Tips

Hey, Stage 32 Community! The most prestigious short film competition on the planet is back! You've made a short film. You've put in your time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, and perhaps even some serious money into your project. Your goal isn't only to get your film seen, but to get it seen around the world and by people who can make a difference in your career. Would being screened by an Oscar qualifying film festival matter? How about having it screened for over 1,000 executives including ma...

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...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, in this video essay by Film Stack, they’re diving into the turning points of Tom Hardy’s career, his setbacks, his relentless rise, his toughest productions, and the reason you don’t see him in as many films as before. This is the story of an actor who fought his way back from the bottom. He’s...

Oftentimes, the best stories are based on your own truth. Writing a novel based on your own life has been a pathway to success for authors for decades. Readers and publishers can’t seem to get enough of real people’s stories as expressed in a novel. However, while the best autobiographical novels are effortless reads, they require an incredible amount of work to properly structure and get out onto the page. Writing your own story as a novel can seem daunting. Where do you start? What should you...

In my previous blog post about mapping out a multi-season story, I talked about how to write up your vision for the future of your series in different ways depending on the format of your show. But a lot of writers struggle with finding ideas for a season arc and ask me if there is a process for that idea generation phase of the process. As a literary manager, part of my job was brainstorming with writers to help them craft the best version of their vision. As a producer, I actually have input i...

Writing about your experiences through fantastical worlds and characters is a way to explore, process, and share your emotions creatively and engagingly. By translating real-life events into storytelling, you can distance yourself from painful memories for therapeutic benefit and revel in the joys of imaginative storytelling. Let’s dive into how you can achieve this and examples of how to make it work. Therapeutic Expression Translating experiences into fantasy allows the safe exploration...

Hey, Stage 32 Community! The ONLY Period Piece Screenplay Contest in the World is Back! Ever dreamt of seeing your period piece script come to life on the big screen or streaming on flat-screens in living rooms across the country? This is your chance to turn that dream into reality! Our Grand Prize Winner will get a Career Accelerator prize package valued at $5,000 that includes script & career development, writer branding and an education package and will be flown to LA to meet industry pro...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, in this Film Courage interview, Carole Kirschner shares 5 traits that you need to succeed in the entertainment business. Carole spent fifteen years as a television development executive, former Vice President of Television for Steven Spielberg's first Amblin Entertainment, and a Comedy Developm...

So, you have sold your screenplay, and you have earned the right to do the first, second, and possibly third rewrite. You have received notes from producers, and directors and have revised the screenplay. The rewritten script has survived the task and has been green-lit into the pre-production stage! The information I will give you is an overview of a required process, not known by many writers. Below are 6 things you should know about script legal research. 1. What Are Script Legal Resea...

Hi, Stage 32! I’m so excited to be part of this special community! I’m also excited to announce that the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission and Stage 32 are collaborating to bring Certification opportunities to creative professionals in Pinellas County, Florida. Through this collaboration, we’re helping residents get the education needed to pursue their goals in the production industry at a professional level. What is the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission? The St. Pete-Clearwater Film Co...