Tips

I just got back from five wonderful days in Vermont at ITVFest where I came away with so many wonderful nuggets of information. I met some great new people while improving my writing in the colorful mountains of Dover, Vermont. I ate too much food too, but that’s beside the point. The biggest thing I came away with and heard a zillion times was this: (and I quote): “Don’t be an a**hole while networking.” Surrounded by industry leaders, writers, directors and producers (including the founde...

Prior to the advent of the Internet, faced with early retirement from a career that spanned decades in the executive offices of some of Manhattan's leading companies in the profit and non-profit sector, I searched for a way to keep occupied and stimulated. Cleaning out drawers seemed like a valuable enterprise. Hiding in my desk drawer was an arsenal of creative ideas; a treasure trove of scribbled notes. Endlessly fascinated by people, I had a habit of recording unusual behaviors I witnessed a...

He calls me, but then he doesn’t call me. One day I’m his best girl and there is no one else in the world for him and I’m top of the world, and I’m on a roll and I think this is it, we are finally in this together and we’re gaining momentum and everything is going just fine but then one day that’s it, the calls stop coming, he just falls off the face of the earth, no explanation. Is it something I did? Something I didn’t do? He’s just suddenly into somebody else and I don’t exist anymore.  You...

I should start this by putting my cards on the table and stating that whilst ‘writer’ is the box I tick whenever I’m asked for my occupation, I never actually wanted to be one.  There was no study, no passion and certainly no drive. Nor am I what you would call the stereotypical exponent of the craft. I rarely network, know only a couple of other writers and never attend either literary or film festivals although to be fair, I’m never invited to any.  OK, I’ll admit that I can tell a story,...

On my way back from the Cannes Film Festival this year – the film I directed, Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond, an 80min-documentary film, was an Official Selection (at Cannes Classics) – I was wondering if I could gather some tips (let’s say five) for those who haven’t already made the step to grab a camera and shoot, for those (like me) who have no budget just passion, for those who are dreaming of having one day a film in Cannes. Yes, you can.  TIP N°1 – BE INVENTIVE When you work...

As an artist, I can always find people that will compliment my work, even when I know it is not worthy. It's always nice to hear great things about our work, but we really need to know what people are really thinking about our films, good and bad. We all have these 'yes' people around us. They tell us what they think we want to hear. They offer praise but no criticism. But we must have the criticism from trusted people to improve our craft. The best way to receive this criticism is to have a few...

Hello friends and fellow creatives! Erik here from the Stage 32 Happy Writers. One of the best parts of my job is that I get so much face time with executives across the industry. I get to watch as writers around the world pitch to them every week, I get to hear their thoughts, their first reactions and read the feedback they send in for each and every pitch. I'm in an extremely lucky position to be able to ask these executives questions about pitching and what they're seeing in the industry,...

Burst your bubble. Enjoy the process, the experience and the balance. First, for the sake of contributing something educational, here are some simple tips for standup comedy beginners. Get on stage when they call your name. If you take the mic off the stand, move the stand out of the way. It’s a barrier. If you start to say, “What should I talk about next?” You shouldn’t. Get off the stage. When you see the light, finish your bit and say goodnight. Never go over your time. You don’t ha...

Having been a full-time writer-director/producer for the past 15 years and having taught my twice-monthly 'So You Want To Be An Actor' Workshops for the past seven, I'm often asked by young - and in some cases, older - actors how they can best achieve their dreams, but, sometimes, I think what they need to be asking is 'what pitfalls should I avoid'. It's frustrating for me because I frequently see many actors making the very same mistakes in their career - often things that require little els...

Our very own fearless leader, Richard "RB" Botto was a guest on the Small Business Society podcast, and holy h*ll, did he have a lot to talk about! This is 45-minutes jam-packed with motivational, actionable advice. If you're not familiar with Bidsy it features today's most dynamic entrepreneurs talking about what makes their business successful.  Guests include multi-millionaire entrepreneurs, international best-selling authors, world-renowned motivational speakers and coaches, and award-winn...