Always curious to see what everyone else is writing and it's nice to communicate with others, so tell me, what are you writing? :)
From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting
Always curious to see what everyone else is writing and it's nice to communicate with others, so tell me, what are you writing? :)
Hello, all!
Today I’d like to say thank you for all my new connections as I undergo this writing/acting/filmmaking journey. Yesterday, I had a meeting that changed my perspective on my LGBT coming of age script. While I’ve been writing it for a while, after talking with a producer contact of mine, h...
Expand post
Maurice Vaughan nice! I’m really shaping this one around my personal high school experiences- which were… weird, to say the least. (We had a school gator- very Florida.) I think the producer was right...
Expand comment
Yan Ju Zeng I think it's in our nature to shy away from that vulnerability but if we don't connect and empathize with our characters, our audience won't. Your concept will flourish now with that insig...
Expand comment
High school is a gold mine for script ideas and scene ideas, Yan Ju Zeng. Some of my personal high school experiences were weird too. And embarrassing. :D
Marie Hatten yes, many characters are derived from people I’ve met. I just hope they don’t take offense when I take creative liberties (gotta keep the plot moving.) I was asked by another person I pit...
Expand comment
Yan Ju Zeng Important issues delivered in a unique way will always be impactful.
I write for money, but why I really write is I love to, I have stories to tell, and it's fun.
When I'm struggling to figure out a scene in the outline, having trouble writing a script, pitching and getting passes, etc., those three things keep me going.
Why do you write, write & direct, write & act, e...
Expand post
I can tell that you write because you love it Maurice Vaughan , it's also why you're so passionate about and engaged with this community. I've always loved language and films, that's why I write. I've...
Expand comment
I think those are great reasons to write, Stefano Pavone! Movies, shows, books, etc. are definitely ways to leave a mark on the world, and "leaving my mark on the world" could be a theme for a story....
Expand comment
You're welcome, Banafsheh Esmailzadeh. "Written & Directed by Banafsheh Esmailzadeh." I'm looking forward to seeing your films!
Great reasons to write, Holly Fouche! Sometimes people see writing as "inspire or entertain," but it can be both.
Thanks, Marie Hatten. I appreciate it. Those are great reasons to write! I get riddled with doubts sometimes too. I've gotten better at ignoring the doubts and just writing. I think we need to do that...
Expand comment
Tuesday, December 16th at 1:00 pm PT
Join Stage 32 CEO Richard “RB” Botto and Director of Development Geoffroy Faugérolas for an exclusive Writer’s Room event where they’ll break down the current industry landscape and share what’s ahead in 2026 for writers, producers, and creators.
This event is part...
Expand post
I'm looking forward to these, Leonardo Ramirez 2!
These are always a blast Maurice Vaughan!
Let’s play with visual storytelling. I’ve dropped an image below: a glowing heart inside a luminous hexagon, floating in a starry void. It’s celestial, symbolic, and wide open for interpretation.
Your challenge: Write a logline inspired by this image. It can be any genre: sci-fi, romance, thriller, f...
Expand post
Sandra Isabel Correia I knew it would be meditation related. :)
A lovesick man must use a heart shaped symbol in the night sky to track his other half. before her imminent death....
Expand comment
Omg ouch E Langley I love it.
That's cool Abram Christian , mine is just straight romance lol.
Sandra Isabel Correia before i read your caption, i saw not a 2d hexagon but a 3d cube—with a heart embedded. my logline:
after a microscopic black hole punches an inch-wide tunnel through the earth in...
Expand comment
Marie Hatten I love a good romance.
An experienced producer developed the $250,000 budget for my indie film. It includes a named actor (which is a big chunk of the budget), and is being shot in 21 days with 1 or 2 day break every 5 days.
The only person not paid upfront is the screenwriter (me). I was ok with that until I received fee...
Expand post
No screenwriter fee would look very amateurish to me, and I'd expect to see some sort of participation deal for the writer there - effectively making them a producer.
There should normally be an assign...
Expand comment
Monday, December 29th at 12:00 pm PT
Every success story begins with a first step. If you’re ready to stop creating in isolation, build meaningful relationships, and start getting your work seen, this is the perfect first step.
Join our Head of Community, Ashley Smith, for an interactive, inspiring se...
Expand post
I'm excited for another Community Open House, Leonardo Ramirez 2!
So, this is probably end up being ranty-- and I apologise ahead of time. But I keep running into this issue with some of my scripts-- the one page equals one minute. I swear I'm developing a phobia about this aspect that's becoming ridiculous the more I dwell on it.
For new screenwriters and even fo...
Expand post
Thanks CJ Walley. That's what I mean though- if you google or read many scriptwriting books- people quote the one page= one minute. They don't explain the reasoning, they don't tell you how the except...
Expand comment
You know, I ignore it. I don't pay it a damn bit of mind. I just write. Being a bit more minimalist certainly helps, but I don't bother paying attention to the one page = one minute thing. I worry abo...
Expand comment
By the way, I've just discovered, that Slamdance Screenplay Competition recognise feature from 41 to 140 pages https://slamdance.com/screenplay-submit/
You're overthinking it. One page = One minute, it is an average, not a unbreakable physical law. As a sci-fi writer I can say with absolute certainty that the multiverse will not collapse, the world w...
Expand comment
Vertical micro dramas are reshaping how audiences consume stories—fast, emotional, and tailor-made for mobile screens. These short-form, high-stakes narratives are exploding in popularity, captivating millions and opening up new doors for writers who want to connect with audiences in a fresh, viral...
Expand post
Thank you to everyone who attended! Your handouts have been added to your Stage 32 my library portal!
Any questions, please email edu@stage32.com
Animation is storytelling without limits—and this class will show you how to write for worlds where anything is possible.
Through hands-on exercises and workshops, students will learn to craft compelling characters, build imaginative universes, and shape scripts that balance humor, emotion, and visua...
Expand post
Any questions for me or Evan, shoot me an email at edu@stage32.com! Happy Monday!
As writers, we often imagine the perfect creative partner, the producer, company, or talent whose voice feels like it could bring our pages to life.
For Soul Mated, I picture the producers at Zero Gravity. Their bold approach to character-driven narratives feels like the right energy to elevate this...
Expand post
Maria Restivo Glassner, thank you! Sometimes the best answers come after a little reflection! I’d love to hear what dream collaborators come to mind once you’ve had a chance to think it through :) You...
Expand comment
Sandra Isabel Correia My voice is ready, haha!!!
My ideal collaborator would be Steven Spielberg because his body of work taps into Sci-fi (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Drama (The Color Purple). A mix I would like to incorporate in the script I am...
Expand comment
Ah ah ah Darrell Pennington :))
Shirley Collier, I love that vision. Spielberg’s mix of sci‑fi wonder and grounded drama feels like such a natural fit for your story. The premise you’re exploring is bold and imaginative, yet deeply...
Expand commentHow do you approach writing low-budget scripts?
Let’s say you have a zero budget and need to write a thriller. Do you write it as usual and then cut or replace all the expensive scenes later? If you try to think about both the budget and the story at the same time, you can get stuck right from the start.
Hi, Kseniia Zhuravleva. I keep the budget in mind from the start (during outlining). One location/a few locations, small cast, no pets/one pet, etc.
It depends on your knowledge/experience. The average un-produced writer is understandably going to struggle to know what does and doesn't cause issues.
Generally speaking though:
Fewer characters
Fewer l...
Expand commentClick next to the topics below to subscribe to a topic. means you're already subscribed.
5 people like this
Hi Shayla! Thanks for asking — love the openness of the community here.
I’m currently developing a near-future elevated sci-fi series called GLITCH. It follows a sensitive, blue-collar worker living in...
Expand commentHi Shayla! Thanks for asking — love the openness of the community here.
I’m currently developing a near-future elevated sci-fi series called GLITCH. It follows a sensitive, blue-collar worker living in a society quietly shaped by emotional-guidance AIs. When a small mistake from his assistant nearly costs him his arm, it triggers a chain of events that exposes the limits of a system built on “well-being.”
I’m also working on a darker, found-footage-style project around urban exploration and paranormal distortions — very character-driven, very grounded.
Always happy to connect and exchange about writing and worldbuilding. What are you working on? :)
4 people like this
Hi Shayla ! I have just finished the first draft of my short film, The Ringer - It centres around a day in the life of a quiet ringer and his dog as they move through a single day in the Australian ou...
Expand commentHi Shayla ! I have just finished the first draft of my short film, The Ringer - It centres around a day in the life of a quiet ringer and his dog as they move through a single day in the Australian outback, where routine, silence, and companionship reveal the life he’s built for himself.
It's intended to be a quiet, yet cinematic short film, with the Australian Outback landscape being a character in and of it's own.
Happy to discuss further or share with anyone who would like to read and share thoughts.
Cx
7 people like this
Oh boy, let's see. I just finished up a rewrite on my feature TETHERED last week. My feature INSPIRATION INC is up for another pass since I got notes from my reader wanting more resolution. And drafting on my feature SHIFT is now heavily underway. Act 1 is about done.
4 people like this
Hey im working on a horror film that i recently just pitch it’s called The Demon Who Writes The Star, It’s a prestige horror story about a rising music artist who discovers that his fame isn’t just ma...
Expand commentHey im working on a horror film that i recently just pitch it’s called The Demon Who Writes The Star, It’s a prestige horror story about a rising music artist who discovers that his fame isn’t just making him popular — it’s feeding something ancient and evil.
The louder the world chants his name, the stronger a demon becomes. His concerts turn out to be rituals, his fans become vessels, and his popularity becomes the doorway for a cosmic entity to enter our world. To survive, he has to break the ritual using the one thing the demon can’t control:
Human imperfection.
It’s a story about fame, trauma, obsession, and how dangerous it can be when the world worships you for the wrong reasons.
2 people like this
Interesting Juan Rodriguez . Getting scenes together for a thriller rewrite.