Screenwriting

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.

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.

You're welcome, Dawn Ireland. Okay, great!

Maurice, I have put together what I have for the script / story bible. Where should I post to try to find someone who can look at my document and help me arrange it in the best format?

Hi, Dawn Ireland. Congratulations! You could make a post in the Your Stage Lounge (www.stage32.com/lounge/promotion), on Your Wall, and on the Job Board (www.stage32.com/find-jobs).

Thank you so much!

You're welcome, Dawn Ireland.

You're welcome, William Sutton. Great. I'm a Nightwing fan. I'm looking forward to watching your fan-film!

Have obtained the rights? I’d love to read it. Big fan of DC Comics.

im pretty sure you are not legally able to make a fan fiction film about a character when you dont own the rights. you can write a script for fun, but you cant profit off of their character.

Hey William,

Congrats on finishing your first draft — that’s no small thing.

I’d be interested in reading it and sharing thoughts on the overall arc, themes, and dialogue. I work primarily as an editor, and I made a small fan film years ago, so I understand the unique challenges of working within existing IP while trying to make something feel fresh.

Happy to connect and take a look if you’re still looking for readers.

– Kevin

Danny Manus you’d be correct! This vanity project is entirely nonprofit!

Congratulations on finishing your pilot, Oleg Mullayanov! Your Survival Drama sounds interesting. I would focus on pitching the series. If your series does well enough, a producer/company might turn it into a book, movie, etc. later on. A series bible and pitch deck could help when you pitch your series.

Maurice Vaughan, thank you for your opinion.

You're welcome, Oleg Mullayanov. Hope you sell your series and a lot of books if you decide to write a book too!

Unique Body Swap story, Hashem Alsqaf! I haven't written one before, but maybe have the sacrifices involve people the characters really care about. And maybe the things about each character really scare the other characters once they've swapped bodies, like one character is really afraid of dogs and the person they change bodies with owns a big, vicious dog.

Thank you, Maurice! That’s a brilliant suggestion. Incorporating those 'personal' fears and stakes is exactly how I want to ground the story. Using a character's everyday environment as a source of psychological tension—like your dog example—adds a great layer of conflict. It makes the 'new body' feel like a trap even in the smallest details. I'll definitely explore how to weave these personal stakes into the moral choices they face."

You're welcome, Hashem Alsqaf. "It makes the 'new body' feel like a trap even in the smallest details." Exactly. I hope those suggestions help! I'm definitely looking forward to watching Second Body!

Awesome concept that kind of begs the question is one’s identity in their morals or their physical bodies. There could be a divide where some stick to their morals and don’t want to change back, and others discover their morals are worth less than their familiar skin suits. Just an idea. Can’t wait to see Second Body.