On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Liliana Granados was recently the Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helped shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. She also served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the film drama department. Liliana’s mission is to build and guide the next generation of diverse storytellers. Her goal is to stay at the forefront of changes happening in entertainment and produce socially empowering films that inspire audiences globally. Liliana began her career with NBC Casting, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Sofia Vergara's Latin World Entertainment, CAA and worked in international film sales and financing at Sierra Affinity. Full Bio »

In recent years, studios and streamers have created production shingles with top on-screen talent at a furious pace. They rely on this big name talent to bring them ideas so aligning yourself with one of these A-Lister's companies can increase the odds of your project happening. And all of these production companies have development executives and are open for business.
Learn how you can get the attention of an A-list star's production company for your next film or television project from esteemed executive Liliana Granados, who was Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions and Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez's 3Pas Studios!
One way to put your project on a successful path is to set it up at an A-List star's production company. In the lest several years, the big studios and streamers have made deals with A-List stars and rely on their production companies to bring in ideas and fulfill the terms of their deals. The studios and streamers are incentivized to work with the stars they have in deals. And each of these companies has development executives and are open for business. Sometimes setting your project up with them is is the easiest path into the big streamers and studios.
So how do you capture the attention of these star-led production companies? How can you craft a pitch that not only grabs their interest but also aligns with the aspirations of the actors they seek? We’re here to help.
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how you can attract the attention of an A-list actor’s production company for your film or television project. You will learn the indispensable elements necessary to captivate star-led production companies, including aligning your project with the company’s brand and how to approach the project from an actor’s perspective.
Teaching you everything you need to know to successfully approach a star-backed production company is esteemed film executive Liliana Granados, whose illustrious career has woven through the corridors of entertainment alongside luminaries like Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Eugenio Derbez. Liliana worked as a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helped shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. Recently, Granados served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the film drama department.
In an information-packed 90 minutes, Liliana will draw from her rich professional experiences to unravel the intricacies of crafting a compelling pitch tailored to these star-led entities, sharing insights into what actors truly seek in projects. You will walk away from this webinar with the tools and knowledge you need to navigate this current landscape and understand the pulse of what captures the imagination of both actors and the entities they helm.
PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you get the attention of an A-list actor's production company.
"As an executive with extensive experience across multiple actor-led companies, I've had the privilege of evaluating numerous pitches and contributing insights at various film festival panels, guiding filmmakers through the intricate art of pitching. Whether engaging with emerging creators or seasoned artists, I've witnessed firsthand how crafting a compelling pitch stands as the pivotal selling point for any project.
Throughout my career, I've gathered invaluable insights into what resonates with actors when assessing potential projects. This knowledge has been honed through years of immersive industry exposure, enabling me to discern the elements that truly captivate actors and align projects with their aspirations.
Now, I'm thrilled to distill this wealth of knowledge into a concise and actionable framework. My aim is to empower you with the strategic tools and insights necessary to elevate your pitch, significantly enhancing your project's potential for success. Together, let's navigate the nuanced landscape of pitching to ensure your project stands out and captures the attention it deserves." - Liliana Granados

Liliana Granados
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Learn how you can land meetings with influential Creative Executives and maximize the results of those meetings with esteemed executive Liliana Granados, who was a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions and the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez's 3Pas Studios! PLUS! You'll receive an exclusive "Informational Meeting Questions” handout to help prepare you for your meeting with a Creative Executive! ***Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and you will have direct access to Liliana Granados on email to ask her any questions so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details As a writer, director, or producer of film and/or television, you will inevitably spend countless hours working with the Creative Executive at the company or studio where your project is set up. Creative Executives play a critical role in getting your project off the ground and are involved in the early stages of project development, script evaluation, casting, budgeting, scheduling, market research, and more. Your Creative Executive can be your best friend, but it’s critical you know how to work with a Creative Executive in order to ensure you get the most out of the relationship. In this exclusive Stage 32 2-part class, you will learn directly from a top Creative Executive on how to approach specific production companies, land meetings with Creative Executives, and how to foster meaningful and productive working relationships with a Creative Executive so your project succeeds. Teaching you everything you need to know to best work with Creative Executives is Liliana Granados, whose illustrious career has woven through the corridors of entertainment alongside luminaries like Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Eugenio Derbez. Liliana worked as a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helping shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. Recently, Granados served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the company's feature film drama department. Over the course of two highly interactive sessions, you will learn the art of crafting a compelling email, understanding the crucial elements that captivate Creative Executives, and how to maximize the impact of your meetings. Liliana will teach you how to delve into the strategic importance of researching a Creative Executive's businesses, identifying causes they are passionate about, and uncovering studio deals and partnerships that align with your projects. You will learn how to navigate your meetings with a Creative Executive with confidence and how to follow up strategically to keep your relationship moving forward. PLUS! You’ll receive an exclusive "Informational Meeting Questions” handout to help prepare you for your meetings with Creative Executives! If you’re interested in bringing your film or television series to life with a reputable production company, that means working closely with Creative Executives, and this class is something you do NOT want to miss. "As an executive with extensive experience across multiple actor-led companies, I've had the privilege of evaluating numerous pitches and contributing insights at various film festival panels, guiding filmmakers through the intricate art of pitching. Whether engaging with emerging creators or seasoned artists, I've witnessed firsthand how crafting a compelling pitch stands as the pivotal selling point for any project. Throughout my career, I've gathered invaluable insights into what resonates with actors when assessing potential projects. This knowledge has been honed through years of immersive industry exposure, enabling me to discern the elements that truly captivate actors and align projects with their aspirations.Now, I'm thrilled to distill this wealth of knowledge into a concise and actionable framework. My aim is to empower you with the strategic tools and insights necessary to elevate your pitch, significantly enhancing your project's potential for success. Together, let's navigate the nuanced landscape of pitching to ensure your project stands out and captures the attention it deserves." - Liliana Granados
Maximize your creativity with the guidance of a professional filmmaker with over 40 years of experience in this directing intensive, covering everything from development through post-production. You’ll take a deep dive into everything expected of you as a director and how to achieve your vision. Do you dream of directing your own feature but worry that you don’t have the training or experience to make it happen? Whether you want to establish yourself as an independent filmmaker, build a career within the traditional system, or become an accomplished television director, all it takes is one project to set your career in motion. But directing is more than supervising a crew and telling actors how to emote. Directing starts months before cameras start rolling, as you lock the script, determine your vision, and set a production plan to execute it. It’s an enormous task and one that you need to know what it entails before jumping in. This Stage 32 exclusive on-demand course teaches you just that. Starting with how to break down a script and design a visual story, through pre-production with scouting and casting, to the actual production and managing your cast and crew, and through post-production, where you have the last chance to create your vision. You’ll learn time-management skills and tools to collaborate with your crew and actors so that everyone is as excited and invested in the project as you. You’ll even see how directors get hired in the industry for directing jobs, so you can hit the ground running in your career. Taking you through these invaluable tools is feature film and television director Bobby Roth, who has over 40 years as a director in the business and whose films have been honored at over 70 international film festivals. He’s worked with top-tier talent, including Academy Award-winner Rita Moreno on the film THE BOSS’ SON, who won Best Supporting Actress at the Miami International Film Festival. He’s been nominated and won several awards for his work in features, including the films HEARTBREAKERS, BAJA OKLAHOMA, DEAD SOLID PERFECT, MANHOOD, and BERKELEY. He’s also directed countless hours of television on popular shows, such as GREY’S ANATOMY, MACGYVER, and AGENTS OF SHIELD. Using his decades of experience, Bobby will show you how a director learns all the filmmaking skills, such as screenwriting, casting, editing, and composing, in order to build great partnerships with every member of production and create a beautifully cohesive story. After this intensive, you will have access to this incredible resource on-demand. You will also walk away with confidence that you know everything being a director entails and how to achieve a fantastic film with your team.
Learn From An Entertainment Attorney Whose Done Deals With ABC, NBC, HBO, Bravo and more! In an industry built on storytelling there’s nothing more valuable than ideas. A good idea or good story can take you far in Hollywood, but it also makes you vulnerable. From Avatar to Empire, hundreds of films and television shows have been faced with infringement and idea theft lawsuits over the years. While the film and television industry can be an exciting and supportive place, this is not always the case and it’s more common than it should be for writers’ ideas or stories to be stolen. Without the proper protection and forethought, this can leave creatives at risk. As the saying goes, it’s a jungle out there, and the risk of having your ideas stolen is unfortunately always a possibility, as is the possibility of being accused of doing this yourself. It’s important to always be vigilant and aware of these dangers. Yet this does not mean it’s open season on creators. Whether you’re concerned about having your idea stolen or facing lawsuits of your own, there are important steps you must take to ensure you and your intellectual property remain protected. There will always be a risk of being taken advantage of, but better understanding the dangers as well as how to protect and copyright your work will put you in a much safer and more secure position. Jaia Thomas is an entertainment attorney with over ten years of legal experience who has brokered deals with companies like ABC, NBC, HBO, and Bravo and has been quoted as a legal expert in such publications as The New York Times, USA Today and ESPN. Jaia regularly assists clients with transactional and intellectual property matters and counsels filmmakers and producers on all aspects of film financing, production and distribution. She also regularly assists content creators with federal copyright registration and licensing and has had several works published in the American Bar Association, National Bar Association and multiple law journals. Through her many years specializing in federal copyright registration and licensing, Jaia has become an expert on how creators can keep their projects safe, and is ready to share what she knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community. Drawing from her many years of legal experience successfully assisting filmmakers with transactional and intellectual property matters Jaia will provide you with all the legal tools necessary to protect any and every type of script and screenplay. She will begin by discussing copyright registration. She’ll explain how to register a script with the US copyright office and explain the legal advantages of doing this. She’ll also debunk common misconceptions such as the “Poor Man’s Copyright”. Next she will explain what goes into Writers Guild registration. She’ll outline how to register a script, idea or outline with the Guild and explain the legal advantages and disadvantages of doing so. She’ll also delve into the key distinctions between registering with the US Copyright Office and Writers Guild. Jaia will then go over idea protection and theft. She’ll teach you how to protect a television show or reality show in its idea form and will outline the legal requirements for filing an idea theft claim in New York and California. She’ll even go through a case study of the seminal idea theft court case Desny V. Wilder from 1956. Finally Jaia will provide you with additional precautionary measures you can take in protecting yourself, including mobile apps, digital watermarks, confidentiality agreements and non-disclosure agreements. Expect to leave knowing exactly how to protect your current and future ideas, scripts and projects. Praise for Jaia's Stage 32 Webinar: "Highly informative. Thank you Jaia Thomas!" -Patrick D. "Great webinar with invaluable tips and advice. Great presentation and presenter. Very pleased and satisfied." -Robert F
Learn directly from Tim Moshansky, a 20 year location scout who has worked on hundreds of films and TV shows including The Revenant, Twilight Saga: New Moon, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem! There are two things that a production starts doing as soon as they have the “green light” - casting for actors and scouting for locations. In a way, a location scout is like a casting director for locations. Unless a film is shot entirely in a studio with sets or green screen, locations are integral to how the film will look. Anyone can become a location scout, but to become a GREAT scout that people call again and again takes a keen eye, good people and photography skills, and on-the-ground experience. In this webinar Tim Moshansky will guide you through the entire process of scouting - from the moment you get the script or storyboards, to when they call “Action!” on set. Tim will offer you tips and insights from his nearly 20 years of scouting experience. Whether you are someone considering a career as a scout, or a filmmaker looking for ways to increase your production value and anticipate potential location problems, this is the webinar that will help you learn the basics about scouting. This webinar includes FREE bonus materials for download!: Locations Release Location Agreement Location Breakdown Script Breakdown
Learn how to make your unique voice shine in your writing from a Creative and Production Executive at a top production company! We have found ourselves in an age of content overload. As audiences, everywhere we turn we are inundated with stories online, on screen, in podcasts and on the radio. And these are just the stories that make it to these platforms. Script readers and producers are going through much, much more, often reading hundreds of screenplays a month. And yet, with so much content out there, scripts still rise to the top. It’s not theme or content matter that achieves this; it’s authenticity. The industry is changing, but this simple truth never does. Executives, producers, studios, and audiences will always seek out authentic voices. The question, then, is what exactly is authenticity and how does it read on a page? Adding authenticity to your work is a lot harder than adding, say, character headings. It’s not a switch to turn on and it’s not something that can be easily engineered. Cultivating an authentic voice is a challenge every writer faces and takes years of honing your craft. However, there are things you can do right now to better zero in on your own voice and show it off to executives and other gatekeepers. Better understanding what authenticity looks like on a page, how executives identify it, and the steps writers with strong authentic voices take before approaching a script will give you the best possible chance of your project standing out, continuing into production and ultimately premiering to the masses. Sarah Cornelius serves as Creative and Production Executive at award-winning Whitewater Films, helmed by director-producer Rick Rosenthal (HALLOWEEN II, BAD BOYS, TRANSPARENT). This approach has resulted in Whitewater producing numerous notable films which have won Independent Spirit Awards, the Sundance Directing Award, a Primetime Emmy, as well as collecting nominations for an Oscar and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Whitewater has produced projects for Paramount Classics, Netflix, Showtime, IFC, Samual Goodwyn Films, The Orchard, CNN Films and more. Whitewater Films recently completed their feature STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN starring Billy Crystal & Ben Schwartz with first-time director Matt Ratner. Their film, THE LAST SHIFT premiered at Sundance 2020 with two time Oscar-nominee Richard Jenkins. In addition they produced FIRST GIRL I LOVED (Sundance winner), HALFWAY THERE (Sundance Episodic Showcase winner) and SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (SXSW premiere). Sarah has been involved with development on each of Whitewater's projects and has the ability to communicate conceptual notes in a direct and effective manner. Sarah will use her extensive experience evaluating scripts and discovering talent to delve into what goes into finding your authentic voice and how to bring it into your script. She’ll begin by discussing the main questions you should ask yourself before writing a script, including how to prevent writer’s block, how to anchor your concept, and the three ‘whys’ you must address before getting started. Sarah will then approach the concept of authenticity from the point of view of an executive, and what specific things they look at to identify a writer’s voice. She’ll speak to format and clarity, imagery and action, dialogue, point of view, and creativity and risk-taking. Sarah will even teach you how to retain your authenticity past the writing phase. She’ll discuss how to ask for and incorporate feedback while still holding on to your voice and how to pitch what you wrote with authentic confidence. Finding your own authentic voice is never easy, but Sarah will give you the tools you need to better understand how to bring your voice forward and hone in on it with more confidence. Plus, you will receive 10 downloads of notable screenplays that exhibit an authentic voice (and 2 downloads of scripts without an authentic voice) that Sarah will use to demonstrate how authenticity reads on the page: Jordan Peele's US CAPTAIN FANTASTIC THE SHAPE OF WATER PARASITE AMERICAN BEAUTY RESERVOIR DOGS WHIPLASH HARRIET TRAINSPOTTING APOCALYPSE NOW SHOWGIRLS CATWOMAN Praise for Sarah's Stage 32 Webinar: "Sarah was incredible! Loved her teaching style and insight. Great webinar!" -David P. "Very informative, well worth it!" -Caroline B. "Great webinar - loved the use of scripts and clips. Wonderful speaker!" -Ron H. "Sarah Cornelius was wonderful. Time well spent today." -Brian B.
Getting ahead is hard in Hollywood, and taking the next step in your career can be difficult when it feels like the expectation is for you to stay in your own lane. Being a cinematographer is such an exciting, rewarding, and important role on any project, but that doesn’t mean it’s where your journey has to stop. If you have aspirations to move into directing and make your own film, that path is more possible than you might think. In fact, your background as a cinematographer might even catapult you to this position, since, in an effort to save film funds, it’s becoming more common for producers to hire cinematographers who can also direct. Many people believe that the roles of the director and cinematographer are separate, but actually they are partners in the storytelling process. This means that making the leap from cinematographer to director is not as hard as you might think. However, whether you want to exclusively direct or be a DP / director combo, you have to adhere to a certain mode of operation, master the art of collaboration, and hone your ability to speak clearly to your cast and crew in order to maximize your time on set. So how do you get that first directing job? Can you effectively direct and shoot at the same time, and if so, how do you divide your precious time between your cast and crew? With careful planning and a solid understanding of how to manage your responsibilities on set you can become the perfect “double threat” that producers love, while putting extra cash in your pocket and achieving more of your creative goals. Ryan Little is a director, producer, and cinematographer with over 20 years of experience in the industry. His first feature SAINTS AND SOLDIERS, for which he took on the dual roles of DP and director, won 16 “Best Picture” awards and two nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards including Best First Feature and Best Cinematography. Since then, Ryan has served as cinematographer and director on a slew of projects and has directed actors like Danny Glover, Vinnie Jones, Sean Astin, Neal McDonagh, Gary Cole, Dolph Lundgren, and Mickey Rourke. Most recently Ryan has worked with Producer Dean Devlin on the TNT pilot BLANK SLATE and has directed TV episodes of shows like GRANITE FLATS and EXTINCT. Ryan has built a storied background and deep well of knowledge in both cinematography and directing, and is ready to share what he knows with the Stage 32 community. Using his own experience as well as his deep understanding of the industry today, Ryan will teach you how you can make the transition from cinematographer to director and use your photography background to your advantage. He will begin by broadly discussing the prospect of switching from cinematographer to director and explaining why it’s possible. He will go over how he made the transition himself as well how other notable directors made a similar shift. He will demonstrate why your background as a DP will actually make you a better director yourself. Ryan will then delve more deeply into how best to land your first job as a director, including “planting seeds” for future opportunities, playing to your strengths as a practiced cinematographer, using the connections you’ve already built, and how to create sample work to help show your value. He will also discuss the possibility of serving as a Director/DP combo on set as a way to break in, what that looks like, and how to do both roles effectively at the same time. Next, Ryan will give you the rundown of how to best tackle your first directing gig. He’ll go over the aspects of directing you can expect to come naturally and the aspects that might be more of a challenge because of your background, as well as how to let the DP role go when directing. Ryan will teach you how to best prep for your first directing gig before going on set. He’ll talk about how to create your “style guide” for the project, finding your story moments ahead of time, making a useful shot list, and how best to use storyboards. He will then talk about how to spend your time on set as a director, including how to manage your time and break up your day and how to tell the story in your coverage. He will reveal three mistakes commonly made by directors during rehearsal and will discuss when the right and wrong times to operate the camera yourself are. He will also go over finding the balance between assertive and collaborative on set and how to set the right tone. Finally Ryan will focus on working with actors from the mindset of a cinematographer, including how to speak the actor’s language, how to hold the essential one-on-one actor preproduction meeting, and what you can do to become an “Actor’s Director”. Through all of this, Ryan will give you the tools and confidence to make the switch you might have been contemplating for a while and take the next important steps on your journey to become a bona fide film director. "I attribute a lot of my success to my background as a cinematographer. It's given me so many great opportunities and the skills to advance in my career in exciting ways. I want other cinematographers to better understand their value and potential as filmmakers, and am so excited to share what I know to empower the current DPs and future directors that are part of the Stage 32 community." -Ryan Little