Filmmaking / Directing

The place to discuss, share content and offer advice and tips on all things filmmaking and the craft of directing. From pre-production to on set practices to navigating the industry and beyond, this is your forum

Maurice Vaughan
February AMA Events

Set your reminders! This February, Stage 32 is hosting FREE virtual Ask Me Anything events every Wednesday in the Stage 32 Lounges!

From Financing & Publicity Experts to Writers, Producers, and Development Executives, these industry pros are ready to share their wisdom, experiences, and insider tips...

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Maurice Vaughan
FREE Awards Season Script Giveaway!

Hollywood "Awards Season" is upon us. Stage 32 is giving away scripts to all of this year's Awards nominated movies for you to read and study! The Oscars, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs. https://mailchi.mp/stage32/oscarscripts...

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Awards Season 2025: Awards-Nominated Scripts
Awards Season 2025: Awards-Nominated Scripts
Hollywood "Awards Season" is one of the most exciting times of the year! The world's best actors and filmmakers step out in their finest fines to strut the red carpet amid the flashing lights and ador…

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Mark Miller
Fire Lake Script

Big THANKS to Studio 32 for this honor!!!

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Nick Kostomarov
CG Supervisor on Set

Sometimes, we receive projects for post that were shot without the involvement of a CG supervisor on set.

Why wasn’t one invited to the shoot?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there are at least two reasons: budget savings or confidence in one's own abilities to shoot the project independently, relying...

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Nee Gro

Uh, Skipping a CG supervisor on set to save costs is a false economy. The lack of proper planning often leads to unforeseen challenges in post-production, ultimately inflating the budget and extending...

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Dan MaxXx

From my experience, the VFX company who got the gig sends their staff employee(s) to monitor on-set production. Whether who pays for on-set work is up to debate.

I did dailies for lots of commercials...

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Maurice Vaughan
Coffee & Content: Are You Ready to Get Sh*t Done This Week?

Stage 32’s founder and CEO, Richard “RB” Botto, shares two videos in today’s blog.

In the first video, The Take explores how seemingly small roles in The Substance, Mean Girls, The Avengers, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things, and more have played pivotal roles in shaping narratives, shifting perspectives...

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Liked by Nick Kostomarov and 10 others

Charlotte Verminck
What Happens When Filmmakers Actually Show Up for Each Other?

Hey fellow filmmakers,

I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind about collaboration on set. Would love to hear your thoughts!

When I first started working on film sets, I was eager to learn, hoping to find true creative collaboration. But instead, I often saw competition where there could ha...

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Debra Holland

I just listened to a podcast with actor/director Jonathon Frakes on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. It was a great episode. But I really liked how mentions of collaboration was woven through the whole interview.

Pamela Jaye Smith

It's absolutely a positive approach. I'm still collaborating with professional filmmakers I've know since back at UT Austin Film School. And, from early projects here in Hollywood, including the Lily...

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Nick Kostomarov

Hey, Charlotte Verminck !

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, and there are always people on set who are only superficially engaged in the process—or, in some cases, don’t really feel anyt...

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Nee Gro

This is such a great reflection on the importance of true collaboration in film-making!

It’s all too common for sets to feel like a collection of individuals working in isolation rather than unified...

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Mariluz Guerra

Hi Charlotte. I’m glad you’re opening up this so necessary conversation. It is vital to once and for all switch from constant competition to harmonious collaboration. Our planet has been hurt in so ma...

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Liked by Nick Kostomarov and 4 others

Charlotte Verminck
Behind the Scenes: Filming on a Cliff in France. How Would You Handle It?

On the first day of filming Mind of Thoughts, my team and I took on daring cliffside shots in France, navigating the challenges of independent filmmaking with resilience, risk, and creative vision.

The location was visually stunning but came with logistical hurdles: limited access, no easy way to tra...

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Sam Sokolow

Hi Charlotte Verminck - the location sounds truly stunning (would love to see a picture if possible). Hard to say how to handle it without all of the details but Crew & Cast safety is always the #1 pr...

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Charlotte Verminck

Hi Sam Sokolow!

Thank you so much for your reply! Absolutely, safety was our top priority throughout the shoot! The location was breathtaking but required careful planning to ensure everything ran smoo...

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Nick Kostomarov

Hey, Charlotte Verminck !

I agree with Sam Sokolow that the number one priority should be the safety of the actors.

As a VFX supervisor, I could suggest a trick for particularly dangerous shots (like in...

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Liked by Nick Kostomarov and 11 others

Charlotte Verminck
Behind the Scenes: Filming Around a Helicopter – Precision & Pressure

Filming around a helicopter was intense, high-stakes, and completely unforgettable, especially on an indie film. I just uploaded this BTS episode in which we take you inside the experience of orchestrating a character’s grand arrival, where every second mattered. Have you ever filmed something that...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Charlotte Verminck. I'm excited to see Mind of Thoughts! I subscribed to the Above The Nerve channel, signed up for updates on your website, and followed the film page on IG....

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Mike Boas

My one time in a helicopter was to get aerial footage of our city. I was just along Defoe the ride— it was our cinematographer that had the harder job of leaning out with the camera. Unforgettable experience (and stomach churning).

Mike Boas

For perfect timing, I run into that all the time with special effects shots. Often have to do things multiple times.

Also, coordinating action with cars is a real pain. Communicating with the driver, getting them to hit marks at the right speed. Tricky.

Ashley Renee Smith

That seems like an absolutely exhilarating experience, Charlotte Verminck! Filming around a helicopter, especially on an indie film, must have required such precise coordination. I can only imagine th...

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Nick Kostomarov

Haha, yeah, filming with helicopters is always a tricky thing, especially when you only have one chance to get the shot right.

In this case, you could try a trick and shoot it in separate passes.

For ex...

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Liked by Nick Kostomarov and 9 others

The Last Cut

For thirty years, I lived and breathed cinema. I shot on film, rejecting digital like a stubborn relic. I demanded perfection in every frame, screamed at my crew, and waged war with producers who dared to interfere with my vision. My name had once been synonymous with brilliance—auteur, innovator, m...

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Willem Elzenga

I used Chatgtp for this and other stories. I also made a casting wishlist with Chatgtp but that wasn't to good. Also a financial forecast for a movie in development. I did a logo with Goggle's gemini. I like AI but think it should be free and in the public domain.

Sam Sokolow

At first, this post read like the beginnning of a film noir about a filmmaker and I wasn't sure where it was going - I felt terrible for the unpaid asistants. But even a story about not telling a stor...

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Greg Rabidoux

Happy that you are finally at peace, my man. Because life is too short to be waging war from within your own soul. To answer you tag question, unlike yourself, I am not a titan who left after decades,...

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William Joseph Hill

Very thought provoking, Willem Elzenga . I'm reminded of an interview with Orson Welles later in his life where he mentioned his regret of being in love with movies, which was the passion he had which...

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Nick Kostomarov

I think that if you feel peace in your soul and can calmly sit and watch the waves crash against the rocks without worrying about anything, then you have fulfilled your mission—or at least one of them...

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Liked by Charmane Wedderburn and 16 others

Ashley Renee Smith
The Squib — This Device is Behind Cinema’s Greatest Gore

In real life, violence is never fun. But in movies, violence can be a blast. For over a century, filmmakers have innovated different ways to revel in the gore, and audiences have eaten it up. One of the pillars of this gore is the squib, a small device that has had a massive impact on the way violen...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Sherri ZImmerman.

Sherri ZImmerman

Bobby G - AGREED for the most part about digital additions HOWEVER, with guns? Hmm... we hear of those "accidents" on shoots? Not sure.. maybe that ONE ought to be okay... LOL?? American or NOT, I'd r...

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Richard "RB" Botto

Very cool watch, Ashley Renee Smith. Enjoyed it, and some of the comments in here, immensely.

Mike Boas

Last weekend we did the traditional squib shot I mentioned earlier. I won’t share photos, since it’s not my call when to share BTS images online.

In the story, a mania turning into a werewolf, then ge...

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Mike Boas

I just noticed that the director has posted a clip of the headshot. Here it is:

And if you want to contribute to the film (check out the perks!) visit https://www.indiegogo....

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Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Sergei Kondrashov
Directors, I have a question for you

Hello, colleagues! I'm curious to know how directors choose music for their films. What do you pay attention to when working with a composer? What mistakes or unexpected discoveries have you encountered in the process?

Also, what kind of portfolio catches your attention? What is important to you when...

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Sam Sokolow

Hi Sergei Kondrashov - I'm a producer, not a director, but I always work closely with the directors ans creators I work with when building the production team, including composers and music supervisor...

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Sergei Kondrashov

Sam Sokolow, Interesting, how often do you take part in selecting a composer, or is it mostly up to the director? I often feel that it’s mainly the producers who make the decisions, and only very well-known directors have the right to choose for themselves.

Philip Sedgwick

Right here on Stage32 I found an amazing composer! She's now worked with me on two short film and who knows what more will come! I know there will be more!

Check out Elena Maro. www.elenamaro.com...

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Zackary Goncz
Website for finding production and actors

I'm sure this has been asked a thousand times on Stage32, but what is a good website, besides this one, for finding actors or production folks for a project? I actually used one like a half decade ago but don't remember what it was. Just in general, I don't have a specific one I'm about to start on,...

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Kizzy Lee

I have been doing loads of research into this recently in the pursuit of growth. I can send you my shortlist.

Mike Childress

I feel like iMDB Pro is one a lot of people on here seem to utilize...

Chase Cysco

ProductionHub,Mandy ,backstage

Rob Jones

For actors, Backstage will let you search by location and all kinds of other specifics.

Zackary Goncz

Oh! Backstage, that's the one I used back in the day. Thanks for the other tips all! I got some logins to make haha

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