Screenwriting

Dear Sydney, I don't like to disappoint you but the lab costs 799 dollars. And I have already created a movie with one Christian character, plus the bad main character becoming a reformed Christian at the end. A 103 minutes long no-budget TV-movie which cost me "about 799 dollars".

Dear friends, I apologize for my absentmindedness in my previous comment. In 2018, I created a no-budget film. Main character a scientist and second most important a young rich Christian woman. Now I have a new script. The scientist is back as the second most important person. The young rich Christian woman is back as the third most important person. And at the end, the main character shows that she is reformed by saying "hallelujah". So I messed up a previous project with my new project.

Thank you Nathan, we're so excited to have you hosting our lab!

Hi Göran,

Thank you so much for sharing all of that, I really appreciate you opening up about your past projects and your process. It sounds like you’ve put a lot of heart, creativity, and effort into your work, and that absolutely deserves to be recognized.

I wanted to mention that we do offer payment plans for the lab, so it might be more manageable. If you want more details or want to set that up, feel free to email me at edu@stage32.com

Tthanks again for sharing a bit of your journey with us!

Please, I don't want to be impolite, but I prefer learning by doing, or borrowing books. I have access to a big public library, a university library, and free interlibrary loans. So I have borrowed quite a few books from, for example the library at the Swedish Film Institute. And right now I am concentrating on my scientific research. While waiting for answer from another Swedish screenwriter, about a TV mini series to write together, for children, not faith based.

I really like the episode idea, Aleksandr Rozhnov! "robbers in clown costumes" and "they’re doing it to save the daughter of one of them" hooked me the most. I think the concept works for the series and it'll be memorable, and it's interesting and believable.

Thank you so much for the feedback — it really means a lot to me. I’m planning to have 8–10 episodes like this in the first season. Now the only thing left is to come up with them

You're welcome, Aleksandr Rozhnov. I'm looking forward to watching this episode!

By the way, I’ve just come up with a new detail for Episode 2. The bank robbers are actually circus workers — they work as clowns. And to save the daughter of one of them, they decide to rob the bank. Henri will defend them in court and will win the case.

I think this adds another layer to their motivation and makes the story more human and emotional. What do you think about this twist?

I like that idea, Aleksandr Rozhnov! I think it makes the episode more unique.

She eats lunch alone at the café counter, plastic fork hovering like it’s wired to a bomb. Every bite crunches too loud. The man two stools down hasn’t touched his sandwich in ten minutes. He keeps checking his phone, then her reflection in the napkin dispenser. She pretends not to notice, unwraps her cookie slowly, buys time. The bell over the door jingles. The man stiffens. So does she. When he finally stands and leaves, her phone buzzes in her lap with a blocked number. The cookie goes untouched. Appetite gone. Whatever this was, it isn’t over.

At her desk, Lucy takes a break from the crushing boredom of work. She munches her usual lunch and browses the internet in search of sales for shoes she can't afford.

Her eyes pop.

On the screen, a police Blue Alert flashes to show a still of Lucy at her desk as she munches her usual lunch and browses the internet. The alert: Wanted for first degree murder. Armed and dangerous.

INT. ROADSIDE DINER - DAY

Beni slides into the corner booth.

His half finished plate waits.

His fingers reach out. Grasp.

The French fry glides through a mottled mound of ketchup.

Circle, circle, circle.

He forces his shoulders to remain relaxed as the woman approaches.

MISTY

You shouldn't be here Benito.

His brow arches up.

The fry in his hand continues its dance.

Circle.

Circle.

MISTY

I know you heard me.

He inclines his head.

Lets the fry fall into the ruddy pile of sauce.

Picks up the remnants of his sandwich instead.

Crusty bread passes his lips.

MISTY

Nothing to say?

He exhales, long and loud.

Looks up at her.

He chews with intent, then swallows.

BENI

Not much, no.

He looks back at his plate.

The dance of the fries.

MISTY

I said you shouldn't be here!

He inclines his head again. Pops the fry in his .mouth.

BENI

Yep.

She huffs.

MISTY

Yep. And?

He looks up at her again.

BENI

And I'm still here.

She slaps a stack of tickets on the table.

Leans close to his face.

MISTY

Then pay your tabs off!

He glances at the pile of papers.

Sniffs.

BENI

Fine. Total it up.

Misty snatches up the tickets.

Moves to the register.

The clack of keys sounds too loud in the lingering quiet.

Beni stands.

Sips his tea.

Walks out with a grin that spreads further at the shouts behind him.

#

Thanks for the prompt Maurice! This was fun!

INT- RESTYRANT -NIGHT

SHE was sitting infront of him with her eyes fixed at him ,there were two main dishes on table of shrimp ,he was holding the fork towards his mouth with shrimp looking at her

He

Why your looking at me

Did I miss you that much

She

( with faint smile)

Is it delicious, I mean the shrimp

He

Yes it is

She

But you used to have fate allergy from it

Dropping the fork from his hand and coughing ,she give him glass of water

She

Tell me who realy are you

No one speaks for amoment only there eyes look could tell

These are great, everyone! I'm hungry now. Haha Eating, washing a car, checking an email, buying groceries, finding something to wear, warming up for a game, etc. can be suspenseful. And writers can build stories around suspenseful things like these. Thanks for doing the exercise.

Go for it Adnabod Calon faith based films are actually quite lucrative and in demand. They tend to do well in the box office and on streaming. I also think there are a lot of people who would love to explore religious reconciliation. I myself as a Christian, often wonder, what if all the major religions found common ground and build a foundational union on that? What if politics is what caused the divide in the first place?

Kevin, I appreciate the commercial angle - but I see this differently.

To me, there are only two forms of spirituality in history:

faith in ritual - and faith in the Omnipresent.

Not faith as institution. Not faith as identity.

But faith as recognition that consciousness itself points beyond material explanation.

I don’t believe atheists reject transcendence - they simply rename it: Nature, Cosmos, Absolute, Energy. The vocabulary shifts. The metaphysical intuition remains.

What happened in 12th-century Shirvan was radical. It wasn’t sectarian religion. It was an incubator - a controlled experiment in decentralizing spiritual authority. Instead of concentrating power in dogma, it allowed multiple traditions to search for the Divine within the human being.

That is why the assassin conspiracy matters dramatically. They represent ideological control. The Tower represents inner sovereignty.

This isn’t “faith-based” in the modern genre sense.

It’s civilizational philosophy wrapped in historical conflict.

The real question is not whether audiences want religion.

It’s whether they’re ready for a story about spiritual decentralization.

Adnabod Calon wow, such an interesting and powerful concept. Thank you for taking on such an important story. History shows us that the turmoil and seemingly unprecedented events of today are merely repeats of history. Far too often art fails to identify the positive cycles, moments and events of history that provide hope and demonstrate that WE are capable of rising above any individual(s), abhorrent ideas or martial conflict. I am rooting for this story!!

Darrell, What drew me to this story wasn’t nostalgia - it was danger.

Interfaith unity in the 12th century wasn’t an idealistic dream. It was a radical political act. It threatened power structures. It created enemies. It required courage that rivaled any battlefield.

We’ve seen countless films about wars of conquest. Far fewer about wars of ideas - and the cost of choosing coexistence over control.

What if the most explosive tension isn’t sword against sword - but vision against fear?

That’s the story I’m telling.

Very interesting take Adnabod Calon

Hi

John Montague

Your comment reminded me of Dogville — that intensity, the way moral complexity plays out, the darkness inside people.

In my story, the hero is in some ways his own antagonist. He’s a marine biologist trying to save giant manta rays, sabotaging the market in subtle ways. I could make him face extreme consequences — jail, even violence — but I wonder: is that always necessary?

Can the antagonist exist purely inside the protagonist, without cruelty or malice, yet still drive the story and create tension? That’s exactly the struggle I’m exploring.

Thank you for inspiring me to think about internal antagonists in this way.

Thank you, Pat Alexander! I agree — often the most vivid antagonists come from what personally touches us. Even if it irritates or angers, it makes them real.

Dwayne Williams, your approach is amazing. Real people's stories and actions give so many nuances for characters. Indeed — cult leaders and radical regimes create unique worlds around the protagonist.

Ingrid Wren, thank you for your insights. I completely agree — environment and external pressures shape behavior. Brainstorming with colleagues really reveals characters in a new way.

Nataly Kiut

I’m not an expert here, (or anywhere) lol, but

so from what I understand about people and the way they interpret story, the antagonist really needs to be something resembling an entity of it’s own. or so they say.

i know this is thought to be true of movies at this time, i assume books as well.

this was even a problem for the writers of “a beautiful mind” even though there are actual voices in the protagonists head. the audience needs an outside force of some kind to see the protagonist actually overcome someone/thing.

it’s possible you could come up with a way to do what you describe but to me the internal struggle is more about the arc, and only one thread of the story.

sounds like in your case (if you want) you could follow a kind of romance structure (with or without actual romance) where the antagonist is technically the other person in the relationship. sometimes then the protagonist may overcome their internal struggle in order to meet the antagonist on their level and become a team. idk if that’s a fit for you, just a suggestion. that would at least put an antagonist in your story that doesn’t need to be really cruel, since the story isn’t meant to be “protagonist vs armed murderous poacher”. lol

I think it would be hard to show the audience what the character is up against if it were all inside themselves.

That's HUGE Shayla Anne - congratulations on the recommend!!

Congratulations on getting a Recommend, Shayla Anne! I hope you get more meetings!

Thankyou! Maurice Vaughan @Leonardo Ramirez - I'm editing it now then I'll send it again! :)

You're welcome, Shayla Anne.

Shayla Anne Magnificent!!! Keep being, shine, bright, I am so happy and excited for you!

this reminded me of something Andy Guerdat said on one of his YouTube vids. been watching lately he’s got a good channel. “the go draft”

he was talking about the “axe” of the scene.

put two characters in a room with no doors and no windows and nothing else. after the initial panic then what?

now give them an axe. then they can argue about who gets the axe, who’s swinging it wrong, who could break it, who did break it etc.

then he brought up several examples including what he called the cuckoo clock scene, where one guy was putting the screws to another over something but they were in one of those cable cars ( the axe ) alone with each other. it was in the air and before too long the door was opened and threats were in the air as well. lol.

that channel is good - lots of advice from a working Hollywood writer.

I gotta try those scenes and check out Andy's channel, John Montague. Thanks.

Maurice Vaughan I put my dark rom com Three Days of AUM in the mix too! Bon chance Sandra Isabel Correia !!!

Yuhoooo Juliana Philippi, I am so thrilled for you. Good luck, my friend.

I hope Three Days of AUM does great in the contest, Juliana Philippi!

Maurice Vaughan Thanks Maurice, and Sandra Isabel Correia same to you!!! Let's keep on keepin' on : )

You're welcome, Juliana Philippi. Thank you.

Thank y'all for entering our Stage 32 + Drama Box Screenwriting Competition!

Can't wait to hear more about those who entered. What a wonderful opportunity to work with the world's fastest growing digital studio!

Hi everyone!

I submitted HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE, a vertical drama thriller that blends romance, psychological power dynamics, and high-stakes corporate intrigue.

I enjoy exploring storytelling across different genres and formats — from character-driven suspense to visually focused binge narratives — and this project allowed me to lean into the unique pacing and emotional rhythm of vertical storytelling. I especially love the challenge of sustaining the high cliffhanger frequency vertical dramas demand, while still building character depth and emotional stakes.

Really looking forward to seeing the incredible range of projects everyone has entered. Wishing all entrants the best of luck!

— Hannah

I submitted my third screenplay, THE GIFT OF LOVE. Here is the logline:

Love, mystery, and resilience intertwine in The Gift of Love, a captivating tale set against the vibrant backdrop of a Caribbean island, where Crystal Rice is torn between fulfilling her dying father’s wish for her to marry Peter Paton, the son of his wealthy friend, and her undying love for her boyfriend, Barry Holmes.

The story compares with O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, and Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook. Like these beloved stories, it explores how love, when expressed through sacrifice, faith, and selfless giving, transcends material boundaries and touches the soul.

I thank Stage 32 for allowing me to participate in these contests.

My second screenplay, Zeeka and the Zombies, was a finalist in the 13Hooror.com Film & Screenplay Contest 2025 and I am willing to sell it.

Thanks, Sam Rivera.

So many opportunities to take advantage of! And with more success stories coming out of the OWAs in the last few weeks, now's a great time to get involved in the Writers' Room and be paired with executives looking for material.

Kevin Hager If you click on the link in the post, you can sign up and then you’ll get a link for the open house which is online right here on Stage 32.

And it's free and won't cost a thing, and a chance to reveal our ideas?

It’s more about learning how to get the most out of Stage 32 Kevin Hager. Yes, it is free.

Like what?

Kevin Hager How to use the Lounges and how to find the best services that will help you reach your goals. In short, how to navigate Stage 32 to best suit your needs.