Top 10 Lounge Posts - Responding in Kind

“CINEMA IS A MATTER OF WHAT’S IN THE FRAME AND WHAT’S OUT.”

- Martin Scorsese

The point of view of our creations starts with our personal worldview. How do you approach new contacts? Old teammates? Scripts, projects, edits? Here at Stage 32, we welcome. We invite and encourage. We may even suggest or request, all to set the stage for positive, productive relationships. Opening up a frame into "you" or "your craft" is an invitation to start an authentic conversation.

If you have a lengthy post, you invite people to open up in response. If you ask essential questions, you attract valuable answers. And if you offer valuable insight, you invite productive conversations around the craft and business. Even opening up about what you love or your goals can be a fantastic way to invite members to "respond in kind."

One of the most valuable posts you can share is right after an event. Have you just finished an energizing coffee date? Share some of the wisdom! Have you just wrapped on set? Catch us up on new protocols! Have you just pitched your script? Tell us what worked for you! It's a little thing to "pay it forward," but it pays off in spades. Sure, such posts garner comments, questions, and breed great discussions, but they also strengthen your community. The same community you can reach out to when you need encouragement, direction, or inspiration. You see, "respond in kind" can also be "in-kind over time." Tend your community as one might tend a garden and reap the benefits when you need them most!

Not sure where to start? For meeting new members, posting in the Introduce Yourself Lounge is highly recommended. Consider crafting a post that reflects your personality, your writing style, and prompts a response from readers to get the conversation going. A lesson gleaned from producers on Stage 32: keep introductions short so professionals with less time can still participate. Wait until you are direct messaging each other for the multi-paragraph responses.

Remember, Stage 32 provides the platform, but you still have to put yourself out there. Today's Lounge Posts invite us to open up and share, so don't be shy! We put so much of our hearts and souls into our work. Why not take a beat and refuel with like-minded creatives?

1. Producing - The Next 6 Months

• Getting others excited about their own journey? There is no greater gift a post can provide. Check out this prompt from a Writers' Room regular! Also, be sure to bookmark this one and share it through your other social media accounts so we can revisit our goals at the end of the year to celebrate our victories!

2. Producing - Networking vs.Relational Equity

• What a fantastic unpacking of what it really means to “network”. It’s worth the read and maybe leave a little “thank you” to introduce yourself!

3. Acting - The Audition, It’s Not Always About the Read

• A fantastic insight into casting from a legend in the film industry. Truly, a great read!

4. Acting - Film Resume, Where to Start

• Sometimes a single question doesn’t cover it. Lay it out for us, and watch the community pitch in!

5. Distribution - Films About Famous Art

• A generous example of a press release from a professional PR agent!

6. Filmmaking - Relationships Are Everything

• Another gem from Shane, showing a little gratitude while also passing on a great lesson - relationships are everything!

7. Animation - The 10 Best Anime OVAs From the 80s and 90s

• Discussing favorites is a great way to connect with new contacts and invite a deeper conversation.

8. Animation - Drawing Out A Scene

• Sharing a window into your process informs, suggests, and welcomes a discussion on how pre-visualization can open up opportunities for production.

9. Screenwriting - Authentic Dialogue

• Digging into dialogue and how to source for it - starts with a story, ends with a question, and it’s a great way to get people talking!

10. Screenwriting - Question, When You Register a Screenplay Through WGA or Similar, What Does It Really Mean

• A common concern can open a constructive debate, help to demystify the industry, and even build a rapport. Answering important questions is a great way to provide value to the community!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Producing - Female Filmmaker Friday Interview with Michelle Ullmann of Bored Puppy Productions

• Mad props to the poster who asked a friend to answer some questions - just for the lounge, and in a video!

Post-Production - Room Acoustic Tools

• This is a crazy cool tool for figuring out the acoustics of a room!

Distribution - Understanding Distribution 101

• In case the Distribution Lounge seems intimidating, this is a little “Distribution 101” video to get you started!

Not seeing a topic you’d like to talk about? Try searching the Lounges by going to the Lounge landing page, entering a key phrase in the top right search bar, and seeing what conversations have already begun. Still no dice? Start the discussion yourself! The Stage 32 community is incredibly uplifting, so don’t be afraid to jump in!

In case you’re hooked and want more good mojo, check our last Top 10 Posts, too!

Don’t forget - you can bookmark any “evergreen” posts, whether by topic or by opportunity. You can also share the post by clicking the “share” button on the bottom, right-hand corner of the post. Not sure which lounges you are subscribed to? You can confirm your subscriptions here.

No matter where you are in your process, you are always welcome to start the conversation in the Stage32 Lounges! Not sure where to start? You can DM me or email me at K.Ross@stage32.com For now, why not start with the links above? Click, read, comment, and start a post of your own! I look forward to seeing each of you in the lounges!

About Karen "Kay" Ross

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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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