Trending Lounge Discussions

Laura Hammer Thank you, Laura.I appreciate you sharing this. I’ll definitely check it out.

Sam Rivera Thank you, Sam.I appreciate the insight. I’ll go through the resources and continue building here.

Jaz Lagrimas Thank you, Jaz.I truly appreciate the support. Excited to share more of THE HIMALAYAN GATE and connect further.

Sounds interesting! All the best!

Ashley Renée Smith Thank you, Ashley.I truly appreciate the encouragement and thoughtful guidance. I’ll explore the other lounges and stay more active across the platform. Grateful for your support.

I am a producer...I recently did a film called 'Fuck Toys" with Director AnnaPurna Sriram. I am also a Digital Imaging Technician and Cinematographer for such films as 'the color purple', 'the naked gun', spiderman no way home', and tv shows such as 'interview with the vampire' and 'Lovecraft Country'

Oh waw Imanuel Smith that's a really nice portfolio on projects. Must be great to have been part of such big projects. So anything new you're working on now?

Hi Imanuel! Welcome to Stage 32, great to meet you! :)

I love your perspective, stories really do have the power to enlighten, educate, and inspire when they’re shared authentically. That’s exactly what this community is all about.

Have you had a chance to attend one of our free Community Open House Webcasts hosted by Ashley, Stage 32’s Head of Community? It’s a great way to show up, be seen, and start making real connections and progress. You’ll also learn how to stay informed through the Stage 32 Blog and how to access Education, Certification, Career Development Services, and Writer’s Room resources that align with your goals.

Here’s the link for this month’s Community Open House Webcast—hope to see you there!

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

NIce to meet you!

Hey Imanuel Smith great to hear from you! Where can folks find your real to check out your work?

Thank you for all you do for the creative community Jaz! Love having you be part of this team and for all of the creatives that you help every day.

Hi Amanda Toney , excited for Stage32's next events and really happy to be part of an amazing team!

Happy Introduce Yourself Weekend, Jaz Lagrimas! Thank you for all of your hard work to help this fantastic community behind the scenes.

I wondered if I could show fan fiction script or logline and Hollywood treatment of my fan fiction script to producers it was a spin off from Buffy the vampire slayer. Since he is dead. It would have been cool to let producers read it right now. Read the fan fiction logline and Hollywood treatment. I like to get their opinion for fun. They can pass on the script. At least I like to hear their opinion.

Hey @Bobby Cinema, Keep at it.

Congrats on the script request!

How long have you been pitching your work? Do you feel like something has shifted in the way you prepare, or have you always felt naturally comfortable?

Thank you.

A long time. I am 46 and started writing movies and books until I was 24. Never sold a one. It is a tough market.

I actually know Christopher Lockhart. He’s the nicest guy in Hollywood. I just got active again in his “Inside Pitch” Facebook group, but missed any notice of that. I’ll check your link. Years ago he was the deciding factor on my attending a screenwriters conference so I could meet him in person. Small world :-)

Such a small world! Christopher is totally the nicest guy in town. So cool!

Truth. Several years ago he was kind enough to submit this script to the story dept. of his then agency, ICM, where I received a very detailed agency coverage report. And while it just fell short to a pass on story, I was thrilled to get a consider as a writer :-). Though given the elite status of the agency,, as an unknown unsold writer, I stood a 0% chance of actual representation. But to this day I’m still grateful to Christopher for that experience.

Don't be afraid to workshop your logline in the Screenwriting Lounge as well. Lots of talented writers hanging around who would be happy to help! Even if it's just unlocking new wording or ideas you can take to the next level, a quick workshopping is invaluable!

Hi Roscoe Plikerd, welcome to Stage 32! I’m Ashley, Head of Community here on the platform. It’s great to meet you, and I already appreciate your sense of humor, that line about your ex-wife got me.

You’re absolutely right though, a strong logline and pitch can make all the difference in getting your work seen and taken seriously, especially in comedy where voice is everything.

I’d encourage you to spend time in the Acting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/acting) and the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting). Both are great spaces to share your ideas, get feedback on your logline, and connect with creatives who can help you refine both your script and your pitch.

You may also want to reach out to our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com. If you share your project and your goals, they can help guide you toward resources, feedback opportunities, and even introductions that align with what you’re trying to accomplish.

I’d also love to invite you to our March Community Open House webcast happening this week. It’s a free session where I walk through how to navigate Stage 32 strategically, build meaningful industry relationships, and make the most of the tools available here:

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

Really glad you’re here, Roscoe.

Good to have you back, Icon -- the focus on tension, pacing, and how a scene feels visually rather than just reads is exactly the kind of thinking that separates writers who direct from directors who write, and the graphic design background probably sharpens that instinct even further. Psychological thrillers live and die by those exact qualities so it sounds like you're in the right headspace. Don't miss the FREE Community Open House on Wednesday, March 25 at https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-march-2026-communit... -- great way to reconnect with the community. What's the tension-building technique you've been most focused on lately?

Sam Rivera I appreciate that, Sam.

A lot of what I’ve been focusing on lately comes from what I learned while developing a psychological thriller I’ve been working on.

One of the biggest takeaways was restraint. Not needing to show everything, but letting tension come from what’s withheld. Allowing the frame to carry partial information, or placing the camera in a position where it feels like it’s observing something it shouldn’t fully understand yet.

I also started paying more attention to internal pacing within scenes. Not just how the story moves, but how long a moment is held, when to cut, and when to stay just a little longer than what feels comfortable. That delay can build a kind of pressure that dialogue alone can’t.

Another thing that stood out was contrast. Letting a scene feel controlled or even calm on the surface, while something underneath feels off. That imbalance tends to create tension without needing anything overt to happen.

It’s been less about adding more, and more about being intentional with what’s there and what isn’t.

Still refining it, but that’s been a big shift in how I approach scenes.

.

Hi David DeHaas - it's great to see you here and awesome that you're writing and building your audience on Substack. I just read two of your essays there - very thought-provoking topics and ideas. I see the philosopher at work! As a screenwriter, what genres are you creating in? What types of films and shows do you like?

I have written in a number of genres actually! Recently I've been watching that show 'The Offer' learning about how they made the Godfather!

David, welcome! Screenwriter and philosopher is a pretty compelling combo, and building your Substack audience while developing your craft is genuinely smart strategy! Don't miss the FREE Community Open House on Wednesday, March 25 at https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-march-2026-communit.... What kind of stories do your philosophical leanings pull you toward most?

Hey David DeHaas great to hear from you! I was at a screenwriting seminar this past weekend and one of the producers mentioned substack being the place to be digital publishing these days.

Hi David,

Honestly, that’s not a bad strategy at all. Building an audience around your voice whether through philosophy, poetry, or storytelling can absolutely help create visibility and momentum over time. Producers and collaborators often respond not just to scripts, but to writers who show consistency, perspective, and the ability to engage readers.

More importantly, it gives you a space to keep creating and refining your themes while your screenwriting journey unfolds. Sometimes being “unproduced” just means you’re still in the phase of building signal.

Curious are you developing any scripts alongside the Substack, or focusing mainly on growing the readership first?

Wishing you real traction with both.

Fantastic!! \o/

Kevin Jackson I know it was meant for clarity but the (DO NOT QUOTE ME ON THIS) was unnecessary funny to me because my knowledge is limited so I tread extremely light around the topic too. It makes sense what you're saying and I would love to learn more because there's money and opportunity with it, however I don't feel like anyone talks about this in depth. I went to a local film festival here in Texas and they spoke about it on a generic bases but I would love to dive deeper on the topic to truly grasp the resources that are available. I wonder if this would be something the education team here at stage 32 could put a webinar or something together for. THIS would be the content I would love to sit in on and learn about. Also, if this message doesn't make sense. I'm sleep deprived and running off of hopes and dreams at this point in time.

In terms of courses, stage32 does provide education where that is concerned. Hope this help. I have no idea how in depth they go.

Get Certified in Feature Film Financing Agreements https://certification.stage32.com/#/online-courses/bf3d1992-3d70-4a33-9e...

There is also this webinar "how you can use US tax incentives to fund your film

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-you-can-use-u-s-tax-incen...

Understanding Global Tax Incentives.

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/understanding-global-tax-ince...

A bit late to the conversation but I think the tax credit will only be of use for local production start ups. The exchange rate and established talent pool in Canada and India will still draw the larger productions. Always happy to see animation get a break in the industry.

Kevin Jackson Thanks for sharing! I'll be sure to check them out in my down time this week.

Hi Ashley Renée Smith

thank you so much for the warm welcome — I really appreciate it! And thank you for your kind words about Mata Hari, that means a lot.

Ashley Renée Smith

— Judith

Welcome, Judith -- a Mata Hari project reaching the Quarterfinals is a fantastic early signal, and the writer/actress combination gives you such a powerful lens for writing complex female characters. Make sure you catch the FREE Heated Rivalry Script Breakdown Webcast at https://www.stage32.com/education/products/heated-rivalry-breaking-down-... -- invaluable for any writer developing character-driven drama. What drew you to Mata Hari specifically as your vehicle for exploring those themes?

Thank you so much, Sam Rivera — I really appreciate that.

Honestly, it felt like the story found me. I knew early on that I had to write my first script about her.

What drew me in wasn’t so much whether she was guilty or innocent, but the idea that she may have been misunderstood — a woman shaped by her time, yet refusing to be defined by it.

I was really interested in exploring that space between perception and truth, and what freedom actually means when the world is constantly trying to define you.

I’ll definitely check out the webcast — thank you for sharing that!

Hello Judith

Great to get to know you

Very interesting concept

Love to see actors who are also articulated writers. I believe your screenplay will be so vivid and fun to act, as you've written it with passion

Have a great one

~Dami

hey Judith Pajer congrats on making the QFs of the drama contest!

Sandra Correia, your single sentence shifted the totally shifted my attention back to the real reasons I began this journey. Thank you, truly.

Adam Spencer :))))

Hello Adam Spencer

No worries about the language — the essence of your message came through clearly.

Thank you for sharing this so openly. There’s something very powerful when a creative work begins as a response to loss and evolves into a world that can be shared with others.

That kind of origin gives the work a truth that’s hard to replicate — and that’s what creates real connection with an audience.

I truly hope PRAYPREY finds the people who need it.

Adam Spencer, it’s always great to see you pop up during Introduce Yourself Weekend. Curious to hear, as you’ve expanded into the vertical micro-drama format, what have you learned about translating such a layered world into shorter form storytelling?

Amazing trailer, well-articulated, I love to see scientist who are also talented in storytelling. It opens the chance to educate people while they are having fun.

Thank you for sharing it Adam Spencer

Aleksandr Rozhnov Love the classics, but I get frustrated by endless reboots and sequels — a couple (2–3) can work, but after that it feels like milking instead of creating. I’m a big fan of Predator (the originals and Predators) and Prometheus — love when sci‑fi/genre takes risks. I only count the original Star Wars as essential, though Rogue One and Andor honored the universe. The Evil Dead remake is a good example of paying homage while telling a different story; that’s the balance I want to see. And sure, a remake of Lawrence of Arabia could be interesting — but only if someone like Ridley Scott could give it the vision it deserves.

Are those sexual predators? lol.