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

Geoff Hall
‘Sinners’: Can Ryan Coogler’s Chiller Make It To The Oscars? Plus, 10 Terrifyingly Good Horror Triple Bills To Watch This Halloween

What are your thoughts about this? Why is the horror genre discriminated against, by the Oscars?

Is Coogler’s masterpiece Oscar worthy? With the deal he has with the studio, should he be worried about that?

“Writer Clark Collis — author of the recent book Screaming and Conjuring, an exhaustive accoun...

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Bartosz Wójt

Sinners have been my quiet wish to get Oscars ever since I've watched it. Especially Micheal B Jordan, Coogler and Goransson should get a nominee.

As for why the horror genre is underrepresented in the...

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Jon Shallit

Maurice I sent you an urgent message -please help!

Will Berend

I think Sinners and Weapons are both Oscar worthy. I don't generally watch movies in this category because I'm a scaredy cat. However, my son talked me into seeing both and I felt they were both amazingly done.

Geoff Hall
Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Geoff Hall Why is the horror genre discriminated against by the Academy? Well for one, the Academy is an industry awards owned by the major studios, in essence. As all industry awards, they primarily...

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Yusuf Onilude
Ai film making

Who else is thinking about using AI to make an entire film

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

It's been done already, at least twice, to no acclaim whatsoever. Anyone who thinks that AI generated content is commercially acceptable should do a deep dive into the term "AI Slop" across social med...

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Brandon Keeton

I would not use it for an entire feature yet. To help accentuate a scene or shot, certainly, with proper training and time on it. I think in it's current form, I'd hold off a bit.

Richard Eckley

I use it for book promotion videos on my publications, its definitely improving and is something I'm looking into

Yusuf Onilude

Michael Wotorson learning the prompt is so hardddddd

Robert Bruinewoud

"I’d rather die." – Guillermo del Toro

Evan Kimball
My Director's Reel

Just wanted to share my director's reel for some feedback. I've been working on the concept of transcendental film.

Curt Samlaska

Very nice Evan Kimball. What area of the world to you live in? Might want to expand your profile a bit...in case somebody wants to get in touch with you...

Evan Kimball

Thanks Curt. I tend to be omniscient, as I travel a lot. I live in the Ozarks, and split my time with China often.

Josemilde José

Hi Evan , We can talk ?

Yassine Hubert

hey

Yassine Hubert

hello

Noah Mccay
Help with school assignment

Have a favor to ask.

I am a final year film student, and I have an assignment to find a professional who has been working in film for at least 3 years to review my portfolio and provide feedback. I'm a director, so if I can find a director to look at my portfolio, that would be the best.

Would anybody be willing to do this?

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Noah Mccay Add me here and include your email contact in the message. We can connect off site.

A Perspective on Indie Filmmaking in Vietnam

Hello, fellow filmmakers. I'm writing from Vietnam, where the independent film scene is vibrant and full of raw energy. However, like many emerging markets, we face a significant, structural challenge: access to funding. This isn't a complaint; it's the central creative problem that defines my pro...

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Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Phuc Quang Vu Dao Access to funding is the issue everywhere. And in all industries. Film is no different in that way. Independent filmmakers, to be successful, need to focus on that business and profe...

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Geoff Hall

Phuc Quang Vu Dao you are very welcome. Yes. Marketing, audience-building and distribution need to be worked on from the inception. If we wait till pre-production, it’s already too late.

I’ve been read...

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Phuc Quang Vu Dao
Thank you for this sharp and incredibly practical insight. You are absolutely spot on. The mindset shift you mentioned that we "have no more right to funding than any oth Expand comment
Jon Shallit

yes-it is about money and social media

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Phuc Quang Vu Dao You are welcome, I appreciate your comment. NOTE that for some reason your comment is in the same color as the web page background (at least on my machine) - so it is visually invisi...

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Aleksandr Rozhnov
Artificial intelligence for a short film

Friends, I have a question for you about using AI in short films.

I recently wrote a short film script called “Dream Life.” It’s a surreal story about how people in big cities now live like robots — their days and nights blend together, every day feels exactly the same, and their dreams start merging...

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Aleksandr Rozhnov

Thank you all so much. I honestly didn’t know this information, so I really appreciate it. Then, for now, this script will probably remain just a script, because making a film like this with CGI would...

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Aleksandr Rozhnov

Or, this film could also be made as an anime.

Ugo Cavallo

Actually, I think the use of generative (or artificial) intelligence is now commonplace for these projects. It can have both pros and cons; I myself helped make a short film using AI (still in develop...

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Aleksandr Rozhnov

I’ll give you an example. In my script there’s a scene where, early in the morning on the streets of New York, instead of cars, people’s beds are moving—they’re fully dressed, lying on their beds as t...

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Ugo Cavallo

Aleksandr Rozhnov you can see a similar thing by watching "True Cost / buy now" a Netflix documentary about fast fashion, there is a cool sequence similar. But having said that, try and text your own...

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Eric Foss
Space Force to Space Force in 5 Months - What‽

I know that there was actually more time between when it was first mentioned, maybe as a joke, to when Netflix actually aired Space Force, but the timing was still remarkable. 5 months between the creation of the 6th military branch and the show about it. What goes into writing and creating and fili...

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Arthur Charpentier

Hi! This series was released a few years ago. I watched it, and it's very funny.

Xochi Blymyer
Happy Halloween Folks!

Being a filmmaker, we create worlds and create entertainment. WB Studios is filled with shows right now, I’ve been lucky to be on one of those. My director and I took this photo because we both love each time we get to come to the studios that have so much history and seeing the stages and who has p...

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Xochi Blymyer

Maurice Vaughan - yes! I am walking my invisible dog!!! thanks for “seeing” him!

Darrell Pennington

How fun!! Great pic.

Maurice Vaughan

Haha You're welcome, Xochi Blymyer. Someone should make an invisible dog movie.

Stephanie White

love the energy and poses. Happy Halloween!

Yassine Zerai

hello

James Woodland
You have to eat

Ever been on a film set with hungry and thirsty cast and crew? Not a pretty site. The opposite is true when everyone is well fed and hydrated. A big portion of your budget will go to meals and craft service

Forbidden Love

Silent tension in forbidden love.

It’s not about showing the love itself —but everything they’re holding back.

Filmmakers:

What’s your favorite way to visually convey desire without dialogue?

Stillness, proximity, hands, breath, framing, light?

Sometimes silence says more than confession.

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Maurice Vaughan

You're right, Yanina Koroleva. I like to convey desire in scripts by a character's action, like having a character stare at the other character or having both characters watch each other at an event....

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Yanina Koroleva

Absolutely, Maurice.

The “almost” moments — the held glance, the quiet awareness — often say more than any declaration.

When the audience feels what isn’t said, that’s where cinema starts to breathe.

How to Win Big at The 2025 American Film Market!

Stage 32’s founder and CEO, Richard “RB” Botto, shares some things in today’s blog that'll help you get ready for the American Film Market and have success there. It's a must-read blog!

Drop a comment in the blog if you’re attending AFM 2025.

www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-win-big-at-the-2025-american-...

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Sam Rivera
Netflix is Betting Big on International Hits!

Looks like Netflix's next massive international hit might be coming from Poland! The streamer is doubling down on Polish originals like High Water and Heweliusz, which has led Netflix to see huge success!

This feels like a win for everyone tired of the same old settings. It's giving us a whole new wo...

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