Tips

Happy Thursday, Stage 32 Community! Our Stage 32 Team has been working diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community! At Stage 32 you have direct access to award-winning industry executives and professionals who have produced, developed, and represented acclaimed projects such as ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE, GOD & COUNTRY, NEW AMSTERDAM, DO NO HARM, EMERALD CITY, THE MAZE RUNNER, FOREVER MY GIRL, DARK MATTER,...

Happy Wednesday, Stage 32 Community! I hope that the last month has been joyful and productive for you all! Our Stage 32 Education Team has certainly been hard at work to bring incredible education opportunities and resources to this fantastic community. This November, you'll have the chance to learn from knowledgeable industry executives, award-winning writers, producers, directors, consultants, authors, actors, and representatives. Impressive creative professionals who have worked on or re...

In 2021 I woke up one Saturday morning and decided to turn the memoir I was writing into a TV series. I’d never tried screenwriting before and had no idea where the inspiration came from – but was determined to make it happen. “How To Write A Screenplay” I started Googling, “How to write a screenplay.” I found a few free online courses, read a few scripts, and dove right in. Within a few days I had completed my first TV Pilot – however awfully written it may have been! “Now What?” The next...

We’ve all heard the stories. Paranormal Activity, a film with a budget slightly less than a used Honda, made $193 million worldwide and launched a profitable franchise. That film’s progenitor, The Blair Witch Project, had a $60K budget and turned out a $250 million box office haul. The most profitable films from 2010 to 2015 were all horror films. 10. The Last Exorcism ($68M gross vs. $1.8M production budget) 9. Annabelle ($257M vs. $6.5M) 8. Chernobyl Diaries ($37M vs. $1M) 7. Ins...

With the U.S. elections just days away, many of us, myself included, are feeling a heightened sense of anxiety and distraction. In the maelstrom of our current “now,” it is easy to lose sight of your creativity and pay more attention to the noise from the media than your own work. The political landscape, combined with a constant stream of updates on global events, can easily pull you away from your creative projects and affect your emotional wellbeing. While you cannot control external events,...

Hello, Stage 32 Community! I’m currently writing to you from the Austin Film Festival where I’m working to tell as many creatives as I can about Stage 32 and all the cool things happening here on the platform! If you’re attending AFF this year, be sure to stop by our table at registration and say hi to me and our Community Manager & Writer's Room Producer, Kay Ross. We’ll also be hosting our 11th Annual Rooftop Bash at the Speakeasy on Friday, October 25th, which you can RSVP to attend by cli...

There are sooo many incredible Horror movies. It’s really hard to pick ten favorites. And my “10 Favorite Horror Movies” list changes a lot. I recently watched some movies that could be on this list one day. Here are my favorite Horror movies, why they’re my favorites, and one screenwriting tip from each movie. You can use some of these tips for other genres. And SPOILER ALERT- the below contains spoilers about the films!!! 10- THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS The People Under the Stairs is o...

The biggest risk was leaving everything known for the unknown, or maybe it was the less known in my specific case. Los Angeles became my city long before I moved here. In October 2009 when I desperately needed a direction, I volunteered at a film festival (in Texas!) and met filmmakers who changed the trajectory of my life to the present (many of whom are LA transplants themselves), everything has been leading me to the city of angels. I didn’t decide to leave Texas, the state I had been b...

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 video from It Was A Sh*t Show, they’re sharing an in-depth vi...

In this survival guide, I'll be focusing on a checklist of things to keep in mind when shooting a horror film. It's no surprise that horror films cost less to produce and shoot. A good example is Jordan Peele’s Get Out. James Wan made his career with the SAW franchise. Horror films bring in lots of money at the box office and audiences flock to the screen to get their fright on! With that in mind, let's dive right into the belly of the beast. Costume & Make-up Design If there is one thing...