Trending Lounge Discussions

Hey, Gordon Carrick! Welcome to the community. Congratulations on your scripts winning/placing in major competitions!

Congrats to you Gordon Carrick ! And may I add, you have excellent taste in shows and movies.

Hi Gordon Carrick, welcome to Stage 32! I’m Ashley, Head of Community here on the platform. It’s great to meet you, and congratulations on having multiple scripts place and win in competitions, that’s a strong position to be in!

As you’re looking to make that jump from festival success to the next level, I’d encourage you to become a regular contributor in the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting) and the Producing Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing). Consistent participation, sharing your perspective, asking questions, and engaging with others, is one of the most effective ways to build relationships that lead to real opportunities.

You may also want to connect with our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. If you share your current projects and goals, they can help guide you toward curated resources, introductions, and next steps that align with where you want to go professionally.

I’m also hosting our March Community Open House webcast next week. It’s a free, interactive session where I walk through how to navigate Stage 32 strategically, build meaningful industry relationships, and position your work for real traction on the platform:

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-march-2026-communit...

Really glad you’re here, Gordon.

Great to have you here Gordon! Just looked at your loglines and The Platform sounds really cool!

gGordon Carrick ,

you welcome

Thanks, Maurice! Sounds like you've got a really solid outlining system down. Tying everything back to the core want and need is definitely the bedrock of it all. Glad the 'false belief' idea gave you some food for thought! Good luck with your writing.

You're welcome, Krystyna Artyuh. Thanks. Hope you sell your script!

Kevin, thank you for such a thoughtful response, and especially for the example with the drowning child. It really illustrates the point about traits creating real conflict instead of just convenient plot movement.

Your example got me thinking about something, though. The traits you describe (fear of water, class prejudice) shape how the character reacts to a situation. And that's genuinely useful, especially when you're in the room pitching or just need to keep the story moving. But I find myself wanting to go one layer deeper: not just what will this person do when pushed, but why are they the way they are at all, even when nothing is happening.

The thing that fascinates me is the gap between what a character says about themselves and what they actually do, consistently, across the whole script. You know that pattern in some characters where they insist they don't care, and then every single time, they care? That repetition is not really a reaction to events. It's something more like a wound or a lie they believe about themselves, playing out over and over. And when I can name that lie specifically, the character stops feeling like a set of attributes and starts feeling like a person I actually know.

I think your point about writing without mapping first is fair too. Some characters do find themselves on the page. But for me, at least with a period script with a lot of moving parts, knowing the inner contradiction up front keeps me from accidentally flattening someone just because the plot needed them to behave a certain way.

Yes Krystyna Artyuh I fully agree. If your story has a lot of moving parts, DEFINITELY do the map and understand the "Why is the character this way." it ensures you have less to concentrate on as you write the story.

You raise an interesting point. When I meet for example someone who is afraid of nothing, but then they are afraid of chicken wings (Yes, I have met someone who is afraid of chicken wings). I wondered why. It turns out it was a trauma from childhood during an encounter with a chicken wing that scared them and they have just never gotten over it. I found that absolutely fascinating. I started to wonder, how did that play out. What went through their mind during that first encounter that caused this permanent scar.

It's funny how her fear plays out. If we order food she specifies "No wing please". If she sees the wing in her box, she closes it immediately and starts asking if anyone wants to exchange pieces. If someone near her is eating a wing, she gets up and finds a seat far from that person. It's hilarious to watch (Not that I am finding amusement in her affliction).

That chicken wing story is genuinely fascinating, and honestly, a perfect example of exactly what I mean. The behavior pattern is so specific and consistent that you can predict what she'll do before she even does it. That's the character I want to write. Someone whose history is so embedded in how they move through the world that it shows up even when they're just ordering food.

Kevin Jackson I recently saw a post in the post production lounge that California is also working on keeping post production in state with incentives as well. I like that they are putting an effort to bring jobs home and look forward to seeing how this impacts creatives in the states. I'm still learning and educating myself on how these tax credits and incentives work and how I can position myself (I live in Texas). What are your thoughts on it?

In my limited knowledge, (DO NOT QUOTE ME ON THIS) One strategy I understand some producers take, is that when they budget the film, they tend to add the taxes in but withhold it from the spend. So, say the budget is 10 mil and the taxes come up to 3. They will only make 7 mil available to spend on the production itself, so that the taxes are secured. If there are tax incentives of say 30%, then they can put money or some of it back into the spend so they effectively have more money, because the tax incentives take care of the tax obligation.

The other way I have heard it used it, if a production needs to borrow money from investors, the tax incentive acts as a source of funds to start paying back investors before the film profits. I was told investors like this, because they don't have to wait a year or two for the release and then another year or two before profits start rolling in. It makes it less risky for them.

Anyone here can correct me if I am wrong. I would love to learn this stuff, as it is quite complex to me too.

hello Ana Cristina Rodrigues

is amazing to hear your story and i would enjoy hearing more!

if your looking for help, advise, just someone to talk to then you came to the right place. we have an amazing education tab you can use to learn more from as well as a few post you can find useful scrolling down. I myself post helpful tips and routine that I myself follow on my journey of acting, modeling, and post-production video editing.

I hope this helps direct you in your journey on stage 32

Thank you so much, Timothy!

I truly appreciate your support and guidance. I’m currently developing my project with a strong international vision, both as a creator and as the lead actress.

I’m especially focused on building a character-driven story with emotional depth and global appeal.

I would love to hear your perspective — from your experience, what do you think helps actors stand out the most when they are also creating their own projects?

Looking forward to learning more from you and the community!

Ana Cristina Rodrigues what I find useful in my experience is repetitive routines, keeping up a skincare routine making your presentation both hygienic and professional. there is more to preparation in the actors need to know how to model and models need to know how to act post.

nobody likes working with stinky people.

then after finding a roll you'll like to audition for is were the 5 W's: who are you playing, what is their motivation, when is it taking place, where is it taking place and why is the character doing this. there's more to the 5W's in another post.

there is way more to include but this is a good start to help

“Thank you, Timothy! I couldn’t agree more — a disciplined routine and deep understanding of the 5 Ws are game-changers for creating memorable, authentic characters. I’m actively applying these principles in my projects, blending emotional depth with strong visual storytelling to make every performance stand out on an international level.

Steve Windels So what’s your favorite SHOT? If you were to pause the entire sequence, what frozen image comes to mind? Plus, gun scenes like this are always such a joke. Have you ever held a loaded firearm and one that is empty? It’s like night and day. I’m assuming Hans knew his way around weaponry. He bore a hole into that seated gentleman’s head with ease. He would have known the magazine was empty as soon as he held it.

Here’s a large vinyl poster that hangs in my garage.

Yeah I always have that strange feeling too when Hans gets the gun. But still it's a nice twist in that situation...but yes, it makes Hans look a bit like a fool.

I would pause when McClane stands with the gun in his hand after he fired his last two bullets in the movie. One into the head of the receptionist and one into Hans' shoulder. Where would you pause?

Steve Windels It’s such a damn good script! My pause during this scene would be the big reveal from behind. John has his fingers interlocked on his head and just below is his gun strapped to his back by festive Christmas wrapping tape. Just brilliant.

Die hard 1-4 are my favorite.

Laura Hammer, Thank you! I completely agree, writing from what we know definitely adds depth to a story. I’ve been noticing that more while revising my script.

Soumayya Brm, Thank you, I appreciate that! And yes, I’m starting to realize it happens more naturally than I expected and it's interesting how it finds its way into writing.

Stephane Atelo, Thank you, that’s a really interesting way to put it — the idea of it becoming a kind of signature. I hadn’t thought of it like that, but it makes a lot of sense. I guess it’s something I’ll be more aware of as I keep writing.

Maurice Vaughan, Yeah, it’s interesting how that happens without us even realizing it. Do you usually notice it more while writing or when you look back at your script later?

I usually notice it more when I look back at my scripts later, Ayesha Simra. Sometimes it's a scene, dialogue, etc.

Great question Karen "Kay" Ross this is something I think about a lot as well.

I don’t think it’s just about film vs digital. A big part of it feels like control shifting from set to post. Earlier, filmmakers had to get lighting, composition, and mood right in-camera. Now, a lot of decisions are pushed into post-production, which sometimes makes images feel over-processed and less “lived-in.”

Also, lighting and contrast have changed a lot older films embraced shadows, depth, and stronger color separation, while many modern projects lean toward flatter, safer lighting (especially for streaming and VFX workflows).

For me, “cinematic” comes down to intention:

– strong lighting choices

– depth in the frame

– controlled color contrast

– and letting imperfections exist

Even on smaller budgets, I feel if those fundamentals are respected, the image still feels like a movie.

Curious how others approach this especially balancing speed, budget, and visual depth.

I'd say it's for the same reason Kindle self publishing and its brethren put paid to literature. Cheap tech and instant distribution opens the flood gates, lowers the bar, And makes 'quantity - not quality' the mission statement.

You're welcome, @Natalie. Hope your script does great in the festivals! Enjoy the donuts and dance!

I just finished something that I want to put in a festival. how did you decide on which one to enter

Waheem Allah I knew from before which ones I wanted to send my script to. They are well known. I also went on film freeway and researched them. Hope that helps. =) Crossing fingers for you!

>Of course, after submitting, I spotted a few mistakes

It is forever thus! Always helps to get a second or third eye to look at a submission - as you say, after a while you, the writer, "just can't see it anymore".

Michael Thorn Yes, I agree and I did. I actually had a few eyes on it. However, when I went to copy, paste and save it as another draft some of it got scrambled. I managed to fix most of it, but I guess I was reading too fast and the deadlines were approaching. If it gets to the next level I will have the opportunity to resubmit for free. Crossing fingers. lol

Great question—this is something I’ve been thinking about a lot too.

From what I understand, it really comes down to your end goal. A strong standalone short can build credibility and do well in festivals, but a proof of concept feels more targeted if you’re trying to get a feature made. It shows tone, world, and execution in a very direct way.

I think PoCs work especially well when the concept relies heavily on atmosphere or style—because it removes guesswork for producers.

That said, a short film can sometimes stand on its own and open doors in a different way, so both paths have value depending on strategy.

Ksenia, I’ve had great results with short films and proof of concepts. Two of my proof of concepts became feature films with studios. Proof of concepts can be structured into short film. It just needs to leave the audience wanting more. I wrote and directed a proof of concept titled “99 PROBLEMS” that did extremely well in the festival world and now is being groomed for a series. You can still cut your teeth creating a short from a feature script but it needs to stand alone. It should however, stay around 16 min at the most.

I’d be happy to discuss more.

I'm in Idaho - there is an effort underway to create a film competition in association with the next Idaho Film Fair in January 2026. Any Idaho short film makers interested in a made (mostly) in Idaho film short competitions?

If you have a solid idea, go with the POC that works as a short film as well. Much like Whiplash. You'll sharpen your skills anyway. And as far as I know, nobody can stop you from sending it to festivals. All the best.

anna,

would love to share my own experience

Precisely, João Pimentel - then again Brazil gave the world Pelé the conquerer! Sadly the movie by the name Pelle the Conquerer wasn't Brazilian. But I'm sure there are some brill Brazilian films. What are your faves?

Morgan Aitken ,Auto da Comparecida is my favorite Brazilian film, but I prefer series.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback, Abhijeet Aade.

I’m really glad the concept resonated with you.

This project is deeply focused on character-driven storytelling, combining emotional depth with strategic tension and global stakes.

I truly appreciate your support and would love to stay connected .

Glad to have you here! I’m curious what your experience was like working with the fashion brands? I used to work in optical fashion (with Dior and Versace too!)

“Muito obrigada, Amanda!

Ainda não tive experiência direta com marcas de moda, mas admiro muito como esse universo trabalha narrativa visual, identidade e presença — elementos que também aplico no meu trabalho como atriz e criadora.

A forma como marcas como Dior e Versace constroem uma identidade forte e emocional é algo que me inspira muito na construção dos meus personagens e projetos.

Adoraria saber mais sobre sua experiência nesse meio!”

Thank you again, Abhijeet!

I would really value your perspective as a director — when you evaluate a new project, what elements in tone and visual storytelling stand out the most to you?

I’m currently refining those aspects and would love to align them with an international standard.

That’s amazing, Amanda — working with brands like Dior and Versace must have given you a very strong sense of visual storytelling.

From your experience, how important is visual identity when presenting a project to producers or executives?

I’m exploring that deeply in my current series.