Stage 32 started with one big idea: to bring creatives from around the world together in one place, regardless of background, access, or experience, and give them the resources, community, education, and tools to take control of their careers. Today, that idea has grown into something extraordinary: a global platform with over 1.3 million members, a true creative army sharing stories, building projects, forging partnerships, and changing what it means to break in. And I’m here...

This is the second in a series of blogs about the making of my passion project “Stories”. If you missed the first one, you can click here to catch up! Once again, let me start off by saying that I am NOT an expert at any of this. I've only been doing this acting/filmmaking thing for five years. I've retired twice and don't really have to work anymore, but I do drive Uber to get out of the house on occasion when I'm not making something. Having said that, I’m not opposed to learning from o...