Screenwriting : Pat's Tips of the Week by Pat Alexander

Hey Writers!

Hope you're doing well! I'm Pat A., the Writer Liaison here at Stage 32. I communicate with all the writers in our community daily about opportunities available throughout the site and I am here to be a resource whenever you need tips, suggestions, and tailored recommendations to move your career forward. As some of you know, I send out a weekly email blast with my "Tips of the Week" about all the cool things going on in our community and the industry at large that I stumble upon week to week. We recently decided to deliver those tips to everyone here directly in the Screenwriting Lounge! So hold onto your hats, we've got a fun one this week!

1.In the Screenwriting Lounge this week, writer Elle Bolan made a great post about designing your story “Plot or Character: Which first?” It’s a question we all face and both approaches have merit, as shown by the spirited debate which ensued. As writer Jay Gladwell put it “The plot grows out of the character.” While Susan Joyce noted, “Plot drives my story events, but character development moves the story on an emotional level!” What’s your approach – do you start with characters or with plot? Join the conversation here: (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Plot-or-Character-Which-first)

2. In the Academy Awards’ 96 year history, only three women have won “Best Director” with only seven women even receiving a nomination for the highly coveted award. Yet coming out of the world’s top film schools there is gender parity. Breaking Through The Lens (BTTL) identifies financing as the bottleneck area most in need of change in order to achieve a more diverse and equitable film industry. Which is why they provide secure avenues to systemically change our industry’s landscape and improve gender representation at the top levels of cinema.

BTTL has two $10,000 grants currently open for submissions until 10/1/25 to Directors worldwide who identify as women or a part of the LGBTQIA+ community with a feature film (live action, documentary, animation, or immersive project) in late-stage development. BTTL applicants must demonstrate how the grant funding will allow you to advance in a critical area of development – be it casting, location scouting, hiring crew or shooting a scene. If that sounds like you and is an area where you may be in need of assistance, check it out here: (https://breakingthroughthelens.org/actiongrant)

3. For those who don't check the trades, Deadline had an interesting article about a revolving landscape in the film/TV realm - the advent of vertical dramas. The article explores how “Micro-Drama” platforms like ReelShort are providing lifelines for fledgling actors and writers right here in Los Angeles for folks who don’t mind working on non-union projects with titles like “Sleep with Me Mortal!” and “Ruthless Mafia Daddy.”

“Cheap, kind of, and janky, sure, but these undeniably addictive shorts — bite-sized episodes that are meant for mobile, vertical viewing — have become a veritable lifeline for actors, writers, producers and directors who are desperate to break into an ever-exclusive industry,” wrote Deadline reporter Lynette Rice.

And the pay apparently isn’t too shabby either. Some agents have reported booking a client on a feature film for $150 a day, only to find actors not interested when most vertical shoots for supporting characters start at $300 a day, with lead actors raking in upwards of $1,000 a day. Read more about this evolving trend here: (https://deadline.com/2025/09/micro-drama-companies-reelshort-hire-young-...)

4. Lastly, wanted to put you on to a FREE webinar we currently have available: 30 Minutes with Emma Louise Smith, who in her role as an International Advisory Board Member for the International Emerging Film Talent Association where she is the Head of Finance, she mentors emerging producers in international finance and co-production. So check it out if you're interested in learning more about international film finance and enjoy!

(https://www.stage32.com/education/products/30-minutes-with-emma-louise-s...)

As always, I'm around as a resource for you to answer any questions you have and hopefully demystify as much of this industry as I can. Just drop me a dime at success@stage32.com anytime!