My Stage 32 Story: Year One!

One of the strategies that helps me to stay positive is keeping a record of the good things that happen in my writing journey and life in general. I make mental notes or, at times, even document these moments. Reflecting on these in my heart and mind is a great way to return me to a place of gratitude.

Reinvention

When my wife, daughter, and I moved to Nashville, we did so to plant new roots and essentially, restart our family tree. We had no family or friends to depend on. Except for a few basic pieces of bedroom furniture and an old dilapidated couch, we had no other furniture.

I had just started my new job as an international marketing manager for a music distribution company. I hadn’t received my first paycheck yet, and we were on the verge of running out of money for essentials. To make matters more challenging, we had an 8-month-old baby to feed. Then, one day, (a couple of months later) a kind co-worker offered me a couch and a gift certificate to the local grocery store (not even knowing our couch was really ready for the dump). This happened just a little over twenty years ago.

Today, that couch sits in my office as a reminder that things don’t remain the same and that provision for whatever I need to accomplish will come.

Then There Was Stage 32...

Fast forward to a year ago this month when I first joined Stage 32. During a conversation with a friend and screenwriter who had recently joined the platform, he casually suggested I do the same. Having authored books years before, I had started putting my studies of screenwriting into action. I had already written some short films and even completed a feature script during the Covid pandemic.

I did not have many positive experiences with joining groups in the past. I tried various writing groups, only to find that they often served to satisfy someone else's ego without providing any real relational benefit. The day I joined Stage 32, I felt like I had finally discovered a place where creatives could truly thrive if they chose, while building each other up along the way. With that in mind, I would like to summarize some of my experiences and lessons learned during my first year being a part of Stage 32.

The first, second, middle, and last items on this list are the relationships – those beautiful, wonderful creative connections that will likely last a lifetime. Before joining, I was completely isolated. The onset of Covid had ushered in a new era of isolation that became the norm for many, including myself.

I do geek out at home with my daughter over comics and movies but we all need relationships outside of the home no matter how INFJ we are. And I was craving those connections! Right at the start, I met some folks who were not only encouraging but patient and giving with all of the questions I had. How do I build a pitch deck? How do I pitch? What do readers look for in a script? The questions were endless.

I Jumped Right In!

In my first year, I participated in a variety of pitches, including some 'First 10 Pages Reviews,' 'Premium Development Consultations,' and two contests. My initial pitch was for 'HAVEN OF DANTE.' Surprisingly, I received a perfect score on the pitch. However, the executive passed on it because it would be too expensive to produce, a decision I completely understood. This experience taught me that the outcome of a pitch isn't solely determined by its quality; sometimes, external circumstances specific to the executive play a significant role.

A similar situation occurred with 'THE JUPITER CHRONICLES.' I pitched it to a kind, responsive executive who also passed, citing her involvement in an existing intellectual property that demanded extensive world-building, consuming much of her time. Again, it highlighted that the success of a pitch isn't always within the pitch itself.

Later, I pitched 'HAVEN OF DANTE' to another executive who initially passed but then requested a meeting. During the discussion, I answered his questions promptly. However, shortly after, rumors of a strike surfaced, and eventually the strike happened, halting everything. Despite the setback, I kept going. I continued editing my existing work, writing, developing, and learning.

When I began, I did not know how to put together a pitch deck. Through a lot of questions, research, and a very patient fellow Stage 32 Moderator, I learned how to do just that. Now I’m told that the pitch deck I created for “AGENTS OF C.O.W.” is one that many others use as a reference!

I Stumbled...

At the start of my journey with Stage 32, I must admit, I hastily entered a contest, only to find that the project didn't progress to the next round. The lesson there was simple: be strategic and don't submit before you're ready. What I do now is employ a different strategy – incremental review submissions to executives.

The first round is the “First 10 Pages Review”. Because let’s face it, the first 10 pages count for much. I did that with an executive who was so giving in his feedback that I went back and employed all of his suggestions and the next draft turned out SO much better.

I Got Back Up!

Once I realized the effectiveness of this approach, I applied it to 'THE JUPITER CHRONICLES.' The 'First 10 Pages Review' helped enhance the script further. Following that, I opted for the 'Premium Development with Consultation.' I haven't mentioned any executives by name until now, but I have to highlight Clayton Conroy. He delved deeply into the script, identifying nuances that no other reader had noticed before. It was a delight to talk to him. Finally, I found someone who understood my intentions, and his encouragement was incredibly uplifting. He provided notes that were too compelling to ignore, so I incorporated them. I was thrilled with the results of those edits, so much so that I submitted the script to the 'New Voices in Animation' contest, and as of this writing, it has made it to the next round! It also resulted in a “Writer: Recommend” rating from a subsequent executive reader.

As a side note, THE JUPITER CHRONICLES was a book series released some years before.

One of the things that kept me going with this series was one review by a parent who said, “Thank you for writing books that I can trust for my kids and they love.” That one comment fueled my passion for this series for years to come.

I Challenged Myself To Learn More

The webinars that I’ve learned from are invaluable and have helped me to gain a broader perspective and knowledge of the business. Here is just a small percentage of the list of classes I’ve taken from Stage 32 that have taught me so much!

• How to Estimate Your Film’s Budget
• Producing Globally
• Film Financing Today
• Directing a Successful Action Sequence
• Animation Business 101
• How to Produce
• Breaking Down the Process of Feature Film Animation From Script to Screen
• The Art of Self Edit
• Many more!

And I'm Not Stopping!

So, I’ve made a record of these experiences - a document that I can look back on and not only finetune my strategies moving forward but something I can look back on and be grateful for.

In the midst of all of these experiences, I was honored to have been asked to be a moderator for Stage 32. The email I received made my week and ever since, it’s been an honor to give back for having been given so much. I am so incredibly grateful for all that I’m learning on Stage 32 and will continue to learn in years to come. The experience all starts with relationships that are funneled through invaluable education and ends with a tribe I can trust. Thank you, RB and Amanda, for creating a haven that I can call home. Thank you, Sam, Nick, and Sydney for the tools that help me to learn the ropes. And thank you Ashley, Kay, and Maurice for the incredible encouragement that you all are and for your growing friendship.

All this in the first year. Remember that couch? This is how provision showed up - not just for now but for all that will be accomplished in the future...when the time is right and exactly when it is needed.

What’s on your list?

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

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