Trending Lounge Discussions

The hottest discussions in the Stage 32 Lounge.

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Srabon Ghosh
Confusion on script page count.

Hello everyone, I’m a screenwriter and I’ve written an English feature-length screenplay called God’s Deception (thriller/sci-fi/crime).

I know the usual industry range for a feature script is 90–120 pages, but mine ended up being 61 pages. The story would still run for more than 1 hour 30 minutes on...

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Maurice Vaughan

A 61-page script might be considered a feature, Srabon Ghosh. I watched a feature film the other week that was like 71 minutes without the end credits, and I've heard about other short feature films g...

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David Taylor

Let a screenwriter see it. You'll get an opinion about length and probably easily resolve your 'time issue'. Sixty pages is very likely giving you an immediate disadvantage you cannot afford at this stage of your journey.

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth

Your page count is very light. Get yours up to 90, and let the producer and director be concerned with what to do with it.

Marc DeLamater

I think the screenplay for THE ARTIST was very short, approximately 41 pages, but its running time was around 100 minutes.

David Taylor

I loved the style of the artist, but absolutely do not like that movie. But what do I know. To me it was a misfire. Millions of others obviously don’t agree. That’s movies for you.

Liked by Official Muuh and 11 others

Introduction

Hi, my name is Ashley Dreswick-Dollinger, and I am a new published author as of 2024. I never imagined my passion for reading and movies would lead me to a passion for writing. As my journey continues, I have learned screenwriting as well. I am always looking to advance in my accomplishments and tha...

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Maurice Vaughan

Hi, Ashley Dreswick-Dollinger. Welcome to the community. Congratulations on having four books published!

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and indust...

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Rose Dupuis

Hey Ashley Dreswick-Dollinger, the little excerpt you posted grabs my interest. I want to know the process Allie and Everett go through and the outcome. Here's to your success in finding that group of...

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Ashley Dreswick-Dollinger

Thank you Rose Dupuis! That truly means a lot to me ❤️

Matthew Thompson

Welcome to Stage 32. When you get a chance, make sure you fill out your profile, bio, and upload your logline for the screenplay. I’ve only been here for a little, but they continue to stress the impo...

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Liked by Arthur Charpentier and 21 others

Ashley Renee Smith
Creative Influences: What Shaped Your Work This Year?

What’s one film, series, book, or piece of art that has influenced your creative work the most this year?

I’d love to know what made it resonate for you, whether it shifted your perspective, sparked a new idea, or reminded you why you love telling stories.

Share your pick and your “why” below. Let’s inspire each other.

Geoff Hall

Ashley Renee Smith one of the standouts for me was ‘The Eternaut’ on Netflix, from Argentina. It’s a six episode short form series, based on Héctor Germán Oesterheld graphic novel.

I love it because it...

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Shirley Collier

I remember "The Day of the Trigffids." This dystopian film still haunts me, especially when overgrown trees and bushes creep toward my house. Ah, the power of the movie.

Paul Hoppe

Edward Yang's Yi Yi & Taipei Story. It's hard to find something original, new- refreshing nowadays, so in my attempt to turn back the time, i got hold of these two gems and they have influenced and in...

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Tasa Faronii-Butler

I love everything that Octavia Butler has written. However, Kindred and Parable of the Sower stand out as the most significant influences on The Way Makers, my YA historical fiction series. Before she...

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Eon C. Rambally

Ashley Renee Smith, for me it will be what is known as "Vertical media"!

I recently completed a Trailer for my film ,with the "aspect ratio" for demonstration!...

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Liked by Meriem Bouziani and 4 others

Elle Bolan
Blues Traveller Tried to Tell Us: The Hook Brings You Back

Let's talk about that hook, though.

The opening scene is a BFD in any story. Your page one is a big part of what will sell your script. If you create a page one that grabs your reader by the throat and says "c'mere boy" then you've won a big part of the battle.

One of the things that gets praised th...

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Maurice Vaughan

Writing commercial scripts (15 sec, 30 sec, etc.) can help writers get better at writing the first page, Elle Bolan. There's not a lot of time in a commercial script, so you have to grab the reader's...

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Elle Bolan

Yep, that's the same method. 15 to 30 seconds flexes that exact same muscle.

It's a good skill to have.

I tend to drop in media res as often as possible. Right to a pivotal moment before page 1 ends....

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Maurice Vaughan

That's a great idea, Elle Bolan. I mainly do it in commercial scripts and short scripts. I also like to set up a mystery (like showing an object) on page one. I used to overuse flashforward scenes on...

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Meriem Bouziani

I think the first pages of The Silent PFC War may feel boring, but I can’t delete them.

They are the daily life routine before the disaster begins.

Liked by Arthur Charpentier and 22 others

Maurice Vaughan
Mixed Genres

Mixed vegetables are great (and delicious), but a movie/show with different genres is better! My favorite genre mix is Horror Action. What’s your favorite genre mix to write?

And feel free to post a tip for writing a genre mix script.

Tip for writing a Horror Action script: don’t get so caught up in w...

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Maurice Vaughan

I like the Comedy Western mix, Jim Boston. I haven't heard about a lot of them.

Jim Boston

Quite a few feature-length Western comedies came out of Hollywood in the 1957-74 period. (Two of the most famous ones were 1965's "Cat Ballou" and 1974's "Blazing Saddles.")

I guess what happened to sh...

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David Taylor

It's a good problem to have, but my problem is Comedy - the awful temptation to put comedy gags into serious stories to amuse myself. I'm a natural gag writer so have to stop myself. Nothing ruins the...

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Maurice Vaughan

I think a comic relief character is fine in serious stories, suspenseful scenes, and Horror scripts, David Taylor. Maybe avoid writing too many comedy moments though, or maybe don't make the comic rel...

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David Taylor

Yeah. I do manage to get the balance right.

Liked by Kenneth Ellis 2 and 4 others

Tony Sterago
Introduction

So as a young person in the 80's and early 90's, I dreamed of entertainment as a career. The reality of a life unsupported and full of Darkness had other plans. Now I am here at 49 with 2 kids starting a journey I am feeling to late for. I have started writing a script for the first time with no tra...

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Jack Binder

Welcome Tony Sterago and bravo on your journey. Yes, you can copyright a treatment as Maurice mentions. Write four pages detailing the story and plot. Here's a breakdown I wrote recently on the differ...

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Tony Sterago

thank you. I'll have to put one together and add it to my list of things to do

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for posting the breakdown, Jack Binder. I remember reading it. Great breakdown!

Tony Sterago

ok.so instead of starting my next 10 pages I need to write a treatment to protect my work by copyright ok. thank you everyone

Maurice Vaughan

You can, Tony Sterago, or you can finish the script and register it before pitching the project.

Liked by Eon C. Rambally and 5 others

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg
AI News - George R.R. Martin et al Move To Trial Against ChatGPT

NO - a fan didn't generate a storyline. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT uses his work (and that of 17 other authors, acting in a class action suit against ChatGPT and Microsoft) without permission and without compensation. Microsoft and ChatGPT tried to have the class-action thrown out and tried to...

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Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Willem Elzenga 2 Several things. 1. They didn't pay to use the material. It's not in public domain. and 2. ChatGPT will let anyone do it, and has (this is just one of many dozens of lawsuits), so it i...

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Willem Elzenga 2

I’ll eat my hat when ChatGPT is going to pay authors. Basically Google is doing the same thing.

Suzanne Bronson

It's not different than doing a scene from a play and posting it on YouTube. I must write "for educational purposes only" as I do not have the playwright's permission. I can use it in my reel, but I c...

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Eon C. Rambally

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg, it's an important development! Investors for instance will need to know the particulars of this news. Certainly depending on the outcome public relations factors will ha...

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Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg

Eon C. Rambally We'll see how it goes. The AI companies have won in some courts the right to train on copyrighted material. So it's not clear how this will turn out. Unfortunately, the legislators are...

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Liked by Jim Boston and one other

Fares Mohamed
Europe

Hello friends! Hope you’re doing great.

I’m based in Belgium, and I wrote a full season of my series—not just a pilot—because the story came to me naturally from the start. The project is deeply rooted in an American world, in both setting and tone, and in the specific voice I want to bring to it.

So...

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Fares Mohamed

thank's maurice ;)

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Fares Mohamed. I'm a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. If you ever have any questions about Stage 32, let me or another Lounge Moderator know. We have badges on our pictures. Or you could ema...

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Fares Mohamed

thank you very much for your message and for your help.

No worries on my end regarding my name: my name is Fares, so everything is in order. Thanks as well for the information about connection requests...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Fares Mohamed. I suggest adding your last name. Have a great day too! I hope you find success on here!

Göran Johansson

I am in Sweden, also part of Europe. I translated my latest script into American English. Then I wrote to about 100 production companies which appeared to accept submission from us who have no agent....

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Liked by Dwayne Williams 2 and 3 others

Navid Lancaster
Maestro John Williams / Steven Spielberg update!!

From the John Williams Fan Network

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for sharing this, Navid Lancaster. I'm really excited for this movie, and I'm really looking forward to hearing the music!

Mark Gosney

Awesome to hear, yes thank you Navid Lancaster for the update keep them coming, I also can’t wait to hear the music. It almost sounds like the music could be somewhat similar to the first Jurassic Par...

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Liked by Kenneth Ellis 2 and 5 others

Juan Rodriguez
Writer of “The Girl Who Remembered Tomorrow” – Romantic Sci-Fi Feature

Hello Stage 32 Family!

My name is Juan C. Rodriguez, and I’m a writer with a passion for emotional, high-concept sci-fi and grounded character-driven stories.

I just completed a feature-length screenplay titled The Girl Who Remembered Tomorrow, a romantic sci-fi drama about a woman who remembers only...

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Fuad Shawn

"the girl WHO remembered Tomorrow" nice name

Juan Rodriguez

Thank you.

Maurice Vaughan

Welcome to the community, Juan Rodriguez. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. Producers, executives, di...

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Liked by Diane Sismour and 5 others

Serhat Boylu
Documentary “Koçer” | Exploring the resilience of nomadic Kurdish families

Hi everyone,

I’m Serhat Boylu — filmmaker based in Turkey. I recently completed my short documentary “Koçer”, which focuses on the life of Kurdish nomadic families who migrate with their flocks across rural Anatolia.

The film explores:

• their deep bond with nature

• their struggle to maintain ancient t...

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Maurice Vaughan

Hi, Serhat Boylu. Welcome to the community. Congratulations on finishing your short documentary!

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry profe...

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Fuad Shawn

How we can enjoy your work?

Daniel Danitto

Hi Serhat Boylu, Your project sounds truly meaningful. I have deep respect for filmmakers who capture disappearing traditions and give voice to communities that rarely get represented on screen. “Koçe...

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David Taylor

Kolay gelsin.

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