Fallon Sousa's Lounge Discussions

Fallon Sousa they are all such spare and lean forms and fairly similar yet distinctive, I do think as writers we immerse ourselves in the conceptual environment and it's helpful to connect our creative output with the nuances of whatever form is in focus and in hand;

Your vision tells you the world, locations and environment in which the piece is unfolding, so whether writing on paper, in Word, in Final Draft or in any vehicle, whatever feels most frictionless and fun for you is a great way to go, certainly room for plenty of experimentation.

I've been considering getting the ReMarkable tablet but I just love paper and pens, markers, highlighters, so I am reluctant to relinquish my toys!

I have two laptops running versions of Final Draft and a stack of legal pads next to each, plus sketchbooks, watercolor paper, poster board, index-card wall, many many open channels, and another separate laptop for PhotoShop.

My phone video goes directly to iCloud, so I can download photos and video clips to various editing environments and be in the process of making multiple films that are really just sketches,

soon I'll get a new phone and a new desktop video editing machine and be in production on a film suitable for festival submissions.

It's a low-budget fun family beach/cooking drama and will be my 7th feature script.

More power to you! Best wishes for continuing success!

Have you tried Celtx? It is free (or at least it was), and there is a template for stageplays. If I remember correctly, the big difference is lack of stage direction. That is something the actors and director figure out.

Yes, Celtx! Here's a link with a few more free softwares that include stageplay formatting: https://listoffreeware.com/best-free-playwriting-software-windows/

At one time Celtx supported only the British play format. Don't know if that is still the case. I use Final Draft and am satisfied with it.

I wouldn't call myself a playwright. I am working on trying to write a play to step out of the box but it isn't my forte.

Nice to meet you, Fallon. I enjoy watching theatre. I haven't written any plays, but it would be nice to in the future.

Hello from Rhode Island (Riverside). Self-published sci-fi writer here.

Hi, Chad. I was also a self-published author for a while. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get any sales so I moved on to acting.

I'm doing okay with the self-publishing. I'm working on new ways to advertise my website and books, which is the tough part of any business. Just want to invest wisely and Covid did get in the way a bit. My best with your acting.

I went to Full Sail University for my BA but I heard SNHU was a great school if you want to get a BA for screenwriting/creative writing. There's also the fact they have lower tuition costs compared to other colleges so I'd say they're worth the investment.

Go be an actor. Unless you wake up thinking about writing it isn’t for you.

Hi there, Fallon! I went to grad school for acting myself and whereas I had an invaluable experience there, it was primarily because of the people that I met and the selfish time that I had to just ACT for three straight years. I can't say that I learned anything particularly new there craft-wise (beyond how to turn any Shakespearean text inside out ...and that was pretty great).

If you want to become a theatre actor or a theatre educator OR if you'd like three years of really lovely selfish artistic time, certainly look into attending grad school for acting. But! If you'd like to be an actor in front of a camera, I say skip grad school and (when you feel comfortable being in a room like that) find a good acting teacher to study with & just start putting yourself out there any way that you can.

Happy to chat with you about this any time, though :)

Nothing....get a solid full time job earning from people who wanna be actors/writers/directors...

I’m already an actor but a lot of acting (and day jobs) want you to be a college grad in general

Casting agency has me in their database...I'd say that counts more...

I think they have either a mental or written shortlist for different scenarios. For instance, here in the Southeast, I'm on a couple shortlists for when productions need table readers to fill in. I've been doing that for over a decade. It's fun, pays decent (especially now that they're on Zoom and I don't have to travel to a production office), and means that I'm staying "top of mind" for those casting offices.

And to broaden this concept, that is one of the plights of the actor. To stay "top of mind" for those decision makers. If an actor gets too passive in their career, their agent can lose sight of them, and by extension CDs, directors, producers, etc.

The trick is to organically and authentically stay "top of mind". Actors who pester their agents, or get "icky" on social media by liking and commenting on everything a CD posts are not doing themselves a service. That can look desperate.

And one counterargument for the agent relationship is that when a role comes up that fits your age/race/sex/etc, shouldn't they be querying their own database to make sure no one falls through the cracks? In short, yes, but if the other 4 actors in your category at your agency have the perception that they're more committed and passionate, you might not get one of the coveted audition slots.

Sigh... just another challenge of sustaining a long term career...

I’m not a CD so I don’t but I know someone who does

In the Stage 32's Writer's Room, we were just talking about "bankables", so in a way, being on someone else's list other than a casting agency is a way to build your "tribe". I definitely keep names and contact info of crew and have started to do it with actors as well.

I keep the numbers and names / emails of the cast and crew for every show I'm in. But that's mostly in case something goes wrong or I need to contact them for the show for some reason.

So true!!!

So exciting! I'm so happy for you, Marci Urling! Will you keep us updated on your adventures on stage?

Will do!

Opening night this Thursday!!!

YASS! Break a leg, Marci!

Good to meet you, Fallon Sousa! I think it depends on what your long-term goal is. If you're looking for numbers, then your best bet is Instagram. But if you're looking to make lasting connections and network with more people doing the work (not just promoting the work), then Stage 32 is definitely for you!

What are you working on? And what are you working towards? We're a very encouraging community!

I think you'd also enjoy my blog post on how to get the most out of the Stage32 Community:

https://www.stage32.com/blog/SocialSaturday-Mining-for-Gold-in-the-Stage...

Great to hear from you, Fallon! Tell me about the Spectrum Theatre Ensemble.

As asked above, what are your goals with social media? For instance, I'm totally content with a network of local actors and friends that I can share stuff with. I'm not concerned with gained thousands or millions of followers. If I was, I'd have to completely rethink my social strategy.

In the end, authenticity and specificity will get you farthest.

I can't get on board with Instagram because no one will follow/friend me. I have a niche on LinkedIn (Neurodiversity/Disability + Acting) which is what Spectrum Theatre is all about. It's not my company, I'm just an actor there, but I use LinkedIn to kind of brand myself around the company's message since using some platforms is a part of our job and I haven't been able to deal with the more mainstream ones due to my own mental health around FOMO and self-esteem issues.