Well, hello, there! My name is Karen Ross, but please, call me Kay. I wanted to formally introduce myself: I am an actress, writer, producer, director, and all-around free spirit. I currently host a weekly event on Clubhouse called "The Victory Round" to help creatives build their confidence by celebrating their achievements, big or small. Among other many things, I love martial arts, instrumental film soundtracks, the Bard, tea time, and am deeply obsessed with trying new restaurants. I can’t wait to be able to travel overseas again to continue meeting new people and exploring culture through food!

While my wanderlust has been gratifying, my creative journey has been more meandering. It’s been a challenge to find like-minded professionals! Especially those I connect with who also connect with the content I want to create and have a similar work ethic. Is this not the challenge of every professional creative, though? One's creative "squad" is so important, but it also takes time and effort. What better way to find collaborators than exploring the global community on Stage 32? Meeting new people is as easy as posting and commenting in the Introduce Yourself Lounge, especially during the third weekend of every month, otherwise known as Introduce Yourself Weekend! You can even meet more local creatives; that's how I've met most of my filmmaking "squad" since moving to Los Angeles.

When I moved from Washington, D.C. during the summer of 2019, I knew the physical distance I would be putting between myself and my previous life would bring my new career to a head (for those of you unfamiliar with mainland United States, DC and LA are on opposites sides of the country - a mere 2,626 miles away). I also knew I would need two things to successfully transition away from production management in the television industry and into creative producing: a deadline and accountability. With Stage 32's Writers' Room, I found both. Let's unpack a few ways you, too, can move forward in your creative journey while finding your creative "squad" on Stage 32!

SQUAD TIP #1: REGULATE YOURSELF. YOUR SQUAD WILL ENCOURAGE YOU.

A deadline, as stressful as it can seem, is actually akin to the carrot at the end of a stick: it is the goal and the reward for all your efforts. Choosing your deadlines can even be quite fun! Contests, mentorships, fellowships, festivals - it's all so exciting to think about! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has expressed glee while putting together a "Submission Schedule". When it comes time to do the work, however, accountability is the grueling but necessary work to get you from your plan to your carrot. While your creative community can shape the landscape of your journey, from competitive and hostile to collaborative and encouraging, it's actually your nearest and most trustworthy associates that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you as you move steadily forward. It is from your community that you find your "squad."

As I put in the work, hit my milestones, and discussed it in the community, those who connected with me would reach out. The encouragement came from a place of respect and admiration because they could see I was making progress. Your "squad" isn't meant to babysit you or take away your burden - just as no one else could carry The One Ring for Frodo in The Lord of the Rings (yes, I AM that geek) - but your squad will always believe in you and cheer you on!

I have since been working on revisions, the pitch deck, and the show bible. I've even written another pilot, several shorts, and started writing a feature film! This community has sincerely been an invaluable resource for me to focus on and reach my professional goals. It's actually because of my involvement with this inspiring and encouraging community that my collaborators, in turn, found me.

SQUAD TIP #2: DO THE WORK. YOUR SQUAD WILL MEET YOU HALFWAY.

After two months of utilizing the Writer's Room Wednesday Webcasts for accountability, I finished the first draft of my TV pilot. Once it was finished, I had an outpouring of offers - people who wanted to read it, give me notes, even some who offered me research materials to help with my next draft. While this may feel like they were giving me more work to do, they were instead helping me save time by guiding my next steps. What better way to earn someone's trust than to show them how to save time (or money)?

Since those early days in the Writer's Room, there have been at least six more accountability groups that have spawned and it's truly game-changing. Writer's Cafes, The Pitch Practice Session, even The Coverage Report which I co-host with Lit Kilpatrick. All started by Writer's Room members to help us all elevate our craft. Even if you are not in the Writer's Room, what event are you attending weekly to keep your head in the game and your project on track?

Here's the rub: even if your project is "in progress," showing up to these working events shows others that you are "doing the work", which makes it easier for them to reach out with the aforementioned offers - guidance, notes, and tangible assistance. Show up, do the work, and watch the incredible collaborators you attract! Healthy relationships can start with fulfilled transactions.

SQUAD TIP #3: SHOW UP & OWN YOUR CONTRIBUTION. YOUR SQUAD WILL APPRECIATE IT.

No matter the project or scale, I've always been the kind of person to jump in and lend a helping hand. A natural leader (or first follower to show others how to create a movement) by this TED Talk's standards. During the lockdown, the Wednesday Webcasts hosted by Jason Mirch went from a couple of dozen people attending to over a hundred. Holy WOW! As new faces logged into the Writers' Room for the first time, the actor in me turned it into a pre-show audience-warming. When Jason and RB saw my proactive approach, they knew my values aligned with that of Stage 32's – inspiring, encouraging, and educating about the craft and business of film, television, and digital media. It might as well have been my motto, too!

Is it any wonder that two years later, I'm still warming up the Writer's Room Wednesday Webcasts? What it has taught me, however, is that these live sessions are potent opportunities for creatives to get involved. Stepping in and taking charge is what I do best, but everyone must contribute from their own strengths.

SQUAD TIP #4: KEEP MEETING NEW CREATIVES. YOUR SQUAD WILL BE REFRESHED & ENERGIZED.

I have several groups that I work with, and it feels like we've always known each other. When we look back at how we met, however, it's clear that we did not all meet at the same time. Each of us met in our own time, but only because we kept meeting new people. Stage 32’s community is built on each member sharing their insights in the lounges about filmmaking, screenwriting, acting, and everything in between. Your questions, reflections, and stories educate and inspire our community of almost one million film and television creatives. If any of us had stopped accessing the wealth of information from the community, then not only would we be deprived of new information, but also miss out on meeting the next member of our creative "squad"!

No example is better than my creative partner, Garrett Adams. If you had told me when I moved to LA that I would be working with someone not much older than the high school students I just finished teaching, I would have laughed you off stage. And loudly. After meeting at a Stage 32 meet-up, followed by a coffee date to discuss his project, and a follow-up meeting with his writer, I knew I had found someone who was receptive to my input and my process. Truly, an invaluable seed to a budding creative partnership. We now have two more producers on our team, our short film is self-financed, and have just secured our talent. It's the most ambitious project either of us has helmed with child actors, stunts, stunt driving, and sets being built and aged. All of this has been possible because we were both willing to entertain the notion of meeting someone new and working with someone unexpected.

Now it's time for you to reach out and find your creative "squad"! Why not start by getting involved and reaching during Introduce Yourself Weekend in the lounges? Whether you are an active member of Stage 32 or new to our community, we want to share your experience, struggles, and successes! Sharing attracts the conversations that begin the relationships that bloom into your "squad."

If you have an idea for a lounge post but aren't ready to take the plunge, email me at K.Ross@stage32.com, and I will happily help you craft a kick-butt post!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and I look forward to chatting with you in the lounges. Perhaps I'll even help you celebrate your victories on Friday!

Cheers,

K. Ross

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