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I don’t think there’s a single clear answer to this. A lot of people on this platform — and in the industry in general — are struggling with the same thing. It really is a patience game, and breaking through as a first-time writer is incredibly difficult. I also believe in my own story, just like so many others do. I’ve received tons of strong, 4–5 star feedback myself, yet somehow the process still stalled.

All we can do is keep trying — not just here, but on every platform and through every opportunity we can find. One day our scripts may reach someone who sees what we see in them. And once that first breakthrough happens, everything does get a bit easier. At least that’s what I hold on to — and I think many of us here feel the same.

In my country Macedonia you can't make a living only from screenwriting. You gotta have another job. But screenwriting according to my opinion is a way to honestly express yourself creatively, getting rid of the reality burdened by every day worries. I know writing is a tough job, but with some luck and persistence primarily we can break through with the scripts, making sure that our work can be seen, appreciated and recognised by someone who will decide to make it into a final product.

For many, there is not single approach. And where you are based doesn't have a bearing on if you'll make a living or not. You need to be actively finding connections, have a positive outlook and willing to put in the time. Whatever you do, don't give up!

Hey, Ian Buchanan! Welcome back to Stage 32 and screenwriting. You could check the Job Board (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). It gets updated regularly.

I've gotten a lot of jobs on Stage 32 by networking. Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. Producers, executives, directors, managers, writers, and more. www.stage32.com/blog/the-importance-of-community-and-collaboration-in-th...

Stage 32's November Community Open House was Tuesday. It'll help you connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording will be up soon. It's free to watch. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

And it's the last week of Stage 32's November Write Club. It can help you reach a goal, it's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc., and you can get support for your goal and projects. There's three prizes this week and a grand prize drawing at the end of the month! Week 4's blog came out Monday. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-4-the-art-of-the-pitch-wha...

What are you saying?

Usually I say words made of letters, earthling:)

I still don't understand.

Hi Jake, my name is Giulio Malandrino and I'm an Italian director. What kind of projects are you looking for?

Hey, Jake DelVecchio. Stage 32 has free in-person Meetups that are great for networking with directors, producers, execs, writers, and more (www.stage32.com/meetups). If you don't see a Meetup in your area, keep an eye on that page for new Meetups. And you're welcome to start your own Meetup.

Jake DelVecchio You should drop into our Independent Producers Guild and DSP weekly virtual meet ups, and as an independent producer, you should join the Guild as well. Reach out to me here.

Congratulations, that is quite an accomplishment. Have a great holiday as well.

It's great to meet you, Misryana Why. Welcome to the community. Congratulations on writing 8 screenplays and a novel!

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. Producers, directors, writers, executives, managers, and more. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

Stage 32's November Community Open House was yesterday. It'll help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording will be up soon. It's free to watch. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

And it's the last week of Stage 32's November Write Club. It can help you reach a goal, it's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc., and you can get support for your goal and projects. There's three prizes this week and a grand prize drawing at the end of the month! Week 4's blog came out Monday. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-4-the-art-of-the-pitch-wha...

“Cut to” is not necessary because it is understood. For all other transitions, put in when you feel it is important for storytelling purposes. Don’t overthink it.

I believe CJ was indicating that slug lines and transitions are two different things.

Mike's spot on. Don't overthink it.

If you go on the likes of Reddit and Facebook, you'll see people saying you should never use a single transition - that it looks amateurish, that it makes you look like you're trying to be the director, and that you'll anger and offend the director. It's amateurs coming out with this nonsense. They'll be upvoted by other amateurs who want to believe the same.

SMASH CUT is a great example of a transition that screenwriters can use to convey impact, pace, and comic effect. FADE TO BLACK can be another.

Using transitions for every scene does look amateurish, but that's an extreme.

Absolutely nobody in the world that matters cares if you do or don't use FADE IN and FADE OUT.

No director worth their salt is getting their fee fees hurt by one too many transitions. That goes for formatting in general. If there's a good story there, they are going to take it and do what they feel is right with it.

Same goes for producers. They are digging for content.

A lot of this paranoia and subsequent dogma comes from obsessing over readers, and the lowest tier readers (competition readers, low-rent consultants, assistants, etc) are the ones that will come into communities and give away just how judgemental and superficial they are. They have got nothing better to obsess over. The crap they come out with is unbelievable and there's good reason why their entire careers are getting paid $5ph off Craigslist gigs (if they're lucky). They are the ones telling people your bold slug lines matter, that using "we see" is a criminal offence, and that more than four lines of dialogue makes your script unproduceable. They have nothing to do with the industry and next to zero insight.

I use transitions like "FADE TO BLACK" or "DISSOLVE TO" to signal a larger than expected time skip which is pretty much standard from what I've seen and read. Other than that "CUT TO" is understood to before each new slugline.

For TV spec pilots: I don't really care if you use FADE IN / FADE OUT, though it does take up precious page space. CUT TO between scenes is not needed as it's obvious, and also takes up tons of unnecessary space, making your script artificially longer. Act break indicators with page breaks are only needed for a pilot indended for broadcast. But when I'm working with a writer on any pilot we put it in (without the page break) as an internal way to keep track of where we are in the script and be sure we're hitting proper structure, which you need for streaming as well. If you do this as a tool just for yourself, remember to take them out before sending out the script! Some elegant transitions between scenes such as match cut, prelap, smash cut, or just dialogue or action transitions that make scenes flow into each other or juxtapose key scenes are the sign of a sophisticated writer, provided they're done with story intention and not too frequently. But this is a tone thing - some writers have a staccato tone with short scenes and fast pacing that doesn't lend itself to transitions, some writers prefer lingering reactions or button lines to end scenes, some prefer some sort of visual device to transition between storylines / locations / timelines - as long as all this is intentional to give the "reader" the same specific emotional experience your viewer will have. TV is a writer's medium, if you're leaving choices up to a "director," such a person does not exist, or at least often not till long after your pilot is sold.

Also, to CJ Walley 's point, I think pretty much all pros don't care about formatting so long as it's not so bad that we don't understand what you want us to see & feel. When I comment on formatting, it's because it's so bad that the script becomes difficult to read and in some places I literally don't get what the writer is trying to communicate.

Dear Ashley, thank you for asking. But foremost, what would our answers help you determine?

Hello Ashley Renee Smith for me it was this YouTube breakdown Top 100 Boss Fight 3D Montage (ft. ‪@dzasterpeace‬ ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgiRK8_iKdg and Love, Death & Robots on Netflix, both of which reminded me how visual rhythm can shape storytelling.

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.

Hey Morgan Aitken Ipg . I suggest you don't try to perform it straight away. Just explain it to an imaginary colleague as if you’re updating someone on set. This helps your voice find its natural rhythm. Then pick up the script and record immediately — the body keeps the conversational flow.

Yes, I would suggest voice warm up exercises, and there are some good webinars on beginning acting, and audio book recording. Also, what Alexandra Stevens said. Just read it like you are explaining it to someone. Put a stuffed animal or a someone's picture to look at and talk to them.

Visualize! When you say a word your mind is also going on a journey. That's what transforms speech into performance. Feel it, imagine it and embody it and your audience will be taken on a very special journey.

That's a brill idea David Linski ! I love the idea of visualization and words taking the listener on a journey. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and realize now, the good narrators are indeed taking me on a journey. Aye, that's acting, and I'm in awe of those that can do it well.

That's it Morgan. A great actor is in the driving seat, the audience are the passengers. :) Drive the story and it comes to life and takes them on the journey. :)

Fallout, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Yellowjackets, and The Last of Us to name a few, Zarya Rowland Bintz.

I'd toss Beef, Landman, Andor, and Mare of Easttown into the hat as well!

Yay, a whole bunch of shows to get started on! Thanks! I also love Red Dwarf Stefano Pavone and Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul Maurice Vaughan I'm looking forward to the next season of Fallout. Hoping it stays solid.

I favor films over series but Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, All of us are dead, Nobody wants this .

Some more of my favorites for the writing/story, in no particular order, are Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Doctor Who(I'm a longtime Whovian:), Hunter X Hunter, Death Note, Hannibal, Avatar:The Last Air Bender, Mr Robot, Ozark, Supernatural, Dark, Money Heist, and Watchmen.

Hi Martin! Welcome back! I believe it's never too late to go after your goals. I think those of us who write can relate to staying up late when inspiration strikes. I've stayed up until 2am or 3am writing poetry. Sometimes the best ideas I've had for poems has come at those late night/early morning hours. Have a joyous holiday season!

Thank you, Haley Mary ! Absolutely correct. It was nice to take a step back, get some new life experience. I'm normally a late owl, so it's not so bad haha. It really is an idea hour for sure. Cheers, Haley! Same to you! Hope it's a relaxing one!

Hey, Martin Graham! Welcome back. Congratulations on wrapping your first feature spec since coming back!

A lot has changed on Stage 32. Here's a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...

Stage 32's November Community Open House was yesterday. It'll help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording will be up soon. It's free to watch. www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-november-community-open-ho...

It's the last week of Stage 32's November Write Club. It can help you reach a goal, it's a chance to connect with writers, directors, producers, etc., and you can get support for your goal and projects. There's three prizes this week and a grand prize drawing at the end of the month! Week 4's blog came out Monday. www.stage32.com/blog/november-write-club-week-4-the-art-of-the-pitch-wha...

Thank you, Maurice Vaughan I appreciate it and will absolutely check those resources out. Good to be back! Love what I've seen of the changes so far!

You're welcome, Martin Graham. What's your feature spec about?

I would network/build relationships with the IP owners, Julie Lamont. It might lead to them listening to your pitch and reading your script. And check out The Stunt List (www.officialstuntlist.com/submit-2025).

Definitely spend some time networking and letting people see you. It's the single biggest thing you can do for yourself in the beginning.

The way I've seen reboots from unknown writers work is this: go into the universe of the story and tell the events from the completely opposite angle. flip the story on its head and present a totally new perspective.

The obvious example is Wicked. The guy who wrote the novel wicked, which was later adapted into a musical, then adapted into a 2-part mega feature, realized there was a story in the Wicked Witch's villain character that hadn't been told and wrote his book. That book was read and enjoyed by the musical writers (who were fairly established at the time) and the rest is history

Another great example is Ratched. An unknown MFA grad student writer at Loyola Marymount University took his favorite movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and re-imagined the story from Nurse Ratched's point of view. The pilot was sharp and had a great vision for a series. The writer Evan Romansky pitched it at a student pitch fest and a manager liked it enough to check out the script. Then after reading and liking the writing, the manager signed Evan and went to work eventually getting studios bidding against each other to make it, eventually ending up with Ryan Murphy for Netflix.

Other examples are Maleficent and Tangled, which were both reverse engineered by Disney Animation's internal teams after they saw the success of the Wicked musical.

So step 1, if you don't own the IP - first reimagine the IP as something totally new. Use the universe and world, but be original and do something totally different with it. Be wary of just writing the same story in the same world as it becomes harder to distinguish your work. Find a new angle and attack it. Villain as hero/anti-hero is a super convenient one to use.

Step 2, find a champion. For Evan Romansky (Ratched), that champion was a random manager at a random pitch fest, who didn't have to read Evan's work by any means, but the idea impressed him in a 10 minute pitch, so he did. For the Wicked writer, he just published his book and it became a word of mouth success. Two established musical writers took notice, saw it's potential, and ran with it.

If you've written your pilot already, my advice would be pitch managers on the idea. Studios likely won't hear writers out on the IP they own, but if you can find a champion in a manager, they will be able to bring it to the IP-owners on your behalf or have a realistic discussion with you about it.

thanks Pat! that’s really helpful.

I haven’t gone all out making it totally different. Although I very much put my own spin on it. The original is a tiny IP where the concept was good but the actual idea was very badly executed onscreen. And like a lot of media from that era in the genre it’s set in, the original was racist, sexist and a lot of other “ists”.

I l’ve looked at it from the view of “what if, instead of having it all about a bunch of sexist dudes, we added a couple of strong female characters, made the tone a lot darker, and explored deep themes not just superficial action and tropes”.

My favourite tv shows to watch all tend to be ones with “expanded universes”, whether it be ones like Andor (although Star Wars generally is a bit and miss), 80s/90s era Star Trek, and the “Bellisarioverse/ Lenkoverse” (eg JAG/NCIS and Hawaii 5-0/Magnum PI etc). oh and current ones like Elsbeth (spinoff) and Matlock (reboot).

I actually quite like how different the Matlock reboot is to the original (I’m probably giving away my age by saying I watched some of the original when it first aired). it really shows how you can take a concept and totally change it while keeping the spirit of the original.