Screenwriting

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

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Aleksandr Rozhnov
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Friends and colleagues, I would love to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! From the bottom of my heart, I hope the coming year brings you health, happiness, inspiration, and the realization of your most cherished dreams.

May every door in the film industry open for you,...

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Maurice Vaughan

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Aleksandr Rozhnov! Thanks for being active in the community. Congratulations on everything you accomplished in 2025! I hope you accomplish more next year!...

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Elle Bolan

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too! Hoping this coming year is filled with joy and sold scripts for you!

Liked by Beridze Kakha and 5 others

Roberta M Roy
Which is easier to market? A feature or a tele series?

With all best wishes by a producer he states: "The piece feels positioned as a prestige film, and while that carries artistic value, it would require a significant budget . . .That said, your track record and your skill as a writer are evident. You clearly have strong command of structure, character...

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Göran Johansson

TV mini series typically can't afford a large number of actors. At least not here in Europe. And I don't think that large numbers of actors are common either in those countries where the budget someti...

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Roberta M Roy

Maurice, I've used that page and contacted many a producer, however, none has responded.

David Taylor

If your idea has a multiple series story engine, it can be TV. If it doesn't it's a movie. Pitching for each is completely different. For the movie you need a great logline, synopsis FULL and script a...

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CJ Walley

Easier to market? Well, the market for a feature is objectively far larger.

Maurice Vaughan

New producers join Stage 32 all the time, Roberta M Roy. Keep searching for them in the Browse Members section. Hope you find a producer!

Liked by Maurice Vaughan and one other

Completed Feature Screenplay | Tragic Romance

Hello everyone,

I’ve completed a feature-length tragic romance screenplay titled REHNUMA.

It’s a character-driven story exploring love beyond memory — where instinct survives even when remembrance fails. The film is designed as a slow-burn emotional experience rather than a plot-heavy narrative.

I’m he...

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Judith Pajer

Good Luck! Sounds good

Liked by Danijela Lazic and 4 others

David B. Williamson
Volume outreach isn’t the problem. Lack of investment is.

Cold DMs only work in this industry when they’re backed by proof that the creator has already put real skin in the game — personally, emotionally, and financially.

Anyone can “spray and pray.”

But spray + pray + proof? That’s a strategy.

Producers and execs think in ROI — effort vs return.

If you won’t...

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Michael Dzurak

Well said, thanks for sharing.

Maurice Vaughan

Great post, David B. Williamson! I used to spray and pray with pitches, but it was a waste of time for the most part. I don't have any desire to make movies, shows, etc., so my strategy is research +...

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David B. Williamson

Absolutely. I’ve learned the same lesson the hard way — volume without intention doesn’t move the needle. The difference really is clarity: knowing who you’re pitching to, why they’d care, and letting the work do the heavy lifting. Appreciate you sharing that perspective.

Michael David

Bullshit

CJ Walley

This is overly dogmatic in tone but there's some truth there. Spray and pray querying is closer to spamming than strategising, and the market place is indeed full of writers looking for a fairy god mo...

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Liked by Beridze Kakha and 14 others

Till Olshausen
Happy End of the Year

Having been double recommended a second time, my screenwriting year ended on a little high note.

It was an exhausting one, but I'm in the mood to wish everyone a happy new year and the strength to keep writing until you win that uphill battle.

I was double recommended for an animated fantasy adventure...

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Jim Boston

Till and Brenda, congratulations on your 2025 double recommends! Here's to more and more success next year (and beyond)!

Leonardo Ramirez 2

Thanks Till Olshausen - Happy Holidays friend!

Billy Kwack

Hi Till, your far, fight director, sounds interesting

Till Olshausen

Jim Boston Thank you, Jim. I wish you success as well.

Till Olshausen

Billy Kwack Thank you. I have a strong martial arts background, so I like to stage fights and have some creative hand-to-hand action in my works.

Liked by Nasir Lone and 25 others

Shreyans Jain
Feeling After the Draft

Nothing comes close to the feeling of finally holding a freshly printed and bound copy of your final draft. Two days ago, after draft after draft of my first feature script — including feedback on that initial 180-page monster (I know) — I now finally have a sharp 118-page script, full of mystery. A...

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Shreyans Jain

Robyn Henderson Thank you so much!!

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Shreyans Jain. Great. I also suggest building a portfolio of scripts. Managers and agents like for writers to have a portfolio of scripts. And if a producer, director, executive, etc....

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David Taylor

Always be ready for the question: 'What else have you got'.

John Fife

That's a great feeling. Congratulations!

Liked by Michael Dzurak and 2 others

David B. Williamson
Fall in Love With the Work Before the World Does

I want to share this not as a flex, but as encouragement.

Believing in yourself isn’t arrogance—it’s committing so deeply to your idea that others start to feel that commitment too. Proof of concept doesn’t come from permission, coverage scores, or double recommends alone. It comes from showing up fo...

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Maurice Vaughan

Hi, David B. Williamson. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know that I moved your post from the Stage 32 Success Stories Lounge to the Screenwriting Lounge since it's more about scr...

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Michael Dzurak

"Fall in love with your obsession" makes me think of "have passion for your story," but yours in a more interesing phrasing I think. Christopher Nolan mentioned "obsession" positively as part of his process for each film he does.

Liked by Michael Dzurak and 5 others

Göran Johansson
Production company asked for better logline and synopsis

In August I posted that an Australian production company asked for more details after I tried to sell my script to them. They are back, asking for still more details.

Those of you who like myself want to sell by sending a query letter, I hope you understand that you will have to answer similar quest...

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Göran Johansson

I began with the logline. Is this better :

A female CIA operative needs to find the strength to confront her abusive boss and uncle to heal from the loss of her baby. The invention of teleportation gi...

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Maurice Vaughan

I think your logline needs a better structure, Göran Johansson.

Göran Johansson

OK, I plan to take a new look tomorrow. More comments?

David Taylor

GORAN - You have a production company on hook, you need help. Get somebody on here who will help you for free but get that Logline fixed and get a real synopsis - in fact two synopsis - short and long. No offence intended. Congratulations.

David Taylor

USING YOUR WORDS - FROM 57 TO 29 WORDS

After losing her baby, a CIA agent sobers up to confront her abusive boss, intent on her murdering a VIP, thus risking jail. The invention of teleportation changes everything.

Liked by Chase Carmichael and one other

“Creators Don’t Fail From Lack of Talent — They Fail From Lack of Orientation”

Most creators think their problem is skill.

It rarely is.

The real issue is orientation — knowing where you are in the lifecycle of your own project.

When orientation is missing, creators:

- overbuild too early

- revise things that aren’t defined

- chase feedback that doesn’t apply

- fix symptoms in...

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Liked by Marie Hatten and one other

Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest

Congratulations to the Quarterfinals of the Stage 32 + Mammoth Pictures 12th Annual Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest!

Maurice Vaughan

Congratulations, Quarterfinalists!

Liked by Dwayne Williams 2 and 19 others

Mark Deuce
Write A Sad Story Only Using 3 Words

Happy Holidays Writing & GRINDING!!

Robyn Henderson

Flights cancelled indefinitely.

Multiple funerals tomorrow.

No food left.

Nobody is left.

Indefinite flooding predicted.

Viviana Wolniewitz

I still remember

Funizwe Ntsibande

My last Christmas...

Balint Dienes

Never being born.

Viviana Wolniewitz

The cancer won...

Liked by Vanessa Chattman 2 and 14 others

Ashley Renee Smith
Looking Ahead Together — What’s Your First Creative Move for 2026?

As you start thinking about 2026, what’s the first creative goal or intention you want to set for yourself as a creative? Not the ten-step master plan, just the initial move that gets the momentum going.

Is it finishing a draft, committing to a consistent creative routine, outlining a new idea, revis...

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Viviana Wolniewitz

My 2026 creative goals are:

• Pitching my AFF Second Rounder animated Script (Get it greenlit and streaming on Netflix)

• Submitting more scripts to ATX TV Pitch Fest, AFF, etc.

• Travel (experience festivals)

• Continue writing

Maurice Vaughan

I love these goals! I'm rooting for everyone to reach them! Happy New Year!

Robyn Henderson

One of my creative goals is to regularly contribute to Writers Rooms.

Debbie Seagle

Ashley Renee Smith I can't wait to hear about your creative adventure! Do Tell when you #DOiT!

I hope to finish two comedy novels & write their screenplays... that's not too overwhelming while hopeful...

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Funizwe Ntsibande

To be a sponge in the next 30 days by navigating and participating within the Stage 32 community. In the 60 days get a litmus test feedback on my first draft screenplay -The Mat Carrier, whether it su...

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