Stage 32's September 2023 Education Schedule!

Hey, Stage 32 Community!

I can’t believe that we’re rapidly reaching the end of summer! As always, our Stage 32 Education Team has been hard at work to bring in some incredible education opportunities and resources for this fantastic community.

Over the next month, you'll have the chance to learn from knowledgeable industry executives, award-winning filmmakers and screenwriters, acclaimed producers, actors, authors, journalists, and consultants. Impressive creative professionals who have worked on such projects as HEART OF STONE starring Gal Gadot, SHADOW & BONE, ALL THAT WE DESTROY, THE SANDMAN, SEPTIEN, CRIMINAL MINDS, BABY DADDY, MAD MEN, BONES, THE BIG BANG THEORY, Emmy-nominated HBO hit MCMILLIONS, and many others.

Don’t wait for all of the spots to fill up! Below is an exciting list of upcoming Stage 32 Education that is currently available to you all!

Webinars

Horror Screenwriting 101

Starting: September 8, 2023

Instructor: Sean Keller

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn the fundamentals of how to develop and write (or rewrite) your horror feature film screenplay so that it can get the attention of producers, studios, and reps. Including the current trends in the horror genre and market, how the business of horror writing works, how to best develop the characters in your horror screenplay, how to properly structure your horror feature film screenplay for maximum effect, and so much more.

PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help on your horror writing journey, including the scripts for ALL THAT WE DESTROY (Blumhouse/Hulu) and John Carpenter's un-produced film L.A. GOTHIC.

Sean Keller is a professional screenwriter and script doctor who has worked for Blumhouse, ABC, Lionsgate, as well as numerous independent production companies. Sean began working in the entertainment industry as an actor (Roger in 1st National Tour of RENT) before turning to screenwriting and his first love, horror. Sean has written for legendary horror directors Dario Argento (GIALLO), John Carpenter (THE WARD), and Chelsea Stardust (ALL THAT WE DESTROY) and stars such as Nicolas Cage, Danny Glover, and Adrien Brody.

How To Write Powerful Female Characters For A Global Audience

Starting: September 9, 2023

Instructor: Aimee Rivera

In this exclusive webinar, Aimee will go over how the #MeToo movement has changed the way female characters are written and provide an overview of how female leads in today's world have evolved. She will break down scripts looking at the differences between female characters and comparing them to male franchise characters. You will learn what makes a great character, what are the tropes and common misconceptions and break down the types of female characters you can write. Aimee will discuss writing characters in male-driven genres for today's market including whether there are boundaries you must be aware of when writing female characters, what the modern female character looks like in today's filmmaking world, whether male writers can write female characters, and what today's audience looks and connects with as it relates to strong, but flawed, female leads.

PLUS! You’ll receive exclusive handouts to help you develop your female characters, including scripts for WONDER WOMAN, ATOMIC BLONDE, RED SPARROW, THE HUNGER GAMES, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, THE MOTHER, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, JASON BOURNE, and JAMES BOND!

Aimee Rivera, VP of Motion Pictures Production at Skydance Media. Skydance produces blockbuster films such as TOP GUN: MAVERICK, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART 1, GHOSTED, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, THE ADAM PROJECT and THE TOMORROW WAR. Most recently, Aimee worked on conceiving the new feature film: HEART OF STONE starring Gal Gadot, which is currently the #1 film on Netflix. Aimee is focused on finding character-driven blockbusters and franchises for Skydance's upcoming slate.

How To Develop Your 30-Minute Multi-Cam Television Series

Starting: September 13, 2023

Instructor: Eric Zimmerman

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn the essential elements that comprise a successful multi-cam television series - characters, tone, dialogue, and setups, to name a few - so you can create the multi-cam series that sets you up for a successful career. You will learn the differences between writing a multi-cam versus a single-camera or animated sitcom. You’ll receive the necessary tools to determine if your pilot idea works best as a multi-cam, single-cam, or perhaps the often hard-to-define “hybrid” series. Eric will also break down all the essentials of writing your own successful multi-cam pilot script, with an eye toward the goal of it serving as an effective writing sample or being sold as a spec.

PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you understand multi-cam characters and structure so you can write your own. As well as the PILOT SCRIPTS for FRIENDS, NEW GIRL, CHEERS, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, BABY DADDY and SYDNEY TO THE MAX!

Eric Zimmerman has been a working TV writer for 14 years, including writing on all 100 episodes of Freeform’s multi-cam hit BABY DADDY. Most recently, he served as a Co-Executive Producer on Disney’s multi-cam series SYDNEY TO THE MAX. He has also sold several multi-cam projects to Disney and Netflix, as well as worked on multi-cam network pilots. Eric wasn’t always a multi-cam writer. He got his start writing on single camera and animated series, including the Emmy-nominated DAN VS. But once he started writing multi-cams, he quickly fell in love with the genre.

Actors: How To Prepare To Work With An A-List Director

Starting: September 14, 2023

Instructor: Alessandro Fiorucci

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn how you can create your own acting preparation process to ensure you book your auditions and have success on set. From Stanislavsky to Meisner, there are countless schools of thought when it comes to acting training, but what’s most important is that you find a style and technique that works best for you and that will help bring your characters to life. Whether on set, in an audition room, or filming self-tapes, it is critical that you hone your craft so you consistently perform your best work. This is what will prepare you to work with A-listers when you earn the opportunity.

PLUS! Alessandro will provide you with an exclusive handout to help you hone your acting craft, including a Comprehensive Acting Technique Guide.

Alessandro Fiorucci is an actor born in Rome, Italy. He has worked for top film directors such as Marco Bellocchio, Ridley Scott, Paolo Virzì, Stefano Mordini, Alessandro Celli, and many other directors, playing roles in feature films with worldwide distribution. His recent film KIDNAPPED was in competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or award, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, as featured in Variety (to read the article, click here). He won the best actor award for his work in NEVER AGAIN at multiple film festivals, including the A.R.G International Film Festival in Paris, the North Film Festival in Stockholm, and the Milan Gold Awards in Milan. As a director and writer, he had the honor of being included in the 2021 50 Best Short Films list from the David di Donatello Awards (one of the most important Italian awards) for NEVER AGAIN. Alessandro won the Best Director award in Milan for his first short film. Alessandro’s breakout role in the USA was in the 2019 film LOVELY TO MEET YOU, where he plays a maniac named Michael.

The Final Cut: Optimizing The Director-Editor Relationship

Starting: September 15, 2023

Instructor: Peter Sullivan

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn the fundamentals of what makes the most successful relationship between a director and an editor on a feature film. You will learn the essential terms, techniques, and processes that you need to know to embark on an efficient editing process. You will walk away from this webinar with a robust understanding of what the different film cuts entail and how to improve your film with each iteration, as well as an overview of the post-production processes that happen to finish a film once you are picture-locked. It is critical that the director and editor have a firm understanding of all of these tools and procedures in order to thrive in their creative relationship and create the best film possible.

PLUS! You will receive an exclusive handout from Peter to help you optimize the Director-Editor relationship, including a sample post-production schedule.

Prolific director Peter Sullivan, has made over 100 feature films, many of which have been released on Netflix and Lifetime. Peter’s recent credits include SECRET OBSESSION starring Brenda Song (Netflix), THE SANDMAN (SyFy), FATAL AFFAIR (Netflix), and more. Peter has extensive experience working with multiple editors across different genres and is now sharing everything he’s learned through his years of directing exclusively with the Stage 32 community.

How To Maximize The Impact Of Your Short Film: Distribution, PR, Festivals and More.

Starting: September 20, 2023

Instructor: Meredith Alloway

In this exclusive webinar, you will not only learn how to get your short film made, but how you can set your short and yourself up for a successful run at festivals, online releases, and beyond. Meredith will cover useful tips in the pre-production and production of your short, and then unpack the festival and online scene. How do you fund your short? On a shoestring budget, what crew members or resources are vital on set? What’s an EPK and do shorts need them? What’s an informed film festival strategy? How do you reach out to the press? Where should you premiere online? Meredith will cover several questions and debunk any myths about what a “successful short” really looks like.

PLUS! Meredith will provide you with exclusive handouts to help guide you on your short film journey, including a guide for making the most out of your short film.

Filmmaker and journalist Meredith Alloway’s critically acclaimed short film DEEP TISSUE screened internationally at festivals including SXSW, AFI Fest, Overlook, and Bucheon, and opened for Julia Ducournau’s film RAW at MoMA. She partnered with Hulu, Sundance Institute and 20th Century Digital Studios on her last two short films RIDE and FIRST DATE, and was thrilled to direct Paris Jackson’s debut gothic music video LET DOWN with Eli Roth as Executive Producer. As a journalist for over 12 years, Meredith has written interviews and feature pieces for publications like Vanity Fair, Playboy, Filmmaker Magazine, Nylon, and Indiewire.

How To Create a Binge-Worthy Fantasy TV Series

Starting: September 21, 2023

Instructor: Erin Conley

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn how to create your own marketable fantasy TV series and learn the difference between primary-world and secondary-world fantasy. You’ll explore how to create the rules for your fantasy universe and determine how to choose the right protagonist through which to introduce the audience to the world. You will walk away from this webinar with the tools you need to effectively create a fantasy series that will get the attention of buyers and distributors, so you can bring your vision to life!

PLUS! Erin will provide you with exclusive handouts to help you develop your fantasy series idea, including multiple pilot scripts for existing and past fantasy TV series and a fantasy series world-building checklist.

Erin Conley is a writer on Netflix's hit fantasy series SHADOW AND BONE and SIX OF CROWS. Erin worked on SHADOW AND BONE from day one, assisting showrunner and Oscar nominee Eric Heisserer on the first season as he navigated adapting the international phenomenon young adult book series by Leigh Bardugo. She went on to co-write the season 2 finale with Heisserer and served as a staff writer in a pre-greenlight writers’ room for the SIX OF CROWS spinoff. Previously, Erin worked in the writers’ room on Fox’s SLEEPY HOLLOW and Marvel’s IRON FIST.

How To Make A World-Class Film Trailer And Use It To Sell or Market Your Movie

Starting: September 27, 2023

Instructor: Ariane Ackerberg

In this exclusive webinar, you will learn the essential fundamentals of making an effective movie trailer and the specific skill sets used in executing successful film marketing campaigns. As well as what makes a movie trailer successful, from pinpointing the creative vision of the marketing plan to creating the actual campaign for your film so it stands out in a competitive marketplace. Ariane will provide case studies of trailers that were successful and others that were not well received so you can see the difference and bring that knowledge to your own work. You will learn the role that the editor and colorist have in making a trailer and how to work together as a team to make the best trailer possible.

PLUS! Ariane will provide you with an exclusive handout to help you in working on your next trailer, including Trailer Video Masters Specs.

Ariane Ackerberg is an independent film producer and veteran trailer producer at Company 3, which cut the trailers for BARBIE (Warner Bros.), MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART 1 (Paramount), AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (Disney), THE FLASH (Warner Bros.), THE LITTLE MERMAID (Disney), TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (Nickelodeon/Paramount), FAST X (Universal), and countless other top releases. Ariane was formerly a film and TV development executive at Safehouse Pictures (SPINNING OUT, UNDERGROUND, ATLAS, ROBIN HOOD). Before joining Safehouse, Ariane worked at 20th Century Fox (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY & DEADPOOL), New Regency Productions, and Fox Searchlight Pictures. She also served as a showrunner's assistant for the NBC series THE BLACKLIST.

Classes

4-Part Class: How To Make Your Feature Film For Under $100K And Sell It To A Major Distributor

Starting: September 16, 2023

Instructor: Michael Tully

In this exclusive 4-part class, you will learn everything you need to know to successfully make your feature film for under $100K! You will learn how to approach every step of the filmmaking process: from turning the initial spark of the idea into a properly formatted full-length screenplay intended for a low budget to finding like-minded producers to procuring financing, how to recruit a hungry and willing cast and crew, through shooting, editing, and submitting your finished film to festivals.

PLUS! You’ll receive exclusive handouts that will help guide you on your filmmaking process, including the screenplay and shooting schedule for SEPTIEN!

Michael Tully is an award-winning writer/director whose films have garnered widespread critical acclaim, his projects having premiered at some of the most renowned film festivals across the globe. His low-budget feature film SEPTIEN premiered at The Sundance Film Festival and got a theatrical release through Sundance Selects/IFC films! Michael's first feature, COCAINE ANGEL, world premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film immediately solidified the director as one of Filmmaker Magazine’s "25 New Faces of Independent Film”. His follow-up feature, SILVER JEW, a documentary capturing the late David Berman's rare musical performances in Tel Aviv, world-premiered at SXSW and landed distribution with cult indie-music label Drag City.

Labs

8-Part Pitching Lab: Write Your TV Series Pitch Deck In 8 Weeks

Starting: September 2, 2023

Instructor: Ewan Dunbar

In this exclusive interactive 8-part lab, you'll delve deep into writing an effective pitch deck for your scripted television idea - one that will clearly communicate your intentions, excite the reader, and convey your voice and your passion. You will work with Ewan to create your pitch deck that demonstrates to executives what about your show, its characters, and the world will stand out from the crowd and keep audiences entertained, as well as ways in which writing your deck will help to improve your pilot episode and project overall. He will walk you through communicating your show's world, creating your characters, and how best to convey your story within the bounds of a TV pitch deck.

Ewan Dunbar is a world-class development consultant from Red Stag Entertainment. Ewan has developed scripts and pitch decks with writers and creators that have gone on to secure development deals and meetings at various broadcast partners, distributors, and streamers, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon.

Throughout the course of this exclusive online lab, you will have direct access to Ewan as a mentor by email and via video conferencing as you develop your pitch deck.

2-Part Lab: Elevate Your Acting Reel

Starting: September 13, 2023

Instructor: Kym Jackson

In this exclusive 2-part lab, you will not only learn how to build a professional acting reel that will get you noticed, but you will also receive personal guidance and feedback on your current acting reel from an acclaimed acting industry expert. If you don’t have an acting reel yet, that’s fine! You will receive the same personal guidance on how you can and should create your reel that highlights your specific and unique abilities as an actor.

PLUS! You will receive exclusive handouts to help fine-tune your acting reel!

Kym Jackson, working actress and author of the book The Hollywood Survival Guide For Actors. Kym is best known for her on-camera work on the hit CBS series CRIMINAL MINDS and NCIS: LOS ANGELES, the ABC series S.W.A.T. and the movies SNITCH starring Dwayne Johnson, FATAL AFFAIR on Netflix, and countless other projects. Kym is also the founder of the Secret Actor Society.

6-Part Pitching Lab: Create Your Feature Film Investor Pitch Deck

Starting: September 20, 2023

Instructor: Sara Elizabeth Timmins

In this exclusive 6-part pitch deck lab, you will build your own investor pitch deck under the guidance of an industry expert to help you nail the copy, content, and design to create a deck that wows investors. You will also review several different decks that have led to success and explore what to include and the secrets to investor pitch decks that lead to financing.

PLUS! You’ll receive exclusive handouts to help you make your pitch deck!

Sara Elizabeth Timmins. Sara Elizabeth previously helped produce the Emmy-nominated HBO hit MCMILLIONS for Mark Wahlberg’s company and has worked with actors like Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper, Josh Lucas, and Mackenzie Foy. Her films have been seen in theaters, HBO, The Hallmark Channel, Starz, Showtime, and internationally. Sara Elizabeth has personally raised over $15 million for her projects and will show you how you can do the same for your current and future projects.

Screenwriting Lab: Write Your Feature Screenplay in 12 Weeks with Expert Guidance from a Global Executive

Starting: September 23, 2023

Instructor: Thomas Pemberton

Over 12 intensive weeks, Thomas will work closely with you to outline, write, and actually complete your feature film screenplay. Thomas will lead intimate group sessions where he will offer notes and guidance on specific portions of each writer’s screenplay or vision documents, incrementally and methodically working towards a completed and polished product. You will work one-on-one over Zoom with Thomas and will have direct access to him over email for the duration of the lab. You will walk away from this lab with a completed feature film screenplay that has been vetted by a top executive that you can share with studios, financiers, agents, and managers!

One of Stage 32's most sought-after educators, Thomas Pemberton. Thomas is the Development Executive at the global production company Mind's Eye Entertainment, which has produced over 60 feature film and television projects. Thomas has a keen eye for great material and is quick to champion material he believes in. He's discovered three writers through Stage 32 who now have their projects under option with Mind’s Eye Entertainment!

3-Part Acting Lab: Develop Your Professional Audition Process

Starting: September 24, 2023

Instructor: Ryan Cartwright

In this exclusive interactive 3-part lab, you will work directly with Ryan Cartwright to develop your audition process so you feel confident that you are delivering to the best of your abilities every time. Every participant will have the opportunity to select and perform a character piece during the lab. You will also be exploring intensive scene-study work with Ryan, who will help guide you toward truly alive and captivating performances.

PLUS! Ryan will provide you with exclusive handouts to help you hone your audition process.

Ryan Cartwright has over 30 years of professional acting experience and training and he has developed a robust audition process that he will share with you to incorporate into your own process to consistently elevate your work. You've seen Ryan's work on numerous TV series and movies including MAD MEN, BONES, KEVIN CAN WAIT, THE BIG BANG THEORY, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, ALPHAS, and more.

Screenwriting Lab: Write Your 1-Hour Drama TV Pilot In 12 Weeks

Starting: September 30, 2023

Instructor: Cole Quirk

In this exclusive 12-part screenwriting lab, you will develop the concept for your drama television series and write the script for your pilot episode under expert guidance from a TV writer with vast experience. You will gain practical experience developing your story for television. Emphasis will be placed on studying dramatic structure, learning techniques that strengthen character development, and understanding the importance of collaboration with other writers when you land that coveted job in a writers' room. You also learn how to assess the marketplace by determining what network and studio executives are looking for, as well as the best way to quickly and effectively pitch your idea, starting with crafting your logline.

Cole Quirk is an accomplished television writer who most recently wrote on the hit series JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL (FX). Before that, Cole worked in the writers's rooms of ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST (NBC), SCREAM (MTV), RESURRECTION (ABC), THE 100 (CW), and CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS). She also sold a murder mystery feature pitch to THE HALLMARK CHANNEL. Between shows, Cole worked for a writer/producer under a development deal at SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT.

You will walk away from this lab with a completed draft of your pilot script for your drama series and the knowledge of how to shop it to prospective buyers.

6-Part Screenwriting Lab: Write Your Multi-Cam Comedy Pilot Script In 6 Weeks

Starting: September 30, 2023

Instructor: Eric Zimmerman

In this exclusive 6-part screenwriting lab, you will work one-on-one with a veteran multi-cam comedy writer to write your very own pilot episode for your multi-cam series. You will not only write your pilot episode but you will learn the fundamentals of writing a multi-cam series and how to create a successful series that can go on for multiple seasons. By the end of this screenwriting lab, you will have a completed draft of your multi-cam pilot script in hand that has been vetted by an industry professional and that will serve as an effective writing sample to help you find a rep, get staffed on a TV show or successfully sell as a spec!

*Eric’s bio can be found above with his webinar.

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!

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 .