Do you think that the folks here on Stage 32 are supportive or not?
Have we surrounded ourselves with Builders or Destroyers?
I can see comments here that bash and trash people and their dreams of becoming a writer.
Why am I saying this?
Well, it is what I am seeing.
Please comment below and let me know if you are a:
BUILDER?
DESTROYER?
Do you plan to help encourage writers here or not?
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For the most part, Stage 32 members are Builders, Mark Deuce. I'm a Builder too. And so are you. There's a lot more positivity and support on Stage 32 than a lot of other social media platforms.
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I totally agree Maurice Vaughan but I am seeing that some, not all, not most, but some are not and just wanted to get this out their to shine a light so that folks here can be supportive. Because, especially the new writers who come on here are very sensitive and can easily have their dreams dashed if someone attacks their work, not encouraging them, and as we both know this process is very hard for all and want to see all succeed here. Juss Say´in. Have a great Monday!
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Thanks for shining a light so folks here can be supportive, Mark Deuce! And thanks for being a Builder! Have a great Monday too! Hope you have a productive week!
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Mark Deuce I THINK, having been on here an entire microsecond, that some of the folk who...let's say don't use kid gloves when interacting on posts...are ATTEMPTING to impart some wisdom (in their own special manners), i.e. 'don't expect instant gratification in the industry, take what you read about the production processes with a grain of salt, don't let your expectations trump reality', etc. We know not everyone, in any realm, is going to be the consummate Hype Man by any stretch of the imagination... "That which does not kill us..." Of course the aforementioned individuals should be cognizant of the fact that not everyone is going to respond to 'tough' talk in the same manner. Like you're never going to hurt MY feelings, but someone JUST posted about introverts, and maybe one of those people who FINALLY works up the courage to post won't respond so positively to getting savaged in the comments, maybe just for being ignorant of some tidbit others have been aware of for eons. Per the norm here is my verbose response, but good on you for looking to hold more people up and encourage/facilitate the creative process. There's room for everyone to succeed and boosting others up is the way to achieve that methinks...
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Same to my friend Maurice Vaughan
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I totally agree Mike Childress and thank you so much for being an amazing bulider here and like I always say, "Eat the meat,and spit out the bones." Have an great week!!
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Hey Mark Deuce - I can certainly see the discouragement in your question so I wanted to chime in. I can honestly say that YOU are certainly a builder. I start with that because you've encouraged me from time to time and it means a lot. I also say that because ultimately, we can only control whether or not we are a builder or a destroyer. It also helps to "know thyself" so to speak. I know what rubs me wrong and I try to steer clear of those situations and hope that I've walked in wisdom as a result. I can't speak for everyone but I can say for certainty that there is a handful of people (Ashley, Maurice, YOU and a few others) who are certainly builders and that's all I need. If I stay focused on those people, I'm ok.
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I've spent a lot of time around families that have been afflicted with Muscular Dystrophy and drug addiction. These communities can't survive without builders and love, and I've internalized that to mean that society, in general, is better when our leaders are builders and not destroyers. We tend to disproportionately focus on one or two things that divide us instead of the dozens of things we have in common. Humans are communal creatures; nothing fosters community better than those who build and lift us. While it's not my place to say if I'm a builder, I believe in builders. I also believe in this community.
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THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH Leonardo Ramirez That really made my day Big time!! And you are 1000% a Builder and a major part of this important and amazing community and you have encouraged me as well. Thanks again and have a great week!
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You are for sure a Builder David Blaustein adn I totallya gree that we are better as a community when we stand together than divided on things that are not really that important. And I too believe in this community as well and thanks for sharing.
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Anytime Mark Deuce. Keep building, my friend.
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I'm thinking about Bob the Builder now, Mark Deuce. Haha
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That is so weird, Maurice Vaughan. I was thinking the exact same thing.
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Great minds think alike, Leonardo Ramirez.
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Mark Deuce you know my answer lol. My practice is in positive psychology, so it trickles onto most everywhere, including here. Especially with artists. I'm not sure many "destroyers" will cop to it though. Or know they actually are. Which is sort of the nature of the archetype.
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Sweeeet!! Leonardo Ramirez & Maurice Vaughan
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I hope to always be a builder, helping and supporting everyone's projects and receiving support for mine too; and in the case of these destroyers that you the best thing to do is ignore, trust in your potential and cling to those who support you, if the person wants to tear you down or destroy you, it's goodbye to them, and life goes on.
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Mark Deuce Builder vs Destroyer. Excellent topic. It's hard to say. Never counted. But, it's like a naval war machine. Naval building yards and their scripts motoring on the high sees. I think, unless I missed it completely, the question you raised may have to be defined further... are you referring to people giving just encouragement as opposed to those who supply something more positive, something more tangible as opposed to many more who are passive?
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Totally spot-on Mariana Carvalho and thank you for sharing.
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Yes Charles V Abela Positive or negative folks can help or hold you back.
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I find the staff very helpful. They help me. But I think it's the duty of the writers here to have enough self understanding for what advice works for them.
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I'm never negative or trash-talking that I know of.
I tell newbies the realities of the industry when I see them post ridiculous things on FB.
I give notes on scripts when people ask - and often those notes involve a lot of negative things about their work (though this is meant to help them improve, not to put them down).
I try to be nice to everyone unless they're being super rude.
And yet, people still often think I'm an asshole. lol So who knows.
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Travis Seppala That's my man. You back your advise with something concrete. Unusual. But I more than agree, most people want to be applauded to their very own detriment. But with regards to axxxxxe, I remember a guy who actually conned me, after giving me a book - how not to get conned, and I trusted him, he did a number on me - a couple of thousands. He was a master conman. But I learned something. He said "Charlie, Opinions are like axxxxxxs," every body has one, and they all sxxxs.
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I am so inspired by this thread, and thank you Mark Deuce for posting this. It is rewarding to see everyone on here coming together and building, which is what this community is about. Over the last 13 years I have seen so many members in our community bare their souls, go through so many highs and lows and for the most part this community rewards itself and is a safe space amongst very negative places elsewhere online. @MikeChildress - I couldn't agree with your comment more and I am so protective of the introverts in our community. As with any public forum not everyone is going to be a builder. There are a few here on Stage 32 who can't seem to embrace the spirit of the community, and you know what? Ignore them. I do hope that the lurkers here - or those who post in the lounge - continue to be brave enough to step out of the shadows and put themselves out there. If you are an introvert, I created a post during introduce yourself weekend to encourage you to take the first step on putting yourself out there. I encourage you to go over to my post and say hello to make some new creative friends: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/introduce_yourself/Challenging-our-introv.... With this business you do need a thick skin, but it develops over time. We all have to help each other get better at that and recognizing that criticism will be a part of the process. But, luckily, no one is alone here and we all experience the same things. Thank you to everyone posting on this thread. YOU are what makes Stage 32 unbelievable.
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I always think "What would Craig Mazin do?" then think accordingly.
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Mark Deuce I have nothing but good things to say about RB and the Stage32 team. Their desire is to help us realise our goals.
And yes, there are some members of the community who are serial naysayers dealing in negative currency. I don’t know about you, but I try and not have those people as my emotional guides or career mentors. Whatever the online community, you will have, sadly, those kind of people. They have their own issues that they haven’t worked through yet. I just wish they’d hurry up and find a good therapist.
I’ve also noticed that sometimes new talent comes into the Lounges, have written their first screenplay and think that someone is going to give them $100m to make it. The skill for anyone commenting on such a post, is how to gently bring about a reality check for those people.
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I couldn't agree more with Geoff and the others. All I can say is, being on Stage 32 taught me so much. I found the tools and support I needed back then to start learning the craft, being fully aware of how hard it was to make it in this industry. RB, Amanda, but also Emily, Maurice, Leonardo (and the whole team) they are gems. I learned to avoid negative people and it's the safest place I've ever been - as a neurodivergent it really matters. I wish you the best in your future endeavors (and you can always find me in dm if you need a proof reading!)
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I've always tried to be positive and give support/advice based on my own experiences here, and have generally found this place to be mostly positive. There are arseholes, like there are on any site, that think they know everything. But, here at least, they are few and far between.
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David E. Gates This is very true.
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Thanks, Stephanie Munch. You're a gem too.
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You are so kind,Stephanie Munch and a joy to see in the lounges.
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I'm a builder of craftspeople.
Perhaps a destroyer of some AI aspects not because it hurts my ego as an an indidual but because it can harm ego of human craftspeople in general.
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Michael Lee Burris That's well-said and a very in-depth thought.
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This is a great topic, Mark Deuce. Thanks for starting the thread.
Since the day this platform went live to today, 13 years later, one of the things I'm most proud of is we've cultivated a community that's 99% builders and 1% destroyers. We only have a few active on the platform these days (coincidentally, they're not in this thread) who are consistently negative. But, when you're in a community where people are as selfless, giving, collaborative and like-minded as this one, the cacophony of positivity easily drowns out the whispers of negativity.
I've mentioned this in other threads and even in some Fast Company articles I've written and been involved with, every day we're hearing from more and more of our members who are deleting their broad based social media apps and making Stage 32 their home base. They're tired of the negativity and the influence of the uniformed and unexperienced on those platforms. I can't blame them. This business is hard enough. You have to go where you're supported and your mental health is protected.
Couldn't be more grateful to everyone in this thread. You're all builders and I'm thankful to be in your company.
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“ look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.” I think that quote from good old Mr. Rogers probably sums up Stage 32 as well as it sums up life in general.
I just updated my app and this thread popped up so I thought I’d chime in as someone who’s been in the community for many, many years since near inception.
Buy and large the best thing about Stage 32 is the community and that has always been the core of it; but with that comes people who feel entitled. They are the first ones to become bitter and cynical. In fact, if we’re pulling from the library of Mr. Rogers, his other famous quote is that “no one can live your life.” And again this is so true for this industry as it is in life in general. Everyone’s path is different and when frustration sets in the reflex is typically to try and force your way.
I can say with complete faith that Stage 32 wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the mantra of building and providing for people looking to grow in this industry and having no clue where to start.
This industry is not for the faint of heart. It is not something you step into to be coddled. There should be a lounge on growing thick skin.
Personally, I have enjoyed being able to provide resources and advice based on my experience and just general camaraderie in the lounges and webinars. I go through stages where I have the time to provide in-depth assistance in various capacities, it never fails that some members feel so entitled that they look my gift in the mouth and sometimes to their detriment.
so in the true spirit of old Fred Rogers, I would say to look for the helpers, and see how you can help them, and support them. And one day, you too will be a helper, and your network will grow as a result. Just be sure to do your due diligence and remember that everyone’s path is different.
If there are ever questions about the validity of someone’s posts or advice, remember that it is up to you to investigate that, just as if it were your health, one would get a second opinion — everyone in this industry should learn the skill of due diligence — along with thick skin.
It’s also difficult to gauge when one is being built up versus one being patronized. And that is the caveat of any online platform or text message or email, because that’s the nature of the style of communication. It’s not always easy to gauge emotion and intent.
Given this is the screenwriting lounge, I would hope with all of my heart that everyone, regardless of experience level, would start with the core skill set of conveying emotional intent.
Builder versus destroyer might be a little intense, but it certainly conveys the emotional intent behind the question.
Have a beautiful day in the neighborhood and “look for the helpers.”
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I loved reading through this thread! As many of you know, I take the safety and wellbeing of this community VERY seriously. Everyone at Stage 32 works hard to make sure that our members here feel comfortable, supported, inspired, and encouraged. Social media platforms tend to leave a bad taste in people's mouths due in large part to the negative experiences that we've all had when interacting with "Destroyers". There are certain platforms that I avoid altogether now because I feel like they're lands of destruction. But this community puts a smile on my face every single day. I am blown away by the encouragement and support that I see in posts, inspired by the people who are trying new things and pushing themselves, supported by my network who rally around me when I need it and constantly encouraged to speak up and challenge myself. As a millennial, I grew up immersed in social media in one form or another. I experienced the transition from interest-based chat rooms to my first Myspace account. Having access to those platforms at an age where we could fully embrace and master them, practically defined my generation. Yet I have NEVER experienced a community like what we have here on Stage 32 where there are far more Builders than Destroyers. Where kindness and support almost always drown out the negativity and naysayers. It makes me endlessly proud to be Head of Community here.
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You should be proud, Ashley Renee Smith. The goodness of this community flows down from the top - that be you Captain Ash!
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THIS IS AMAZING!!! Thank you all for your amazing and BUILDING ONLY Comments!!
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Ashley Renee Smith you are doing great things Ashley. The July Filmmakers Club has been fantastic. Thank you.
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Mark Deuce well, I think you got the answer to your question, Mark. It’s always great to see you on here and I love your work btw. Please share some more with us here on Stage32.
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Stephanie Munch thank you, Stephanie!
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I sure will Geoff Hall and appreciate your constant support and encouragement. And all builders here!! LET´S GOOOOOOO!!!
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Mark Deuce go in front of the mirror, listen to some music you like and say to yourself, looking yourself in the eye: you can, you must... and the toxic world will disappear. the important thing is to concentrate!
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Thank you, Geoff Hall. That means a lot. =)
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Really appreciate that John January Noble
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Thank you to all for Being Amazing BUILDERS HERE, the best community on the net!!
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I think sometimes you need to do some creative destruction though. I tell writers that you need people in your life who are going to support you unconditionally, who are going to tell you every day that you're awesome, talented, and every word you write is gold. (Seriously!) Because people who hire me to do notes aren't going to get any of that. My job isn't to build YOU up, it's to build the material up, even if that means tearing the script to shreds and making you rebuild it from the ground up. And that's a pretty fair preview of everyone else in the industry - no producer, star, director, executive, manager, etc. is ever going to care about your feelings nearly as much as they care about the results.
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Anna Marton Henry Good point, I think so. It doesn't matter what they think or say, just do it and focus.
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Anna Marton Henry "Creative destruction" is fine and dandy, but it's the WAY one conveys their distaste that matters... The big problem is, as with any human construct, the obvious subjective nature of script reading/purchasing/competition judging. One reader's trash is another reader's treasure. Sure you can all attempt to conform to basic standards of judgment, i.e. format, story flow, act coherence, character development, etc., but if you loathe science fiction you loathe science fiction. If someone told me to 'rebuild a script from the ground up' I would just thank them for their critique and take my works elsewhere. One rumination from a rookie in the game is that a lot of people in the industry seem to think screenwriting is akin to a natural science. i.e. the industry and its innerworkings are infallible. If that were the case there wouldn't be so much bad stuff being produced/released. I don't know if that's chalked up to stuff look goods on paper and the execution fails or vice versa, but some productions are just horrendous. So the fault doesn't lie solely at the feet of the screenwriters. Obviously The film industry is a business ultimately, and businesses are in business to make $$$. Artists want to art. Well artists also want to not starve... So I will write a hundred screenplays that no one buys and be cool just letting myself 'bleed' at the keyboard.
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Mike Childress Funny, I never thought of my reaction to anything as "distaste" or "loathing." I approach everything with an open mind and effort to see how the material can be made sellable. You're right, I consider what I do a job in a business, not art. (OK, it's a little bit of art, but don't tell!) But if you're cool with letting yourself "bleed at the keyboard" then you really have no use for readers / buyers / competition judges. I think that's actually awesome! Everyone should have the right to spend their time doing what they love without the pressure of outside validation!
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Was literally told yesterday that I “didn’t matter” in the grand scheme of things when it came to selling MY project. And I understood what that meant because I understand how the industry works.
Gotta have thick skin and having folks around you who continually coddle you isn’t going to get you far at all
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Cameron Tendaji who on earth said that to you, Cameron? I think they have a major narcissistic complex, or perhaps the opposite, an inferiority complex. Perhaps this is someone that you don’t want to work with anyway? Be assured, you do matter.
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Anna Marton Henry "But if you're cool with letting yourself "bleed at the keyboard" then you really have no use for readers / buyers / competition judges." So if I write primarily for myself and my ilk I can't craft something that is still potentially marketable to the masses?...Interesting...
Cameron Tendaji Ridiculous. Some people act like the film industry is immune from toxic behavior which is an utter exercise in delusion. Are these gatekeeper deniers even creators or just cogs in the production machine? Labor > capital. Like RATM encouraged it's time for writers to "Take the power back". Without writers this industry doesn't even exist.
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Geoff Hall i know I matter lol. But I don’t matter in that context. No matter how good of a writer you are nobody cares until you have a proven track record or the right people behind you endorsing you.. But until these projects of mine sell and make someone a lot of money that’s just the way it is.
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Mark, thanks so DOGGONE much for raising the question!
I try my very best to be a builder...a positive influence. For me, it all comes down to: "If you can't say anything nice about a person, don't say anything at all."
And, yes, all of us here on Stage 32 are in (or trying to make it in) a cutthroat business...one of the most cutthroat fields in the world.
Doggone right it's tough to break in...otherwise, as Tom Hanks told Geena Davis: "Everybody'd be doing it."
Being here on 32 makes it easier...much easier. Every bit of knowledge helps.
Recently, a fellow Stage 32 member reached out to me for help in breaking in (never mind that I'm still trying to reach the end zone, too). He wants to tell the story of a family member who's faced an abusive situation in her life.
Best I could do was tell him to write down everything he knows about that abusive situation...and to get input from that family member if possible.
Just trying to give him enough time to write this down before I reach back out to him...just want to help him feel comfortable.
If I'm going to mentor people, I want to do it right...be a positive, realistic influence.
So doggone glad you're here on Stage 32...and here's wishing you more and more success!
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Jim Boston doggone correct Jim! Your post had me smiling!
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Cameron Tendaji in my mind, it’s all about finding the right people to help you get the proven track record. The person who told you that, is obviously not one of those people. LOL.
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SPOT-ON Jim Boston and you are an amazing Builder bro!!
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Well said Anna Marton Henry and you said it perfectly, "tear the script apart," but not the people. And you are so right that our scripts (Not Us) have to be red with ink, and from there we can finish the masterpiece. For most, this is a very heard process. Heard that some writers had to rewrite their scripts 10 times before it was apporvied. That had to be brual. But they made it. Cheer!
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Geoff Hall two things can be true lol. But the reason you need to find the right people … is why? Because nobody knows you lol
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LET'S BE REAL. Just wondering... tick, tock, tick, tock. Without the above debate simmering along, and many like it, much more scripting and screenwriting would be carried out. And, it is worth noting such debates do carry many generalizations and compliments. As Cameron Tendaji pointed out using the very polite word, "coddle." Irrespective, these discussions do open one's mind for further imagination that could and would spill in one's writing. But, back to a more central topic in the debate. For the extremes on either side, the question for an unknown is simply "where and how do you find the right people..?" As a mere observer, my simple conclusion is: "if you're a newbie, like I am, a complete unknown, perhaps even scratching for your last dime, hence far removed from the HCOI... get some money together to help you get closer to the periphery, and once there, climb over the electric fence, spark a few ideas as you tumble down, and hit some buttons ... like the ones on an accordion. But the softer note(s) are better... if you know what I mean. One has to remember all the time, production houses see this as a business unlike 99% of writers who tend see it as "an art." It will always be hard to get your framed piece in the Exhibition Hall.
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Some are builders, some I wish I could block them.
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Charles V Abela Unfortunately rule #1 for newbies, well and basically everyone else, seems to be HAVE CONNECTIONS. I have a bunch of family and friends in the industry and most of them used....drum roll connections to breach the gates... Absent those I think you have to beat the door down whatever way you can so beef up that script portfolio and then send query letters, enter competitions, host your stuff on sites, try and lure an agent, network, pitch to whomever you can (well maybe not your dog or your goldfish...), etc., etc. Of course doing this all on the cheap is not so likely.
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Mike Childress What you're saying is by the book. And it's the accepted Gospel. And I agree with your comment. However, if you're young which you are (unlike me), hypothetically speaking, were you to pull out a Plan B, using a creative streak adapted not for writing but for some slick marketing idea to beat the system and irrespective of the chances of success.... what would you recommend?
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Charles V Abela Not sure there is a way to "beat the system"... I made a tongue-in-cheek comment previously, on another thread, stating we should hire aircraft and drop scripts over Lost Angeles like PsyOps flyers... I made another reference before about the number of WGA registrations per annum...FIFTY THOUSAND per annum, and that doesn't include the data from USCO (obviously some will be registered with both entities) and naturally some people won't register works at all. I think one of the best things us FNGs can do, which I freely admit I have not really done at this juncture, is read scripts of popular film productions and competition placers/winners. Break them down and analyze them. What made them so good? Was it an original idea? Evocative dialogue? Amazing characters? Granted some of the magic was likely from the production itself...
Dan Guardino Nah you mete out some sage advice.
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Bill Albert me too Bil.
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Cameron Tendaji that’s only true when you haven’t been networking and forming relationships.
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Mark Deuce, serious question and the responses are so impactful.
I am not sure if I am the only creative who will admit it but my storytelling can come from my emotions as much as my intelligence. The Theme drivers of of point of view and why a storyteller writes are very unique to each individual.
My time has been spent crafting the Protagonist's Suffering the Theme in first act, Questioning the Theme in Act2a and Arguing the Theme in Act2b, and then finally finding a Synthesis in Act 3.
So when "Hollywood's Industry Reader" takes a big ole shit on my script and claims to be a builder, Right?
Which brings my to a Stage32 opportunity, where are the "Development Coaches for Storytellers to Screenwriters".
I took Thomas 12 week class a year or two ago and I had a good experience. Tom did coach some.
I subscribed to Stage32's Writers Room for more than a year and they were not there.
So where are they?
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Geoff Hall you’ve legit been saying the same thing I’ve been saying, just with nicer sounding words lol.
@Dan context is everything. And sure not everyone operates like that. Just most. But instead of them being blunt they’ll just no respond anymore lol
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Paul Rivers There are plenty -- as referenced in my note above "look for the helpers" -- the challenge is in doing your due diligence and making sure someone you are entrusting to guide you, genuinely cares about what your are trying to convey in those carefully curated themes, and not just in it to make a buck. Research recommendations, reviews and especially verifiable credits when it comes to decision makers.
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Hmm, I have had some execs that I have pitched to that I am not very fond of their approach. But I have never had someone in the lounge say anything bad or mean or negative. I has had wonderful support with my peers, whcihis why I stay here.
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D A Stenard. Congratulations. I wish I could say the same. It's why I don't post here very often.
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Well said Laurie Ashbourne D A Stenard and all can say that their is room for growth here on Stage 32 and in our own lives. The process is not perfect, but Stage 32 is the best platform hands down.
Dan Guardino through my manager and the producers that I’m working with. I’m not “paying” to meet these people if that’s what you’re wondering