Trending Lounge Discussions

The hottest discussions in the Stage 32 Lounge.

Liked by Isha Chhabra and 13 others

GJ Harvey
Flashback: He said no to Flashbacks

I recently got coverage of a script where the reader said to lose all the flashbacks. He said they always bump a reader out of the story and Directors hate them. Find a way to share the information organically throughout the story. He said micro-flashbacks or memory flashes are OK. Anyone heard simi...

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David Taylor

Using flashbacks to add a few more episodes to a TV series is a particularly annoying trait.

Mike Boas

As a generalization, that’s wrong. However, he may be responding to your implementation of flashbacks Maybe your FB scenes don’t inform the narrative well.

Each scene should have a purpose, and I thin...

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Jason Boyer

I believe some flashbacks are needed. You don’t have to get rid of all of them. Wish you luck with your script.

Debbie Croysdale

Flash backs, used as lazy writing to “simply inject” a flagging script fails, but I never dismiss them per sae. Flashbacks can work extremely well, in a well thought out script, particularly so in a n...

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Raven Riley

Everyone has their own preferences, and I understand how frustrating or confusing it can be to get this kind of feedback. There are plenty of movies and tv shows that successfully use flashbacks: Meme...

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Liked by Banafsheh Esmailzadeh and 3 others

Dwayne Williams 2
What’s your style spectrum?

These are my favorite styles to imagine my projects in:

Photoreal Human (Almost Real)
→ Resident Evil CGI
→ Love, Death & Robots (Aquila Rift)

Realistic Anime Hybrid (Best Balance)
→ Final Fantasy
→ Alita

Stylized Human (Art-Driven Realism)
→ Arcane

Every project lives somewhere on this spectrum; it sha...

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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

I'm all about 2D animation, with a strong preference for 80s to 2000s anime feel. If I could get Studio Madhouse to animate any of my projects, I'd be in Heaven.

Dwayne Williams 2

Wow, Studio Madhouse is amazing Banafsheh Esmailzadeh I admire their anime style! I’m definitely going to binge more of their work; is there a specific project of theirs that inspires you most?...

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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

Same Dwayne Williams 2~ I love that they did CLAMP’s animes so Cardcaptor Sakura and Clover, and what I saw of X. Of course their work on Satoshi Kon’s stuff is also wonderful, like Millennium Actress...

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Dwayne Williams 2

Thanks for sharing those, Banafsheh Esmailzadeh I just checked out Redline, and it looks amazing! Definitely something I’d spend time diving into. I appreciate you putting me onto that. :D...

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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

You’re welcome, Dwayne Williams 2~ enjoy Redline!

Liked by Erik Gagnon and 3 others

Kenneth Hughes
Ken

Hi, I’m Kenneth D. Hughes, I prefer Ken. Over the years I’ve been called many things by those closest to me: Kenny, Dad, brother, husband, uncle, my favorite titles are Papaw and Grandpa. And yes, there were times in life when I was called a few names that started with “Mother…” comes with the terri...

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Mary Joy

Hi Ken! Thank you for your service, both in the Army and during your long career in law enforcement. Relentless Valor sounds like a project with immense heart, and a 'Band of Brothers' style streaming...

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Kenneth Hughes

Hi Mary, In the course of my life I have found it more fruitful to have one on one chats. So, I can be reached at 513-502-2052, or colk8f90@gmail.com thanks much, stay safe, have a blessed day, Ken

Liked by Isha Chhabra and 7 others

Wilhelmina Wells
Hello

Wilhelmina Wells. Songwriter and composition.

Areale Hanks

Welcome.

Alex Silverscript

it is a pleasure to know you

Vesna Floric

WELCOME!

Waheem Allah

welcome

Marc Ginsburg

What kind of talent are you scouting for.

Liked by Haider Abdulhamid and 12 others

Christian A
Hello Stage 32 Community

Hi everyone,

I’m Christian Adegoke, Agent & Development Facilitator.

Been on Stage 32 for some time now and really enjoy the community here.

Would love to connect with writers and industry folks. What project are you most excited about working on right now?

Cheers!

Heidi Schussman

Nice to meet you here, Christian. Right now I'm juggling several projects. First and foremost one of my screenplays, The Tattered Book, has been picked up by a producer. It's in that nebulous phase of...

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Michael Dzurak

Greetings and Welcome, Christian A.

I am currently revising an adventure script. Tropical island, storms, danger, and romance.

Jack Teague

My primary project now is a female-driven, feature adaptation of Mary Welsh Hemingway's autobiography. It is an epic project told through the eyes of a Yale doctoral student who has chosen Mary's book...

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Sundram Sharma

yess

Alex Tur

Greetings, Christian A.

I've completed the pilot episodes of the adaptation for the first four books in my series into the first season of a high-concept psychological sci-fi thriller TV series (20x60) Expand comment

Liked by Vanessa Chattman 2 and 2 others

David Lewis
Request for Trailer Feedback – We Are Family (Unlisted Link)

Hello everyone. Thank you for taking a moment.

I’m an independent filmmaker currently refining the promotional trailer for my feature We Are Family. I’m looking for thoughtful, craft‑focused feedback from editors and filmmakers who understand pacing, clarity, tone, and audience expectation.

The trai...

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David Lewis

Thank you in advance for any insights — I’m happy to clarify anything about the project.

Joe Flesch

Hi David-is this a joke? This is what is called "AI slop." There is no "emotional arc." Pacing? The "actors" jump herky jerky and there is no editing-views are held too long and there is no continuity...

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David Lewis

Thanks, Joe — I appreciate you taking the time to watch it and share your thoughts.

This is exactly why I posted it here before showing it to friends. I’m experimenting with an AI‑assisted workflow, an...

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Shadow Dragu-Mihai

David Lewis 1. This is not a trailer. It is an experimental short. Your trailer should normally be ~1 minute long or 90 seconds if it is very engaging. 2. A trailer has to show the best of your (usual...

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David Lewis

Thank you, Shadow — this is extremely helpful. Your points line up with what I’ve been learning as I work through this process. I agree that what I’ve created so far functions more like an experimenta...

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Liked by Isha Chhabra and 9 others

Radoslav Isakov
Why Stories Don’t Break — They Fade

Most stories don’t fail.

They dissolve.

Not because the idea isn’t strong.

Not because the characters aren’t interesting.

Not because the world isn’t rich.

But because nothing is holding it together beneath the surface.

At first, everything feels promising.

Scenes work.

Dialogue feels alive.

Moments land exa...

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Michael Dzurak

Nicely put.

Debbie Croysdale

So true. Structure is king, but sometimes overlooked even if the character, hook, concept etc “rock.” A script reader can pass on a script, even if it fits the producer’s remit, and is good on many le...

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Radoslav Isakov

Debbie Croysdale That’s a great point — especially around how much can slip through if the underlying structure isn’t doing its job early on.

Edits can refine, but they can’t always rebuild what wasn’t...

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Liked by Micheal Camp and 5 others

Stage32 and Pathfinder

TWO FATES is a Finalist!! Congratulations to all the Finalists! Incredible, Exciting, and extremely Grateful!!!

Thank you Stage32 and Pathfinder and all involved!!!!!

Marie Hatten

Congrats Lori Peters .

Jane Tumminello

Congratulations Lori!

Lori Peters

Thank you all so much!!

Michael David

Good job!

Darrell Pennington

AWESOME!!!!

Liked by Haley Mary and 4 others

Suzanne Bronson
The Fear Factor

What is the one thing in a script that still scares you or makes you feel you might not be able to pull it off?

Harold Ferré

For me, it's all about the plot, nothing but the plot. A story without a solid foundation is a stillborn story.

Harold Ferré

Who offers other opinions?

Suzanne Bronson

Hi Harold Ferré I am not understanding how your comment relates to the post. Can you explain how a bad plot makes you afraid you can't pull off playing your character?...

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Liked by Jim Cushinery and 5 others

Adam Spencer
Why Forgive?

On December 27, 1983, Pope John Paul II walked into a prison cell at Rebibbia and sat down across from the man who had tried to kill him. Not from a pulpit. Not through a letter. He crossed the floor of a concrete room, took a chair beside a cot and a radiator, and spoke quietly to Mehmet Ali Ağca f...

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Darrell Pennington

Adam Spencer this is such a profound and articulate message that is so insightful. WOW, thanks Adam.

Adam Spencer

Darrell Pennington, Inconsidered not posting this, because I don’t want to offend anyone or claim moral authority over how others should live their lives — far from it. You, having read Mercy Guides,...

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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

Beautiful post, and honestly you’re right. I think our current culture finds weakness and vengeance rather alluring and comforting, probably because it’s easier to give into rage than it is to forgive...

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