I had a general thought about the industry and would love some opinions.
It feels like this whole industry is lots of Pay to win.
I am earlier in my career but it feels like even things like mentoring is now only payable. Was making money mentoring younger filmmakers always a thing? or in the 80s 90s early 2000s was it more for the love of the next generation of film.
(I luckily have an experienced feature director who mentors me)
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Joshua Jones Social media platforms and low level producers have followed the common trend to charging for "mentorship" - it's just another way of upcharging for one on one tutoring. Actual mentorship still exists, has always been informal and personal.
Joshua Jones, this is a really thoughtful question, and I want to offer a slightly different perspective that might help reframe it a bit.
I don’t think the industry has suddenly become “pay to win.” I think what’s changed is visibility and access.
If you look back at the 80s, 90s, even early 2000s, that kind of mentorship you’re talking about absolutely existed, but it was mostly only accessible to a small group of people. If you had a connection through family, friends, or proximity to the industry, you might find a mentor more easily. But for most people, that door was closed. Otherwise, the path looked like this: you moved to LA or New York if you could afford it, took an entry-level job that barely paid enough to survive, worked long hours for years, and hoped you’d impress the right person enough that they’d give you a bit of their time. And even then, there was no guarantee.
And if someone did agree to meet you, you were still investing, just in different ways. Buying drinks, covering meals, giving your time, energy, and years of your life for the chance to build those relationships. So the “cost” has always been there. It just used to be hidden in things like geography, time, labor, and access.
What’s changed now is that platforms like Stage 32 have made access more transparent and global. You don’t have to move across the country/world or spend years trying to get in the same room as someone you respect. There are structured ways to connect, learn, and get feedback from professionals. It’s also often more direct, more efficient, and absolutely more accessible than the traditional path ever was.
That said, mentorship still exists in both forms. There are people who give their time freely, like the director mentoring you, and the many professionals that are part of the Stage 32 Community in these lounges, writing blogs, hosting events like last week’s Free Heated Rivalry webcast, etc.
I think the key is recognizing that there’s no single path. It’s about finding the mix of relationships, community, and opportunities that work for you. But the great thing is there are more options and opportunities available for more people, than ever before.
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Think of it like tutoring - no one tutors for free. Why should screenwriting be different?
Joshua Jones I think screenwriting, and the industry in general, has always been a closed shop in LA and it is always about who you know, who you have worked with, and are you a fit in the room.
Platforms like Stage 32 are avenues to make those connections for those aspiring writers to break in to the industry with a side of education to help improve our craft.
The connections you build are free. The education has always had a price and is your choice. Just do not confuse mentorship with education.
Mentorship is earned with talent and our ability to work in the room.