***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.
In this challenge, members were asked to write one side of a phone conversation. The challenge is to give us the full idea of the story, the conflict, the relationship between the characters, and the ultimate resolution. The key to this exercise is to make the stakes high! Can the writer phrase their character’s dialogue so that the phone call still makes sense - and give us the exposition we need? During this webcast we received a number of fantastic entries that spanned genres, including Rom Com, Thriller, Drama, and Comedy, and more!
Learn the essential fundamentals of screenwriting from the Oscar-nominated writer of TOY STORY, MONEY TALKS, GOODBYE LOVER, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, EVAN ALMIGHTY, and more! PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you hone your screenwriting craft! If you want to be a successful screenwriter with a fulfilling, long-lasting career, it is imperative you understand the basic fundamentals of the craft. From structure and character development to dialogue and subtext to building stakes and conflict,, there are certain elements of screenwriting you need to be proficient in if you want to create noteworthy screenplays. Stage 32 is here to help. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn all the essential fundamentals of screenwriting. Teaching you everything you need to know about the craft of screenwriting is Oscar-nominated screenwriter Alec Sokolow. In addition to Alec’s work on Pixar’s TOY STORY (which garnered him an Oscar nomination), Alec penned the hit films MONEY TALKS, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, EVAN ALMIGHTY, GARFIELD, and many other projects. His work has grabbed audiences globally and has netted over $2 billion in worldwide receipts. Now, Alec is sharing his secrets of the craft exclusive with the Stage 32 community! In a jam-packed 90 minutes, Alec will teach you how to approach your own screenwriting like a professional and how to get the most out of your time and talent. You will learn how, and why, you must create dynamic characters, a solid structure, and a story that can captivate audiences around the world. Whether you’re brand new to screenwriting and looking to learn the fundamentals or you’re a veteran screenwriter looking to further hone your craft from one of the most accomplished screenwriters in the industry, this webinar is a must. PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you hone your screenwriting craft. PRAISE FOR ALEC'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION: "Wonderful insights. Made lots of notes. Thank you." "Alec is the best! What a world of knowledge!" "Great session with Alec. Thanks for the insights and wisdom from your storytelling experience. Oh, and for the films!"
Documentary filmmaking is a very different game than narrative filmmaking, as any professional documentarian can tell you. Documentaries capture real life which is anything but predetermined. As a result, the documentary filmmaking process is flipped and the story is crafted after production in the edit room. Knowing how to find the story in your documentary from the footage you've shot is the key to making a world-class film. This skill doesn’t just make or break your documentary; it is your documentary. But mastering this skill is the key to being a great documentary filmmaker and something that’s entirely within your grasp. And that's where Stage 32 steps in. The host of this webinar, Eric Daniel Metzgar is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and the producer and editor of Hulu's documentary CRIME + PUNISHMENT, which won an Emmy and Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize. A two-time Sundance Documentary Lab Fellow, Eric has extensive experience directing, producing, writing, and editing award-winning documentary films. He directed, shot and edited REPORTER, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, aired on HBO, and was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also directed, shot and edited LIFE.SUPPORT.MUSIC., which aired on PBS’s long-running documentary series POV, and THE CHANCES OF THE WORLD CHANGING, which also aired on POV and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Eric also edited GIVE UP TOMORROW and ALMOST SUNRISE, which were both nominated for Emmys and also aired on POV. Through his storied and heavily awarded career, Eric has positioned himself as a practiced and highly sought after editor and documentarian. He’s prepared to share what he knows with the Stage 32 community. Eric will teach you invaluable strategies to help you move through the inevitable difficult stages of your documentary editing journey and to stay on track when the going gets tough and all seems lost. He will begin by going over what makes a good documentary story in general, including beginnings, middles, and ends, arcs, stakes, and “releasing power”. He’ll then discuss how best to approach your own footage and determining if you have a story. He’ll explain differentiating between the footage and the story in your head, how to craft an outline, and create a reckoning with beats. He will also teach you what selects are and why they can make all the difference. Next Eric will give you tips on how to approach the initial assembly edit, where to start, how to stay motivated, how to avoid “the music trap” and the best way to start linking your scenes together. Then he will delve into the real editing after the assembly is completed. He’ll discuss rearranging, re-cutting, and deleting, how to fix the scenes that aren’t working and how to know when to kill your darlings. He will also give you tips on revisiting raw footage later on in the process and what to do when you hit those inevitable but painful roadblocks. Eric will focus on the two hardest parts of a documentary—beginnings and endings, and strategies to make them successful. Eric will spend time giving tips and inspiration for what to do when you hit that dreaded brick wall and how to stay on track and hold on to your purpose when things get difficult. He’ll talk about getting others’ opinions and what you need to do to allow your film to be good, how to take it from good to great, shifting from the content to the form, fine tuning, working with the film as a whole, and how best to address lingering doubts. There’s nothing harder than editing a great documentary, but you will leave this webinar with a better understanding of how to be successful with a collection of strategies to help you navigate your way through. Praise for Eric's Stage 32 Webinar: "This webinar was truly insightful. Very down to earth and straightforward with information. I learned more with Eric in a half-hour than 1 year at a university." -Michelle A. "Fantastic webinar! Eric shared valuable information in such an engaging way...I was so relaxed even though I was feverishly taking notes. : ) He was definitely inspiring. I'm anxious to watch it again!" -Marli W. "Amazing session with Eric. He has saved me months of prep on my docs just on the tips I got today. No more paper edits for me." - Genevieve S. "What an amazingly insightful, helpful presentation! Eric's evident passion for documentary film and practical guidance left me excited to dig into my project." -Alexis S. "So helpful. Exactly what I needed during this time in my careers and profession." -Alexandra K.
4-PART CLASS (OVER 8 HOURS OF EDUCATION!) NOW AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND! From Casablanca to Star Wars to Breaking Bad, the reason you remember these stories is because of the compelling protagonist at their core. Their journey is why we tune in, and the way they change is the reason we root for them to succeed (or in some cases, fail). But character can be a tricky piece of the puzzle for screenwriters, especially in Hollywood’s concept-driven environment. Ultimately, great cinema is based on great characters, and this 4 part class is intended to help you find your character, make them real, and build a story around their journey—all the while staying within the realm of commercial modern cinema. Stage 32 is excited to bring you the previously recorded 4 part class: It's All About Your “Hero's Journey” - How to Write Memorable Characters taught by Ross Putman, award-winning producer. Ross is a producer and an agent at the prestigious Verve Talent & Literary Agency. Ross has been a producer on THE VIOLENT HEART starring Lucas Haas and Mary J. Blige, FIRST GIRL I LOVED, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, THE YOUNG KIESLOWSKI, winner of the LA Film Festival, and Netflix's BAD SAMARATIANS. He is also the former creative executive at Ineffable Pictures. This exclusive 4-part class offers insight into case studies to help you as a writer form a comparison to inform your own writing. In addition, you will walk away with tools and techniques to apply to your own writing! Purchasing this on-demand class gives you access to the previously recorded live class which has over 8 hours of education! Although Ross is no longer reviewing the assignments, we still encourage all you to participate to help continue to hone your writing skills!
In this Break Down we are seeing what it takes to build a world during the Breakdown Webcast: World Building! This comes as a request from several of our members who want to discuss how to build worlds in your writing...and pre-writing. World Building is one of most important tasks in writing - it lays the foundation for everything that occurs in your story. So how can you do it within your screenplay without feeling expository or over the top? We're going to talk about how to avoid common mistakes in World Building, key ways to get better at World Building, and even look at some examples of World Building from both script and screen to see how your favorite screenwriters and filmmakers tackled this difficult task. During this webcast, we watch clips and analyze the scripts for features including TITANIC, BLADE RUNNER, JOKER and more!