Hey Stage 32 family. For this week’s Filmmakers Club Challenge, here are my goals:
I’m finalizing the screenplay for my thriller feature, Now You Remember, and starting the editing process to get it pitch-ready.
I’m currently in the packaging phase for this film, working on refining its pitches. Blood & Ashes is a contemporary Southern Western feature that centers on love, land, and reclamation. It highlights what traditional Western films have often overlooked by showcasing Black cowboys and cowgirls, Mexican vaqueros, and Indigenous communities. I’ve been working towards getting funding, production partners, and an executive producer to help bring this story to life.
This month is about focus, clarity, and moving these projects closer to production. Excited to keep building and supporting everyone here.
Question for the community: What strategies have helped you secure funding or attach producers to your indie features?
Looking forward to hearing from you all and cheering on your July goals too.
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Hey, Shadaè Lezama. Congratulations on the progress with Now You Remember and being in the packaging phase for Blood & Ashes! I'm rooting for you to reach your goals!
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Thanks Maurice Vaughan appreciate it!
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Great! :D
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You're welcome, Shadaè Lezama. What's one tip you would give someone who's packaging a film?
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Congratulations, Shadaè Lezama for your progress with Blood & Ashes. I love a good Western, and I am missing them. I am cheering for you.
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Maurice Vaughan One tip I’d share is to really know your comps and market positioning before pitching. It shows you understand where your film fits and how it will stand out. In a pitch session I had last month, the producer told me he appreciated that I clearly communicated why this movie, along with strong comps and market understanding. Even though he passed, he said that level of clarity would be a major strength in future pitches.
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Thanks so much! Sandra Isabel Correia
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Great tip, Shadaè Lezama! Thanks.
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Shadaè Lezama, I love that you’re pairing emotional depth with a reclamation of genre; Southern Westerns have so much untapped potential, and your vision is exactly the kind that pushes cinema forward.
As for your question, building personal relationships has been the strongest strategy I’ve seen in action. Attaching producers often starts with genuine conversations, clear vision, and momentum behind the project (whether that’s talent interest, festival buzz, or a solid proof of concept). I also highly recommend reaching out to our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. They can help you explore Pitch Sessions, Executive Consultations, and curated opportunities that align with your goals. And if you’re diving into financing strategy, you can explore some incredible education here: https://www.stage32.com/education/collections/financing
Cheering you on this month!
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Congratulations! :)