Trending Lounge Discussions

You're welcome, John January Noble.

Cecile George Yes, it would be categorized as a synopsis too, thanks for the info! I thought that you had to find a manager who could help you develop it further by working with someone else turn it into a screenplay.

Jon Hersh is having a free AMA about "How to Utilize Agents, Managers, and Dev. Execs. In Your Screenwriting Career" all day Friday, Aradia Paquette. You can post questions now. www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Ask-Me-Anything-AMA-11-21-to-11-22-...

Maurice Vaughan Thank you for your answer by the way! I will make sure to upload a proper profile picture, just wasn't sure how many people have a proper profile, but I see everyone does! And thanks for the all the links, I will check them out

You're welcome, Aradia Paquette. Ok, great. And 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 email support@stage32.com.

I agree with you Mick and for me sometimes, The prospect of reading a 600 page book that could double as door stop is at the very least a daunting task. If there is a movie version of it, there is no embarrassment in opting for the least path of resistance. Lets face it, very few of us have the luxury of time to read 3 page description of sunsets only evident in such Herculean narratives. And while the movie version may not stack up to the original source material, I agree, it can serve to inspire you to read Anna Karenina, Frankenstein, Lord of the Rings etc. etc. What's more, when you see the movie its not hard then to see or imagine then the sites, sounds and images that play out through your minds eye as you read the book. Mind you , those imposed movie images and interpretations can work oppositely, where they can usurp and obstruct our own imagination.

Maurice Vaughan I need to buy more script books. I usually just read them online

Charles Chas Green Agreed, mate. I loved in GOT when Catelyn Stark was standing in Bran's room after he was thrown out of the window and she is looking at Jon Snow. I remember thinking about the look she described in the book as to the look on TV and I thought, Oh that's what that look was, I thought she was just a bitch. The way she explained the not wanting to love him because of the thought of Ned cheating, totally worth the wait.

Yes , books will always tell us more, they have that length and breadth to delve into the psychological and emotional justification for why characters do what they do. Its only very clever and good screen writing which then married to masterclass acting , where an actor can give us rich emotional complexity because of the sub text they have thought about and are providing through their characterisation. The hard part of course is getting all of those themes, ideas, characters needs/wants/ obstacles /triumphs in a two hour period = Film or Movie. And that's the Directors job! Lol

Mick Eggins I suggest checking out "Turn & Burn: The Scriptwriter's Guide to Writing Better Screenplays Faster" by Stage 32 member CJ Walley. www.amazon.com/Turn-Burn-Scriptwriters-Writing-Screenplays/dp/1910515973

Hey John, I say this respectfully, you will only ever truly understand that process, only WHEN that Rep. gives you their reasons WHY? Because the fact is John there are many reasons, be they financial, industry trends or temperature, timing, not meeting their company's brief/charter, it just goes on and on . All of this and more and that's without even getting into their own subjective reasons and preferred bias's

I’ve only been on here like two weeks, I don’t know much, so now that the disclaimer is out of the way… Like others have stated, there are many variables that could cause someone to pass on a project, even if the project is good. This is just me rambling and guessing, hopefully it’s semi helpful.

I submitted my first pitch the other day, waiting to hear back. So, initially, I saw the person was reading r rated comedies, etc. I was like perfect… this is exactly what I have. Then, after submitting my pitch… I started researching more and more in depth. The company they’re working for focuses more on r rated teen movies, maybe college, etc. My story, probably in my opinion, hits all the comic spots they’d be looking for, BUT… it’s not within their normal material due to it’s adults and adult situations. So what I’m getting at is, I’m expecting them to pass on it, even though I feel I have a super solid comedy, but I’m pitching to the wrong people.

I don’t know, I’m fully assuming, and I can’t say for sure, but just make sure you research in depth before submitting a pitch. If you did, great… maybe this little story will help someone else reading.

And sometimes they don't have funds. Or they have something else similar. Or they had another project that just came up.

The reason you'll never know. Better to move on and keep trying.

There can be a wide array of reasons. They already have a similar title, not what their clients are currently looking for at the moment, current market trends and so on. But the sands are always shifting and when one company is looking to do less of one genre, another may be looking to expand in that area. Its a business where sometimes you hear "no" a lot more than you hear "yes", but often you only need one "yes" to get things started. Take the positive feedback with you into your next meeting.

Hey, Kevin Hager. Rugrats used to be one of my favorite shows too. Yeah, it's really Cheryl Chase. www.stage32.com/lounge/animation/Hello-Cartoon-Creatives

Thanks.

You're welcome, Kevin Hager.

Could you let her know I sent her a network request and I was a fan of the series please?

Yea, it is the real Cheryl Chase...And she's very lovely..

HI Cheryl Chase Welcome to Stage 32. Have you thought about doing audiobooks? Especially childrens'

Welcome nice to meet you

Loved the Rugrats growing up! I wanted to act as a kid but was too shy - though VO has appealed many a time!! Hi from England!

Cheryl Chase Happy Thanksgiving, Angelica! :D

Hi Cheryl, I love 80s and 90s cartoons

I agree wholeheartedly. It’s why when I write, I make it a point to respect my audience’s intelligence no matter their age (kids especially I don’t believe in talking down to, they’re brilliant). I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to teach but rather communicate, and if I end up teaching that way? Cool. It’s organically done without being preachy, everyone’s happy.

Most of all, though, I want my audience to feel a little less alone in the world.

Beautifully said, Banafsheh Esmailzadeh. Respecting the audience’s intelligence is a form of respect for their inner life — and you’re right, it’s never about preaching. It’s about true communication.

If someone feels a little less alone because of something we wrote, then we’ve done something truly meaningful. That’s the heart of it.

Well written... very deep.... Where I would add one layer is this. I do not think storytellers should see themselves as priests. That is dangerous. But I do think we have become urban planners of inner space. We design the streets people walk in their heads. Conflict engines, resolutions, the difference between integration and annihilation, as you put it, are not neutral choices. They are blueprints for how to imagine disagreement, loss and survival.

Sometimes annihilation is honest. Sometimes reconciliation would be a lie. The point is not to impose “nice” stories. The point is to know that our formal choices carry psychological cost, and to pay attention to who is paying that bill.

Jean Pierre Magro, this is brilliant. “Urban planners of inner space” is the perfect extension of what I was reaching for. It shifts the conversation away from moral authority (priests) toward structural responsibility (architects), which is exactly where it needs to be.

I completely agree that the goal isn’t to impose “nice” stories, but to stay conscious of the “psychological cost” you describe. My concern is that in a lot of modern genre storytelling—especially at franchise scale—we’ve drifted into treating annihilation as the default currency of resolution. Sometimes annihilation is the only honest ending. But when it becomes the only blueprint we offer, the imaginative landscape narrows.

We’re essentially building cities in people’s heads where the only way to resolve conflict is to level the building. I’m simply arguing for a wider zoning code—one that makes room for integration and survival to stand alongside obliteration as equally truthful architectural choices. Not to abolish any one outcome, but to offer more than one way to pay the bill.

I love how you’ve pushed the metaphor forward.

Happy Thanksgiving, E Langley!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks for this reminder E. Langley. Frank Capra’s masterpiece, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” is the gift of community. Our fellow creatives are our guardian angels, here to help us grow and succeed, especially after receiving a rejection. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone has/had a happy Thanksgiving! :) I’m living in Hungary (Europe), so I didn’t celebrate it, but it looks like a beautiful holiday!

Happy Turkey Day.

Hello Philip Sedgwick

i am Ninah, a composer of original screenplays

Hi Yusuf! I am a cinematographer and gaffer with horror experience in short films. You can see my reel here: https://youtu.be/-zQnYxnBhr4?si=iykQav5-0EYf3hZX I’d love to connect!

Hello, my name is Derrin. I'm an artist/composer and I'd love to chat more with you about your project.

Are you thinking of Arizona. Not sure how to respond to your message.

Whether direct release to streaming, or post-theatrical streaming, the years best films as judged by AMPAS members makes catching them far easier. Some nominated films are not available to see in a theater. It's part of the reason why many AMPAS members see nominated films for the first time on Screeners (which I also do — on buddies' copies).

I don't see Cameron carping about release of his films to streaming on Disney and Max. "Avatar: Way of the Water" nabbed $2B in theatrical and was number one streamed film upon release with 2B streaming minutes. Cha-Ching!

His bread is buttered on both sides. So ... what's the problem? It's 2025, dude.

Netflix should qualify for Oscars as it has closed the gap from gate keeping giving a lot of young and upcoming writers a platform, and as long as the movie or project does well in terms streaming, numbers and ratings I say its fair game

Great points raised with this discussion. As an Australian viewer, it is very frustrating when films are nominated for all the major awards and they have not been cinema released in Australia at that time. Streaming allows many films to be viewed prior to the awards. And of course the nominations drive viewing on streaming as well as making it easy for cinema goers. I am personally excited by the opportunities that overall streaming has given all players in the film industry. As E Langley wrote, it's 2025, dude. So ....what's the problem.

Roll on 2026 and beyond for more exciting developments in the film industry.

I love all the views, and I agree with every single one. I have not seen so many Oscar films because they were never released in cinemas where I am. Streaming has given us unparalleled access. The Oscars should represent the best of the best across the world, not the best of the cinema releases. Furthermore, release in cinemas doesn't even guarantee you will be considered.

I have to say I disagree with his views here. This, to me, smacks of more gate-keeping energy than anything. I don't usually go to theaters. I can't stay awake. For some reason, it puts me out. I'm usually asleep mid act 1.

I prefer to watch at home because of it.

And some of the best stuff I've seen in years has been Netflix exclusive. So... Yeah. Can't agree with Mr. Cameron.

Hi, Alfons Emilian. I think some of your post didn't show up. You can edit your post by clicking the downward arrow to the right of your name and selecting "Edit Post."

How did you do it?

Alfons Emilian Congrats!

Hey that's awesome! Congratulations!

I read a lot more this year than in past years, and one of the last books I finished was Unreasonable Hospitality. Currently reading Range. Both are fantastic books and are shaping new directions, but helping me drill down on directions I didn't think were still open to me.

There were a few things this year inspiring more of me, one was the daily journaling I committed to for 2025. There are always a few stories rising to the surface briefly each day as I applied pen to paper in my journals, so I captured the wisps as they arrived. I peruse the local library to see and read what the youth and children are absorbing to guide their future manifested life. Some are magical with more heroines than heroes which is nice to see. There are definitely potential gaps with some outdated genres misguiding young minds into confusion around what their future could hold. This is one area I am looking at seriously to fill in those gaps and welcome other creators to join me in this.

Another blessing in disguise was my tablet battery decided to die in June!! With no way to access my documents or social media network with a stolen phone locking me out! I did spend more time on You Tube with Michelle Chalfont's Podcast - The Adult Chair, Jefferson Fisher on Communication tips from a lawyer. I can say his podcasts refocus my day allowing for a greater depth in my writing and communication. Walking through the forests here on Vancouver Island BC Canada which hold such beauty it is easy to feel inspired by the life giving majesty of the giant old growth. To experience the essence of these trees one must walk or stand among them at sun set when they release their aerosols into the environment. And last before my tablet battery failed I understood the hype over the kindle app. I could have the app read stories to me while I was in my garden or cooking, and who here does not like to have story read to them? Something I discovered about this app was if highlighting a word the app will give the words origins, and many of those words did not mean of have the same usage we apply to them to day. Give it a try if you have the kindle app.

You all have a beautiful Day/Evening

I thought I would add a narrative feature that is Taiwan's entry for an Academy Award. It is called, "Left-Handed Girl," and it was the best film I saw at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

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 sustains the mystery and the tension of the story. The acting is awesome as well as the production design. I have loved these dystopian, apocalyptic stories probably since I watched films like ‘The Day of the Triffids’ and the Quatermass films, when I was a kid.

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.

Happy Thanksgiving, Evelyn Von Warnitz!

Happy Thanksgiving Maurice Vaughan and all of Stage32! I am thankful for the incredible amount of services and support you provide for us screenwriters. From education to access, it's phenomenal. One thing I want to get done by end of year is another rewrite of my Fantasy-Horror script, Shambhala, about a treasure hunt in a lost kingdom that becomes a fight for survival against man, monsters and wrathful Tibetan Buddhist gods.

Happy Thanksgiving, Ramon Zapata! You're right. The services and support on here is phenomenal! Shambhala sounds interesting! I'm rooting for you to finish the rewrite by end of year!

Maurice Vaughan Thanks so much!

You're welcome, Ramon Zapata.