Stage 32 Success Story: Go…And Make Your Own Magic!

That’s a wrap! How can such a short sentence carry so much significance? With these words, we concluded eight intense days of filming for my short film, The Fat Lady - She Just Wanted to Be Called by Her Name on a sunny Sunday, August 4th. Now, as we enter the post-production phase, I’m focusing on the next steps, including submitting the film to festivals worldwide.

Throughout this journey, a few people in the industry have told me how bold and ambitious this project is—and I have to agree. As my first film, where I served as the writer, director, and producer, and even played a small role in the final scene, this was no simple task. It’s a 25-minute film with nine locations, 13 crew members, over 50 actors and extras, a cat, and a bird. “Are you crazy?” a fellow filmmaker asked me today. I guess I might be—but I’m loving every minute of it.

When I was eight years old, I decided that I wanted to be a film producer, inspired by none other than Steven Spielberg. I was obsessed with his work—E.T., Indiana Jones, Close Encounters of the Third Kind—and I kept a picture of him, cut out from a newspaper, on my closet door. Throughout my life, I continued to write, create stories, and act in plays. As an adult, I channeled this creative energy into marketing, content creation, and social media copywriting. I even started my own content marketing agency in my hometown, Rio de Janeiro. But I never really began my career in film. After graduating in fashion and costume design, I worked as a costume designer assistant on projects, including the American film The Game of Their Lives, which was filmed in my hometown. However, nothing was truly my own.

Years passed, and I focused on marketing and copywriting. After spending a year in San Diego, where I completed a Creative Writing course at UCSD in 2013, I returned to Rio and finally decided to revisit my first dream. I enrolled in a year-long screenplay writing course before moving to the U.S. permanently. I got married, but I didn’t dive into a career as a writer, filmmaker, or producer. Instead, I closed my agency, studied health coaching, and put all those creative ideas in a box at the top of the closet, where they sat forgotten—again.

Then the pandemic hit, and it felt like a slap in the face. What was I doing with my life? Where was the magic? The creativity? The stories? I even took a career test to figure out what I was supposed to be doing professionally (yes, I did that), only to find out I was on a completely wrong path. I started to shift back toward what I had always loved—doing a bit of marketing and design work to pay the bills while using my creativity in some capacity.

I reconnected with my screenplay writing instructor, Ingrid Zavarezzi, who became my mentor and introduced me to Stage 32. With her support, I decided to adapt a short story I had written in San Diego, The Fat Lady, into a short film. This story had been selected as one of the best among 20 others, and I always dreamed of turning it into a film. Around the same time, I started connecting with other friends on Stage 32, took some classes, and became a member. This platform gave me the opportunity to connect with other writers, producers, and filmmakers. Not only did I learn about pitching and other industry essentials, but I also realized that it’s never too late to start. In 2021, inspired by my connections on Stage32, I began networking with local filmmakers here in Indianapolis. I teamed up with a local producer, began auditioning for the cast, scouted locations, and figured out how to raise money for The Fat Lady.

In 2022, I started organizing a fundraising party for the film when life threw another curveball my way. An aggressive breast cancer diagnosis came out of nowhere, and I had to start treatment within a month. Saying goodbye to my short film wasn’t an option, but putting it on hold was necessary. More than 16 months later, with my hair starting to grow back from chemo and having undergone a lumpectomy and radiation, I returned to the project with full force. During this time, I met Taisa Mundy, a friend who I discovered is also from Rio, the sister of my mom’s friend (small world!), and a seasoned TV producer who has lived in Indianapolis for over 17 years. She became my executive producer alongside me. I developed a dedicated website for the film where we were able to not only raise funds but also promote everyone involved in this project.

We secured full fiscal sponsorship, and in 2023, I finally decided to make this project happen. Even with a limited budget, I reached out to people who might want to be involved as volunteers (some left, some stayed), raised a little more money to cover equipment rentals, food, and other expenses, obtained rights to use songs I love, found perfect venues for the scenes, and received donations from local businesses for clothes and props. On June 27th, we started filming this project, built on volunteer efforts and community support—with lots of passion, sweat, and resilience. On the first day, Taisa gave me a card that said, “Make your own magic.” As soon as I read it, I got tears in my eyes. It reminded me of Spielberg’s quote: “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.” Yes, my friend, it is pure magic—and it’s happening! The first of more sparks to come.

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 .