Screenwriting

Debbie Seagle Congrats on this HUGE thing!!! First off. Secondly, since I am learning as I go on what it means to get optioned, then have your script bought, and then in production, I mean, I would hope you got something before the production started, maybe not the full amount? It's a bit mad, the writer being treated like … an afterthought? But, maybe as wrtiers we could negotiate points on the backend? OR a higher payday if we got nothing upfront? This is actually.a super good thread, would love to hear and learn more, I did read Sebastian Tudores , and see the point. But…gobsmacked really, that writers aren't paid more, or earlier.

Words alone can't describe Debbie Seagle ! Thanks for sharing!

Are you getting paid to direct instead? Or paid to produce?

It’s pretty common (at least on the indie films I’ve worked) for the writer to get paid nothing. Because the writer is also the director and/or producer, sometimes even the lead actor. So they have partial ownership and possibly payment coming in for the other jobs.

I agree, though, when starting from scratch and raising money, budget in some payment for each job you do.

Without the script there is no project.

Congratulations Debbie Seagle

sounds like great takeaways Marie Hatten that are getting you even more focused for December. congrats!

You're welcome, Marie Hatten. Hope you have a great weekend and creative month!

Marie Hatten It feels like it was invaluable, the insights you have into your own process and writing drive now, because of what you saw yourself do, and not do. This is where growth begins : )

Thanks Sebastian Tudores

That's very kind thanks Juliana Philippi

Thank you guys for this incredible opportunity for me to share “ The Underground Consultant “ with you !

Congratulations to all of the finalists. Well Done to each of you.

How exciting. What an accomplishment!

Congrats to all the finalists!

So honored to have my script Hey, Girlie! as a finalist! Good luck and congrats to the other finalists as well!

Hey, Girlie! is a female driven action thriller comedy centered within the world of multi-level marketing.

Hello, congratulations on completing your work and good luck with your pitching.

I’m working on a sci-fi screenplay called The Silent PFC War.

Roberto Micheletti Welcome Roberto!!! Congrats on reaching this milestone. Stage 32 is an awesome, professional and very valuable platform, and work place. I'm currently off my first Holiday screenplay, and now on my new project, a reverse rom-com, inspired by a real event I lived while on a retreat in the North of Spain.

congrats and welcome!

would love to read the script or an excerpt thereof…

happy to swap if you’re interested—I’ve a short film submitted for competition called A HYPOTHETICAL CAT.

Comps would be, superficially LOCKE and THE GUILTY (my story’s about a woman on the phone while racing to find her boyfriend who may have tried to kill himself) but as the title (Schrödinger reference), its theme revolves around a weird quantum concept, but without any sci-fi elements (so the nearest comps i could think of are ARRIVAL—but without the aliens—and ETERNAL SUNSHINE—but without the mind wipe tech).

peace and love…

It's an amazing feeling to get to The End. Celebrate it, put it aside until the New Year, then edit with fresh eyes. Every revision tightens the story. Congratulations!

Congrats Roberto Micheletti . I'm also developing a psychological thriller about domestic violence.

Hi, Gilad Riv. I suggest networking/building relationships on Stage 32, online, and in person. It could lead to script requests, meeting requests, etc. Here are some blogs on networking: www.stage32.com/blog/tags/networking-41

Stage 32 has free in-person Meetups that are great for networking (www.stage32.com/meetups). If you don't see a Meetup in your area, keep an eye on that page for new Meetups. And you're welcome to start your own Meetup.

Reach out to the Success Team at success@stage32.com. Geoff and his team can help you connect with producers, executives, and more.

Post a logline and short synopsis as well to catch eyes and increase awareness!

When a Karte kula instructor's life-threatening medical condition becomes untreatable, she and her father embark on a desperate leap in time to a magical 1985 planet. There, the only cure—an ultra-powerful, reality-altering flower, fiercely protected by a famous Australian singer , accompanied by a sidekick, forcing them into a battle of fate, music and magic where failure means losing everything.

Maurice Vaughan, thank you! You immediately caught the core . When I read or watch things like this, it becomes easier to shape my own thoughts. Hypocrisy isn’t necessarily evil, and honesty can sometimes be dangerous. It feels like a script should take at least a year to write… yet I already feel halfway there. Honestly, it’s a bit scary and at the same time inspiring .

You're welcome, Nataly Kiut. Congratulations on the progress with your script! Keep us posted on it.

Not sure if thus is the right form to respond. Vaughn I am looking at How to Navigate Stage32 webinar. Digging into the Writer's Room to find sample scripts and writer resources. Most interesting, the webcast with insights from executive behind new thriller-twist on the Nuremberg trial.

That's great, Shirley Collier. I'll have to check out that webcast. Thanks. I need to check out some other webcasts in the Writers' Room too. And I'm a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. If you ever have any questions about Stage 32 or navigating it, let me or another Lounge Moderator know. We have badges on our pictures. Or you could email support@stage32.com.

Thank you @Juliana Philippi. You are right.

I’d actually love to hear how this would eliminate jobs, decrease wages, and make working conditions harsher. what is the theory behind this?

From a business perspective, this is a great get by Netflix for the Warner bros library, and provides solid fiscal backing for future DC / Warner projects.

Netflix can now potentially provide a new tier of subscription where they launch a movie theatrically and Netflix subscribers can see the movie in a theater 4-6 weeks before going to their own platform. Think Netflix subscription + A-List, but cheaper.

Also, Netflix takes more chances on independent film projects than Warner Brothers does, allowing more potential for original content which is what the film community has been demanding from the big guns for some time.

Warner has been bought and sold before, what evidence is there that this will be more harmful than good? This is a genuine ask

What does the WGA have to do with anything? Who gives a flying rodent's rump what they think? Prices on everything are already sky high. Do you think any faction of the film industry would ever lower them? CGI should be in such an advanced state that prices should be at their lowest levels. SAG is also responsible for over-pricing their actors. How can Scarlet Johansson be worth $25M to be in Jurassic World: Rebirth or RDJ reportedly getting $75M to play Dr. Doom? those are insane fees that should never have been agreed to. OH, but the WGA demands the merger be blocked. SHUT UP! The film industry allows imaginations to run free and bring to life visions that would not normally find a voice, but it is run by some of the dumbest, greediest, insanely incompetent people on the planet that love to not only shoot themselves in the foot but they love to make sure that they empty the whole magazine into their legs so that they can never walk again.

Pat Alexander To block a merger or acquisition, there first needs to be a legitimate legal basis — often some form of antitrust or national security concern. WBD apparently mismanaged itself into financial distress. Once a company is effectively in bankruptcy, the sharks start circling.

Apparently, potential buyers have been narrowed to Netflix, Comcast, and Paramount. I thought Bezos was in the mix.

If I were WBD, I would boot out whoever dragged the company into the abyss and bring in a team that specializes in navigating failing companies back to sound financial condition. I just can't imagine the logic or rationale of selling, in some cases, 100-year-old IP assets.

WBD’s business spans various lines, which suggests that most potential buyers are likely considering only certain parts — either those that integrate into their current business model or those that stand a chance of not exceeding the 30% market share threshold for antitrust considerations:

It takes a special type incompetence to mismanage an entity of this sort unless of course its a deliberately engineered distress to kill or break it off.

Streaming / Direct-to-Consumer

[HBO Max, HBO, Discovery+, CNN TV app, Warner TV, CW Seed (FAST channels), Pam Grier's Soul Flix (FAST channel)]

Film & TV Production / Studios

[Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, New Line Cinema, DC Comics / DC Studios, Warner Bros. Television Group]

Cable & Linear Entertainment Networks

[TNT, TBS, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), CNN, CNN en Español, HLN, Warner TV, Boomerang, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, TruTV, Cinemax, TVN, Space, Boing, Discovery Family, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery (ID), TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Oprah Winfrey Network, Magnolia Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, DMAX, Giallo, Frisbee, K2, Nove, Canal 9, Discovery Familia, Hogar de HGTV, Pogo, Tooncast]

Sports

[TNT Sports, Eurosport, Golf Digest]

Unscripted / Lifestyle / Reality

[Discovery Channel, Discovery+, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Magnolia Network, Travel Channel, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Life, Discovery Familia, DMAX, Quest, Quest Red, Space, Giallo, Frisbee, K2, Nove, Canal 9, Boomerang, Pogo, Tooncast]

Interactive / Gaming

[Warner Bros. Games (Avalanche Software, NetherRealm Studios, Portkey Games, Rocksteady Studios, TT Games, TT Fusion, Traveller's Tales, WB Games Boston, WB Games Montreal, WB Games New York, WB Games San Francisco)]

I agree with the WGA that the merger would be harmful to the industry — just listen to recent episodes of The Town for specifics — but proving it illegal is a challenge. Plus, you would need the government to block it, and other mergers have gone through just fine in recent years.

Alternately, I wouldn’t want WB to go to Skydance/Paramount either.

We’ve already seen the worst when Warner merged with Discovery. All long term moves to maintain or build brands were shoved aside in favor of short term gains like tax breaks. Now it’s rearranged into pieces and being sold off. If another studio buys WB, any identity its components have will be watered down or disintegrated.

If you want to see what has happened to Turner Classic Movies behind the scenes, see the excellent “TCM Wine Club” video from Patrick Willems.

The Death of the TCM Wine Club

https://youtu.be/4Bq8aNRCwts?si=0aKCEL5uSycrvbq_

(It’s not just about wine.)

Thanks, Juliana Philippi. What a character does, their past, etc. can definitely convey the tone of the film. And how a writer shows those things conveys the tone too. A character’s past might be tragedy, but a writer can show it in a funny way for a Comedy.

Very true, like Erik Rhodes is canonically quite vain and one of his favourite items is his compact mirror. In BoFS his getting gifted a new mirror (he still has the compact) is actually a bit of extremely subtle foreshadowing that I'm quite proud of :D

Using objects to foreshadow is a great idea, Banafsheh Esmailzadeh! I'm not sure if I've done it or not, but I'll keep it in mind when I work on scripts. Thanks.

You’re welcome, and thanks Maurice Vaughan. I try to make objects useful when I include them/make them significant, and the mirror was honestly done subconsciously haha. It wasn’t until after I wrote it and read it over that I was like “high five, brain!” Lol

You're welcome, Banafsheh Esmailzadeh. "I try to make objects useful when I include them/make them significant." Exactly. Objects, clothes, locations, weather, etc. can be significant to a story. They don't just have to be objects, clothes, and so on.

It’s not so cut-and-dried. Sound stages are very expensive and require sets to be constructed. But… the dialogue will need less replacement or massaging in post. Locations can cost less to rent, but they generally do not have pleasing sound, so you will pay more to fix the dialogue in post. One significant problem that can arise in that scenario is talent being unavailable or unwilling to record ADR. I’ve directed adr sessions in which the producers owed the talent money, which put me in a position of calming the talent and playing to their sympathies for me just trying to do my job.

This is just one of numerous sound considerations that very few producers consider until they get bitten in the behind. Lesson: hire your sound supervisor for a day during pre-production and have them evaluate every scene for potential issues that you can address in advance.

That’s the sound designer in me. The director in me says, “that’s a YOU problem, sound department.”

What do you want your film to accomplish? Going into the production, everyone should know what is expected of them especially if your budget is minimal. Your goal is to make a professional film that a majority of audiences will see multiple times throughout their lives. Making a "one and done" movie means your film failed as an entertainment vessel. I don't care what anyone says about "the art" or "the message" and everyone is different. I will watch Pearl Harbor every year. Some people didn't like it, but I did. Now I've only seen Schindler's List once because it's a bit of a downer for me. However you feel about either film, I don't think either film has ever changed anyone's course in life. If you're a scumbag, chances are after watching either film, you're still a scumbag. That being said, don't plan your film around your locations unless they have a significance to the overall story.

As for exterior shots vs interior shots, what is actually being shot? When I used existing location for my film, some ADR was needed because of the sounds of air conditioning. ADR isn't that tough if you have a good group of sound guys. You also need to know how much ADR you will need and that should be pretty evident once you get on location. In any any case, do your ADR early instead of months later when you have to bring people back. Exterior shots will require generators to power some of the equipment. Make sure they don't sound like a lawn mower convention.

All this stuff is easy to figure out if you do a walk through of the day in your mind. You want to really control your budget, stop thinking you need to hire A-list talent. Using some recognizable talent is fine, but A-listers don't carry the A-luster they once did because they can't keep their mouths shut and have to give their increasingly stupid opinions about everything to show how smart they are. Mamoa is starting to talk crap now as if he's an expert on anything. If you go to the circus, you don't care if the clowns had a bad day leading up to the show. They have one job. To make you laugh. No one hangs around after the performance to listen to them talk about their feelings on world events. Don't hire idiots or they will kill your chances for making a successful run before your release date and they won't care because they already got paid.

Keep your budget as low as possible while still maintaining the highest levels of execution of the material and you should be fine. Just make sure your main target audience will want to revisit your film multiple times throughout their lives.

Hey, Stefano Pavone. I've heard it can. That's one reason I mainly set my scripts inside.

Writing to budget is something you get better at the more films you actually produce. Location moves are a pain, costing time and money. If you have one actual location that can serve as two or more in the script, that’s ideal.

I co-produced a film with a centrally located production office in the same building where we shot in the lobby. Then we shot in our rented offices. Then on the streets, alleys, and parking lots all in walking distance.

I just worked on a werewolf picture that was mostly a siege at a cabin in the woods, the rest IN the woods.

I’m writing something now that is four locations, and even that may be too many.

My favorite low budget example is Buried, where Ryan Reynolds spends 90 minutes in a box with a light and a cell phone. And it’s riveting.

Watch the movie THE WONDER 2022, it will blow you away when you see how they filmed it , because it’s included in this historic drama movie.

After I saw it I had a serious rethink about costs/budgets.

I can’t wait for this course! It’s going to be a good time.

Likewise Whitney, we're so excited to have you hosting the lab!

If you want to learn more email me at edu@stage32.com

Excited for the lab to kick off tomorrow!

I'm looking forward to it. I try to take a writing class every one to two years.

You're welcome, Sebastian Tudores. Not right now, but who knows? It might happen. I've learned a lot about directing on here.

I got distracted by how good the story and the acting are Sebastian Tudores. I've seen one or two verticals and they didn't really appeal to me. They tend to feel a little tight but the story and acting in this one pull me out of that. Nicely done!

Leonardo Ramirez 2 firstly, thanks so much my friend - I take your words to heart. and yes - I agree with you totally. it's def a case of custom-build narrative but haven't seen that adjustment go beyond making sure that the action in the episodes can physically be easy to register & having hooks and cliffhangers closer together in frequency than in more standard length formats. For me the question would start with "what does a 9:16 canvas offer me that no other canvas size does? What are the opportunities?" haven't seen that question being explored but it's so early in the game for this format.

You’re asking the right questions Sebastian Tudores-still think exploring and practicing is the right thing until those get answered. And it looks good!

Sebastian Tudores you’ve asked

Has anyone else tried reframing some of their existing projects? Or got their friends together and bullied them into being actors for the day to try out some scenes you wrote? Would love to hear about the experience.

but would you like any notes or feedback on the result of your cropping the 16:9 footage into 9:16?

that is awesome to hear Maurice Vaughan - how are you finding the adjustment? What's most challenging, in your view? Is it the pacing, the action lines, etc? cheers

glad it caught your eye Lauren Hackney :)

I haven't written a vertical script yet, Sebastian Tudores. I've just been learning about them.

Sebastian Tudores Oh, that’s great news. I’ve been keeping an eye on vertical drama, but I’m too busy right now to experiment with it. If I had more time and money for production, I’d love to make my own horror series in a Reels-style format.

and I am sure you will Kseniia Zhuravleva !! just...five things at a time, right? lol