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RB's Stage 32 News, Notes, Discussions and Other Fun Stuff (November 11, 2016)

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Posted by Richard "RB" Botto

Welcome to the weekend, everyone.

It was an inspiring and productive week at the American Film Market. Not only was the energy high, but we had a number of meetings with a variety of industry influencers, film commissions and high level insiders which we believe will ultimately lead to new opportunities for all members of the Stage 32 community.

I also had the pleasure of hosting the Producing Studio Films on Independent Budgets panel with Zanne Devine of Miramax, Paul Hanson from Covert Films, Mitchell Peck of Peck Entertainment and Michael Ryan from GFM Films. Over 1100 were in attendance for what was a lively and instructional panel.

I’ll have more regarding AFM in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here’s another edition of the Weekend Blog filled with delicious content.

As always, I welcome thoughts, musings and debate in the Comments section below. And, of course, please do share this blog with people you think might find it useful and through your broad based social media channels. Thanks in advance.

Enjoy the content!

Cheers!

RB

 STAGE 32 NEWS

A Filmmaker's Perspective On Acting: Top 10 Mistakes - To Avoid Having been a full-time writer-director/producer for the past 15 years and having taught my twice-monthly 'So You Want To Be An Actor' Workshops for the past seven, I'm often asked by young - and in some cases, older - actors how they can best achieve their dreams, but, sometimes, I think what they need to be asking is 'what pitfalls should I avoid? Click here

How To Know If You're A Selfish Actor. And Why You Need To Stop - Back in college, my fellow actors and I were eligible for a competition at the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival. A judge watched our production of “Beyond Therapy”, and then got to decide which two actors that would be entered in the competition, but not before sitting down the cast to give reviews of our individual performances. To read my review click here.

5 Things To Get Ready for the Crucial Audition - Stage 32 member Zedrick Resauro is a Filipino-American actor, born in the Philippines and currently residing in LA. In 2015 he co-starred on the Nickelodeon sitcom The Thundermans and Zedrick plays one of the lead roles in upcoming indie comedy Hickey directed by Alex Grossman. You’ve also seen him in Modern Family, Melissa & Joey and Super Shark. Today Zedrick talks about the culture shock of moving from the Philippines to America, and after falling in love with acting, how he found his way in a new country. He even shares the top 5 tips he’s learned along the way when preparing for an audition (this applies to any discipline, not just acting.) Click here for the entire article Enjoy! RB  

STAGE 32 EDUCATION

Mastering Story Momentum: How to Jump-start Dramatic Tension & Pacing - In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, Max Adams, a 20-year working screenwriter and acclaimed author who has worked with Columbia Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, and Tri-Star Pictures, will explain why linear plotting fails and will give you practical tools and techniques you can immediately apply to you writing. You will leave this webinar knowing how to fix story holes, correct pacing, create driving story engines and achieve rising story momentum to maintain a feature film script straight through to a riveting story climax!

What you will learn:

  • Story versus Plot. Every story has a distinct linear time line, but choosing how to successfully plot story events does not always mean following a linear time line.
  • Connect the dots story plotting and scene sequencing and why these approaches fail.
  • Scene linking parlor tricks that will betray story momentum.
  • Scene linking techniques and practical pacing tools that successfully achieve story momentum and focus story plot.
  • Using cause and effect for stronger scene sequencing, story focus, and pacing.
  • Using plot obstacles with cause & effect scene mechanisms to achieve stronger pacing and a more focused story engine.
  • The “South Park” Model.
  • The “Good News, Bad News” Model.
  • Boy on a Skateboard: A practical plotting study and example that illustrates story momentum and pacing using cause and effect scene sequencing and plot obstacles.
  • How using cause and effect to create story momentum applies to three acts:
  • Setting Up Story b. Launching Story c. Maintaining Story d. Climaxing Story
  • Juno: Last thoughts: A practical example of cause & effect in action in the film Juno. 
To receive more information and register for this class, Click here! 

Animation Writers Lab: From Bible, to Script to Pitch (Nov. 14 & Dec. 16) Daniel Stellan Kendrick (Manager at Chatrone, LLC) will take a limited group of 20 animation writers through the development process of professional writers. This process will cover everything from creating concept, to writing a bible & script to pitching a project like a seasoned pro. Daniel will take you from a concept/premise and work with you to develop the following materials: a pitch bible and an animated script based on that bible.

At the end of the lab, you will practice pitch your show to Daniel as if you were at a production company. Throughout the process, you will be guided to develop the correct tools and prepare the best show possible. Once you complete the lab, you will have all the tools, samples, and materials to enter the market as an animation writer.

What you will learn:

First class: Pitch Bible

In this class, we'll delve into the inner workings of a Pitch Bible for an animated show. Pitch Bibles are the foundation of your show. It's the blueprint of the animated series. We'll discuss: what's in a pitch bible; what makes a bible strong; how does the bible set up the series; tips and tricks to enhance your pitch bible.

Second class: Script/Pitching

In this class, we'll take the bible you developed in the first class and write a script for the series. We'll talk about how to choose the perfect premise for your pilot, how to integrate your bible into the script, and formatting, story, and structure techniques in an animated script. Finally, we'll go over effective ways to use your bible and script when pitching and moving forward through the development of your project. By the end of this class, you will have a pitch bible and original animated pilot -- every tool you need to prove yourself as animation writer!

To benefit from this amazing class and register, Click here! 

HAPPY WRITERS

HAPPY WRITERS CONSULTING SERVICES - Have you completed your script? Need advice on what to do next? Do you want an executive to review your script and give you feedback? Happy Writers provides consulting services where you can have a Development executive, manager, agent, producer of your choice and give you feedback on your work. If you are interested in these services, click here!

Pitch Opportunities:

Jason Mirch - Producer, Saturday, November 12th · 4:30 - 6:10 PM PST Specializes in action, thriller, horror, and comedy features.

Kristy Maurer - Director of Development, Endgame Entertainment Saturday, November 12th · 8:30 PM PST - Specializes in drama, sci-fi, thriller, romance, action and biopic features.

Joshua Cohen - Production & Development Coordinator, Big Beach Films Sunday, November 13th · 10:30 - 12:10 PM PST Specializes in comedy, drama, and sci-fi features.

Kyle Hancher - Creative Executive, Quadrant Pictures Sunday, November 13th · 10:30 - 12:10 PM PST - Specializes in horror, thriller, sci-fi, and drama features & TV!  

SUCCESS STORIES

STAGE 32 MEETUPS

 POPULAR AND INTERESTING LOUNGE DISCUSSIONS

ENTERTAINMENT AND INDUSTRY NEWS

AFM: Digital Platforms Are Shaking Global Film Finance 

AFM: Why Horror Films Scare Up Big Bucks 

AFM: German Money Boosts Projects Across Borders 

AFM Indie Director Roundtable 

Alibaba Launching $1.5B Investment Fund; Consolidates Media & Entertainment Assets 

There’s Box Office Gold In Diversity, Says Film Producer Panel 

TV Diversity Hits Record Highs Onscreen in 2016-17 Season, GLAAD Study Reveals 

How 'La La Land' Went From First-Screening Boos to Hollywood Ending 

SAG-AFTRA To Host Launch Of White House Diversity Project 

Actors With Disabilities Speak Up: “Just Give Us A Chance” 

‘Arrival’ Could Never Have Been Made By A Studio: Here’s Why — Consider This 

Casting Directors and the Academy: Why Lynn Stalmaster’s Honorary Oscar Matters 

China’s Film Execs Share Equation for Cracking the Chinese Market 

Chinese Film Executive Calls U.S. Lawmakers' Concern About Hollywood Investments "A Joke" 

Netflix Moves to Kill Relativity's $1.5 Billion Lawsuit 

Imax Secures $50 Million to Create 25 VR Projects

 VIDEOS

30 Minute Discussion/Q&A with... Catherine Keithley from Brian Graden Media 

Cinematic Film Look on a DSLR

 TIPS

5 Ways To Stop Whining And Start Winning 

No Budget, No Problems? Intellectual Property Challenges for Film Production Start-Ups 

Tips for Writing a Micro-Budget Feature 

10 Lessons on Filmmaking from Viggo Mortensen 

Why Do We Sabotage Ourselves in the Audition Room? 

Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media buttons at the top of the blog. Or post to your personal blog and anywhere else you feel appropriate. Thank you.

As always, we welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the Comments section below...

 

2nd Annual November Write Club: We're Halfway There!
Comedy Writers! Win a chance to meet with Kevin Hart's company LOL Network
 
 

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