Stage 32 Member Spotlight: Screenwriter/Story Editor Dawn Prato

Hey, Stage 32-ers!

Autumn is here, productions (COVID-safe, of course) are picking up steam, and we are all trying to regain a sense of time. How best to spend your free time, how much energy to put into work time, and why social time is still so essential. I am reminded of an inspirational quote, “bloom where you are planted”. The question is, where do you see yourself blooming? Do you require a small group or a big class? What are your next steps to seeing your project to fruition? Can you do it alone or do you need a team?

The creative journey can feel winding, but if you surround yourself with people that can contribute even in little ways, then you don’t feel distracted. You feel focused. You feel rooted. Then you can continue to reach high! For my next guest, she is sprouting from screenwriting into producing by being surrounded by production, a truly brave leap!

For today’s "Member Spotlight," I challenge you to articulate the next step in your project, and then reach out “across the aisle” to those who are more experienced for assistance. Recognize that help can come in a single task, a prolonged exposure, or a long-term commitment. Take a moment to study, learn what it is they do, and be specific about what they can do to contribute. Stage 32 is the place to make connections, even in small, focused doses – not unlike our weekly webinars or pitch practices in the Writers' Room. We're the community that wants to provide a positive environment in which to grow! Without further ado, in this Member Spotlight blog, I invite you to meet Dawn Prato: Vancouver Film School graduate, D&D player, and unapologetic geek.

Dawn is a screenwriter/story editor from Vancouver, Canada who started out in retail and administrative work, but is now working at a production rental company and learning the trade first-hand. With the pandemic, she double-downed on her writing efforts by joining the Writers' Room, which has given her the courage to write scripts for contests and productions, no longer waiting for “some day”. She has an all-too-familiar story as an introvert having to find ways to break out of comfortable patterns, and it’s so encouraging to hear who she meets along the way.

Click HERE to Watch Dawn's Member Spotlight!

While Dawn is breaking out, our next guest is taking the film festivals by storm! Diane Foster, a producer and actress who got her start in cult horror films, will be chatting about her production company, its mission of diversity and inclusion, and how we all make our own destiny.

If you're digging the series, leave a comment below! Don't forget to share with your friends and let them know where they can meet more cool people like Dawn!

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Taylor at taylor@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

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