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5 Tips for Effective Story Research

At my kids’ school, they’re putting up two new buildings, and I had the chance to watch them pour the concrete for the walls as I sat waiting in the carline the other day. What was really remarkable to me was the fact that in order to get to this step, they’d first have to assemble an entire framework that served as the mold for the walls. They’d basically built a building to build the building, in a manner of speaking. And then (because I’m a writer who li…

Six Degrees of Connection on Stage 32: Part One

When speaking of my recent victories - I wrote and produced an award-winning 48-Hour Short Film called "Livin' with Lisa," co-produced an all-female-cast-and-crew short film, and just wrapped production on the most involved proof-of-concept short film I've ever produced - there is only one constant in every one of those victories. Relationships. "Exactly how connected do I need to be to be successful in the industry? Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon connected?" Sort of. The "Six Degrees of S…

Measuring and Celebrating Success as a Creative

Every year, I do an end-of-the-year creative review while preparing to set my goals for the new year. It’s helpful for me to do a deep dive into my process, into my productivity, and into the areas where I am most excited to improve. I’ve talked about my year-end review process on the blog before (you can check out that post here if you’re interested in more detail). Today I want to talk about a topic connected to the year-end review that’s very near and dear to …

Stage 32 CEO Richard "RB" Botto Nominated for Shaker of the Year

There is no shortage of "success stories" here on Stage 32. And today, we've got a great one for our fearless leader and Stage 32 CEO, Richard "RB" Botto, who has been nominated for Shaker of the Year 2022, as part of the Movers & Shaker Awards at FOCUS in London, UK. RB is nominated for his contribution to the long-lasting impact on the global entertainment industry. RB joins fellow forward-thinking nominees Leo Anna Thomas (6ft from the Spotlight); Co. Production Te…

How Studying Your Writing Can Help You Manifest Your Dream Life

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 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: I WANT this to…

Using Filmmaking to Create Change

My love of wildlife and filmmaking began as a small child watching my father's homemade wildlife documentaries of Africa in the attic cinema of our London home. Neither of us could have imagined then that many decades later, indeed 17 years after my father left this mortal coil, my own wildlife documentaries would not only win awards all over the world, but they would be instrumental in helping to pass historic legislation in the United Kingdom that would mark the beginning of the end fo…

How Staying Local Brought Hollywood to Me

“Move to Montana” is not the advice you’ll get when you tell someone you want to break into the entertainment business. Especially if, like me, you were working at one of the biggest magazines in the country owned by a parent company that also ran TV and movie studios. At that job, I interacted with boldface names and their publicists all day and, as a writer, also interviewed Grammy, Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe winners. You’d think this would be the place to w…

Celebrating the Wins at Stage 32

Hey, Stage 32ers! I hope if you're not recovering from a Thanksgiving feast that, no matter where you are in the world, you're ready to relax and enjoy the weekend! The holidays are always a great time to look back and applaud the "wins" from the past year, and this community has had some pretty big ones. From booking gigs to signings to projects that are getting made, your passion for your craft and love for this community are what make every success on Stage 32 so incredibly special. …

Happy Thanksgiving from Stage 32: We are Thankful for YOU

Happy Thanksgiving, Creative Army! On behalf of the entire Stage 32 team, I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. This year, we have welcomed hundreds of thousands of new members to our growing, creative community, and we are beyond honored to provide each and every one of you a safe haven to connect, be inspired, and come together to make art. We are all extremely grateful for the members of this community and for the incredible relationships and friendships that ha…

Stage 32 Member Finds Success at AFM After Mentoring with Alexia Melocchi

WOW! Five days of intensive wandering, going up one elevator and down another. Pitching my TV series and three screenplays, meeting old friends, and making new ones. That’s what the American Film Market is all about. This was my second visit in ten years to Santa Monica and the AFM, and I was not disappointed. I was on a mission, and Stage 32 prepared me to meet the challenges all creatives are confronted with. What do I do, what do I say, and how do I say it? First, I was given …

How to Attract Allies in the Film Industry

Have you ever fallen in creative love? Perhaps you idly chat about your favorite director, only to discover that you both love their most obscure film best. Over your first coffee date, you playfully square off about who has the worst set stories, but you share a laugh over the resiliency it takes to keep going. Now you're about to start a project, and your new creative ally is firmly entrenched in your corner. 'How in the world did I get so fortunate?' you wonder. If luck favors the pre…

Becoming an Anthropologist with Your Story

Anthropology, simply put, is the study of what it means to be human. A tall order, almost as difficult as the provocation “How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?” from The Sound of Music. Anthropologists, writers, storytellers, and artists are obsessed with finding authenticity. They both know that in order to get to the truth, you have to get deep into the messy zones, the gray areas, and the unknowns. And they are both up for the challenge. To embark on this challenge, …

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