Coffee & Content: Low Stakes Stories, High Stakes Decisions

Happy Sunday, Creative Army!

Let’s kick things off with a huge shoutout to everyone who has already jumped into this month’s Introduce Yourself Weekend. Thousands of creatives from around the world are connecting, sharing their stories, and building relationships that will lead to collaborations, opportunities, and lifelong friendships.

If you haven’t yet made your introduction, you’ve still got time! Head over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge before the weekend wraps. Be bold. Introduce yourself. The next great opportunity could be just one connection away.

This week’s Coffee & Content pick is a thoughtful video essay from Thomas Flight titled “In Praise of Comfort Films”.

We talk a lot about conflict, stakes, and tension as the backbone of storytelling, and for good reason. Those elements matter. But Thomas makes a compelling case for something we don’t celebrate nearly enough, stories that step back from constant escalation and instead create space for calm, beauty, familiarity, and emotional safety. These films don’t chase spectacle. They reward attention. They remind us that low stakes don’t mean low intention, and that familiarity, nostalgia, beauty, and quiet observation can be just as powerful as explosions and plot twists.

What really stuck with me is the idea that comfort films aren’t lesser art. They’re not escapism in a lazy sense. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded by stress, outrage, and crisis-level stakes, stories that regulate the nervous system can actually restore our ability to create, think, and feel. Sometimes the bravest creative choice isn’t pushing harder, it’s slowing down and trusting stillness.

Which brings me to something very practical I want to talk about this week: trusting someone to shop your script. One of the biggest mistakes writers make is handing their script to someone who claims they can “take it out” without asking the most important question upfront: Where are you taking it? If someone is serious, they should be willing to give you a list of names. Not vague promises. Not “trust me.” Actual people. If they won’t be transparent about that, you already have your answer.

What I’ve done in the past is simple and effective. I ask for the list. I research the list. And if it makes sense, I’ll sign a shopping agreement limited to those specific names. Three names. Five names. That’s it. No fishing expedition. No burning the town. I once did this after getting a completely out-of-the-blue call from Stephen Furst. Yes, that Stephen Furst. He told me he had my script, named four specific places he wanted to take it, and every one of them was legit. We signed an agreement for just those four places, and we worked it for over a year. It almost happened. And even though it didn’t close, it was done the right way.

That’s the key. Transparency protects everyone. It protects you from people misrepresenting themselves, and it protects your script from getting passed around irresponsibly. It also helps you down the line, because you know exactly where the project has already been and where it shouldn’t go again. There are many roads to the promised land in this business. But the people who can actually get you across the rainbow will show you the map. If they can’t, keep walking.

So here’s my question for you this week: When you think about your own work right now, what are you trusting, your instinct to slow down and write what feels true, or your instinct to rush toward what you think the market wants? And when it comes to sharing your script, how are you deciding who really deserves that trust?

Let’s talk about it in the comments.

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

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

Cheers,

RB

Thomas Flight | In Praise of Comfort Films

RBWalksIntoABar | Trusting Someone To Shop Your Script

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