Trending Lounge Discussions

Three stories in one book. I wrote three stories in one book. If you want to read it or buy it. I will give you the Amazon link.

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Princess-Bobby-Cinema/dp/1956161945/ref=tmm...

https://www.amazon.com/Third-Librarian-Detective-Bobby-Cinema/dp/1964804...

Go ahead and buy it or read it.

okay I will go ahead, kind drop your mail here so I can contact on mail.

Eid Mubarak. Welcome to Stage 32, we have lots of opportunities like Script Services and Contests to move your script forward. Having expertise in something and then writing what you know can really enhance and strengthen a script!

It’s completely normal, Ayesha! Our personal experiences are the roots of our storytelling. What you're describing is the essence of a personal signature. This fingerprint integrates itself naturally into the narrative—and while we as writers must sometimes pay close attention to it, it’s often what the audience recognizes and connects with most. It's what makes a script feel authentic and unique. Good luck with your medical drama!

Happy for you and let me tell you that it happens from time to time when we bring our personal and professional life and we use them as something inspiring us during the time we write a screenplay.

And that's good!

Mostly Hollywood executives do not take unsolicited material. This website they will. You can enter a contest no chance of winning.

Hi, Ayesha Simra. Sometimes I realize I put things from my past and life into my scripts without knowing.

Hi Sean O'Connor, welcome back! I’m Ashley, Head of Community here at Stage 32. It’s great to see you jumping back in with renewed motivation, and congratulations on reaching your 50th short film. That’s an incredible milestone and a testament to your dedication to the craft.

Since you’re focusing on acting and voice work, I definitely encourage you to spend some time in the Acting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/acting). It’s a great space to connect with other actors, share experiences from set, and join conversations about auditions, voice work, and navigating the industry.

Now that you’re diving back in, you might also enjoy joining our March Community Open House webcast. It’s a free event where I walk through the best ways to navigate Stage 32 today, build meaningful industry relationships, and make the most of the platform’s tools and opportunities:

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

We also have a great upcoming free event called Heated Rivalry: Breaking Down the Script, where we take a deep dive into the storytelling and craft behind a produced script. It’s a fun and insightful way to look at how great material comes together:

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/heated-rivalry-breaking-down-...

Glad you’re back, Sean!

Congrats on your 50th short film, that's a great accomplishment Sean! I checked out LONECROW on your profile and it is awesome. Glad that you're getting back into acting. Who are some actors that are inspiring you right now?

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 save it as a pdf 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

Before I begin writing a screenplay, I first build the story itself. Then I create its backbone. I choose the character names, which helps me shape the skeleton of the world. After that, I define the family structure around the main character: the mother, father, siblings, and the emotional dynamics that will shape the protagonist’s transformation. Then I build the opposing forces. I decide how dangerous, weak, strong, or unpredictable the enemies are, and I assign their strengths and vulnerabilities carefully. Once that foundation is complete, the structure of the story is already alive. Only then do I begin writing from the beginning. When the backbone is solid, the ending always arrives naturally, and adapting it into a screenplay becomes much easier. I also stage the characters in my mind, imagining where and how they will clash. I see the scene before I write it.I call this the visual memory technique. Before I write, I play the story in my mind scene by scene. I do not write until I can see where the characters stand, how they clash, how the light falls, and where the silence begins to grow. I believe this is a rare storytelling ability built on visual thinking, structure, and imagination.

Love all these perspectives — this is exactly why I asked the question.

I think I sit somewhere in the middle. I like knowing the emotional direction of the ending, but I let the characters evolve how they get there.

What’s interesting is how theme, character, and structure all seem to fight for control of the ending — and somehow the best stories balance all three.

Really appreciate everyone sharing their process here

I never start with the ending, because during the long journey of writing many unexpected things happens - so possible finales evolve along the way.

Having developed hundreds of scripts and writing my own, I'll advise - if you do not know the ending, you don't know the beginning. But sometimes in order to find the ending, you need to write to discover it. You will come up with a process with practice but if youre going to write to find the ending, you have to be willing to throw away a draft.

To parrot Lisa Zambri this is very true. Which is why it's great to outline before writing. You have to have some sense of how the characters are going to evolve and change over the course of the story to craft something compelling and fleshed. That usually, if not always includes the ending. Ask yourself for every character - what is their Point A? what is their Point B? How are you going to take them from Point A to Point B over the course of your story? Discover comes along the way sure, and that's part of the journey, but think of writing like using a map to travel from here to there. You have to have the map to start - and know where are you coming from, then where are you going to - for your trip to make any lick of sense.

can’t wait to be next

Great!

Congratulations, @Favour!

Get spell-check.

Yeah. Congratulations.

Welcome to Stage 32! It’s great to connect with other writers and creatives here. Wishing you success with your projects.

You had me at Larry David. He is the best. I checked out your profile to see your work & loglines but didn't see anything - would be great for you to post it so we can see what you're working on! (I did see Kubrick & Coen brothers mention, killer!) Have you connected with our head of development Geoff Faugerolas? Shoot him an email and let him know what you're working on and he can help point you in the right direction for options: success@stage32.com. Glad to have you here Joscha!

Big Larry David fan, so I welcome you aboard.

Aaron Marcus thank you for such an open post about what not to do. with your story you have saved countless others from making the same mistakes in their career. from all of us here on stage 32 thank you

That is so kind of you, Tim. You can sign up to be on my special mailing list on the bottom of my home page at: howtoactandmodel.com. Thanks again.

“Ótimo ponto. Profissionalismo e preparação são fundamentais — cada teste é uma oportunidade de mostrar consistência e comprometimento.”

Leonardo – so glad to hear about your experience with Clayton! It sounds like you got a lot out of working with him. It’s great to hear how much progress you made with your scripts!

I did, Sydney S - I really enjoyed working with him.

Exciting times for animation‼️

Sounds great.

Sounds great too.

This is a great exercise to implement into a weekly routine of practice!

Laura Hammer thank you!

my goal is to teach others new and exciting routines to implement into their day to day life to improve one another to be the best they can be. rather it's a new skincare routine or something they can include in their acting and modeling routine. having a challenge to work through bring out the most in ones professional journey.

I prefer stories that reflect real life, and real life does not always have a happy ending. So I'm fine with reaching whatever conclusion makes sense within the world you've created. Especially so with a trilogy. Look no further than the original Star Wars or Godfather trilogies. The second films have some of the saddest endings ever. Happy endings are not required.

Erik Gagnon I think the same way. I actually wrote the project intentionally so that the second part ends with a big twist. Why not? Life itself often brings unexpected twists.

A producer once asked me why I chose to end it that way. He said it wasn’t bad at all — he was just curious.

And honestly, that was exactly my goal: to make the audience ask, “Why? That can’t be…”