Trending Lounge Discussions

Hi, Richard Callahan. You could look for festivals that accept short scripts. And I suggest registering your script with the U.S. Copyright Office before entering festivals.

The text of your post shows up in the Stage 32 phone app but not the web browser. I'm guessing you wrote the post in the app, so you might need to edit the post in a web browser. That way, the post will show up for members who get on Stage 32 with a browser. You can edit your post by clicking the downward arrow to the right of your name and selecting "Edit Post."

Thanks Maurice

You're welcome, Richard Callahan.

I would highly recommend our Stage 32 Short Film Contest. We’ve been running it for 11 years and our winners go on to screen at Oscar qualifying Hollyshorts and many we’ve gotten signed to management and agents! https://www.stage32.com/happy-writers/contests/876

Tatiana Prokopieva I've been pitching all day today, currently on standby for my third of the day, and I can tell you, it really depends on the person who is in front of you. I think it is good to pivot, and be comfortable enough with your story, your characters, the world and tone you have built, to then: read the room, and who is in front of you, then begin a conversation based on your intuition, and also on the research you've done on them. What they are currently looking for, their vibe, whatever it is that you feel is right. It's all fluid, and if you got that down, it's all momentum and having the people who resonate with the story, want to read your work : )

I have tried multiple approaches based on feedback received in previous pitches that has fallen flat and gotten feedback to those pitches that contradicts the info received in the pitch that made me change my pitch hahaha.....I think it revolves around personal perspective of the person being pitched a lot of the time.

I agree with Darrell, there are a lot of different opinions. Overall, I would say the priority is proving the pilot is viable before going into the world. Because at the end of the day, the pilot is what you are selling. In one pitch that received a request, I led with a quick reason for writing it that connected directly to the main character and their desire. As far as the world goes, make sure you tailor it to exhibit that you have a strong story engine that can carry the show into more than one season. Great characters and a strong story engine are what I have found most execs are looking for. I am not as experienced a pitcher as others, but that is what I have gathered from the meetings I've done.

Darrell Pennington Same, I have gotten completely contradictory feedback on the same pitch, same concept, and sometimes, when I thought I totally bombed the pitch, the producer or exec loved the concept anyway and I got a script request. And, other times, I totally nailed it, I delivered the concept, the world, mature idea ready to go, and they loved the pitch, thought it was awesome, but just didn't resonate with the story. It's all perspective, and what they are looking for, and, we just learn so much from doing it, and the more you pitch, the better you get at feeling confident for you.

Maria Restivo Glassner Absolutely! All of this, spot on, especially for pilot and series.

Hi Steven Gamella ,

It sounds like you might be experiencing a glitch with the platform. Even if your payments are up to date, sometimes the system doesn’t immediately recognize your active membership. I’d recommend:

Logging out and back in again.

Clearing your browser cache or trying a different browser/device.

If it still doesn’t work, contacting Stage 32 support directly they can verify your membership and fix any account issues.

Hopefully, that helps you get back into the Writer’s Room quickly!

Hi, Steven Gamella. You don't have the Writers' Room badge beside your profile name, so you might not be a member anymore or it might be a glitch. I suggest emailing support@stage32.com.

First off, fantastic to have you and your talents here on Stage 32, Andrew Gordon. Your energy and collaborative spirit shines through. You're going to fit in famously around these parts.

Second, you're in the right place. As a fellow writer (and producer and actor) myself, the one thing I've learned is that you're nothing without support. This community couldn't be more supportive, kind and talented. You're in great company.

Third, I'd highly suggest spending some time in the Screenwriting Lounge (under Lounge on the top menu). It's the most active screenwriting forum around. But I also wouldn't hesitate spending time and posting in the other Lounges as well - Producing, Filmmaking, Financing, etc. There are always fascinating and enlightening conversations happening there.

Finally, shoot a DM and connect with Geoff Faugerolas - https://www.stage32.com/profile/1162310/about

He heads up all of our Development here at Stage 32 and works with the thousands of execs on our roster.

Again, awesome to have you here and I look forward to your contributions.

Hi, Andrew Gordon! Great to meet you. Welcome to the community. Your feature script sounds interesting, especially the "structured as a modern retelling of the Arachne myth from Greek Mythology" part!

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

This month’s Community Open House is the 25th. It'll also help you navigate the platform and make connections. You can ask questions live. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-february-2026-community-ope...

Stage 32 has a Screenwriting Lounge where you can get advice, ask questions, find resources, talk with other writers, share tips and resources, and get feedback (www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting).

And here's a blog for up-and-coming screenwriters I suggest checking out: www.stage32.com/blog/the-questions-up-and-coming-screenwriters-need-to-a...

Good evening, Andrea Gordon. I know very well how important a television writer is.

I'm a very small Italian production company, but very ambitious and quite original.

If you'd like to talk about it, I'm trying to build a team to launch my television formats.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss it further.

Hello Andrew,

I’m currently working on a writing project and would enjoy exchanging feedback and insights on each other’s work if you’re interested.

My current project is a thriller/action/mystery centered on a self‑isolated office worker who is suddenly forced into a global conflict against Kaiju after one violently reveals itself by splitting the office building in half. The story follows the shift from his quiet, routine life to the chaos that unfolds around him.

Must-read post, Ashley Renee Smith! Great questions for writers, producer, etc. to ask themselves! I'm not the obvious audience for Shallow Hal, but I wish I was part of making it. It's a really unique Rom-Com, hilarious, and marketable!

Ashley, this is SUCH a powerful distinction.

The shift from “do I like this?” to “who is this for and does it deliver?” resonates with me specifically.

Loving the idea of training your reading brain to see marketability and scalability, for me I love strategy and strategizing so this hits home, especially.

This is gold for anyone serious about development or wanting their writing to actually move in the marketplace.

Another must-read post, Cynna Ael! I bookmarked this one too. Thanks for sharing the manual.

"Does the protagonist end the scene in a different emotional or physical state than they started?" That's one of the best things a writer can do to make their scenes better. Sometimes I don't realize ugh until rewrites.

Maurice Vaughan I like having pdfs and cheat sheets to help keep me on track- whether it's adapting IP or rewrites. These are things that really help us to move the story forward- make sure there's breathing room and that our core adaptation is faithful to the concepts and scenes of the original but also elevating it to being more.

That's a great idea, Cynna Ael! Thanks. You mentioned Late Entry Audit and Early Exit Audit. They got me thinking about how a character enters and exits a scene (run in, sneak out, walk in slowly while lost in thought, etc.). That helps me write better scenes. How a character enters and exits a scene can tell a reader something about the character and story. It also ties into Phase 6.

What Maurice Said…I agree.

thanks Artemis Craig. I think the final implementation really helps for people who tend to dialogue too much, (Me, it's me.) Plus, it's a great way to focus on the core message and distinct styles of each person's speech.

Hi, Jessica Putnam. I suggest checking Stage 32’s Job Board for voice acting jobs (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). And it gets updated regularly. I hope you find jobs and get hired!

Jessica Putnam You may want to search your local area to see if there are any classes you can take. I would also encourage you to take an intro acting class if you haven't done so already.

Stage 32 has some great voice over webinars that will answer that question! Email the Success Team success@stage32.com with what your goals are and they can point you in the right direction. You can also email edu@stage32.com for a curated list of webinars.

HI Jessica…you can try some pay to play platforms. One is Voices123.com and Voices.com. You go on there and fill out a profile, upload your demos and your home studio set up and producers looking to hire VO actors go on there and if they feel you are right,, they get in touch. Good luck!!!

Agree with Cheryl - great resources. We also have an AWESOME webinar that Id highly recommend - it has such great info in it! https://www.stage32.com/education/products/voice-acting-101-what-you-need-to-know-to-get-started

Meriem Bouziani I really relate to this. I’ve noticed that when a scene feels complete on the surface but still makes me uneasy, it’s almost always because something emotional or thematic is missing. Intuition is such an underrated tool in writing — it’s often the first signal that a scene isn’t fully saying what it needs to say yet. Thanks for putting this into words so clearly.

Maurice Vaughan Thank you, Maurice! That’s exactly it — when the dialogue starts to flow and the characters begin to surprise you, you can really feel you’re on the right track. It’s such a great feeling when a scene suddenly clicks into place during writing or rewriting. Really appreciate you sharing this.

You're welcome, Paulina Wróbel. I make a really detailed outline for a feature script/TV series, but some things don't click until I'm working on the script. And sometimes I realize the story doesn't need things from my outline, like a character.

you're welcome Paulina Wróbel

A scene is good when it makes the story take a step forward or turn in a new direction. How this happens is creative choice, but that's the tricky and (very) fun part. Your scene reveals some new story information, so thus far it's doing its job.

Ironically, I had a huge spit-take this morning, as I received notes saying I don't have enough in my worldbuilding and should explain more. So white space be gone?!

I guess I need to make my action/description lines more efficient. This is going to be interesting.

I hope it helped Meriem Bouziani - even if just a little bit.

I wonder if in part, that note is a matter of personal choice Michael Dzurak. I haven't read your script or seen what the reader is referring to but coverage can be subjective. It doesn't hurt to practice an economy of words regardless but sometimes personality comes into the equation as well.

Addressing this question in the context of the complex worldbuilding of sci-fi and fantasy stories, this is a very interesting area, and one that, with my focus being on fantasy and sci-fi, I have had to tread very carefully.

I think the question that you need to ask is, when you explain things, who are you explaining to? Are you explaining it to the characters or are you explaining it to the audience? If you're explaining to the audience, it may be clogging up the story.

In my mummy script, there is an early scene where an archaeologist dumps some historical exposition on his student, but it is done in a way that is natural and conversational, as well as building up the backstory for the titular mummy character and the themes of the story.

In a pilot I'm currently working on for a sci-fi series, there is a scene where the new commander of a top-secret advanced-tech installation is being given the tour of the installation and with it an explanation of a lot of the mechanics involved. In that case, it is natural for the scene and the characters involved.

But if I were to boil it down to a single rule, I would say don't give us an exposition dump on something that should be common knowledge to all characters present.

Nowhere in all of Star Trek (at least all that I've seen) did the engineer stop to explain what a given warp speed translates to in miles per hour.

And as for the worldbuilding, I do a lot of worldbuilding that is never seen by the audience, but it allows me to understand the world my characters operate in.

Jason Howell I really appreciate this response — especially the distinction between explaining to the characters versus explaining to the audience. That’s such a clean way to frame it.

You’re absolutely right. When exposition is organic to the situation (like your commander tour example), it feels earned. But when it’s explaining something everyone in the room would already know, it starts to feel like we’re stopping the story.

And yes — I’ve definitely had to unlearn over-explaining. For me it came from loving the world so much that I wanted the reader to see all of it. Over time I realized the audience doesn’t need the encyclopedia — they need the emotional thread.

Now I try to leave unsaid anything that doesn’t directly impact character choice or conflict in the moment. If it’s not creating tension or revealing character, it probably belongs in my notes, not the script.

Thanks again — really thoughtful insight here!

Great to meet you, D Dixon. That's a really cool profile picture! Congratulations on the success with GodFood!

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. Directors, writers, producers, executives, actors, and more. www.stage32.com/blog/the-importance-of-community-and-collaboration-in-th...

And the next Community Open House is the 25th. It'll also help you make connections. You can ask questions live. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-february-2026-community-ope...

Great to have you here at Stage 32.

Hi! I wanted to say that I'm also working on an intellectual drama about how life collapses under pressure.