Screenwriting : Want you guidence by Arun Sharma

Grab a very hot potato in your hand. You will get an immediate answer.

Hi, Arun Sharma. It's a scam. A producer shouldn't be asking you to pay money upfront to make your script. A producer pays you for your script. Here's a similar post with more info: www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Another-scammer

Scam. Run away.

Ok then it's an alert for all here in stage 32 we have a scammer by the profile of 'Tim Johnson'

Carnation should be red, perhaps.

Food for thought. Are there, or should there be any steps that Stage 32 should or could take to advise and protect newbies and all those on the site, that such and such has been taken off the system, if indeed they had a reason to.?

That’s a great point! Charles V Abela Transparency can definitely help protect newcomers from falling into traps. If someone has been removed for a valid reason, a system to notify users (or at least warn about common scams) could be valuable. I wonder if Stage 32 has any policies on this. Would love to hear what others think!

Do I sense a touch of intrigue in your comment Mike Childress ? or could this be an idea for a new script?

Thanks for warning everyone about Tim Johnson, Arun Sharma. Can you email Support (support@stage32.com) with his name, his Stage 32 profile link, and screenshots of his messages? If you can't take screenshots, copy and paste his messages when you email Support. Thanks.

I reported the fake Zack Snyder account to Stage 32 a little while ago this morning, Mike Childress.

"Besides the money ask being a definite no-no the first thing I do when I get a network request is look at the profile metrics of the requester. No lounge posts (or bio, or Loglines, etc.), or a handful of weird ones if so - denied. No picture -denied." Those are ways to spot fake accounts, but that doesn't work all the time. Some people just haven't had the time to add a profile picture, bio, etc. or make posts in the Lounges.

Another way to spot a fake account is to check for typos and grammatical errors in their profile bios. If their bio is full of typos and grammatical errors, they might be a fake account, but that's not always the case. English might not be their first language, so that could be why their bios are full of typos and grammatical errors.

The best ways to tell if someone is fake are talking with them on their Lounge posts/through direct message (you should be able to pick up on things that'll show they're fake, like them not knowing certain things about projects they said they worked on) and having a Zoom meeting to see what they look like.

"What Stage 32 could possibly do is have site-vetted producers, et al. and issue them one of those icons like the Writers' Room or the other one next to people's names." I like that idea. I like Arun's idea too. Feel free to send the suggestions to support@stage32.com.

Sorry to hear about your experience, Arun Sharma, but unfortunately, it won't be the last in your career.

From a writer's standpoint, I don't know what's worse: a "producer" trying to scam writers or a producer who asks to read a writer's script, the writer sends it then never hears from the producer again.

Stage 32 removed the fake Zack Snyder account, Mike Childress.

I've been impressed with the celerity with which fake accounts get bounced out of here.

Maurice Vaughan I had the impression I have seen seen the name on IMDB with a string of films and AKA's. It could be an impersonation.

I reported the account but the actions taken by stage 32 are

The sender of this message will be removed from your network.

This message and all other messages from this sender will be removed from your messages list.

The sender will no longer be able to contact you via private message on Stage 32.

These actions will be taken by stage 32 what about the newcomers safety ?? This time with the help of lounge post I realised it's scam but what if someone fall into the trap, what are the policies of stage 32 for the recovery of loss.

I just reported Tim to Stage 32 as well so his account will be removed, Arun Sharma.

It's very simple: if they ask for money, it's a scam.

Arun, I am the person who a week ago told Admin that Tim Johnson is a scammer. And feel free to tell any future scammer that it costs only 1,000 dollars to create a long no-budget movie.

Oh then still he is scamming, which means no action from the admin side

Got a lot of these scam messages recently ...

How you know that's a scan because in my case, this being a long conversation after that he asked for the money

Hi, Arun Sharma. Stage 32 deleted Tim Johnson's account.

Thankyou, actually this is the best thing for all of us

You're welcome, Arun Sharma. You're right.