Sarah Gabrielle Baron's Lounge Discussions

Interested in swapping notes about your/our process of organising the elements of your script - in the stage where you develop a detailed outline.

This is what I am trying currently:- (1) write a half page premise (2) notes on the 5 Turning Points at 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% (3) notes on what happens per quarter of the script and gradually expand (4) write the 16 story blocks in the story -  and expand (5) moments of drama/emotion/conflict (6) notes on characters (7) is there a clear 'want' and 'obstacle' in most scenes? 

I write these out by hand and in a sort of digital ring binder. I find it helpful to have some plan/set of exercises - otherwise as a procrastinator - I would just stare at a blank screen, not knowing where to start.

Respectfully, I'm not asking for advice or links to other people's advice or links to courses I can buy or how swimming with dolphins improved your chakra but what process you use for developing an outline. Thanks.

Everyday is a school day. I try to read around any subject that holds my interest to get a balanced view, be it current news or more recently, writing for film (I would also do TV but my brain can only hold so much info!)

What books or websites have helped you advance as a screenwriter? The go to ones seem to be Robert McKee's Story, Blake Sydney's Save the Cat and Syd Fields various publications. I've noted there are dozens, perhaps more. Let me know which ones really made an impact for you.

Hey writers! We're very excited to be doing a webinar with Christopher Lockhart, Story Editor at William Morris Endeavor. We're looking for loglines for Christopher to breakdown in the webinar and would love for you to either submit your loglines as a comment here or email us at edu@stage32.com. Thanks!

HEY! I'm Sarah Gabrielle Baron. I am an eco-feminist screenplay writer. I have 7 feature length specs and 2 pilots. I have a small bank of shorts too, and I do write shorts for free if your idea sparks my interest. Reach out at sarahgabriellebaron.ca

Two years ago a Stage32 mentor, Bill Taub, had a zoom talk with me. He asked a lot of very direct, deep questions. He prompted me to look at my core, and know what my life mission was asking.

I stopped writing and I started my podcast, RADIOACTIVE on anchor.fm, which then propelled me into politics. I just finished my first run for leader of the Green Party of Canada! WHAT A LEARNING JOURNEY!

The moral of the story is, @Stage32 is the place to find your life mentors, your collaborators, your pathway, your self.

Hi guys.

Just wanted to take a minute and introduce myself. I am an aspiring author trying to make a name in a world filled with iconic ones. I have self-published two novels and six short stories but I am still miles away from achieving my goal of being able to become a full-time writer.

My first novel (Electus per Deus) caused a massive uproar as it was inspired by one of South Africa's biggest murder mysteries. This might sound straightforward but the reason I say it caused an uproar is that I wrote the novel while authorities were still investigating the case.

With extended research, I was able to connect past unsolved murders to the murders I was writing about during that time. Needless to say, the authorities called me in, interrogated me for almost two hours until they were certain that I had no part in these senseless killings or blood-thirsty cult-like-group.

So in a nutshell, I am trying to turn my biggest passion into a successful career. (Not much to ask for at all, is it?) :)

Hello, all of you great people on Stage32. First off my name is Ken Sutton, I'm 59 years old and I am a singer/songwriter/screenplay writer. I have over 500 songs written and 13 screenplays written and countless scraps of paper with words and notes, lyrics, and titles laying around my house, it looks like a book in itself. It's so nice to meet you all! I love to write the things that pop into my head, watching television is a playground of ideas for me, just not entertainment. As of right now, I am cleaning up a new screenplay I have just completed about some Pirates and am working on a song that's rolling around in my head now for some time. Even when I'm just relaxing, I am thinking and working out new songs or scripts in my head. and here is the best part! One day you all are going to enjoy the fruits of my labors that I enjoy so much to do. God Bless you all, in all you do! Don't stop for a second, keep pushing. and remember. It doesn't happen if you don't do it!

Kenny

Hello! I'm a screenwriter, director and producer living in Mumbai. Due to the pandemic restricting my ability to work on sets the past year and a half, I started working as a video editor from home. I'm now writing a feature screenplay on spec and working on a commissioned job to develop a TV series. I'm always keen to connect with people from any aspect of filmmaking and from any part of the world, though since I'm currently working towards a move to Canada, I would love to particularly connect with any filmmakers from there!

hi this is Imtiaz Barolia from Mumbai-we are a boutique content development & production house.Most of the content we develop is for streaming platforms(India end of it )However we are also ready with a Epic WW-11 Drama  script(English) with an International director from UK attached and have  interests from US sales agents .We seek experienced North American/European JV partners & collaboration & co-producers ,we have  International casting agents on board.Looking forward to knowing everybody here .

Hi, I am Gem Owas, I am passionate about filmmaking. I have developed a mockumentary sitcom that I think would be good for any of the streaming services.

I am currently looking for an executive producer that would back the project.

Hello everyone! I've been meaning to take up on the opportunity to introduce myself since I joined Stage 32 in February. I'm finally taking the time to do so.

I have published three children's books and a fourth is on its way. They are for kiddos ages 4-10, with the end message that it is great to be yourself. My first deals with the silliness of jealousy, the second deals with learning your true worth by being your true self, and the third encourages mainly young girls to pursue their interests and talents despite the interests and talents of others. The fourth illustrates the formation of a bully, his affects on his peers and the inclusion that happens in the end with cooler heads.

I have written two animated family dramedy features on my two middle books, "The Orange Chihuahua" and "The Yellow Sea Lioness." The latter is a musical.

I am currently looking for a manager who might like to take me under his or her wing to make sure my screenplays are at their top marketability. I have received positive feedback on both through screenplay competitions and the pitches I have done here at Stage 32.

If you have any connections with someone who might want to manage animated family dramedies or produce them, please drop me a line. I am open to any advice you might have on getting established as well. Thanks, in advance.

Well, that's me in a nutshell. Have a great rest of your Introduce Yourself/Friend weekend!

Hello all. My name is David Chester. I'm an American screenwriter based in Tokyo. I was a musician/songwriter for most of my life, but one day I woke up and said, "I think I'm supposed to be a screenwriter." Since then I have written 8 commissioned screenplays, 6 produced, 4 currently streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Lifetime TV. All my scripts have a female protagonist, and I am most comfortable in dramas that focus on dysfunctional families. I am also strongly interested in period dramas. I love collaboration and am open to working with other dedicated screenwriters. I hope to meet you and expand my network. davidhalchester.com

I am now in pre-production of my drama short "The Heart That Binds." I just finalized my two-person cast and recruiting the last bits of my crew. We will shoot on the island of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i on the second weekend of July. Aiming to submit to film festivals, starting with Sundance (of course), SXSW and Tribeca. The purpose of this short film is to encourage more organ donation by showing the potential benefits for surviving loved ones.

Logline: On the one-year anniversary of her son's accidental death, the despondent mother contemplates suicide but is interrupted by the transplant recipient of her son's heart. He shows her that donating her son's organs gives some meaning to her loss and makes them family.

Submitted script for professional feedback 10 times and did innumerable rewrites before getting a rating of "Recommend" from a Stage 32 reader.

I did learn a number of things along the way.

First, line up your location in the development stage, as much as possible. Although one of the actors I cast will likely be providing the location.

Second, the SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Agreement allows more flexibility than I thought. But I think that the union's prohibition against producers requiring vaccination or even inquiring about their vaccination status is short-sighted and should be repealed. Both actors I cast are SAG-AFTRA members.

Third, be very clear in casting notices on IMDB or Breakdown Services about the area in which you will be shooting and whether or not you will be paying travel expenses. This is especially critical for areas that you cannot drive to. I got responses from actors as far away as North Carolina and even Italy. I think some actors may have thought of it as a free Hawaii vacation. I had to be explicit that we would be shooting on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, and cannot pay for travel expenses. One actor in California was still interested and submitted a self-tape, but I declined because of uncertainties in travel to Hawaii: changing COVID protocols, scarcity in seats, shortages in hotel rooms and severe shortages of rental cars. If you need a rental car, reserve that before you book your flight or hotel room. Anyway, I didn't want to cast her and find that she was unable to get here. Rehearsals would be on Zoom, mostly. But it will be a live shoot. I decided to limit my call-backs to actors living on O‘ahu.

Fourth, insurance will cost more than you expect.

Carlton Saito

Head Creative

Sozopo Entertainment, LLC (website pending)

Hi everyone, I’m a screenwriter working on 2 tv series ideas and a feature length screenplay. I enjoy writing comedy and drama. I’m based in Charlotte, NC but originally from Chicago.

Hello, fellow creatives! My name is Micki and I am a writer out of Chicago. I've published short fiction, hosted Fictlicious (a flash fiction/music show in Chicago at the legendary Hideout), and am a freelance Executive Creative Director/speechwriter by day (and often by night). I have two episodes and a bible for a TV series I just started pitching (thanks, Stage32 and Jason for the education, great connects and opportunities) and am starting on another series that I'm pretty excited about. I find screenwriting to be an absolute blast—it's like the fast pacing of flash fiction and capturing different voices of speechwriting had the perfect genre baby. My work schedule gets crazy and I'm constantly fighting to find time to write my own creative projects (instead of my clients') and looking forward to making connections, as well as finding and offering support and motivation.