5 Ways to Connect & Network Online in the Stage 32 Lounges

5 Ways to Connect & Network Online in the Stage 32 Lounges

5 Ways to Connect & Network Online in the Stage 32 Lounges

Karen "Kay" Ross
Karen "Kay" Ross
5 years ago

Stage 32 hosts online forums, called Lounges to encourage like-minded professionals to communicate and collaborate. As I've become more familiar with these lounges as the new Stage32 Community Manager, the more I liken them to V.I.P. Filmmakers' Lounges hosted at film festivals. These are the exclusive rooms where creators can step away from the pomp and press to find other professionals… and a stiff drink. These are the "networking opportunities" that so many in the industry scramble to attain. Here on Stage32, we host our own V.I.P. Filmmakers' Lounges year-round, totally free and B.Y.O.B.

Better yet, we have individual lounges for every hat, occupation, discipline, or interest you may have in the entertainment industry, including Acting, Animation, Filmmaking/Directing, Cinematography, Composing, Distribution, Film Financing, Producing, Post-Production, and more!

So, how do you begin to meet any of these super-cool, working professionals? Start a conversation or join a debate – virtually! Below are five ways you can find or start those networking lounge discussions.

1) Join Conversations on Your Homepage Scroll

So, you're on your computer, you've typed in Stage32.com, and if you're still logged in, you land on your home page. By default, you will be looking at your "feed."

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

The series of posts in your feed is composed of all the posts from your immediate network and from lounges with which you are subscribed. This means, without navigating to any of the individual lounges, you can scroll through your feed and comment on established conversations in every lounge. How do you know which lounge a post has been posted in? In a post, it goes Name, Title, Lounge – so just look at that profile picture, and you'll find the "posted in" tag!

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

But what if you have a fresh post you are dying to start? No problem! On that same page, click on "Post to Wall" to share with only the people you've connected with or click on "Post to Lounge" to share with like-minded creatives per topic. There is even a little dropdown menu so you can choose what lounge to post to! You didn't ask, but I can sense the impending question: You do not have to be subscribed to any lounge to post on it. Subscribing just ensures you see posts from that lounge in your feed. Basic Lounge Surfing? CHECK!

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

2) "Join the Discussion" from Your Homepage

Okay, you've scrolled through your feed, but it's just not doing it for you. Where are the juicy topics? What's popping? I want to go where the people are! Hold up – you're already there!

On the right side of the home page, there is a curated selection of popular topics from your subscriptions labeled "Join the Discussion." You can even "show more" and "see all" if you want more to dig into. The best part – you only get the title, so there is an excellent opportunity for discovery with this version of "Lounge Exploration."

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

Let's hover for a moment. If we're exploring lounges, let's hover over "Lounges" at the top and see what we can find. Oh! Speaking of popular discussions, let's find the party at "Trending Lounge Discussions"!

This will read just like your home page feed, but now it has weeded out any posts that are not getting as many responses. It also only pulls from the lounges to which you are subscribed. This is a fantastic option if you're looking to really engage in active chats, as there will assuredly already be comments on the topic for you to respond to. If you want to jump in on the hottest conversations, this is the place to go!

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

4) Use the Search Bar on the Lounge Home Page

"Hey, Kay? I have a question that I'm sure lots of people in our vast global community could answer. Still, I feel silly posting it because I'm sure someone has already asked it. Can't I just look up previous posts to save myself the embarrassment?" Yes. Yes, you can.

Lurkers, hold on to your butts… Did you know you can click on "Lounge"? Or even "All Lounges" under "Lounge"? Yep! Welcome to the Lounge Home Page! This is where you can access all of the lounges, confirm your subscriptions, add or change your subscriptions. The subscriptions, however, is not why I bring you here. Check out that Search Bar at the top right corner, just below the red Writer's Room button. Yes, you can search through all posts. All of them!

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

Your best bet is to find a single keyword and run with that. "Manager" will bring up both "looking for a manager" and "what is the difference between a manager and a lawyer" conversations. "50mm Lens" will bring up posts with just "50mm" and only "lens" in them. Of course, this is an exploration, so play around and see what you can find!

  1. Join Lounge Posts from Network Profiles

The final way you can explore the Stage 32 Lounges? Isn't it obvious? Okay, I won't use the "s" word, because it's creepy, but how about pursuing lounge conversations through individual profiles? Chasing? Hunting?

Let's say you've hit it off with a fellow Stage 32-er, but you don't know what else to talk about. Why not find out what they're already talking about? No need to become a Stage 32 stalker, but you can totally visit a member's profile, and click on Lounge Posts.

5 Ways to Explore  Network in the Stage 32 Lounges

There, you can scroll through the conversations they have both started and participated in. It's like hitting it off at a networking event and following your new buddy into another circle of people.

Yes, you may also explore that person's Wall. But remember, some of those posts will be exclusive to just that person's network, which means you won't necessarily meet new people.

Now that you know how and where to find lounge discussions, it's time to jump in and get social! What kind of conversations do you want to start?

After RB's most recent "Ask Me Anything", I've started a series of Town Hall posts for Acting, Animation, Cinematography, Filmmaking, Post-Production, and Producing. If you have suggestions on ways our Stage32 Community can support all aspects of filmmaking, jump in on our little virtual Town Hall Q&A! I look forward to chatting with you in the Lounges!

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About the Author

Karen "Kay" Ross

Karen "Kay" Ross

Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor

Kay Ross is an actor, producer, writer, and champion for the "inner teenager.” While being a producer on a television show like Netflix’s “Sex Education” would be a dream realized, for now, she kicks ass on shorts, features, and hosts a weekly IGLive to empower creatives called “The Victory Round.”...

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7 Comments on Karen E's Article

Hello everybody, I've got lots of material about vital matters related to our civilization, however, for most of our audience and even creatives it would be faith-based, sci-fi, fiction, fantasy, etc, Humanity is about 2000 years behind God' plan of evolution and one of the reason is that mission of Jesus Christ was distorted and twisted or use very popular now day word- faked. I've got a book, a feature movie script, TV pilot has done( by Colin. K, Stewart) Logline: Earth becomes Hell and Creator's challenged to fix it to use Soul-0-Rule, Thank you very much to Karen E. Ross for her guidance!
5 years ago
Tasha Lewis
Actor, Author, Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Editor, Filmmaker, Marketing/PR, Narrator, Producer, Researcher, Screenwriter, Student, Translator, Voice Actor
How to get the best results out of this resource makes connecting and networking with ease as easy as 1 2 3.  
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
I ADORE working smarter, not harder! #WordsToLiveBy You are most welcome! See you in the lounges!
5 years ago
Tasha Lewis
Actor, Author, Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Editor, Filmmaker, Marketing/PR, Narrator, Producer, Researcher, Screenwriter, Student, Translator, Voice Actor
I believe in working Smarter not Harder since I'm usually multi-tasking daily.  Thank you for the kind words Karen.  High Five back at ya!
5 years ago
H Schussman
Author, Screenwriter
Great and helpful post Karen! Once I started paying attention to each lounge's own personality, I had better luck connecting.
5 years ago
H Schussman
Author, Screenwriter
Awe... *Blushing* thanks Karen.
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Heidi Schussman You frickin' ROCK those lounges now! And your table reads have inspired several others to do likewise, get active and really make their community work together! Keep doing you! * long-distance high-five *
5 years ago
Eoin O'Sullivan
Actor, Playwright, Screenwriter, Voice Artist
Very informative tour Karen, thanks for sharing
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
You are most welcome, Eoin O'Sullivan! It's a dry subject, I know, but so many people seemed like they were struggling, and honestly - this is the easy bit! It's the stuff we're talking about that's actually hard - the craft and the business! I look forward to seeing you in the lounges!
5 years ago
Harri-Pekka Virkki
Author, Stunt Performer
Thanks! Time to start lounge surfing!
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
YASS, Harri-Pekka Virkki! I'll see you in there!
5 years ago
Laurie Ashbourne
Screenwriter, Producer, Author
Awesome and thorough! It also highlights the need to fill out your bio so it comes up in searches. I accept all network requests EXCEPT those that don't have the courtesy to fill out their area of expertise or endeavor. I have a baker's dozen of requests with zero information after their name that I won't connect with.
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Hey, Laurie Ashbourne - abso-FRICKIN'-lutely! I often feel that all positions in this business boil down to one key task - make it easier for the person you are working for/with to say "yes" (or just make their job easier, or just make it easier for them to make a decision). It CAN take so much time and energy to really accomplish anything, including making friends, but if you do your homework so it looks like you're meeting them at least halfway, then you've done your part in making each encounter into that "yes". Speaking of which - time to revamp my own bio! LOL!
5 years ago
H Schussman
Author, Screenwriter
I agree... I don't accept network requests without a bio.
5 years ago
Lynelle Paulick
Actor, Editor
Dang — Karen, thank you. Your instruction makes a day vs. night difference in my motivation to do more than simply lurk on Stage32 while feeling like an ineffectual, uninvolved, invisible outsider. This, right here, is a beautifully mathematical mapping of the site that truly begs me to run into the labyrinth and have some Fun!! I really appreciate your efforts!
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Awww, Lynelle Paulick! Thank you so much! I was going for both technical and fun. I'm so glad it made sense and was helpful to you! Shout out to Taylor C. Baker for editing and helping me craft it and Amanda Toney for her expert feedback!
5 years ago
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