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Insider Intel: 2025- Your Year of Breakthroughs (+ What's Coming in 2026)
Stage 32 + DramaBox Join Forces to Launch World's First Vertical Drama Incubator
November Write Club Week 4: The Art of the Pitch- What Managers & Execs Actually Want to Hear
My Stage 32 Story: Persistence, Healing, & Creative Breakthroughs in Year 3
Insider Intel: 2026 Predictions
Stage 32 Is My Magic Key To International Networking And Education
7 Life Hacks For Creatives
Forbes Spotlights Stage 32 Certification!
Making Our First No-Budget Feature: The Pure Vortex Production Chaos (Part 2)
4 Reasons To Have Audio Description On Your Film
Filmmaker Files: The Director/DP Relationship, Part 2
My name is James Kicklighter, and I am a Stage 32 Thought Leader and a multi-award-winning Film Director and Producer. I have been fortunate to direct documentaries (The Sound of Identity), narrative films (Angel of Anywhere), and advertising across the country and around the world. I hope that you enjoyed Part I of my discussion with my collaborator and friend, Emmy-nominated Director of Photography, Jonathan Pope (The Social Dilemma). Because we had so much to talk about, we t…
Always A Student, Never A Master: The Power Of A Beginner's Mind
When I wrote my first book, it was an adventure. Not only was it my first major project, it was the moment I realized just how little I knew about the craft of writing. I was two years into my professional writing career when I shifted from short stories to my first book. Sure, I’d written “books” before. But trust me, those will NEVER see the light of day. That already made this one different. I was not writing it for fun or because writing is my passion (though both…
Stage 32 + Hollyshorts Partner for the 2023 Festival - Screenings, Events & Panels!
Happy Monday Stage 32-ers! Over the past 12 years, we here at Stage 32 have been thrilled to be recognized throughout the industry as the leaders in online film craft and business education. We are honored to be partnered with some of the most prestigious film festivals and markets in the world including the American Film Market and the Cannes Film Festival Marché du film to name a few. Now, for the 8th year in a row, we are thrilled to be joining forces with…
What Does Stage 32 Mean To You?
Hey, Stage 32 Community! Over the years, Stage 32 has been a lot of different things to different people. It’s been a community, a network, a family, a mission, a call to action, an opportunity, a refuge, a school, a mentorship, a marketplace, and so much more. This week, in celebration of Stage 32’s recent 1 Million Member Milestone, we’d love for you all to share your answer to the question, “What does Stage 32 mean to you?” All you need to do is upload …
The Secret To Writing Incredible Fiction
If you’re a writer—whether you’re a writer of books, short stories, poetry, screenplays, or stage plays—you’ve likely gotten in your head a time or two about your writing. I can’t tell you how many times a story sat in my head for days, weeks, months—or even years sometimes—simply because I couldn’t get it to come out on the page as genius as it was in my head. There’s this ridiculous idea we have as writers that our genius …
Coffee & Content: SAG-AFTRA Joins WGA On Strike
Happy Sunday, Creative Army! First, 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 around 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, showing the power of a united force in this industry, SAG-AFTRA…
10 Mistakes Screenwriters Make When Querying
It’s true that the writing sample is the most important part of any query letter. However, you need to spend some time making sure that the query letter is solid as well. First impressions matter, and you can rub agents the wrong way if your query letter isn’t up to snuff. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes screenwriters make when querying. 1. Using A Generic Greeting If you are submitting a query letter, address the agent properly by name in your greeting. It’s u…
Filmmaker Files: The Director/DP Relationship, Part 1
My name is James Kicklighter, and I am a Stage 32 Thought Leader and a multi-award-winning Film Director and Producer. I have been fortunate to direct documentaries (The Sound of Identity), narrative films (Angel of Anywhere), and advertising across the country and around the world. For the first time in my career, I am now working with representation! I'm managed by RAIN through a connection that I made at a Stage 32 in-person meetup, and my latest film, The American …
Authentic Stories: The Importance Of Diversity & Inclusion In Film & Television
Hi, Stage 32ers! While you may have missed out on getting to attend Cannes in person, you certainly won’t miss out on the incredible insights that were shared there! At this year’s Cannes 2023, Stage 32 hosted a fantastic expert panel exploring the importance of representation, equity, and inclusion in film and television production. As well as, the impact of diverse storytelling on audiences, industry trends, and the business of filmmaking. Moderated by Martin I. Petro…
Let's Celebrate Stage 32's 1 Million Member Milestone! Featured in Variety!
Hi, Stage 32ers! As many of you know, we had a massive celebration this year at Cannes, where we announced our 1 Million Member Milestone at our party in partnership with Variety! This is a milestone that means the world to me, Amanda, and the rest of our team here at Stage 32. When I started on the journey of creating Stage 32 12 years ago, I never could have imagined how this community would grow and become not just a network and support system for creatives all over the world, bu…
Announcing The 3rd Annual Action/Thriller Screenwriting Contest
There's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get from watching an action or thriller story. Blockbuster franchise movies like TOP GUN: MAVERICK and FAST X explode at the box office while tense binge-worthy shows like YELLOWJACKETS and YOU keep us on the edge of our seats. Hollywood is always searching for the next big thrilling story -- and we want it to be YOURS! If you have an Action/Thriller story that needs to be told, now is the time to show us what you've got, because our go…
Coffee & Content: How Editing Turned A Conversation Into A Masterpiece
Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, we're looking at conversations on screen. These are some of the most challenging scenes to write, shoot, and edit in a way that's interesting. In this video from Cutting Concepts, they take a look at one of the best conversations in cinema with the opening scene of THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and…
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