Screenwriting : Curious to Hear from This Community: What’s Been Valuable for You Here? by Christopher Shank

cool. thanks guys.

Hey, Christopher Shank. I've had a lot of success on here. Script requests, jobs, sold four short scripts to a producer, worked with other members on projects, signed a shopping agreement, met a lot of people, and learned a lot. I accomplished most of these things by networking, being active in the Lounges, and attending the live events Stage 32 has.

Hey Christopher - we can all feel we live in a fake world these days. I am starting to go to the real world Stage 32 Meetups, and the combo is more meaningful for connections. Don't give up! And have you seen the Coverfly changes as Stage 32 takes over that momentum? https://www.stage32.com/blog/import-your-coverfly-profile-accolades-now-...

Thanks @maurice @randall, I've been looking for meetups in my area, trying to connect with people in or near Atlanta, GA, but haven't had much luck there yet. Not too many people I know are on here or even want to be, so I've been doing the legwork. Hoping that something sticks. I can count on one hand how many people I know in Atlanta who I can talk to about things or just discuss film, and other than posting accolades I brought in from Coverfly with my loglines and scripts, I'm not sure how to get that producer/member/rep connection. Its so incredibly hard here in Atlanta, even with all the stuff shot here. Nobody writes the stuff here, and since nobody knows who you are and so many people think they can self-identify as a writer, that when you say you're a screenwriter, its a "good for you" trait. lol

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

I'll keep my eyes open, and if I manage to meet other people on here from Atlanta, perhaps I'll start a meetup of my own.

Feel free to email us at success@stage32.com and we can offer resources and point you in the right direction. Just let us know what you're looking to get out of this journey :)

Geoffroy Faugerolas I certainly will. Thank you!

I also joined recently and have been curious to hear what others think and how they’re navigating the platform. I’ve been trying to get a sense of where I stand and what opportunities might be out there.

Glad to connect!

Christopher Shank Hi Chris, if I can be frank, whoever he is(!) you only have 27 people in your network. Stage 32 it’s true, is about education services, but the greatest part is the community aspect. You need to put yourself about a bit. you have only three lounge posts and 12 wall posts.

If you are waiting to be found, it may take a long time, as there are 1.3 million of us! You have to get out there and start connecting with people, who can help you in your craft.

Hello, I, who am a musician and looking for a collaboration with a moviemaker have not yet had even a small glimmer of hope. It is not easy to find synergies or people who want to progress together. But don't give up!

Reading other people's loglines/scripts, posting my own and getting some feedback. The main screenwriting subreddit has a palpable hatred of S32 because it's commercial and I think this is undeserved.

There are people here who can influence the industry and help move a project forward. But they’re not shouting about it. You have to find them, build relationships, expand your community, and promote your work.

But above all, I believe the work itself has to be high-quality. You need to have something that fits a specific market — something worth offering. I think that’s the key. Don’t stop. Keep looking for the right connections.

Benefits of Stage32. I have received comments on my screenplay, on my logline and on my sales letter. I have received useful answers on postings. A few persons have, to varying degrees, been interested in helping me film. I mean, help me remotely.

I really relate to what you’re saying, Christopher — I joined Stage 32 for the same reasons: hoping for something more personal and meaningful than the usual platforms (I also feel the void left by Coverfly's eventual disappearance.) And yeah, I’ve felt that same tension between genuine connection and constant pitching of services.

I haven’t landed reps or made big moves here (yet), but what I am doing is approaching this site with honesty — being approachable, sharing my voice, respectfully engaging in conversations that feel real, and being clear about what I’m building creatively. My hope is that by showing up that way, the right people will eventually find their way to me.

It’s early days for me, but I’m trying to treat Stage 32 less like a marketplace and more like a creative community. That’s the version I want to help shape — and connect within. There are lots of resources here, and candidly, I know I can use a lot of the services being promoted. My pitching needs work! And even tho it's just been a couple weeks, I can already see the potential of sticking with it.

You’re not alone. And I really appreciate you putting this out there. It’s a question a lot of us are quietly asking.

I appreciate everyone's input. And Sherry and James, it feels validating knowing that my feelings are not mine alone.

I do feel like, as with the entertainment world at large, there's value to be found somewhere. We'll just have to make it through many people and programs coming at us to get us to pay them in money or time.

To everyone else, thank you as well. I'm only.a couple weeks into being on this site but as someone who has spent time in different pools of people over the years, one of them being Washington DC, I am familiar with the feeling of showing up somewhere and immediately being swarmed with people trying to determine if you're a good contact for them or a good mark for them. And a lot of what I've been experiencing here just makes it seem like, in the best and worst ways, LinkedIn for people trying to make it in the entertainment industry.

Maybe, in time, it will feel different. I can imagine a lot of us coming over from Coverfly all at once has led to a lot of growing pains, so I'll see what comes of things here.

I'm always open to hearing what people find valuable here, though, so I'm not just throwing effort at the wall, hoping it sticks.

Christopher Shank Hi Chris, the value of Stage 32?

Well, the community at Stage 32 was responsible for increasing my confidence and resurrecting my career, after I had to dissolve my production company back in 2017/18.

Whilst I was a Stage 32 Moderator, I made invaluable friendships, with people I look up to and would trust to read the first drafts of my screenplays.

I would not now have a feature in development, if it was not for these people.

I really appreciate your honesty in this post, Christopher Shank. It’s a question that I know many new members wrestle with at first. I’m Ashley, the Head of Community here at Stage 32, and I wanted to personally recommend checking out our free Community Open House, which I host every month. I created it specifically to help new members like yourself get a real-time walkthrough of how to use the platform, where to find the most valuable resources for your goals, and how to actually start building the kind of connections you’re looking for. You can check out the most recent one here (https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-august-community-o...).

You can absolutely find what you’re seeking here. We have success stories shared nearly every day, from writers landing paid writing gigs and reps, to filmmakers connecting with producers, composers, and investors. But as Geoff Hall mentioned in the comments, it all starts with active participation.

That means making it a regular part of your routine to post in the Lounges and engage in ongoing conversations. The more visible and consistent you are, the more likely you are to attract collaborators and opportunities. Stage 32 is a global network of creatives who genuinely want to support each other, but the magic only happens when you show up and contribute.