Coffee & Content: When Studio Interference Is A Good Thing

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, I often see as we're having fun debating films in the lounges the idea that producers and executives aren't "storytellers," or that when these figures get involved with films their notes can ruin a script. And while there are times when this might be true, there are just as many occasions (sometimes more) when these different perspectives and even "rules" are thrown at creators and actually make it better. In this video from CinemaStix, they break down a great scene from the film Layer Cake that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the studio executives who demanded a change for what may seem like silly reasons (the video may spoil some things for those who haven't seen the film as well, so be warned). Director Matthew Vaughn and writer J.J. Connolly may not have appreciated the request at first, but it wound up improving the storytelling and adding to the overall style and tone of the film.

Next up, we're diving deeper into the crime films (like Layer Cake) a step further with this video from FilmCourage featuring screenwriter and forensic specialist Jen Dornbush as she digs into the elements of writing a great crime story. I know many writers here on Stage 32 love this genre, and I hope you're thinking about these for crucial elements as you're crafting your scripts.

Lastly, I want to highlight some upcoming opportunities here on Stage 32 to work with some phenomenal industry professionals and get one-on-one sessions as you write your next scripts. For comedy writers, Spencer Robinson is walking you through how to write your half-hour pilot script, leaving you with a completed script in just six weeks. Prefer world creation to laughs? You can work with the VP of Development at Paramount TV Studios to write your sci-fi pilot script. And for feature writers, you can work with a global executive to craft your feature film script in any genre, or focus on the incredibly popular romantic comedy feature script.

As always, here at Stage 32, we love to share stories and knowledge with our fellow film fans. Know someone who would love this content? Share it with them! Tag them below! You can keep up with all of our content by subscribing to the Stage 32 YouTube. For more inspirational, educational, and motivational content on all things entertainment industry, follow me on Instagram and Twitter @rbwalksintoabar.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, & creative Sunday.

Cheers,

RB

CinemaStix | When A Little Studio Interference Turns Out To Be A Good Thing

FilmCourage | 4 Writing Tools For Crime Writers

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