Find Your Community on Stage 32

Well, hello, there! My name is Karen Ross, but please, call me Kay. I recently took over as the Community Manager here at Stage 32 (but don't worry, Amanda is my Jedi Master, and RB lays down the wisdom like Yoda – I’m humbled to be their padawan). I am so excited to get to know our creative community even better through this new opportunity!

I wanted to formally introduce myself - I am an actress, writer, producer, and all-around free spirit. Among other many things, I love martial arts, instrumental film soundtracks, The Bard, matcha green tea and am deeply obsessed with trying new restaurants. I can’t wait to be able to travel overseas again to explore culture through food!

Before becoming the Community Manager, I was a member, just like you. When I moved to Los Angeles from Washington, D.C., during the summer of 2019, I knew I would need two things to successfully transition into a creative producer: a deadline and accountability. With Stage 32's Writers' Room, I found both. In two months, I finished my first TV pilot. I have since been working on revisions, the pitch deck, and show bible. I've even written several shorts, started writing a feature film, and another pilot! This community has sincerely been an invaluable resource for me to focus on and reach my professional goals. It's actually because of my involvement with this inspiring and encouraging community that they, in turn, found me.

No matter the project or scale, I've always been the kind of person to jump in and lend a helping hand. With the recent quarantine, the Wednesday Webcasts hosted by Jason Mirch went from a couple of dozen people attending to over a hundred. As new faces logged into the Writers' Room for the first time, the actor in me turned it into a pre-show audience-warming. When Jason and RB saw my proactive approach, they knew my values aligned with that of Stage32's – inspiring, encouraging, and educating about the craft and business of film, television, and digital media. It might as well have been my motto, too!

My mission? I am on a search for "I believe in you" contributors, "make it work" ambassadors, and "why not" collaborators. I invite you to be the attentive audience you always wanted because every member on here loves getting feedback. Don't just post something and wait for people to find you.

Get curious about other people, ask about their interests, and comment whenever you can! Kevin Smith said it best, "Live a 'why not' life, man… Always take the shot, the shot is always worth taking… When you encourage an artist, think about the potential that comes out of it… Nothing good comes from discouraging an artist." Okay, so he rambles, and he's just as verbose as I am, but he's so loveable!

Learn more about me and say hello on my Stage 32 profile! Or better yet, check out my Lounge Posts and join in the conversations!

In the meantime, thank you so much for being a member of Stage 32! Our community is built on you sharing your insights in the lounges about filmmaking, screenwriting, acting, and everything in between. Your questions, reflections, and stories educate and inspire our community of 650,000+ film and television creatives.

Whether you are an active member of Stage 32, or new to our community, we want to share your experience, struggles, and successes! If you have an idea for a post but aren't ready to take the plunge, email me at k.ross@stage32.com, and I will happily help you craft a kick-butt post!

Here are a few tips for "posts that get the conversation going":

• Stage32's mission is to educate and inspire, so kindly refrain from writing purely promotional posts. We want the real you, not your publicist's version of you. Of course, we want you to post promotions, post your success stories, and even list jobs, but not in the same place where we want to focus on constructive conversations.
• We love deep questions! We do not like to "shout into the void" like other social media sites; this is a place to have quality exchanges to encourage both your personal and professional development. Here's a blog post I wrote that might help you craft engaging questions - How to Make Friends in the Film Business: Resetting the Intention of Networking
• Think of how your lounge post can solve a problem, answer a question, or inspire a productive debate - we are all here to improve our craft and inform our business, after all! Here are some examples
  • Solve a problem: Casting
  • Answer a question: Audition Feedback
  • Inspire Productive Debate: Acting Classes

Shimmy on over to our Stage 32 lounge home to get some inspiration from your fellow Stage 32-ers. You can even search by topic to cater to your personal fancies!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and I look forward to chatting with you in the lounges!

Cheers,

K. Ross

About Karen E. Ross

K. Ross is a graduate of Colorado Film School and Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She’s a screenwriter, director, and producer based out of Los Angeles. Originally from the DC area, she’s written and produced several short films, hosts a podcast called “The Pre-Pro Podcast” aimed at teenagers interested in media, and is currently developing a slate of new material, including a coming-of-age TV Pilot set at the Renaissance Festival and a feature film about how "compassion fatigue" affects everyday people. She enjoys acting, directing, and being interviewed, just like her fun-loving mentor, Kevin Smith. She loves opportunities to work with inclusive, diverse, and driven professionals.

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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