Introduce Yourself : Mathieu, Novelist & Story Creator by Mathieu Vayron

Hi, Mathieu Vayron. Welcome to the Stage 32 community. It's great to meet you. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

Stage 32 is having a free Community Open House November 25th. It'll also help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. You can sign up here: www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

And it's Stage 32's November Write Club. It can help you reach a goal(s), and it's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc. There's three prizes this week! Today’s the last day to do Week 2's challenges for a chance to win. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-2-insights-from-the-stage-...

Ludmilla sounds intriguing! I'm excited to watch it! You could post your scripts on your profile. Producers search profiles for projects. That and networking are how I sold four short scripts to a producer. Click the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner and select “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu. Scroll down to “Loglines” and click “Add/edit loglines” to the right of “Loglines.” You can also post your scripts on your profile this way: www.stage32.com/loglines (near the top where it says “Add a Logline”)

Hi Mathieu,

Welcome! I’m Sydney from the Stage 32 Education team - it’s lovely to meet you. Your project Ludmilla sounds incredible! I love that blend of supernatural suspense, multiple timelines, and atmospheric storytelling. The energy is fantastic!

It’s exciting that you’re looking to connect with producers and fellow storytellers, this is a great place to share ideas and find collaborators. I always recommend posting in our Stage 32 lounges for the connections you’re looking for; our community is huge and full of talent!

Looking forward to following your journey here and cheering you on. If you’d like any education recommendations for connecting or building your network, I’m happy to help. Email me at edu@stage32.com ...hope you have a great IYW!

—Sydney

Thank you so much, Sydney! I really appreciate your kind words and warm welcome.

I’m excited to be here and to connect with other storytellers. I’ll definitely explore the lounges and keep sharing my work.

Thanks again for your support — it means a lot. I’ll reach out if I need any guidance!

You’re very welcome, Mathieu! So glad you’re here. Keep sharing your work and connecting in the lounges ...I’m cheering you on!

Mathieu Vayron Love that title, Ludmilla! Oh, nice, nice, very nice story, the tone, the multiple timelines, the thriller element, fantastic.

Thank you so much, Juliana! I really appreciate your kind words.

I’m glad the title and the elements of the story resonated with you — that means a lot to me.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

Marc Ginsburg here. Your brief description sounds like a little bit of everything. Check out my site and my works and if you're interested kn discussing ways to help each other, message me. which reminds me, I owe this week's podcast. I always forget at least one site

Hey, Mathieu Vayron. Sorry, we already met. I thought so but wasn't sure.

no problem

Mathieu Vayron great to e-meet you! your story does sound very inviting and, as others have already commented, love the title. If you can share, what made you decide on "a remote Idaho town" for the location? I spent some time quite up north in Idaho - certainly great cinematic potential. cheers

Thank you so much, Sebastian — really appreciate your comment.

To be honest, before I even knew the exact location, I already had a very clear vision of the setting in my mind: a remote, quiet place surrounded by forests, mountains, fog, and deep-rooted local history.

When I began researching landscapes and small towns in the U.S., I quickly realized that northern Idaho matched that vision almost perfectly. The atmosphere there — the isolation, the natural beauty, the sense of mystery — felt like the exact cinematic environment Ludmilla needed.

So the location really came from an instinctive image first, and Idaho revealed itself as the perfect fit.

Thanks again for your warm message — it means a lot. And it’s amazing that you know the area personally!

Bienvenue, @Mathieu! Multi-timeline supernatural thriller spanning 130+ years is ambitious—that scope might suggest a limited series rather than feature. Blending rural Americana with French storytelling sensibility could create a distinctive perspective. The folklore + FBI investigation combo has commercial potential if the timelines connect compellingly. Looking forward to seeing how you navigate that structural complexity. Welcome to the community!

Thank you so much, Pat — I really appreciate your message.

You’re right: with the different timelines and the story covering more than a century, a limited series feels like the best format. It gives the characters and the mystery enough space to grow.

The mix of rural Americana with a French storytelling touch came very naturally when I imagined the world of Ludmilla, so I’m glad it feels distinctive to you.

And honestly, knowing you’ve worked with Steve Zaillian is amazing. Se7en is one of my favorite films ever — the atmosphere and the structure really marked me.

Thanks again for the warm welcome. It means a lot.

"So the location really came from an instinctive image first, and Idaho revealed itself as the perfect fit." I think that's a wonderful sign Mathieu Vayron

and you are so on point about the atmosphere - it looks stunning. the lakes are windows into nature's soul. the mountains and forests are friends with those who've paid the dues and seem to tolerate the visitors. and the people speak like an iceberg is structured: they only verbalize the trivial 10%, and keep the other 90% to themselves.

And I agree with Pat - the mix of sensibilities could be magic. look forward to tracking your project - keep us in the loop! :)

PS: a short clip of an evening drive there: https://shorturl.at/cbDJx

Thank you so much, Sebastian — your words mean a lot.

The way you describe Idaho’s atmosphere is truly beautiful, and it actually matches the way I had sensed the place from a distance while researching it. It’s amazing to see that what I imagined aligns with the reality you experienced.

And I really appreciate your encouragement.

I’ll definitely keep you in the loop as the project evolves — it means a lot to have someone with your experience and sensitivity following the journey.

Thanks again for taking the time to share this — really inspiring.

Thanks again everyone for yesterday’s warm welcome!

For those interested in my project LUDMILLA, I’ve added the One-Page Pitch and Premium Pitch (EN) in the ‘Links’ section of my profile.

Happy to connect and exchange with fellow writers and creators.

totally my pleasure Mathieu Vayron & look forward to staying connected. I grew up reading Western book series by German author Karl May - he made me fall in love with the American West only to find out that he had never BEEN to the American West before he wrote those books - all research and imagination :)

Hello Mathieu Vayron the multiple timelines is what caught my eye . I have a dual narrative set in both 1840’s and present day Sydney . Are you finding the structure tricky?

That Karl May story is fantastic — and very encouraging.

It proves that when the vision is strong enough, research and imagination can make a world feel completely authentic.

Thanks again, Sebastian — looking forward to staying connected.

Hi Marie Hatten, thanks for your message!

Yes, multiple timelines can be tricky, but I actually enjoy working with them.

For me, the key is to keep each timeline clear on its own, and then slowly connect them so the audience can follow the logic and the emotion without getting lost.

Your project with the 1840s and present-day Sydney sounds great — how are you handling the structure on your side?

Happy Introduce Yourself Weekend, Mathieu Vayron and welcome! I’m Ashley Renee Smith, Head of Community here at Stage 32. It’s wonderful to meet you, and your project Ludmilla immediately grabbed my attention. A grounded supernatural thriller stretched across 130 years, weaving folklore, FBI investigation, and rural Americana? That’s exactly the kind of atmospheric, character-driven slow-burn that so many producers and writers in this community love to explore.

Since you’re looking to connect with screenwriters, producers, and storytellers, you’ll find a lot of kindred spirits in the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting), Filmmaking Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/directing), and Producing Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing). They’re incredibly active spaces where people trade ideas, ask craft questions, and share projects looking for collaborators.

If you’re adapting your novel for screen or developing it further as a series concept, you might really enjoy taking advantage of the Writer’s Room free month. It offers weekly live webcast events with high-level pros, pitch practices, and deep dives into craft, all designed to support writers building their careers. You can check out a free month here: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip

One last invitation, I host a completely free November Community Open House webcast coming up. It’s a great way to meet people, learn how to navigate Stage 32 like a pro, and start building connections right away:

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community...

So glad you’re here, Mathieu.

Hi Ashley,

Thank you so much for the warm welcome and for your encouraging words about Ludmilla. I’ll definitely check out the lounges and the Writer’s Room trial — it looks really helpful.

Glad to be here!

Mathieu