Brianne Berkson: Director, producer and screenwriter in New York City, New York.

Hey, Stage 32 members! We'd LOVE to hear your questions, comments, and any words of encouragement for our contest winners. COMMENT BELOW to keep the conversation going during and after the panel! Here's a little about the event:

"We officially announced the winners of our 6th Annual Stage 32 Short Film Contest, and now it's time to hear the story behind the films with this Emerging Voices in Filmmaking Panel! Throughout the course of the contest, we welcome thousands of entries from filmmakers all over the world. We had films submitted from over 40 countries, and our 9 winning films hail from 5 different countries!

Since 2016, winners from Stage 32's Short Film Contest have gone on to be signed (UTA, Echo Lake, Verve, Circle of Confusion, and more), financed, and produced. Congratulations to all this year's winners - we cannot wait to see where your talents take you!"

What were your big takeaways from the panel? SHARE BELOW!

HOW IT BEGAN! ---- THE ROAD TO A MONUMENTAL FAIL.:The year was 1996 and my newest Sci-Fi novel "VOICE IN THE MIRROR" was  launched in December. Sales were slow and my publisher told me I had to do something to juice the market. So I had to come up with something that would create a "BUZZ" for the book. Well, my novel was about the discovery of life on another planet. The other planet was Earth. They discovered us!

THE PLAN!---Around the same time as my book launch, planet earth was being visited by a comet named HALE-BOPP. Well don't you know, that comet was creating quite a stir all over the world. Well me being a writer, and originally from the BRONX, NEW YORK. I was an expert at being a huckster. So I came up with a plan. My book was REAL!!!! I enlisted the aid of some Academy Award winning friends of mine and said I have a great idea to promote sales for my book. Let's make it real. And by golly, we did.

ACT 1:---: THE DOCTOR IS IN!: "Doctor Lee Shargel, NASA Astro Physicist." I even fooled Dr. Carl Sagan. So I got myself booked on this obscure radio show called, Coast to Coast. On the show, I told the world about a "COMPANION" that was following behind the comet. Holy Moly, that got things going alright. Book sales were going through the roof. But that was not enough for me, I wanted more. And so "Doctor Lee Shargel got booked as the feature speaker at the International UFO convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The biggest UFO show on the planet.

ACT 2::--- THE STAGE IS SET: Well, during my build-up to the BIG SHOW, I got a call from this fellow named, MARSHALL APPELWHITE. He was the leader of a group of UFO enthusiats named, HEAVEN'S GATE. He wanted to know how I knew there was a probe behind the comet. I told him I had photos of it. And of course I did. So I told him about my being the featured speaker in Las Vegas and Lo and Behold, all 39 members of Heaven's Gate show  up and are seated right in the front row. Now you have to understand, everything I was doing was for one purpose and that was to sell books and it was working quite well, Needless to say my lecture in Vegas was a BIG hit. The books were flying off the shelves.

ACT 3::---FAME and FORTUNE! --- Watch what you wish for, you just might get it! A few days after the convention, I found myself at an obscure book store in San Diago and who should show up but the members of Heaven's Gate. It was here that I was given gifts by Marshall and an invitation to come to their mansion for cocktails. Man am I glad I had other arrangements and declined. A few days later, I was back at home and it was early in the morning when there was someone knocking on my door. At the same time my phone was ringing. I picked up the phone and answered the door. Outside my home were several TV station remote trucks and reporters everywhere. On the phone was my agent. He was screaming "They're all dead!" I  told him to slow down. Who is dead? He said "The members of Heaven's Gate, and your name is all over the place" 

ACT 4:--- ANCIENT HISTORY!:Well you can google the rest. So, after a myriad of talk shows, a near fist fight with Geraldo and my being placed on the GALAXY'S MOST WANTED LIST AS ENEMY NUMBER 1. I dropped out of sight. Well their have been numerous stories, TV shows and more, but no one and I mean no one really knows the truth of what happened but ME. And I have been silent about it for 25 years.

THE FAIL:---To tell you the truth, I never saw it coming. My publisher, embezzled all of my royalty money (as well as other writers) and took off with his mistress, leaving his home, hearth and busness for a sexy little Russian beauty. I was blacklisted for pulling off the BIGGEST hoax in UFO history (which BTW stands to this day) and stepped into obscurity until 2021. I joined Stage 32 in 2015 but did nothing until this year and I am so glad I did. My new book, FIREMAN DOWN, launching this August is my best literary work. The true story of African American firefighter Arthur Reese. A man who faced the worst persecution and humiliation anyone could experience, just because he was black. He stood up to his white racist attackers and became an example for us all. His courage and devotion to the Brotherhood of Firefighters was exemplary. Arthur Reese was the most corageous man I have ever known. It has already recieved great reviews. Please buy a copy. 

So that was my great fail. I hope you enjoyed reading my short story on failure.

As we joked while conceiving this post: so many “fails” where do we begin? And yet in retrospect, those fails were blessings and lessons learned. One fail in particular - that culminated into what felt like a 3 year “waste of time” - was working on our Dream Series with a lead Production team for over a year and a half on a project, turning away other Production partners, trusting and listening to their guidance that we didn’t agree with, to turn around after all that time and none of what was promised transpired; we felt lost, confused and like our ship had sailed. And yet, in the wake of this (then massive) loss, we received a ton of work for-hire and honed our craft. Now 4 years away from that experience we couldn’t be happier to have “failed” as it never would have worked with that team and we wouldn’t have been as prepared as we are now. We have only benefitted from that “fail” and come out better because of it. As they say “you live some, you learn some”...and besides, isn’t that life? Sending love to everyone who’s fresh off the “fail” wound; we promise, in time you’ll understand why.

I would say the one that I didn't do right is to have partnered with a friend without any signed agreement back in 2005 and first time collaborate with 'close friends', which led to them not doing anything and hence me firing them and then they took me to court, Even though they lost, I paid the price (as they didn't have $ to pay back).

Hello everyone!  Brianne of BriGuel here. Great to be connected and we so appreciate this community. We recently happily learned our short film BABYS PHONEY FRIEND won the Stage32 short film contest and another project of ours THE DIFFERENCE screens tomorrow at Tribeca Film Festival. Other than that, lots of client projects and we’re developing a Series and getting incredible leads and connections through Stage32!! We’re very grateful and also excited to learn more about your projects. Great to e-meet!!

We are beyond excited and so honored !! Thank you so much Taylor, RB and Stage32! So very thrilled for what's to come.

Hi Brianne. I'm RB, Founder and CEO of Stage 32. As a screenwriter, producer, actor and filmmaker, I know first-hand the challenges all creatives face finding work, landing representation, launching projects, securing funding and simply making the connections that will make a difference in their careers. That's why I created Stage 32. Since our launch in September of 2011, the community has grown to 1,000,000+ members representing every country on the planet making Stage 32 the social network uniquely populated with the most creative people on Earth.

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Thanks for joining the movement and for being a part of this most talented and inspiring community. I very much look forward to your contributions.

Thanks, and have a creative day!

RB

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Hello Brianne -

Welcome to the community! I'm Amanda Toney, the Managing Director at Stage 32. Since 2013 I've been proud to oversee Stage 32's Next Level Education, which provides you the most up-to-date tools necessary to become a better creative.

Over the years Stage 32 has worked with over 500 industry executives and professionals to teach online webinars, classes and intensive labs exclusively for you - our Stage 32 community. We bring you instructors who have worked directly on some of your favorite films, TV shows or theater productions to teach you in-the-trenches information that you won't find anywhere else on producing, directing, financing, writing, packaging, acting and more.

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I'm grateful you've joined the Stage 32 community. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Amanda