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A Filmmaker’s Guide to Screen Tourism: Part 1

Since my appointment as delegate of the Mexican National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) for the State of Quintana Roo, also known as the Mexican Caribbean, I have become familiar with the phenomenon screen tourism. In fact, screen tourism is becoming one of the key elements in policy making for the audiovisual industry in Quintana Roo, which includes what nowadays can be considered Mexico’s most important beach tourist areas. In this article I will explain what screen t…

5 Things Actors Can Do Everyday to Ensure Success

As actors there are certain things that are completely out of our control period. We've been told, time and time again, that our successes and fate in film or TV are a heavy dose of talent, timing, effort, connections and further luck. Some of those ingredients in our success pie are out of our control; however, some are in our control and we can do on a daily basis to ensure our careers moving forward. These are five tips that I do daily to ensure my success as an actress and a…

I Booked Over 100 Commercials as an Actor. You Can Too. Here's How!

My name is David Banks and I’ve booked over 100 national commercials. I was a featured guest at Film Con LA and was asked how it’s seemed so easy for me to book spot after spot and what’s my magic touch. How it’s easy? That’s quite funny. Although it may appear like I have some kind of “magic touch,” my current method never fell into my lap. It was derived from MANY years of hearing no after no after no and having no clue how to remedy the situ…

Finding Joy in Collaboration & Critiques

Sometimes, someone comes along who suddenly propels you into an inspirational state that you never felt before. I worked with someone called, Shibu Thomas, who wrote a screenplay and asked me if I would become script consultant and editor. I read the script and edited it for him, but the story was so intriguing and so clever, I was happy to continue to help him work on it. He then made pitches to producers and received great feedback, he had very good written critiques from professiona…

Want Success in the Entertainment Industry? Start Writing Your Own Narrative

Want Success? Stop Listening to the Hollywood Narrative! Is it just me, or does it feel like Hollywood is set up to make you fail? Obstacle, after obstacle… Rejection, after rejection… It’s *almost* not even worth trying. and I can say ‘almost’ because those of us who still believe in the magic of our dreams, have a passion so strong that we are going to go for it, despite all of the hardships we hear about. If you are one of those people, like me, I…

How To Stay on Top of Casting Directors, Agents & Producers with Google Alerts

Trying to monitor multiple things at once is challenging in your acting career: Casting directors, agents, casting calls, release dates, project greenlights, series renewals & cancellations, the list goes on and on. Even if you are an avid reader of the industry trades- Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, etc- you can miss some things that might be of interest. There have been many times when I saw a submission notice, or an opportunity, only to have missed a deadline, or know that hu…

Coffee & Content: Samuel L. Jackson & Viola Davis on Acting & How I Became a Netflix Editor in 3 Months

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from every corner of the globe. Whether you are a long-time member, or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend.  First up, Variety has a great series called "Actors…

Take the "Work" Out of Networking - The Importance of a Polished Stage 32 Profile

It’s the tedious but oh-so-necessary maintenance of being in this industry: online presentation. Just as we once toiled over the formatting and tone of a resume and cover letter, so now must we polish our profiles. Selling ourselves can be exhausting, but look at it this way - your Stage 32 profile is your invitation to play! We all love what we do, and we love meeting people that make the experience magical. Here’s your chance to set the tone for your fantasy-project-made-re…

How Studying Your Writing can Help You Manifest Better

Have you ever felt stuck? Or wondered why you can't progress in certain areas of your life? Why do things you want desperately elude you? The answers to these questions might be hidden in your writing. Manifesting Manifesting is all about sending out and receiving. But...as I have, you might have wondered why some things aren't coming to you. Things you want so dearly. How You Affirm Matters One reason for it not working, might be down to how you are transmitting. If you send out…

Three Stoic Principles For The Creative Arts

I’m always eager to find helpful insights for navigating life. Stoicism has been experiencing a resurgence of late, thanks in part to books like A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and to Ryan Holiday, whose books and Daily Stoic emails have made the ancient precepts relevant for contemporary thinkers. Stoicism is a philosophy about finding happiness in the “now” moment. It’s about controlling your emotions and the thoughts you think to maximi…

Three Times I Failed And Succeeded Anyway

I know a lot of people who live very small lives in very small places. The one I actually know the best is me. I’m the woman who was scared to not only leave her home state but also her town until I hit my 40’s. I was scared to fail at everything, including getting from A to B in a car. So I sat, safe, in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. A divorce thrust me into a new life and I realized if I didn’t take risks that led to failure I was going to disappear off the radar, broke…

The Types of Actors You Notice in Social Media Groups

How Do You Interact on a Social Media group? It is not an easy task these days. Whether it’s Facebook, Clubhouse, Twitter Threads, Zoom- it has become easier to connect with other like minded people across races, genders, time zones, and nations. The Covid-19 pandemic has grown this way of communication even more. You may not know how or what to contribute to the conversation. Everyone’s reason for joining a social media group is different: networking, community, finding i…

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