Trending Lounge Discussions

Glad to have found Stage 32 and the great resources it has to offer. Check out my profile to see my first screenplay while I hammer out edits and hone my skills.

In U.S. legal circles, there is an observation that if a defense attorney is able to move a judge to tears—whether from sadness or joy—it reflects the strength of the argument. A similar principle can be applied to cinema: if a film can make its audience cry or laugh multiple times, it may be considered successful. In my view, this is a more meaningful metric for evaluating a film’s impact than box-office figures.

Hey everyone,

I just launched the Kickstarter for my new short film SUGO, a gritty, character-driven crime/drama I’ve been developing for a long time. This project means a lot to me, and we’re building a small but passionate team to bring it to life.

If you’d like to check it out or offer any feedback or support, here’s the link:

I spent my week leading up to Thanksgiving, doing a chat gpt self guided UFO themed tour based around my areas with a Welsh friend who hadn't seen most of Cali or Arizona before so she really enjoyed it. I am not even a big conspiracy theory or alien person but I thought the road trip would be a hoot. I'm someone who is always looking to try something, "different" over, "the norm" when it comes to anything in life. What are some of the creative ways you get yourself out and active during what's known as, "the slow season" for acting?

Hello everyone, I'm H. (short for Hernando) still filling out my bio, came over from Coverfly. Hoping this will be a good platform for connecting with mangers or literary agents. Been writing novels and screenplays for a long time, almost all my novels have a companion script to it. Always looked at how novels translate into film, what makes a good novel to film project, their differences and similarities.

I have a great new screenplay entitled TRIBULATIONS, based on a novel that I finished in September of this year and I'm currently shopping around. This is the story of a migrant fam worker, a young father who crosses the border into the United States to look for work and instead ends up kidnapped and thrown into a forced labor camp. This is an action adventure on the theme of immigration, and i decided to go with this genre in order to make a difficult subject a little bit easier to digest. I'm staying away from trauma and graphic violence, or bashing the Border Patrol, and yet, this story provides the thrills of an escape from a militarized camp, a man v. nature theme of crossing a wilderness (the Florida Everglades), and a villain that both sides of the political spectrum can hate, the corrupt farm owner. The hero, of course, is a humble migrant worker, undocumented, who goes through hell just to make enough money to support his wife and baby son.

There is a lot to unpack in that story, hopefully some of you will get to read the script, I'd like to get some feedback from other writers and producers. My voice is clear in the writing, I am not shy about getting to the nitty gritty of the problem, I know the law, I've been writing about organized crime for a long time, and I believe I can make an intelligent argument without standing on a soap box.

And that's pretty much the same for my other stories, check out my website https://www.hromero-gomez.com/ where you can see the range of stories in both novels and screenplays, as well as some awards from recent years. I've written other feature length screenplays and television pilots, mostly dramas, a couple of comedies and one rock musical. My secret dream is to write hilarious comedy that makes people laugh out loud.

Thanks for reading this post, looking forward to meet many of you.

H. Romero-Gomez

I want to post my pilot screenplay, but I took it down. I suppose I'm scared? I'm proud of it, but scared to post it fully as I have dyslexia, and this is my very first screenplay! Any feedback would be appreciated. :)

INT. FARMHOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

7:30 PM

Dinner. The warm glow of overhead lights. Rice, soup, grilled mackerel, banchan spread across the table. Steam rises from the bowls.

Areum talks animatedly about the hike, gesturing with her chopsticks. Sungmin actually engages, teasing her about her photography obsession. Hyunwoo and Soojin exchange pleased glances—this is what they wanted.

Nari lies beneath the table, tail swishing hopefully whenever someone drops food.

AREUM

—and then Nari jumped in the water and splashed everyone—

SUNGMIN

You pushed me toward the water!

AREUM

I did not!

SOOJIN (smiling)

Both of you were soaked.

HYUNWOO (to Areum)

Did you get any good pictures?

AREUM (nodding enthusiastically)

So many! I want to make a photo album.

SUNGMIN (groaning)

Please don't show them to your friends.

AREUM

Why not? You look cute with Nari!

SUNGMIN

I look like an idiot—

SOOJIN

Language.

SUNGMIN

—I look ridiculous.

AREUM (grinning)

Exactly.

Sungmin flicks a grain of rice at her. She squeals.

HYUNWOO (trying to be stern, failing)

Hey. Table manners.

But he's smiling. This moment—this ordinary, beautiful moment of family dinner—is the last normal thing that will happen in this house.

FADE TO BLACK.

HOLD ON BLACK FOR THREE SECONDS.

The ambient dinner sounds fade away, replaced by silence.

FADE IN:

INT. FARMHOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

11:03 PM

Darkness. The room is still, quiet. A digital clock reads 11:03, casting faint green light.

Soojin sleeps on her side. Next to her, Hyunwoo snores softly.

Everything is peaceful.

For now.

11:04 PM

11:05 PM

11:06 PM

The clock ticks over.

Then—

BANG.

Distant. Outside. But loud enough.

Soojin's eyes snap open. She lies frozen, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. Her breathing quickens.

Was that real? Did I dream it?

She glances at Hyunwoo. Still sleeping, still snoring.

She's about to close her eyes again when—

From downstairs: WOOF. WOOF. WOOF.

Nari's bark. Sharp. Urgent. Wrong.

SOOJIN (whispering, nudging him) Hyunwoo... Honey...

He doesn't stir.

SOOJIN (CONT'D) (louder, shaking his shoulder)

Hyunwoo!

HYUNWOO (jerking awake, groggy)

Wha—what?

SOOJIN

Nari's barking.

They both lie still, listening.

WOOF. WOOF. WOOF.

Insistent. Alarmed.

HYUNWOO (rubbing his face)

Probably an animal outside...

But even as he says it, something in his voice betrays uncertainty.

Hey, Writers!

If you enjoy thinking about how you write just as much as the writing itself, this first video from Brandon Sanderson’s 2025 lecture series is a fantastic kickoff. It’s an introductory talk, but it quickly becomes a deeper exploration of what it means to approach your craft with a professional mindset.

Watch the lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEUh_y1IFZY&list=PLSH_xM-KC3ZvzkfVo_Dls0...

In the lecture, Sanderson breaks down:

• His philosophy for teaching writing

• The difference between discovery writing and outlining (and why neither makes you more or less of a “real” writer)

• How to understand your natural process so you can support it rather than fight it

• What it actually means to write with the long-term goal of becoming a working professional

• The mindset shifts that matter far more than genre, background, or education

One of the most helpful parts is how he frames the idea of professionalism — not as publishing credits or sales numbers, but as how you treat your work, manage your time, and refine your process. It’s a grounded, approachable way to think about leveling up.

Even if you don’t write sci-fi or fantasy, the core ideas apply to any writer building discipline, clarity, and momentum.

Drop one key takeaway in the comments below!

During my 50-year career in the film business... (Yes-it has been that long!)... I’ve been blessed to have worked on dozens of wonderful productions, traveled the world and spent quality time with hundreds of very talented and compassionate filmmakers. I’ve also learned many valuable lessons! And the most important lesson I learned is to never, ever, ever (I mean NEVER) lose your PASSION!

Passion is what sustains you through long hours, creative doubts, and the weight of responsibility that comes with directing. It fuels your determination when things go wrong and reminds you why you started this journey in the first place. Without passion, talent and technique can only take you so far.

Remember: Passion is perhaps the most important desire you need to have for a long and fulfilling career in this business. To be a great artist, you must have great passion. Without passion, you will end up thinking about your career as just a job - not as an art.

As a creative person, you need to support others in your never-ending quest to help create “visually compelling stories with believable characters who make us feel something.” That is your job!

Please believe me when I say, that to succeed in this business you must have complete confidence in yourself! You must have faith in your talent and ability! You must have the courage and tenacity to stick it out no matter what the world throws at you.

I also want to make sure you realize what kind of career you have chosen to spend your life in. The film business is not just a job or a career - it is an Artistic Lifestyle which means you need to live and breathe your art every day from now on.

Working in the entertainment business will determine which city or country you will live in. It will determine who you work with; which friends you hang around with; and which lovers you will live with. It will shape your daily rhythm, your lifestyle, and how you measure success. This industry will become a major part of your identity, influencing your values, choices, and long-term goals.

You also need to get used to the fact that, as storytellers and artists, you will never have a “normal job.” (It's also the reason why you will rarely be home on the weekend to have dinner with your family!) Your schedule will constantly shift, your income will fluctuate, and your work will demand emotional and creative investment at every stage.

And finally, this creative path you have chosen requires sacrifice both personal and professional, but it also offers freedom, meaning, and the chance to leave something lasting behind. It reminds you to protect your curiosity so your work continues to grow with every project while guiding you toward a deeper understanding of "why YOU create" so your choices shape a story that reflects your unique place in the world. :)