Coffee & Content: Making Your IP Impossible to Ignore

Happy Sunday, Creative Army!

I hope your weekend has been a creative one so far. Whether you have been writing, filming, editing, or sketching out the next spark of an idea, I have got something today that will give you a boost. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in.

This week’s featured video comes from Film Speak- When the Actor Deserves an Oscar

If you have ever watched a Josh Safdie film and felt like your pulse was trying to keep up with the edit, you are not alone. There are filmmakers who build tension, and then there is the Safdie approach, the kind of stress-laden, boots-on-the-ground intensity that makes you feel like you are sprinting through the story right alongside the character.

This breakdown digs into how Marty Supreme pushes that ethos even further. Not as a clean, polished ride, but as something raw, uncomfortable, and exhilarating, the kind of experience that trusts the audience to want something real. And yes, the video goes all in on Timothée Chalamet delivering what it calls a career best performance, one that feels less like acting and more like confession. Not hiding behind the costume of greatness, but interrogating the cost of chasing it, what it takes from you, what it asks you to sacrifice, and what happens when you confuse ambition with entitlement. The big theme running through the whole piece is one we talk about a lot here, even when we do not name it directly: People are starving for something real.

That idea of authenticity connects directly to something I have been talking about more and more lately, especially with writers who feel like they are doing everything “right” and still not getting traction.

Most writers hit a wall and think, “But they made that other thing that’s similar to mine. Why aren’t they responding?”

There are a million reasons why. The better question is: how do you navigate the reality of that and still move your project forward?

Stop waiting for permission, and start building proof.

If you have a script, especially something that is harder to package on paper alone, such as a period piece, a niche genre blend, or something big in scope, consider whether there is one idea you are so passionate about that you can start building an audience around it.

Could it become a podcast concept? Could it become a serialized newsletter that drops chapter by chapter, where people subscribe to get the next installment? Could it become a short form series of character dispatches, world notes, artifacts, anything that lets your audience taste the IP and want more?

You are proving that people want this kind of story, and you are proving that you know who it is for. Because when you go into meetings, the question is always there, even if it is not spoken out loud: Why them? Why are you bringing this project to this company, this producer, this buyer, this executive?

When we sold my show to Amblin, that answer mattered. We were able to articulate why it fit their wheelhouse, what they had done before that aligned with the DNA of the project, and why this story belonged with them. They loved that. Not because it was slick, but because it showed we had thought it through. It showed we were not just chasing a logo. We were building a real creative match.

The more clearly you can communicate your project’s identity, audience, and why it belongs where you are taking it, the more doors you open.

So tell me in the comments- What is one way you could showcase your IP this month outside the script? Let's get creative.

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

FilmSpeak | When the Actor Deservesan Oscar

RBWalksIntoABar | How to Highlight Your IP to Get Meetings

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 Ashley at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32 , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .