Stage 32 Screenwriting Lab: Write Your Feature Screenplay in 12 Weeks with Expert Guidance from a Global Executive (Jan 2024)
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Stage 32 Screenwriting Lab: Write Your Feature Screenplay in 12 Weeks with Expert Guidance from a Global Executive
***Only 2 Spots Left - Grab Your Spot Now*** Write your feature film screenplay in 12 weeks while being mentored by a world-renowned development 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 Thomas on email to ask him any questions about your craft or career so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details Are you ready to write your feature film screenplay while being mentored by a world class executive? If so, this exclusive interactive Stage 32 writing lab is for you! Guiding you on your writing journey to a finished screenplay is one of Stage 32's most sought after educators, Thomas Pemberton. Thomas is the Development Executive at the global production company Mind's Eye Entertainment, which has produced over 60 feature film and television projects. Thomas has a keen eye for great material and is quick to champion material he believes in. He's discovered three writers through Stage 32 who now have their projects under option with Mind’s Eye Entertainment! Over 12 intensive weeks, Thomas will work closely with you to outline, write, and actually complete your feature film screenplay. Thomas will lead intimate group sessions where he will offer notes and guidance on specific portions of each writer’s screenplay or vision documents, incrementally and methodically working towards a completed and polished product. You will also work one-on-one over Zoom with Thomas and will have direct access to Thomas over email for the duration of the lab. You will additionally have the benefit of getting support, feedback, and perspective from the other members of the lab, as well as the opportunity to offer your own for their projects. This is a perfect time to take control of your creative career and give yourself the accountability and guidance you need to take this leap and write a screenplay that you can be proud of... and that will get you noticed. You will walk away from this 12 week lab with a completed feature film screenplay in-hand that has been vetted by a top executive that you can share with studios, financiers, agents and managers! "What I most like about working with Stage 32 is finding new writers. We have optioned three projects that have come through Stage32. The range and variety of material is amazing, so whatever you are looking for they have got something for you." -- Thomas Pemberton Praise For Thomas' Stage 32 Teaching: "Thomas was instrumental in helping me get to that glorious 'Fade Out' at the end of my screenplay. After working with Thomas I feel confident that my script is ready to be read by executives and reps!" -- Sabrina S. "I didn't realize how much I didn't know about story structure and dialogue before working with Thomas. He opened my eyes to all the nuances in writing that I apply to all my work now." -- Sam B. "Felt so good to get to the end of my script! Thank you, Thomas, for your expert guidance. This course has truly been invaluable!" -- Liam R.
Building Blocks: How to Write a Great Scene Every Time
Do you suffer from writer’s block? Do you ever get stuck on a scene — at odds with how to proceed, what your character should do or say — for hours, days, sometimes weeks? Do you ever read a scene and think, something’s just not working? Join the illustrious club of every writer ever. Luckily, this very common problem has a simple solution. In this webinar, you will dig down to the building blocks of excellent scene work, those elements which are fundamental to establishing character, advancing plot, capturing tone, and planting memorable moments. By using iconic scenes from landmark film and TV and by citing examples from his 5+ years of TV writing and producing experience, Charlie will offer an array of tools and skills that will harden any writer against the obstacles and pitfalls that come with attacking any scene. Perhaps more importantly, participants will come away with some vital ways to overcome the feared writer’s block that plagues us all.
How You Can Make Money as a Creative: How to Establish Yourself as a Brand
As independent creatives, most of us have probably accepted our fates as “struggling artists” until we “get our break.” Still, even getting our break isn’t a guarantee for success and financial stability. There’s so much hustle and wait in this industry, but what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if you could take control of opening the golden door to success? This is an industry full of opportunities for those who are willing to engage in the entrepreneurial grind of building a profitable entity within the film industry. If you’re willing to bet on yourself, you can no doubt lead a fulfilling life as an independent artist. The two greatest challenges preventing people from fulfilling their dreams though, are often undervaluing themselves and quitting early. It’s important to learn and own your value and what you bring to the table if you want to set yourself up for success. There are strategic steps you can take towards monetizing your skills and creative ways to find revenue (trust us, it is out there!), but you have to be honest with yourself, be willing to put in the work and stand by your worth. Through iteration, practice, and time, you can even scale your skill(s) into your own business. With the right tools, resources, and motivation, you too can set yourself up for success as an independent artist. Jacob Matthew is the producer of the hit Netflix film LESS IS NOW. He is also the co-owner of the global production company and film agency Booklight. At Booklight he has expanded the agency's global reach in international film production by working with creatives and brands such as Netflix, Open Table, Comedy Central and Twilio. Jacob believes that when creatives are given permission to work in an environment that is as healthy and encouraging as it is disciplined and detailed, their creative ceiling can have no bounds. Booklight’s explosive growth is due, not only, to its co-founder Chris Newhard’s obsession for quality, but also to Jacob's own unwavering pursuit of organizational health and clarity. In this unique webinar, Jacob will share his story of success as an independent producer, and teach you how to find your value while accepting some brutal truths. He’ll also give you a realistic look at the industry today, and guide you on establishing your brand, what and how to charge clients based on your value, and train you on how to build your wealth while managing risk and growing your client list. This course will give you the basic, high level tools to propel you on your journey to leaving your day job and carving out a space for yourself in this industry. PRAISE FOR JACOB'S TEACHINGS: "We all make the mistake of thinking that the term “filmmaker” is a noun, a title to be achieved. We are wrong. A filmmaker is a verb. We film-make everyday that we wake up and decide to do something that moves our film forward. We film-make everyday we look in the mirror and tell ourselves we are on the right path. We film-make every time we encounter an obstacle in our way and choose to get creative. I look forward to teaching you how you can get creative and make a profitable career for yourself." - Jacob Matthew
What Makes Your Logline Attractive to A-List Actors, Producers, Directors, Managers, Agents, Financiers and Development Execs?
Exclusive to Stage 32, Chris Lockhart, one of the most legendary and revered agency story editors in the business teaches loglines to the community. Chris has read over 60,000 scripts in his career for WME and has the database to prove it! A logline is the way your screenplay is introduced to the world. It’s rare that anyone will read your script without knowing something about it first. A-List Actors, producers, directors, managers, agents, financiers and development execs will often lean on hearing a logline before ever asking for or agreeing to read a screenplay. If your logline doesn't sing, the script usually doesn't get opened. Even more important, if the logline doesn't work, it's a signal to those who read screenplays for a living that the script probably doesn't either. Delving into a logline can help you identify problematic elements of a screenplay, enabling solutions to fix them. Simply put, there is no one better to help teach this subject than Chris Lockhart. As Story Editor at William Morris Endeavor (WME), the world's largest diversified talent agency, Chris has curated projects for A-list actors such as Denzel Washington, Liam Neeson, Mel Gibson, Matt Damon, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, and countless others over the last 20+ years. He's accomplished this reading and exploring through piles of screenplays, magazines, books, old movies, TV shows, and pitches in search of potential film projects. If you've seen one of these actors in just about anything, chances are Chris was the first stop for the screenplay (of which he's read over 60,000), but only after he heard the logline and deemed it worth of a read! Chris began his career at International Creative Management (ICM), where he worked as script consultant to legendary talent agent Ed Limato, who represented industry giants such as Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liam Neeson, and Robert Downey, Jr. Chris later moved to the venerable William Morris Agency, which eventually merged with Endeavor to form WME. Chris is the Story Editor for A-list talent such as Denzel Washington, Michelle Williams, Richard Gere and more! As an educator and consultant, Chris has lectured around the world on the craft and business of screenwriting, and he has advised on countless feature films. Chris graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with an MFA in dramatic writing and was awarded the school's Public Service Prize for his dedication to public education. He is an adjunct professor at National University's Professional Screenwriting Program. He has also taught at LA Valley College and UCLA. His writing workshop The Inside Pitch was filmed for Los Angeles television, earning him an Emmy Award nomination. Chris's creative counsel has been used on hundreds of hit films Chris is a member of the Writers Guild, the Producers Guild, and the Television Academy. In a jammed packed and often hilarious webinar (trust us, Chris is a character and a half), Chris will not only teach you how to write a logline, but how to tailor it in such a way that it is appealing to talent, representation and the money. He'll break down the mechanics of a logline to determine what makes one work. He'll show you what aspects A-List actors, directors, managers, agents, producers, financiers and development execs look for in a logline that makes them want to take the next step and read your script. Chris will then take you on a broader discussion of the elements of successful screenwriting and how your logline can betray what you've written or reveal the shortcomings in your script. As a bonus, Chris will then play a recording of an interactive logline pitch shop he recently held where he broke down several loglines to show what worked and what didn't. All this followed by a fun and informative Q&A filled with even more actionable information. "Amazing seminar loved it. It was the best I have ever watched or ordered!" - Robert M. "Chris was clear, concise, helpful, and focused. Loved his enthusiasm and humor." - Lori H. "Oh my god, I was laughing all the way through. In between writing about 10 pages of notes. SO much fun and a wealth of knowledge." - Denise G.
Avoid Stock Characters: How To Create Memorable, Compelling Characters
Learn directly from Melissa Daykin Cassill, VP of Development and Production at State Street Pictures (Faster, Beauty Shop, Barbershop, Notorious, Nothing Like The Holidays)! You hear it again and again: “We’re looking for character driven drama/comedy/action/name your genre.” You may have a great plot, amazing action sequences, or the most hilarious idea for a comedy set piece but without great characters, you’ll be dead in the water. Why? Because everything should be motivated by your characters. What would The Godfather be without Michael’s change from the good man who served his country to a vengeful and tyrannical ruler? What would Star Wars be without the father son drama? Creating memorable characters is such an essential aspect of creating a compelling, sellable story, yet so many writers struggle with doing it correctly and fail to avoid the trap of stock characters that leave their scripts lifeless and weak. The Stage 32 Happy Writers is thrilled to bring you a 3-week online course Avoid Stock Characters: How To Create Memorable, Compelling Characters so you can learn how to create the memorable characters your story deserves. This class is taught by Melissa Daykin Cassill, VP of Development and Production at State Street Pictures, a production company with a first look deal at Fox 2000 Pictures. What Melissa loves most about her job is working with writers and developing exciting, compelling projects and she’s excited to be here teaching with Stage 32 to help you develop compelling characters in your story! In this class, you will learn how to set up a character arc so the character’s change is compelling, how to develop supporting characters who support the story and compliment your protagonists, how to avoid stock characters and scenes and how to adjust what you already have to make your work better. With interactive lectures and weekly homework assignments directly geared toward strengthening your characters, you will leave this class knowing exactly how to create memorable characters for your stories. “The class was very helpful and gave practical and process-related information. It was also encouraging to hear insider information and positivity in terms of breaking into the business.” PRAISE FROM MELISSA'S TEACHINGS: “I see it better now how to use structure and character take good to great” “Very, very helpful! Enough notes to continue on my script and make it even more interesting.” “Answered so many questions and opened my eyes as to how to gage what is wanted and what is not.” “First of all, thank you. I appreciate the notes about focus on character rather than a one trick (one joke) pony. I can apply this to my scripts.”
Stage 32 TV Development Lab: How to Develop and Pitch Your Television Project
Sorry, this lab is filled. Keep checking back Stage 32 Education for upcoming labs. Despite the quickly shifting landscape, and the uncertainty much of the entertainment industry is currently facing, there is still no better time to break into television than right now. Shows are continuing to get greenlit and writers are continuing to get staffed. Thanks to streamers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+, HBO Max and others, over 600 shows were greenlit last year and some industry experts are predicting we may see as many as 1,000 television shows greenlit per year by 2025. We’re in the midst of a content gold rush and more people than ever are looking for and buying great ideas and great scripts for their networks and platforms. If you have a great idea for a television show, there is absolutely a path forward, especially if you know how to navigate this new landscape. The opportunities are plentiful and the prospects have never been more exciting, but to get your television project greenlit, there are a few things you need to have down pat. Obviously you need a great idea—not just an idea that’s interesting and unique, but one that can sell. You also need a standout script around that idea, one that reads great and will make network and streamer executives stop, take notice, and want to read more. Yet an idea and a script aren’t enough to get that TV show made. You’ll also need to be able to deliver a convincing and memorable pitch, complete with an outstanding pitch deck and documents, and you need to be able to package your project to be more sellable to your dream network. These elements don’t necessarily go hand in hand, and different skills are necessary to accomplish each, but all are fully attainable and within your grasp, especially the right knowledge and guidance to help get you there. Raquelle David is a Producer and Literary Manager who has sold shows to Netflix, Amazon, Film Nation, eOne, and many others. Her clients have credits including SICARIO, MAD MEN, OUTLANDER, DOWNTON ABBEY, HELL OR HIGH WATER, THE LIBRARIANS, SHAMELESS, and IRON MAN. Raquelle has worked across independent film and television as a producer as well. Her multiple film credits have garnered a number of accolades including nominations for Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Australian Academy Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award and the Screen Producers Australia Award. Raquelle previously worked for Goalpost Pictures, Seven Network, Screen New South Wales in Australia and Rhombus Media in Toronto, Canada, under the tutelage of producer Niv Fichman (THE RED VIOLIN, ENEMY, BLINDNESS). Through her career, Raquelle has helped countless writers pitch their projects or get staffed on shows, and knows better than most what it takes to get a project off the ground and greenlit. In this advanced level and exclusive six-session lab (no more than ten students will be admitted), Raquelle will work directly with you in a class setting and also during one-on-one sessions to help you get your television project off the ground and set up for success. To do so, Raquelle will guide you through selecting a concept—either an original idea or based on existing IP—and getting your TV pilot script ready. She will then help you get your pitch and pitch document ready, and will teach you how best to package your project, including finding a good producer and working with showrunners. Finally, Raquelle will go over how best to protect your IP and ownership and how to work with reps and understand the roles and revenue splits when pitching TV. If you already have a concept or even a completed pilot, Raquelle will use the same tools to help you hone and sharpen your material. Plan to leave this lab with your TV project fleshed out and improved, an effective pitch and pitch document, a plan to properly package the show, and a slew of strategies and tools to hit the ground running and finding success. WHAT TO EXPECT This lab is designed for intermediate writers and producers looking to get their individual television project ready to pitch and sell to networks. This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed lab with one-on-one time with the instructor and significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar. ***Only 10 Spots Available. No exceptions*** You will be given exclusive and confidential handouts that will accompany the lessons and that you will be able to hold onto after the lab ends. This lab will consist of six sessions occurring twice weekly for three weeks, each roughly 90 minutes in duration. In addition to the lessons where Raquelle teaches the class, you will have the opportunity to ask her questions during each session as well as multiple chances to speak with her directly about your specific project. Plus, to stay motivated and inspired, you will have access to a private, dedicated Stage 32 Lounge where you can communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the TV project development process. To see the full TV project development lab schedule, see below under "What You Will Learn". PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 lab is limited to 10 writers and will be booked on a first come, first served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with a manager and an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good. Payment plans are available - please contact Amanda at edu@stage32.com for more information Plus! Raquelle will also provide you exclusive, confidential and helpful documents for you to download and use for your own projects including: Option Agreement Shopping Agreement TV Pitch Deck Examples TV Pitch Template TV Pilot Examples Current Network needs (current list of buyers and what they’re looking for) Current POD deals for TV Comprehensive Showrunner list
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