Screenwriting

Screenwriter, Other

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

4 days ago

FREE Awards Season Script Giveaway!

Stage 32 is giving away 55 FREE scripts from this year’s top nominated movies for The Oscars, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs for you to read and study! Get the scripts here: https://mailchi.mp/stage32/oscarscripts...

Expand post

Awards Season 2025: Awards-Nominated Scripts

https://mailchi.mp/stage32/oscarscripts

Hollywood "Awards Season" is one of the most exciting times of the year! The world's best actors and filmmakers step out in their finest fines to strut the red carpet amid the flashing lights and ador…

Laurie Ashbourne

WRITER-PRODUCER at https://www.lastorystudio.com ♦ Screenwriter, Producer, Author

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

5 days ago

A character study from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

Expand post

For 13 years she has served as Washington D.C’s first female diocesan bishop. She is the Bishop of Washington’s National Cathedral and as part of her dominion tradition, she held a service for the incoming President. No matter your faith or what country you live in, her words and request of that sermon are words of basic human decency; nothing out of the ordinary for a congregation of decent humans. And her steadfast commitment to refuse to apologia for human decency is nothing short of heroic to those of us who desperately need a hero now.

In less than one week, the greatest country in the world has reverted to the ideology of the greatest evil our world has ever known; it is truly the stuff of cinema — but sadly is not fiction. This is a time when our voices and stories matter more than ever.

But at the core of Bishop Budde’s compassionate plea for humanity, is a brilliant character study in cinematic conflict. Watching the unqualified president elect, his immigrant wife, his spineless and fraudulent VP and wife born into citizenship from immigrant parents, and all of his long blonde extension-addled bimbo daughters and in-laws and cocaine-addled sons, squirm in their seats as the Bishop asked a simple act of mercy for human decency, could not have been captured more powerfully from Spielberg or Scorsese.

I have watched that clip so many times to see the silent uncomfortable seething that the misinformed populace has entrusted with our future elected, it is both joyous and heartbreaking at once, and a master class in storytelling. The demand that the bishop apologize and her refusal to do so is not even the point. The cinematic beauty of it, is the sweet melodic sermon that held the heathens captive in a confined space, to squirm and feel the power of her every word. The squirms indicative of hearts knowing they have been caught and are being called out for all to see. The perfect way to take down an adversary.

In dark times we need to find the bright spots, and the helpers.

Never in a million years did any of us imagine one would emerge from the National Cathedral’s inaugural prayer service. And unlike every other branch in D.C. that is being dismantled and reduced to joke status, the Bishop cannot be fired by the insane president elect she so perfectly made squirm.

Colin Mummery

3
3 people like this
5 days ago

Mariann Edgar Budde showed us what true moral courage looks like.

Mike Childress

Screenwriter, Author

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

2 weeks ago

To Flashback or Not to Flashback...That is the Question...

Howdy Peeps,

It's me, Mike, again coming in hot with my burning screenwriting questions!

I don't get the general aversion to flashbacks. Almost every article, post, book section, etc. rails against them. Trottier, in The Screenwriter's Bible is basically like, 'They almost never work, avoid them'. Yet...

Expand post

View all All comments

Claude Gagne

2
2 people like this
- Mike Childress
- Maurice Vaughan
5 days ago

Long or short flashbacks do you use, Christopher J. Bounds ?

Christopher J. Bounds

2
2 people like this
- Mike Childress
- Maurice Vaughan
5 days ago

Claude Gagne If I do they are short.

Bill Brock

4
4 people like this
5 days ago

Christopher J. Bounds I also enjoy writing flashbacks. My lengths are either long or short, depending on what I need to convey in order to keep the story pushing forward. Example (long): I’ve written...

Expand comment

Philip David Lee

4
4 people like this
5 days ago

The best utilization of a constant use of flashbacks was the 1972 Kung Fu series. Second place, 2012's Arrow. Use those two shows as prime examples and you can never go wrong. For a single feature fil...

Expand comment

Mike Childress

3
3 people like this
5 days ago

Philip David Lee Oh man I loved watching reruns of the original Kung Fu although still a bit miffed Sifu Bruce Lee didn't get the starring role. In fact when people ask what I do for a living I often...

Expand comment

Leonardo Ramirez

Screenwriter, Author, Voice Actor

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

1 week ago

New Blog post: My Stage 32 Story: Venturing Out Of My Lane in Year 2

Hey creative family - just wanted to share my latest blog post. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and comment...

So I’ve now made it to year two in my journey with Stage 32 and what a journey it’s been! As I mentioned in my year one post, I enjoy reflecting in order to stay positive on th...

Expand post

View all All comments

Leonardo Ramirez

3
3 people like this
1 week ago

Thanks Mark Deuce - really means a lot. Hope you're doing great!

Mark Deuce

3
3 people like this
6 days ago

Doing great Leonardo Ramirez and hope that your year is off tp a great start!

Leonardo Ramirez

4
4 people like this
6 days ago

It is Mark Deuce. Just put together some scripts samples for voiceover. We'll see what happens.

Sam Rivera

4
4 people like this
5 days ago

what a great share and blog written! appreciate your openness to how you were able to explore your horizons!

Leonardo Ramirez

3
3 people like this
5 days ago

Thanks so much Sam Rivera. Means a lot!

Pat Alexander

Writer Liaison at Stage 32 ♦ Screenwriter, Producer

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

5 days ago

WINNER ANNOUNCED: 11th Annual Search for New Blood Contest

Congratulations to the winner of this year's Search for New Blood Contest, Travis J. Opgenorth, who won with his supernatural horror script THE WHISPERERS!

Logline: When a psychic reading causes his wife to end her life, a skeptic ex-cop makes it his mission to debunk spiritualists, until he encounte...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Benjamin Elliott
5 days ago

Congratulations, Travis!!! THE WHISPERERS sounds thrilling!

Pat Alexander

Writer Liaison at Stage 32 ♦ Screenwriter, Producer

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

5 days ago

Extended Deadline Today: 9th Annual Comedy Feature Screenwriting Contest

Hey friends, today is the Extended Deadline for the 9th Annual Comedy Feature Screenwriting Contest. Among this year's judges, we have execs from Hartbeat Productions, Miramax, and American High, alongside producers from movies like OLD DADS, JOY RIDE, and INGRID GOES WEST! So now is the time to bre...

Expand post

Ashley Renee Smith

Head of Community at Stage 32 ♦ Creative Executive, Script Consultant, Producer

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

6 days ago

Join Us for the Stage 32 Community Wrap-Up – LIVE on Instagram!

Get ready for another exciting Stage 32 Community Wrap-Up this Friday at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET with Stage 32's Head of Community, Ashley Smith, and Community Manager / Writer's Room Producer, Kay Ross!

We'll be covering all the amazing things happening right here on Stage 32 – from upcoming events...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

2
2 people like this
- Benjamin Elliott
- Petra Jurasova
6 days ago

I'm looking forward to the Community Wrap-Up, Ashley Renee Smith! They're always fun and helpful!

Ashley Renee Smith

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
5 days ago

If you missed today's Instagram Live, you can watch the full video HERE: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFOE8lWyVLz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&......

Expand comment

Maurice Vaughan

Screenwriter, Other

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

6 days ago

Stage 32 Community Wrap-Up

Join us LIVE on Instagram today at 10:00 A.M. PST/1:00 P.M. EST. We’ll be talking industry news, creative inspiration, and how to get YOUR script sold this year!

Go to Instagram NOW to make sure you’re following the @stage32 and @stage32scripts accounts so you’re ready to join us.

Maurice Vaughan

6 days ago

If you missed today's Wrap-Up or you want to watch it again, here's the link: www.instagram.com/reel/DFOE8lWyVLz

Maurice Vaughan

Screenwriter, Other

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

6 days ago

Writers’ Room AMA – All Day Today!

Karina Wilson, Writer, Story Consultant, and Former Story & Development Analyst for IM Global (SECRET IN THEIR EYES, THE CIRCLE, 13 SINS), is hosting an exclusive AMA all day in the Writers’ Room Lounge, answering questions about “Important Worldbuilding Elements”!

Questions like:

What are the world...

Expand post

Pat Alexander

Writer Liaison at Stage 32 ♦ Screenwriter, Producer

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

6 days ago

International Disruptors: Writer-Director Rich Peppiatt Talks Bringing Politically Charged Irish-Language Biopic ‘Kneecap’ To Life, Taking Risks & Next Steps

KNEECAP is a really great movie and on Netflix now

(https://deadline.com/2025/01/rich-peppiatt-kneecap-belfast-hip-hop-trio-...)...

Expand post

International Disruptors: Writer-Director Rich Peppiatt Talks Bringing Politically Charged Irish-Language Biopic 'Kneecap' To Life, Taking Risks & Next Steps

https://deadline.com/2025/01/rich-peppiatt-kneecap-belfast-hip-hop-trio-oscars-baftas-sundance-1236248639/

The writer-director's debut feature about Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap, has taken the indie world by storm since it played at Sundance last year

Lee Matthias

Author

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

6 days ago

The Screenwriting Rule of Threes

I wrote this once:

In business presentations (and sometimes in certain forms of advertising), there is a concept called "The Rule of Threes":

Business professionals understand that people often have other things on their mind when they’re watching or reviewing a presentation, so they take steps to ens...

Expand post

I wrote this once:

In business presentations (and sometimes in certain forms of advertising), there is a concept called "The Rule of Threes":

Business professionals understand that people often have other things on their mind when they’re watching or reviewing a presentation, so they take steps to ensure that the key messages are heard and retained.

At the start of the presentation:

---Tell them what you’re going to tell them.

Then:

---Tell them.

At the end of the presentation:

---Tell them what you just told them.

This will greatly increase the chances that your audience “gets it.”

So, let's adapt that to screenwriting. To me, at least at first glance, it works for your theme.

The screenwriter would first present the need for the theme in some primary way, not "preach" it as a statement or solely in a piece of dialogue, but "present its need in action, perhaps along with dialogue," so that it's communicated, but not stated. This should likely fall in act 1, probably in the first 10 - 20 or so pages (“Do you know me?” “Well no.” “That’s what I thought. You see, I’m Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray – you know, Mr. Mulwray’s wife?... And since you agree with me we’ve never met, you must also agree that I haven’t hired you to do anything – certainly not spy on my husband.” – CHINATOWN, Shooting Draft, p. 22).

Then it would be presented again, not necessarily directly, as through statement, but rather through metaphor or allegory or implication. This would fall in act 2, probably in the 50 - 80 page range (“You may think you know what you’re dealing with, but believe me, you don’t.” “It’s what the D.A. used to tell me about CHINATOWN.” – CHINATOWN, Shooting Draft, p. 80).

Then it would be re-stated in a concluding epiphany tied to the climax at the end of act 3 (“Forget it Jake, It’s CHINATOWN.” – CHINATOWN, Shooting Draft, the last page, p. 145).

This has the effect of driving home that elusive quality in stories that make them relevant to audiences, worthwhile as stories to which they want to go back, again and again. But if the theme is merely stated, as in "the moral of this story is..." it becomes overstatement. Only as indirect implication, something to be inferred or never really even seen at all, does it gain its power.

And that recalls Robert Mckee's concept from his book, STORY, regarding "image systems" in films. Once you see it, it has failed. But if it is there yet its value and function are unseen, it has the effect of boosting the story itself, giving it a quality of unity, making it an organic whole. And that, in turn, moves it toward greatness.

And screenwriter, Robert Towne's theme? The loss of Jake Gittes's professional self-respect, and his need to get it back.

When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

---Henry J. Kaiser

Jack Binder

3
3 people like this
6 days ago

Very interesting.

Maurice Vaughan

3
3 people like this
6 days ago

That's a great way to use The Rule of Threes, Lee Matthias! And great quote ("When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt")! Your post reminded me of something I saw in a video. The screenwriter...

Expand comment

Sam Rivera

Stage 32 Development Services Coordinator at Stage 32 ♦ Development Coordinator

posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe

1 week ago

CONGRATS! 48 Script Requests and 21 Meeting Requests in the last week! 1/21

Hey everyone! I wanted to congratulate our fellow community members who had scripts requested through Stage 32 pitch sessions over the last 2 weeks. We are thrilled for the opportunities for the following writers to have their scripts requested by various producers, Sandstone Artists, Propagate Cont...

Expand post

View all All comments

Laurie Woodward

5
5 people like this
1 week ago

Thanks! I got a script request and it made my day!

Jim Boston

3
3 people like this
1 week ago

Congratulations to the writers who earned those script requests and meeting requests during the last week! SOLID!!

Ashley Renee Smith

4
4 people like this
6 days ago

Congratulations, everyone!!

Petra Jurasova

3
3 people like this
6 days ago

Huge congratulations to everyone :)

Jack Binder

4
4 people like this
6 days ago

Amazing!!! \o/

FREE Awards Season Script Giveaway!

Awards Season 2025: Awards-Nominated Scripts

A character study from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

3 people like this

To Flashback or Not to Flashback...That is the Question...

2 people like this

2 people like this

4 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

New Blog post: My Stage 32 Story: Venturing Out Of My Lane in Year 2

3 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

WINNER ANNOUNCED: 11th Annual Search for New Blood Contest

1 person likes this

Extended Deadline Today: 9th Annual Comedy Feature Screenwriting Contest

Join Us for the Stage 32 Community Wrap-Up – LIVE on Instagram!

2 people like this

1 person likes this

Stage 32 Community Wrap-Up

Writers’ Room AMA – All Day Today!

International Disruptors: Writer-Director Rich Peppiatt Talks Bringing Politically Charged Irish-Language Biopic ‘Kneecap’ To Life, Taking Risks & Next Steps

International Disruptors: Writer-Director Rich Peppiatt Talks Bringing Politically Charged Irish-Language Biopic 'Kneecap' To Life, Taking Risks & Next Steps

The Screenwriting Rule of Threes

3 people like this

3 people like this

CONGRATS! 48 Script Requests and 21 Meeting Requests in the last week! 1/21

5 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

Top Contributors

CRAFT AND BUSINESS

GENERAL DISCUSSION

PROMOTION

Screenwriting

2 people like this

5 people like this

3 people like this

11 people like this

2 people like this

2 people like this

4 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

13 people like this

3 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

5 people like this

1 person likes this

3 people like this

5 people like this

2 people like this

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

1 person likes this

6 people like this

3 people like this

3 people like this

11 people like this

5 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

3 people like this

4 people like this

Top Contributors

CRAFT AND BUSINESS

GENERAL DISCUSSION

PROMOTION