Filmmaking / Directing

Hello Eva, I'm new here too. Your story sounds interesting. Is it on Amazon?

Hi Eva, welcome! 'Zero Error' sounds like a fantastic concept, the intersection of Sherlock and AI is very timely. Since you're building this 'spy world,' are you planning to create a digital hub for it? I’m a Shopify developer who helps creators build immersive sites to showcase their scripts and concept art. Would love to hear more about your plans!

Mohammad Jahanzaib If you ARE a lead generating specialist, contact us. aerithai.com - we pay for results though, not platforms.

Yeah, right sure Mohammad!

No Bio, no credibility.

Hi Alex, great to meet you! Your passion for both animation and live-action storytelling is inspiring, and aiming to follow in the footsteps of visionaries like Jordan Peele and David Lynch shows incredible ambition.

Pulling Teeth sounds intriguing I’ll definitely keep an eye out for it on Amazon.

I’d love to explore ways we could collaborate, whether it’s on live-action shorts, voice work, or story development.

With your creative vision and my [scriptwriting/editing/production experience], I think we could bring some truly compelling projects to life. If that sounds interesting, I’d be happy to discuss ideas and see how we can make it happen!

Thanks Peter D. Marshall , as always.

Hi Ryan - go write it until it's ready to go before the cameras. Do not concern yourself with a crew at this point. Are you going to direct? If yes, do you have directing experience? If no, don't get a crew at this point. To learn some basics of directing, grab your smart phone. Don't be concerned about any special apps. Go shoot someone making a cup of coffee. Start from when they enter the kitchen to when they enjoy the first sip. Do not worry about lighting or sound. Ask the person to show you what they do. Then break it down into shots. Edit in the smartphone (iMovie or Capcut). Do this 5 times with different people in different homes. Trust me, you'll quickly grow as a director. And do learn composition!

Ryan Wilford Really interesting concept the split between the “physical” and “internal” day has a lot of potential, especially if the contrast builds subtly over time.

From my experience, the first three steps are usually:

1. Finding a DP who connects with the idea, not just the visuals. Especially for something like split-screen, you’ll want someone who understands emotional storytelling and how to differentiate tone through lighting, framing, and rhythm while still keeping it cohesive.

2. Building a small, committed core team first (DP + sound + 1 assistant) rather than trying to fill every role immediately. A reliable small team is more valuable than a large disconnected one.

3. Testing the concept early even a short visual test or reference shoot helps attract collaborators because they can “see” what you’re aiming for.

For your split-screen specifically, I’d look for a DP who thinks in terms of visual language how each side can feel distinct (maybe through color, movement, or lensing) while still belonging to the same world.

It’s a strong idea if executed with restraint, it could be really impactful. Happy to stay connected and see how it develops.

Marie Hatten Thank you Marie! Appreciate the support as always :)

Lindbergh Hollingsworth Thanks for the insight and the practical advice! I’m currently weighing that exact decision. While I’m a screenwriter first, I’m open to this being the project where I gain that directing experience—or, ideally, finding a DP and Director to collaborate with so I can stay focused on the narrative side.

I love the idea of the smartphone 'coffee' exercise to understand composition better regardless of which path I take. Appreciate the perspective!

Abhijeet Aade Thank you so much for this insight; this is exactly the kind of strategic breakdown I was looking for.

I completely agree that the core team (DP + Sound) is the priority. Interestingly enough, I just had a meeting with a creative last week who turns out to be a DP. We connected deeply on the mental health aspects of the story, and he’s expressed a real interest in the project. It feels like the 'nudge' is already moving in the right direction.

I’ve spent the last three years focused exclusively on my two feature specs—finishing the pitch deck for one and currently outlining the other—but I’ve reached a point where I’m ready to see my narratives take a physical, visual form. Your advice on testing the concept early with a reference shoot is something I’ll definitely take to heart as I move into the writing phase this April.

Let’s definitely stay connected—I'd love to keep you updated as this develops!

Joshua Jones Social media platforms and low level producers have followed the common trend to charging for "mentorship" - it's just another way of upcharging for one on one tutoring. Actual mentorship still exists, has always been informal and personal.

Joshua Jones, this is a really thoughtful question, and I want to offer a slightly different perspective that might help reframe it a bit.

I don’t think the industry has suddenly become “pay to win.” I think what’s changed is visibility and access.

If you look back at the 80s, 90s, even early 2000s, that kind of mentorship you’re talking about absolutely existed, but it was mostly only accessible to a small group of people. If you had a connection through family, friends, or proximity to the industry, you might find a mentor more easily. But for most people, that door was closed. Otherwise, the path looked like this: you moved to LA or New York if you could afford it, took an entry-level job that barely paid enough to survive, worked long hours for years, and hoped you’d impress the right person enough that they’d give you a bit of their time. And even then, there was no guarantee.

And if someone did agree to meet you, you were still investing, just in different ways. Buying drinks, covering meals, giving your time, energy, and years of your life for the chance to build those relationships. So the “cost” has always been there. It just used to be hidden in things like geography, time, labor, and access.

What’s changed now is that platforms like Stage 32 have made access more transparent and global. You don’t have to move across the country/world or spend years trying to get in the same room as someone you respect. There are structured ways to connect, learn, and get feedback from professionals. It’s also often more direct, more efficient, and absolutely more accessible than the traditional path ever was.

That said, mentorship still exists in both forms. There are people who give their time freely, like the director mentoring you, and the many professionals that are part of the Stage 32 Community in these lounges, writing blogs, hosting events like last week’s Free Heated Rivalry webcast, etc.

I think the key is recognizing that there’s no single path. It’s about finding the mix of relationships, community, and opportunities that work for you. But the great thing is there are more options and opportunities available for more people, than ever before.

Think of it like tutoring - no one tutors for free. Why should screenwriting be different?

Joshua Jones I think screenwriting, and the industry in general, has always been a closed shop in LA and it is always about who you know, who you have worked with, and are you a fit in the room.

Platforms like Stage 32 are avenues to make those connections for those aspiring writers to break in to the industry with a side of education to help improve our craft.

The connections you build are free. The education has always had a price and is your choice. Just do not confuse mentorship with education.

Mentorship is earned with talent and our ability to work in the room.

This is a poignant post, Ashley Renée Smith. Thank you! A quick share on POV that I heard from a mentor once that I think about all the time… Mother Theresa could be driving a leper that the world has shunned down a dirt road taking that human being to a sanitarium to get the care and dignity they deserve and the jeep hits a pothole and splashes mud all over someone walking on the side of the road as they drive by and all that person thinks is “whose the asshole in the jeep?”… Everything is POV and great storytellers can really master its use, like the author of the book you’re reading. I’m currently prepping a Stage 32 Certification cohort that we’re doing in partnership with the Hawaii Film Commission, which I’m excited about, and creatively I am in development on a feature documentary based on a book I was able to get to get film rights to. Getting the rights to a book, graphic novel or article can be a terrific way to motivate a project - I absolutely love this webinar on how to get and protect the rights to IP so thought I’d share :) https://www.stage32.com/education/products/the-quest-for-copyright-how-t...

Huneyn Ja'afri That’s actually really powerful.

Sometimes the most honest work comes from a place where you’re not consciously controlling it, but just letting it come through. The fact that you’re discovering layers in it now says a lot about how personal and instinctive the writing was.

The idea of love driving something as destructive as rebellion is especially interesting it adds a tragic weight to it rather than just making it ideological.

It sounds like there’s a lot to unpack in that world. Have you thought about how you’d want the audience to emotionally experience it more as a tragedy, or something more philosophical and reflective?

Abhijeet Aade Yes I have, it shows the deep and tragic nature of the perceived "antagonist" who just appears as an antagonist. But if people see his reason, they won't really side with him as an antagonist. I don't even consider him an antagonist. He's more of a study for me and for others to understand see that the monsters out there, weren't really born as monsters they were made. And their makers might just fit the right description of what a monster truly is. But in this story, the creator of that monster is an innocent pretty face. Just an expression of the harsh reality we live in.

Huneyn Ja'afri That’s a really compelling perspective.

I like that you’re not treating him as a traditional antagonist, but more as a reflection of how circumstances shape people. It adds a layer of moral complexity where the audience is forced to question their own judgments rather than just choosing sides.

The idea that the “creator” of the monster appears innocent is especially powerful it mirrors real life in a way that can be unsettling.

Feels like the story leans more into empathy and understanding than conflict alone, which can make it even more impactful.

Curious do you see the audience ultimately sympathizing with him, or remaining conflicted about him by the end?

Abhijeet Aade To be honest with you, I never wrote him or any other character in this story with any sort of conscious planning or thinking about what I wanna do; I felt free to create based on what I felt. But I usually just heard that Lucifer is a bad guy, everyone thinks he's a bad guy, and that's the only thought that I consciously remember before I wrote the show. Afterwards, everything that happened was like clockwork, one question got answered, and then it made me question another, and another. So, after following these chains of questions, I just didn't realize when I created a 3-season epic. I didn't know that I wrote theological philosophy. But I keep things open for everyone to interpret as they wish. I personally don't offer any explanation in the show as to why any character did what they did. It's open for interpretation. I really do trust my audience to think for themselves, because I know I gave them two sides of the same coin. It's their own ideology and philosophy that decides if they get heads or tails.

Huneyn, writing a 3-season epic by accident is the most 'screenwriter' thing I’ve ever heard, most of us can’t even finish a grocery list without questioning our life choices! Your 'study' of Lucifer sounds like exactly the kind of complex world-building that builds a massive fanbase.

I’d love to help you build a Patreon or Ko-fi 'Home Base' to monetize these 8 projects while you focus on the philosophy. I work on a 'success-first' basis: I don't charge for my time, only a small budget for the digital tools we need.

When your epic thrives, I thrive. Let’s give your audience a place to explore those two sides of the coin!

Great to see OpenAI lose this battle this soon. A positive signal for filmmakers over the next 5 years. Can't imagine they won't be back though once they get ideas on how to do it for cheaper and bring the energy costs way down. A well deserved win for copyright, nice to see our country still upholads laws every now and again

Pat Alexander Honestly I don't think it impacts filmmakers either way, and I don't think generative AI does either. These are marketed to the retail public and, as noted by The Dailies, are novelties, and the novelty is wearing off. Gen AI is an animation tool, nothing more and nothing less. Which is to say that the professional and talented will be able to integrate it into their pipeline appropriately, and the wannabe and talent free will just spend their money producing unwatchable and public domain drivel. Just my opinion.

"Very helpful insight."

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