Trending Lounge Discussions

There's a lot of new movies and series where the 'internal struggle' is being beaten to death and distracting or disrupting the story. In some recent movies it's making the piece 30 mins too long for the story being told.

David Taylor That's definitely also true. One of the silver linings about the streaming age is it does seem to be allowing stories to be told more often at whatever their natural length happens to be - I think the core issue is simply baby writers who focus on one side over the other and havent yet learned that the internal and external journeys are meant to mirror and enhance each other.

Leonardo Ramirez I think the only responsibility is to be true to our voice and the story we want to tell in that particular script. I think the "meaning" of it is always going to be something different for each individual reader or viewer. Kind of like a song might make one person cry with nostalgia and drive another person insane because their college roommate played it nonstop their entire sophomore year. The emotional impact our stories have is ultimately out of our hands and up to them. And for what it's worth, in my opinion, sometimes setting out with "something to say" in a script bonks people over the head like a sledgehammer and can come off as too "try hard" and clunky.

Agree Mike O'Neill and why I always say we hold our stories with an open hand. Once in their final form, it's up to the audience to decide how it affects them. Nicely said friend.

I've always believed that your audience should feel better walking out of the theater than they did walking in. That's what we OWE them for the price of their ticket and 2 hours of their time.

If we can also make them think, or open their minds to new ideas or perspectives, that's a bonus.

I do agree Thunder Levin that the audience should feel better walking out than they did walking in. I do think there's a difference between owing them and doing it because we care about them. It's like a relationship whereas I want them to leave hopeful or make them think but we can't control it if they don't. I like your thinking though.

I feel it's all about being authentic. I also feel it's also a responsibility about what I put out there. Most importantly, it's all about the story.

Don't forget we are movie/tv watchers as well. I want to be entertained. I want to laugh, cry or be moved. Life is hard right now, so right now I want to watch comedy, Sci-fi or movies that combine comedy and drama.

We as story tellers have a responsibility about the messages we put out there. So, be you, write what you know and tell it to the best of your ability with a beginning, a middle and an end. Easier said than done. If we achieve it... all the more power to us. Everyone has a story. It's how you tell it that makes the difference.

JMHO and I think I only repeated what you wrote... =)

I would suggest using a tripod for the still shots (no action) to steady the images, and handheld for the action shots. Or tripod throughout for a universal feel. Nice idea. Imperfection is always a good topic ...

Congratulations! Anything you shoot is always better than not shooting anything even if it is just to practice.

That being said I've always though that now that film is video and video is film that there are two ways of making content. The 1st is getting a bunch of shots and then sorting it out in post or 2nd if you already have the story figure out how to tell it, then decide the what shots you need and shot those. Then also sort it out in post, I've always been more for the second option.

My advice is figure out the story you want to tell first and then find a way to shoot it, that way you'll always show your unique point of view. But it's also good try out different things even if they don't always work just so that you know what you like and what works.

Congrats on completing this Lina! I'd play with slow pans and zooming in to show some more variety in your shots - keep up the great work! Good for you!

And as for anyone flogging anything as AI, are you kidding me? Since when are you an expert in AI that you think you have it pegged? I use AI bots regular to consult with and honestly, there is no unique AI formula or style. If anything, because people themselves are, to use the Billie Eilish song, such horrible copycats, there's tons of human writing that's more AI formulaic than AI. They're I, right? That means they have the intelligence to elude expectations. wWhere your professor got that idea is probably their own preconceived prejudice more than anything. Show me your script and let's see what this is really about?

AI is remarkably transparent, easily pegged.

If someone uses it to write their profile, the chance is greater AI was used to write their script.

Agreed on seeing the material.

how do I read it? where is it

If you have read many millions of words and have written many millions of words AI stuff can be spotted.

Heey Marc Ginsburg thank you so much for your interest in reading the script! I’d love to send it to you, but I realized we’re not connected here so I can’t DM you. Is there another way I could share it with you?

Jason McArdle Wow, this is really exciting! Your animation style reminds me of some of the games I grew up on as a kid. I’m not too sure what your goal is for this animation, but it might be worth networking with a game developer and possibly a screenwriter to see how you could turn this into one of those exploration-style games (can’t think of the exact gaming term).

Thank you for the kind words! It's a 3D web series I'm working on. I really hope I can find more 3D animators to help in the future, so I can do more episodes and achieve faster results :)

This indeed reminds me of game cutscenes from the early 2000:s. What do you use for the animation? Something like DAZ or Poser?

Patrik Gyltefors I use Daz yes although I am trying get use to Blender and try improve the animation :) right now it’s starting to with what you can use haha :)

Achieving an equal result in Blender would take a lot of effort.

Welcome to Stage 32!

Congrats on getting both your books and your screenplays to the finish line! It sounds like it might be time for you to see a manager. This might be a good webinar for you to watch based on where you are at in your career: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-screenwriting-class-...

Dragica Ban Let me start off by saying, before I even read the post I fell in love with the cover art. It immediately caught my attention and made me curious about the world of Ban Sensay.

It’s always exciting to see creators developing original children’s animation that focuses on imagination, adventure, and positive values. Projects like that can really leave a lasting impact on young audiences.

I run Creative Station, where we collaborate with animators and post-production artists on animated storytelling projects, so I always enjoy seeing new series concepts being developed. Out of curiosity, what kind of creative partners are you hoping to connect with as you bring Ban Sensay to life?

Thank you Cyrus,

I really appreciate your kind words about Ban Sensay.

At this stage I am looking to connect with creative partners who could collaborate on:

• animation development

• storytelling and series development

• potential co-production opportunities

My goal is to bring Ban Sensay to life as an animated series that can inspire children while building a meaningful and memorable world.

I would love to learn more about Creative Station and explore whether our visions could align.

Warm regards,

Dragica Ban

Creator of Ban Sensay

Hi, Dashnay. Welcome to the Stage 32 community!

Love the clarity of your mission. Stories rooted in resilience, identity, and authentic cultural experience are essential, especially when they center on character development and lived truth. It’s great to see you actively seeking material that reflects real urban voices and layered narratives.

Stage32 has a blog that’ll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals worldwide: https://www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-p...

You can also reach out to the Education Team at edu@stage32.com if you’d like recommendations on classes or labs focused on short film development or culturally grounded storytelling. For job postings, you can post a listing in the Stage32 Jobs section to directly find writers looking for opportunities:

https://www.stage32.com/find-jobs

And consider contacting the Success Team at success@stage32.com. They can help connect you with writers whose work aligns with your creative mandate.

Looking forward to seeing the stories you bring to life.

Really respect the mission behind this. Authentic stories that explore identity, resilience, and the realities of urban communities are powerful when done right.

I’m currently developing a drama series called “Fake It Until You Make It,” about a young Army soldier searching for identity and belonging after becoming immersed in the street basketball and nightlife culture of Newport News, Virginia.

It’s a character-driven story about respect, environment, and the consequences of chasing an identity you feel disconnected from. Would definitely be open to connecting and sharing more if it aligns with the type of stories you’re looking to develop.

Still looking for romantic dramas to invest in as the executive producer.

Hi Dashnay. I love this. Happy to connect.

Welcome! It’s always great seeing creatives focused on telling authentic stories and bringing new voices to the screen. Wishing you the best with your projects.

Congrats on the semifinal placement! Fun premise too — wishing you the best with it.

Thank you, Adriana and Brett! It’s been a blast to put together.

Congratulations. That’s awesome!

Brava, Kasi.

Thank you

okay

I write characters with whom I don't share ethnicity (or even gender or sexuality) all the time, I honestly don't care if it's "wrong." For me what's important is that they're human first, everything else is just details.

It is a good movie. Can the movie get green lit.

What is your documentary film about Jack? Hope you find some great collaborators here in the community!

And, congrats on completing your film, that's a huge accomplishment!