TV movies are very much alive and well, and if you’re a screenwriter or producer looking to break into this huge market niche, you’ve come to the right webinar. Despite the change in viewer habits with on-demand movies, the TV Movie and the Movie of the Week on Hallmark, Lifetime, and Disney, as well as many other channels are still extremely popular. To breakdown this landscape and share the truths behind the TV Movie model, Stage 32 has brought in MarVista’s former Acquisition and Co-Production executive, Justine Wentzell. Justine has worked on almost 100 different TV movies in MarVista’s core business. After she digs into the specifics of what these networks are looking for, Julie will offer tips on writing a successful script for this niche. Stick around for a Q&A after the webinar to take an even deeper dive into other key elements of this form of storytelling. You will not get more in-depth overview of TV movies, what goes into developing, writing and producing them anywhere else!
The Stage 32 Writers’ Room has just surpassed a milestone achievement - 100 webcasts! For the last year and a half it has been the honor of Director of Script Services Jason Mirch to act as the humble host, guiding webcasts that include script and screenwriting breakdowns, virtual pitch sessions to industry professionals, one-on-one conversations with some of the biggest names in the business, and writing exercises that challenge our imaginations and sharpen our skills. The goal of the Writers’ Room has always been to give writers all over the world the support, access, and education to thrive in their craft and career. Our recent Writers' Room guests have included Oscar-nominated Pixar writer Meg LeFauve, Billion Dollar Producer Amy Baer, AKEELAH AND THE BEE Filmmaker Doug Atchison, Universal Pictures Executive Ken Korba, A QUIET PLACE development executive Linsday Schwartz, GREEN HORNET producer Bradley Gallo, and many more - all of whom spoke and interacted directly with our members. Several of our members have connected with each other and have swapped scripts, collaborated on projects, produced projects they have written, and writers have even been optioned by producers largely because of the Writers’ Room! The Writers' Room is strong because of the incredible members who are serious about their craft and advancing their careers. So we are turning the spotlight over to some of our talented Writers' Room members who will tell us how they broke out in a highly competitive industry and achieved success during this Stage 32 Writers' Room Member Success Spotlight webcast! During this webcast, Writer, Producer, Actor & Stage 32 CEO Rich "RB" Botto and Writer, Producer, and Director of Script Services Jason Mirch shine some light on members who have utilized the power of Stage 32 and the Writers' Room to achieve tremendous success in the industry and learn the secrets they have discovered for breaking out! During this webcast the panel includes: Screenwriter, Martin Reese, who received a $5,000 option agreement from Glass House Distribution and Trick Candle Productions for a script he developed with the help of the Writers' Room! Screenwriter, Chris Torres, who landed representation with Manager Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment after being a part of the Writers' Room and being connected for a meeting by Stage 32! Author and Screenwriter, Christi Corbett, who developed one of her novels into a screenplay which was then optioned by producer Brad Wilson of Higher Purpose Entertainment!Screenwriter and Filmmaker, Chaun Lee, who used the power of Stage 32 and the Writers' Room to develop a short film which she then produced using local crew and cast in Atlanta just prior to lockdown!
Do you have a project that needs a top-tier piece of talent attached to get the proper attention of buyers and financiers? Actors bring your characters and story to life, but before your film is ever seen on screen, signing the right top talent can bring financing and get your project sold. So how do you as a writer, producer or filmmaker approach A-list talent to be a part of your film? In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, top casting director Dori Zuckerman, who has worked with director Garry Marshall and talent including George Clooney, Elijah Wood, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, and more, will give you an insider’s view on the types of projects that attract top talent, as well as strategies to position your project, break through the gatekeepers and actually sign top talent to get your project made. You'll leave this webinar with essential information and important tools to approach difference-making talent for your own projects that can help propel your work and career. Dori has cast over 100 TV series and feature films. Dori is a member of the Casting Society of America and has twice been the recipient of their award for excellence in casting.
Learn how you can get the biggest results out of your short film - from festivals and PR to screenings and distribution deals - with Meredith Alloway, a filmmaker who has partnered with Hulu, Sundance Institute and 20th Century on her short films and whose short films have played at SXSW, AFI Fest, Overlook, and Bucheon! PLUS! You'll receive an exclusive Short Film Guide that will help you make the most out of your film! Making a short film can be an extraordinary launching pad for all parties involved — whether you’re the director, writer, producer, actress, or cinematographer. Shorts can showcase your distinctive abilities and have helped kickstart the careers of some of the most successful creatives. However, it’s not a guarantee that your short film will be a hit on the festival circuit and catch the attention of respected and renowned members of the industry. While it’s one thing to make a short film, it’s another to make a short film that people care about. Unless your short truly makes a splash and showcases a fresh, unique vision or team, it can be difficult to reap the benefits. Ultimately, you can tell a great story through a short, but then need to know how to get that story out into the world. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will not only learn how to get your short film made, but how you can set your short and yourself up for a successful run at festivals, online releases, and beyond. Teaching you how to get the most traction for your short film to bolster your career is filmmaker and journalist Meredith Alloway. Meredith’s critically acclaimed short film DEEP TISSUE screened internationally at festivals including SXSW, AFI Fest, Overlook, and Bucheon, and opened for Julia Ducournau’s film RAW at MoMA. She partnered with Hulu, Sundance Institute and 20th Century Digital Studios on her last two short films RIDE and FIRST DATE, and was thrilled to direct Paris Jackson’s debut gothic music video LET DOWN with Eli Roth as Executive Producer. As a journalist for over 12 years, Meredith has written interviews and feature pieces for publications like Vanity Fair, Playboy, Filmmaker Magazine, Nylon, and Indiewire. Now Meredith will share with you her own journey getting her films into festivals all over the world and published in various press outlets. In this information-packed webinar, Meredith will cover useful tips in the pre-production and production of your short, and then unpack the festival and online scene. How do you fund your short? On a shoestring budget, what crew members or resources are vital on set? What’s an EPK and do shorts need them? What’s an informed film festival strategy? How do you reach out to press? Where should you premiere online? Meredith will cover several questions and debunk any myths around what a “successful short” really looks like. PLUS! Meredith will provide you with exclusive handouts to help guide you on your short film journey. Downloads include: Guide for making the most out of your short film You will walk away from the webinar with the knowledge and tools you need to make your short film successful in a way that moves your career forward! "Mentorship and education has always been very important to me — I'm grateful to have had many of my own mentors along the way. I'm so thrilled to share my experiences. I hope they provide insight that helps someone else understand their unique voice and achieve their goals." - Meredith Alloway
Learn how you can begin your career as a screenwriter from the founder of Leigh Hill Management, a top literary management company with clients who have worked at AppleTV, Showtime, and more. It’s the dream of many to have a career as a writer for TV or film, to be able to make a living creating worlds and telling stories. However finding success as a writer is rarely easy, no matter how talented you are. Once you’re able to get your script into the hands of someone who can do something real with it, your script can speak for itself. But until then, you have to strive to get your work read and make sure it stands out from the others. This can be very tough. Without a professional, targeted approach, you could have the talent and the drive for a successful and sustained career as a writer but never get the opportunity. Once you’ve worked on your craft and put the finishing touches on a script you’re proud of, it’s important to remember your job as a writer is not yet done. You still need to get your script into the right hands and make sure you stand out from the crowd. There’s no singular blueprint to get discovered and find success as a writer. Every writer’s story is different and often involves a bit of luck and happenstance. That said, there are many paths available that working writers can take advantage of. Making use of opportunities like notes services, coverage and scores, competitions, script hosting services, festivals, networking, queries, and more, can help get you on the right track as a writer and help attract the attention of busy managers, agents, and producers. Ashley Berns is a long-time literary manager who worked at respected management company Circle of Confusion for 15 years before opening his own company, Leigh Hill Management. Ashley also serves as executive producer for the Showtime comedy series WORK IN PROGRESS. Over his career, Ashley has worked with a slew of talented writer and helped them find success and build their creative career, and will share what he knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, Ashley will go through the nuts and bolts and provide you with an introduction of how to build your own career in screenwriting. He will discuss what you should always have in your screenwriting “tool kit” including script formatting and other materials to have at your disposal. He’ll explain literary representation and the difference between a manager, an agent, and a lawyer and how they work together. He’ll also delve into whether you need representation in the first place. Next Ashley will talk about networking and how to come across professional when speaking with others. Finally Ashley will teach you how best to get noticed, including writing cold queries and using opportunities like festivals, competitions, script hosting, and script coverage to advance your career. Expect to leave with a much clearer idea of paths to take to better approach your writing career and strategies to better find clear success and get noticed. Praise for Ashley's Stage 32 Teaching “I've always dreamed of becoming a screenwriter but never really knew how to start until this webinar. Big, big thanks to Ashley for sharing his experience and wisdom." - Phil D. "As someone who has been at screenwriting for a couple of years, I found this webinar to be immensely rewarding and useful." - Chris B. "Everyone from professional screenwriters to anyone remotely interested in screenwriting should take this. Ashley is so full of information and knowledge, he's really a fantastic resource." - Patrick H.
Sebastian is currently a partner in Circus Road Films after working in development at Paramount, and at Touchstone, the TV division of Disney and ABC.We'll discuss the business + a live Q&A!