Producing

Thanks for sharing James :)

Hi Everyone! Excited to meet and work with everyone in this workshop. Engaging Equity Investors and Financiers does not have to be an uphill battle! Excited to dive in!

Lorelle, we’re so lucky to have you! Excited to have your energy in the workshop - it’s going to be an amazing experience together!

nice to meet you all. great to meet you Sydney S and Lorelle. looking forward to our class

Looking forward to the class!

Sebastian Tudores It depends what you mean by 'creative' decisions. I don't write "to market" so to speak. However, I do look at historical data and current trends when identifying a market and distribution plan. For example, here you cite data relating to Berlinale and follow up festivals. That means little to me without analysis. So I looked: historically Berlinale has selected an average of ~380 films across all categories each year, of which roughly 35% are shorts. As of 2025, Berlinale has scaled that back to a total of 199 selections, and intends to keep it that way. My sense is that this raw stat - 77% of selected films go on to one of more of those other festivals - implies more about the status of Berlinale and the interconnection between selection committees than it does about market or audience per se. Selection there is a top down process rather than an audience driven process, though it is the largest publicly attended festival in the world. But selects are necessarily limited to a miniscule number of films (considering the number entering the marketplace). Those things in turn imply that the usefulness of Berlinale is in active promotion and profile of serious and accomplished films (art films or not). It's not for productions that are not clearly superior - and industry rep bears this out. While "competition" films there are often considered uncommercial, it is a place where many commercial films which never even screen there get distribution deals. All of which boils down, for me, to: Don't bother submitting to Berlinale without knowing someone on the selection committee and securing some interest in advance, and then only for a film that they justifiably be happy to display, and only if I have a similar campaign in the works for follow up festivals. (This is how prominent festivals work behind-the-scenes, in order to keep their status as important festivals).

I never have even thought to do that, honestly.

Hey Shadow Dragu-Mihai - "Selection there is a top down process rather than an audience driven process" - that' defines everything else in the analysis, you're so correct to point that out. and I appreciate your insight on on how the 'A-list' festivals maintain their status.

Also I believe a bit to your point is that people are getting even more data-crazy (as if that was still possible) simply because it's more accessible and/or fun to graph lol BUT not sure data analysis and interpretation skill is keeping pace. Which leaves us with the old adage... "there's lies, damn lies, and...statistics!" :)

hope all's well with you. cheers

Interesting fact thanks for posting. Never for creative, certainly for finance, market placement and alignment, which should always be considered.

appreciate the distinction Jack Binder - hope you're having a good weekend!

Fantastic summary of the recent news, Joshua Young. Appreciate your contribution to the thread.

And sure, this puts a clock on Paramount. But this line right here - And the political and regulatory dimensions on both sides of the Atlantic add another layer of unpredictability for everyone involved - is the only thing that matters. WBD may set their clock, but that doesn't mean it's THE clock.

Many twists and turns to come.

We're at a point where almost no one on the WBD board believes in the Paramount offer but there's also a genuine fear that the Netflix proposal will be blocked by the government. Members of the Justice Department have started to resign over the case and we've only just begun. Richard "RB" Botto is right, the clock is ticking but it's a regulatory one.

They're competing for a reason, the film and television industry is poised for exceptional growth and demand.

Either of the proposed mergers would be a disaster for the entertainment industry and for the audience. Netflix would be bad, but Paramount would be even worse. This is the EXACT thing that antitrust laws are supposed to prevent. We need diversification, not more consolidation.

There you are, Jack Binder, bringing reason to the party once again. Been happening internationally for years, before the strikes and heavier during the strikes and the momentum hasn't stopped. And if you think the recent spec buying and pendulum swinging on the TV side domestically isn't because some have finally heard the wake up call, you're not paying attention. And many aren't. They're just blinded and, sadly form their opinions, from headlines.

Hi, Angel Barrientos Garza. Exodus 2333 sounds intriguing! Really unique concept!

I suggest emailing Stage 32's Success Team at success@stage32.com. Geoff and his team can help you connect with producers, managers, executives, and more.

I also suggest searching for producers in the Browse Members section (www.stage32.com/people?name=&location=&roles=Producer).

Stage 32 has free in-person Meetups that are great for networking (www.stage32.com/meetups). If you don't see a Meetup in your area, keep an eye on that page for new Meetups. You're also welcome to start your own Meetup.

Hi Maurice,

Thank you for taking the time to read the post and for your thoughtful suggestions — I truly appreciate it.

I will reach out to the Stage 32 Success Team and explore the producer section as you recommended. My current focus is aligning Exodus 2333 with the right strategic partners who understand long-term IP development and franchise vision.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction. Always open to staying connected.

Best,

Angel

You're welcome, Angel Barrientos Garza. Okay, great. Do you plan on turning your manuscript into a screenplay/hiring a screenwriter to? It might be easier to get producers, executives, etc. interested in Exodus 2333 if you have a screenplay written.

Also, something I do to pitch my screenplays is post pages in Stage 32's Your Stage Lounge, on Twitter/X, and on Instagram, like First Page Friday, Third Page Thursday, and Sneak Peek Sunday. I've gotten interest and screenplay requests this way. I post loglines and screenplay posters with the pages. And sometimes I post short pitches (like two-word pitches and three-word pitches) on social media.

Thanks, Radoslav Isakov. You're right. I should've made a micro-budget feature or short films first and saved my Sci-Fi Action script for later when I was more established, had more contacts, and had more resources.

I wouldn’t frame it as “should have.”

That Sci-Fi script is still an asset — just ahead of its timing.

Sometimes the project isn’t wrong. The sequencing is.

Great point, Radoslav Isakov! I don't have the script anymore, but I remember enough of it to write a new version.

That actually puts you in a strong position Maurice Vaughan . Rebuilding something from memory often strips it down to what truly matters.

I never thought about it like that, Radoslav Isakov. Thanks!

Hey, Sandra Isabel Correia. You're right. Clarity and accessibility can make or break a project. And it's great that Stage 32 is listening to the real challenges we face!

Stage 32 is really easy to use. I'd love to see the search feature (the bar at the top of the platform) become even easier. Sometimes Lounge posts don't show up when I search for them by name.

Hi. Maurice Vaughan :)) Thank you for jumping in. I completely agree with you, when we’re writing, producing, clarity and quick access aren’t luxuries, they’re survival tools. The search bar is such a central part of how we navigate the platform, so your point is spot‑on.

I’ve had the same experience with Lounge posts not showing up by title. Being able to reliably find a post by name would make collaboration and follow‑up so much smoother, especially when we’re juggling multiple threads and conversations.

It’s great to see Stage 32 listening, and feedback like yours is exactly what keeps the platform evolving in the right direction. Let’s keep the ideas flowing.

You're welcome, Sandra Isabel Correia. Looking forward to what else Stage 32 changes and adds!

Likewise, Maurice Vaughan. Exciting moments :))

Thanks for sharing the article, Ashley Renée Smith. I remember watching America’s Next Top Model, and I've seen social media posts about the allegations.

I think when things start to get dangerous physically, emotionally, or mentally is when producers, directors, etc. need to intervene, especially when the participants are young.

The things you mentioned (intimacy coordinators, mental health professionals on set, clearer consent practices, and more robust DEI frameworks) help. Also family members being on set for young participants.

Hey, Ashley Renée Smith. I think Netflix absorbing WBD’s studio and streaming assets would reduce competition, but I also think the competition is other studios, other companies, other streaming services, YouTube, TikTok, gaming platforms, and other things.

This is a really important discussion and I think both sides are technically right but from different angles.

Yes, YouTube/TikTok/gaming are absolutely competitors in the attention economy, but they don’t replace what WBD represents: premium scripted IP, studio infrastructure, distribution relationships, talent pipelines, and awards-driven prestige content. That kind of ecosystem is still a different category of power.

If Netflix absorbed WBD’s studio + streaming assets, it would definitely reduce competition in premium long-form storytelling, even if “entertainment competition” overall is broader.

For producers, consolidation feels like a double-edged sword:

Easier because one major buyer can greenlight faster with bigger resources.

Harder because fewer buyers means less leverage, tougher terms, and potentially more gatekeeping.

The real concern is not just “who competes with who,” but who controls libraries, distribution, and pricing power long-term. That’s where antitrust becomes relevant.

Curious to see how regulators define the market streaming vs. overall attention economy is going to be the key argument. Ashley Renée Smith

Inevitable movement to monopoly, since the Paramount Decrees were set aside in 2020, when the MPA became a legal cartel. IMO, the effect on the audience is not much different than the current climate, since independent voices are legally locked out already. As has been posted before on this topic, the Independent Producers Guild did a study of the MPA cartel effect on indie film & market back in November: "Cartel Or Collapse" - read it here: https://independentproducersguild.org/paper-cartel-or-collapse

If he reads it, I hope he likes the idea and feels inspired to be part of it.

Because I don’t want the audience to love the character for his height or for comedic gags. I want them to love him because, despite being unconventional, he is intelligent, charismatic, and capable of solving problems that no one else can.

He plays basketball with prosecutors. He lives a full, happy, and successful life.

That’s the perspective I want to bring to the screen.

On IMDb Pro - he is with Principals Talent Management in Vancouver. Try emailing his rep at - Sean Burrows at sean@principalstalent.com

Linden replied to me on Instagram — he really loved the project.

I’m hopeful that together we can now find producers who will also be excited about it and help us bring this series to life.

And thank you all for your help and for the information. You are truly incredible.

Aleksandr... hope the help others extended connected you. If you need another expedition, let me know and I'll see what appears?

https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025/venice-production-bridge