As we head into the last stretch of the week, I’d love to hear what everyone’s working on. What’s one project you’re excited to tackle or wrap up before the weekend?
This is also a great time to pause and reflect—how has this month been for you creatively or professionally? What’s one thing you can do today to set yourself up for a stronger start next week?
Let’s finish this last week of the month strong.
Share your wins, works-in-progress, or even small steps forward below.
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Hey, Cyrus Sales. Hope you had a great weekend! I'm rewriting a feature script this week. It's also my November Write Club goal. I put together my plan for NWC today. I got a lot done during October.
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I'm hoping to lock all the way in with RoP's rewrite and finish it since I'm hilariously close (98-99%). This month has been fairly productive even with my energy giving out with the crappy weather lol I'm highly motivated to go all out with BoFS next month~
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Love this prompt, Cyrus Sales, perfect timing for a midweek reset.
Today (and this week, really) is all about juggling a lot of moving parts! I’m prepping for tomorrow’s Stage 32 Community Open House Webcast, finalizing the Stage 32 blogs for the rest of the week, and getting everything ready for November’s Write Club. I’m also coordinating next week’s Ask Me Anything event in the Acting Lounge and helping with today’s Producing Lounge AMA.
On top of that, I’ll be guest lecturing for a few college classes in the evenings this week, helping soon-to-be film school graduates learn about networking and building community. It’s a packed schedule, but one of those weeks that feels full of purpose and connection, just how I like it.
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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh I hope the rewrite is going well! October was not my most productive month if I'm being candid. A lot of life grabbing me by the collar lol. I am getting back on track so I'm happy to be setting a good tone for November. Are you planning on doing NWC as well?
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Ashley Renee Smith Thanks! I've gotten great engagement on my more recent post with just checking in on everyone. Plus, it's nice to see what everyone is keeping busy with.
You juggle a lot of moving pieces here, and we definitely appreciate everything you do! Best of luck with the Community Open House Webcast today and the college speaking.
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Thanks Cyrus Sales, I feel that. When life happens, it really happens lol hopefully you'll have a very productive November :D and yeah, I think I will :) brain is overflowing with ideas for BoFS, especially now that I've rediscovered one of my favourite bands growing up, The Tea Party. I spent a good chunk of yesterday repositioning some scenes for RoP's rewrite and I'm constantly thinking also of how to rewrite TER lol. Lots on my plate so hopefully November will be highly productive :3
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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh I totally feel that — when life happens, it really happens lol! I hope November turns out to be super productive for you as well. I’m excited for next month and have already started prepping on my end, so I’m looking forward to diving in.
It sounds like you’ve got a ton going on. Rediscovering a favorite band like The Tea Party sounds like a great creative boost too! I meant to ask earlier — what is BOFS and RoP? Can’t wait to hear more about your ideas.
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Thank you Cyrus Sales, November is gonna be lots of fun :D
RoP is Rondo of Pandora, the second entry in the series, where the band comes face to face with their parallel selves and the incumbent king of Pandora has to contend with the consequences of attacking their sponsor. BoFS is Ballad of Fallen Stars, the fourth entry lol. That one has the band reunited but also with a new member in a band battle with three other bands all vying for musical supremacy across the galaxy, though one or more might also be aiming to annex Pandora. Rediscovering The Tea Party has been amazing for creative boosts because the songs of theirs I used to listen to a lot are up to the gills in mysticism and Middle Eastern influence, and a couple of them are great for integrating into the story (one subplot in the third entry, The Elysian Rhapsodies, is based on "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"). If you're curious, feel free to check out their songs "Psychopomp," "Walking Wounded," and "Heaven Coming Down" in particular :D
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Can anyone help me make an anime I just need an animator and investor that anime story is very cool and long
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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh This sounds amazing! I love how you’re integrating The Tea Party’s mystical, Middle Eastern-influenced music into the story—it really adds depth. The band battles across the galaxy sound cool too. I’ll definitely check out Psychopomp, Walking Wounded, and Heaven Coming Down! You mind sharing a link?
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Thank you Cyrus Sales, honestly it's pretty crazy how well The Tea Party's music fits into BoFS's story in terms of subplots, feels like a match made in Heaven (even though ironically this time there's more significant scenes in Hell XD). The drama this time is actually a little less fantastical in nature compared to the prequels but nonetheless there's plenty of it. And sure thing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1E5YbMI1uk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bx347ilv64
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkHJXGAEkgI
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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh - thanks for sharing the links! Going to check em out in my downtime. Who created the music for you?
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You're welcome Cyrus Sales, so far no one has made music for me. Can't wait for it to happen in the future, though~
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What is on my plate is moving forward with my other projects, such as writing books for children. Plus, writing songs. Seems like What the Mack? will have to wait.
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Cyrus Sales I hope it’s still okay to play catch up with this thread?
Whilst working on the development of a live-action film, I checked my emails from a while back, about finding an animation company in The Philippines. This was through the Philippines Film Commission, who I had contacted after a meeting I had with them at last year’s Film Focus London - where coincidentally I met Sam Sokolow (12 shades of awesome).
They got back to me and I ended up on a Zoom call with the CEO! Why? Because I have an animation series that I want to work towards making and the story is set in several cities around the world - Buenos Aires, Detroit, Athens, Berlin, Hong Kong and Quezon City. The concept is to find local talent in each location - artists, voice actors, musicians to give each location a distinctive, localised style.
I feel that I have taken the first big step towards achieving that goal.
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I am promoting my short film which will be in two festivals in the next week or two, as well as the accompanying humor book.
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After months of writing and drawing, I finally hit pause for a bit. Sometimes stepping back feels like the most productive move.
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Bob Harper well done, Bob!
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Daniel Danitto that’s right, sometimes it pays just to chill, go for a walk, watch a film read a book. It’s best not to force it. I wish you well with the downtime.
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Thanks, Geoff Hall. I really appreciate that. Sometimes slowing down helps to recharge the creative spark.
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Geoff Hall Thanks!
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Daniel Danitto thank you, Daniel. That’s right. It does pay to chill and give your attention to something else. Here’s wishing you some good spaces to find yourself in!
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Bob Harper you are welcome, Bob.
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Wyman Brent Sounds like you’ve got some exciting projects in the works! ‘What the Mack?’ will be there when the time is right, and in the meantime, it’s awesome that you’re diving into these other creative passions.
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Geoff Hall Absolutely! Happy to have you here. That’s incredible news! Congratulations on getting connected with the CEO. It sounds like a huge step forward. Your vision for the animation series is ambitious and exciting, and I love the idea of bringing local talent from each city to give the story its own unique flavor. It really seems like you’re off to an amazing start, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
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Daniel Danitto I'm learning and accepting this as well after several moments of burnouts and breakdowns. Sometimes the absolute best thing to do as a creative and human is pause and take a whole step back. Love this for you, what's your favorite thing to do when you take a pause? I personally have found walking to be the most relaxing and simple thing to add into my day. Sunlight recharges my soul lol.
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Bob Harper congratulations on the film being in the festivals! What's your short about?
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Thanks, Cyrus Sales ! I’m lucky to live by the sea, and sometimes early in the morning I just sit on a bench with a cup of coffee and let my thoughts drift. It’s the best way to clear my mind and find new inspiration.