Meet the Stage 32 Team!

Meet the Stage 32 Team!

Meet the Stage 32 Team!

Taylor C. Baker
Taylor C. Baker
5 years ago

Happy Thursday Stage 32 Community!

For nearly 10 years, Stage 32 has been the online meeting place for entertainment creatives and professionals worldwide. We now have over 650,000 members - with cinematographers, actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, financiers, composers, and editors from every corner of the world coming together to network on Stage 32.

Whether you are a long-time member, or new to Stage 32 - we wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the folks that make this glorious online haven a reality. As entertainment creatives and professionals ourselves, everyone on the staff here at Stage 32 understands first-hand what it is like to hustle hard for our dreams in this business. It is on that very principle that Stage 32 was founded - to provide access, education, and community that you need to thrive in this business.

So without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the people that make Stage 32 possible.

Richard "RB" Botto - Founder & CEO

Meet the Stage 32 Team

Richard "RB" Botto is the Founder and CEO of Stage 32. RB launched the platform in 2011 to help film, television and digital content creators and professionals all over the world have a home to connect with like-minded creatives, incubate projects, learn directly from industry professionals and have unprecedented access to industry executives.

The platform was launched with 100 of RB's closest industry friends as members and today has grown to over 650,00 creatives and professionals worldwide. Additionally, the platform now boasts a library of over 1200 hours of film, television and digital education, by far the largest library in the world. Stage 32 is recognized throughout the industry as an incubator of talent and is the official film education and networking partner of such prestigious festivals and markets as the Cannes Film Festival Marche du Film, AFM and many more. Stage 32 has also been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the top 360 privately held companies in America.

RB is also a working creative and professional in the industry. He's a producer whose films have played at dozens of festivals including the Sundance award-winning feature, Another Happy Day, starring Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore and Kate Bosworth and written & directed by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, What Lies Ahead, starring Rumer Willis & Emma Dumont, the documentary Crutch and the upcoming Rain-Beau’s End. He is the Executive Producer on Vagic with Amy Baer at Gidden Media and My Clone’s an A-Hole with National Lampoon. Through Stage 32 he has helped incubate Chick Fight, starring Malin Akerman and Alec Baldwin, produced by Yale Productions and Ramo Law, and 10-31, produced by Eli Roth and Orion Pictures.

As a screenwriter, RB works on original scripts and writing assignments and has two features and a TV pilot in active development. As an actor, his latest film On the Corner of Ego and Desire premiered at the Raindance Film Festival.

Additionally, RB’s book Crowdsourcing For Filmmakers: Indie Film and the Power of the Crowd, was published by Focal Press/Routledge under the American Film Market Presents banner and quickly became one of their best-selling titles. It has hit #1 in 6 different film and business-related categories on Amazon and Audible. The book can be found at the Focal Press/Routledge booth by AFM badge registration and on Amazon and Audible, where it has garnered over 100 5-star reviews.

A sought after speaker, teacher and mentor, RB has been a keynote speaker and panelist at such festivals and conferences as Cannes, AFM, Tribeca, Sundance, Raindance, Hamburg, SXSW, Cinequest, Austin, ITVFest, Portugal FEST, Trinidad and Tobago, and Winston Baker. He has also taught at institutions such as Harvard, USC and Columbia University on the subjects of filmmaking, producing, film finance, screenwriting, social media, crowdfunding, crowdsourcing, entrepreneurship and business.

Prior to creating Stage 32, Botto was the Founder, Publisher and Editor of RAZOR magazine, a national men’s lifestyle magazine which boasted a readership of 1.5 million at its peak. A former radio host on ESPN and FOX Sports affiliates, Botto has appeared on such networks as CNBC, MSNBC, NBC News, FOX News, CBS News and VH1, riffing about the entertainment business and social media.

Botto also serves on the Advisory Board for Old Town Music Hall, a classic film theater in El Segundo, built in 1921.

Oh, and he was once named one of People Magazine's Most Eligible Bachelors (no lie).

You can follow RB on Instagram and Twitter @rbwalksintoabar

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Amanda Toney - Managing Director

Meet the Stage 32 Team

As Managing Director for Stage 32, Amanda oversees operations and business development for the global business. She has curated over 1,200 hours of online education created exclusively for Stage 32, and works with hundreds of entertainment industry executives from around the world to serve as educators and mentors. She has spearheaded partnerships with such prestigious organizations as the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film, American Film Market, SXSW, Austin Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, PGA, WGA and DGA, as well as brands such as AT&T, Peerspace, Pond5, Mandy, Bondit Media Capital and her personal favorite partnership, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which is the official vodka of Stage 32.

As a producer, Amanda has worked on the psychological thriller What Lies Ahead starring Rumer Willis and Emma Dumont; Chick Fight, starring Malin Akerman, Alec Baldwin and Bella Thorne, Metaphorms, a Hungarian film, which premiered at the Raindance Film Festival and Dolphin Girl, an entire Stage 32 production in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Film Commission. She recently sold an unscripted show to a major US network .

Amanda has spoken all over the world at the Cannes Film Festival (France), Hollyshorts Film Festival (US), Raindance Film Festival (UK), Hamburg Film Fest (Germany), Trinidad & Tobago Film Commission (Trinidad), Fest Festival (Portugal) and Harvard (US) on the business of the entertainment industry.

Follow her on Twitter at @stage32amanda

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Jason Mirch - Director of Script Services

Meet the Stage 32 Team

Jason Mirch is a feature film, television, branded entertainment, and digital content producer and executive with over 15 years of experience. Most recently, he produced a 3D animated feature film starring Jacob Tremblay, Christopher Lloyd, Mel Brooks, Kenan Thompson, and Carol Kane.

Mirch was the Head of feature and television development at Image Nation, a finance and production company based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. There, he supervised the Image Nation contributions in the development of Flight, The Help, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Contagion, Careful What You Wish For, Ghost Rider 2, Midnight Sun, and 100 Foot Journey.​ Prior to his work at Image Nation, Mirch was Co-Head of Development at Zadan/Meron Productions (Chicago, Footloose, The Bucket List) where he was actively involved in developing a slate of feature film projects for New Line, Paramount, Summit Ent., and CBS/Paramount. He also developed and sold television projects and mini-series to CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, and Lifetime.

He has lectured on all areas of filmmaking, speaking on panels at the Producers Guild of America, the Harvard Screenwriting Group, American Film Market, University of Southern California Film School, as well as several international film festivals and markets. In addition, he has consulted brands, including Burberry and Creative Artists Agency, on the expansion of their operations into emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia.

Mirch graduated Cum Laude from Chapman University’s School of Film and Television, where he received a B.F.A., in Film Production, with an emphasis in Writing and Directing. He was mentored by Academy Award-Winning Writer/Director David S. Ward, in the spring of 2004, and is the winner of Chapman University Student Filmmaker Award, for Best Director for his film Ally.

If you have any questions about Stage 32 Script Services or how to get moving in your screenwriting career, email Jason at j.mirch@stage32.com

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Harrison Glaser - Director of Education

Meet the Stage 32 Team

For nearly a decade Harrison Glaser has been immersed in the professional film industry. He served as Austin Film Festival’s Film Competition Director for five years, where he programmed the festival’s films and discovered his passion for identifying deserving projects and championing exciting and unrecognized talent. During Harrison’s tenure as AFF’s Film Competition Director, over 100 films he programmed went on to secure distribution, six short films were later nominated for Oscars, and one that he qualified ultimately won the Academy Award.

Harrison currently serves as the Director of Education for Stage 32, the world’s largest online platform that connects and educates film, TV and new media creatives and professionals worldwide. Through this role, Harrison works with countless writers, directors, producers, managers, agents, executives, and other industry professionals to put together regular webinars and classes that educate and empower thousands. Harrison continues to serve on festival juries and moderate panels and film Q&A sessions for multiple film festivals around the country.

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Taylor C. Baker - Director of Community

Meet the Stage 32 Team

Taylor began her career in entertainment working in television development at Discovery Channel Studios. Taylor then had the pleasure of working in the marketing department at Paramount Pictures where she coordinated social media for World War Z, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Star Trek Into Darkness, and more.

As an avid creative herself, Taylor is also an actor, a writer, and a self-proclaimed professional goofball. She co-created, wrote, produced, and stars in the hit web series Female Friendly, which premiered at the Hollyshorts Film Festival and went on to be nominated for the Jury Award of Best Satire Web Series at the Minnesota Web Fest and won Best Web Series at the Hollywood KAPOW Intergalactic Film Festival.

On-screen, Taylor graced the tv-sphere on Lucifer (FOX/NETFLIX), where she played a southern roller derby queen opposite of the devil himself. You can also find Taylor in Polygonerz (AMAZON), My Crazy Ex (LIFETIME), and The Gong Show (ABC).

Recently, Taylor wrapped shooting the feature film What About Molly in Austin, TX - a role she booked through networking on Stage 32! The writer/director of What About Molly is currently writing a sequel, in which Taylor is attached to play the lead role.

Taylor is a proud graduate of the Radio, Television, and Film Program at The University of Texas in Austin where she produced and hosted Sneak Peek, the longest-running show at Texas Student Television, one of the only FCC licensed, completely student-run TV stations in America. There, Taylor interviewed countless filmmakers and actors including James Gunn, Jay and Mark Duplass, Joseph Kahn, Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Jonah Hill, Josh Hutcherson, John C. Reilly, Kristen Stewart, and many more.

As the Director of Community at Stage 32, Taylor loves helping our community share their stories on the Stage 32 j.mirch@stage32.com with your pitch and your favorite movie + corresponding snack (just for fun!)

Follow Taylor's creative adventures on Instagram @taylorcbaker and YouTube.

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Angela Cristantello - Script Services Manager

Meet the Stage 32 Team

A native of Upstate NY, Angela is an actor/writer living in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and has done a hefty amount of theatre since, most recently being featured in Ravenswood Manor at the Celebration Theatre in Hollywood (the LATimes said some pretty nice things about her, and that was awfully sweet of them). Her TV credits include: 9-1-1 (FOX), Agent Carter (ABC), Bored to Death (HBO), One Bad Choice (MTV). She’s also been in numerous commercials and has been largely cast as a mom ten years her senior.

Angela came to Stage 32 after having done three seasons of screenplay coverage through the Austin Film Festival. As Stage 32’s Script Services Manager, Angela will hold you steady on your path to becoming the most fearless storyteller you can be. To present you with opportunities to try something new, to be your shoulder when you need one, your advocate when you need one, and your biggest cheerleader whether you feel like you need one or not. Stage 32 is as much an amazing platform to network with your peers as is it an invaluable arena in which to flex your muscles.

Angela regularly performs with her improv team Mouthfeel, and spends her downtime petting dogs and playing big spoon to her husband TJ.

YouTube Video

Kay Ross - Community Manager

Meet the Stage 32 Team

Kay Ross is a producer, screenwriter, and actor who started her career doing theatre in her hometown of Washington, D.C. After attending Colorado Film School and receiving her B.F.A. in Film and Video Production, she worked in production for various networks, including Investigation Discovery, Food Network, and BBC America. While being groomed to become a production manager, Kay never stopped writing and producing short films. She relocated to Los Angeles to change her career projection to focus more on creative roles.

Since moving in 2019, she has written several short films, developed a coming-of-age television pilot set at the Renaissance Festival, worked on a dozen television shows, and launched "The Pre-Pro Podcast" aimed at teenagers interested in meeting mentors in the media industry. She enjoys martial arts, exploring culture through food, and traveling (when it is safe to do so). She loves opportunities to work with inclusive, diverse, and driven professionals, especially on projects based on true events or scientific research. She is actively looking for more opportunities to do voice-over acting, and in the new year, she is excited to direct her calling card short.

As the Community Manager for Stage 32, Kay loves to help connect creatives to resources, upcoming opportunities, and other potential professionals through the Stage 32 lounges. She may even have a thing or five to say about production, so you'll find her in the Acting, Animation, Filmmaking, Producing, and Post-Production Lounges most frequently.

If you have a question about the site or how to best navigate the community, don't be shy! You can post in the lounges, comment on others' posts, or you can direct message her through Stage 32 and she'll respond! You can also follow her on Instagram @k.osswrites

YouTube Video

Nick Assunto - Script Services Coordinator

Meet the Stage 32 Team

Nick is a writer, director, and sometimes actor with over 10 years of training from The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in both New York and Los Angeles in sketch and improv. He was previously a first and second round reader for the Austin Film Festival for three years, and a writer for the 2017 CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase.

He holds a B.A. in Theater from Salve Regina University with a focus in playwriting. While there he student directed several plays, ran the improv group Seahawk Down, and started the school's Film Club. He currently resides in Los Angeles working on his screenplays and plotting projects to direct.

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Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Taylor at j.mirch@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32online , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .

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About the Author

Taylor C. Baker

Taylor C. Baker

Actor, Screenwriter, Content Creator, Producer

On-screen, you can find me on the award-winning digital series "Female Friendly", which I had the pleasure of co-creating and writing as well. Additionally, my dimples graced the tv-sphere on "Lucifer", where I played a southern roller derby queen opposite of the devil himself on Fox/Netflix. My n...

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12 Comments on Taylor C.'s Article

Clayton Dudzic
Screenwriter
You guys and gals, rock. Your hard work and your dedication keeps many of us screenwriters, to keep writing no matter how old a writer is. Thank you.
4 years ago
Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter
The Stage 32 staff is like a super team. Which member is Captain America? Which is Iron Man? Which is Spider Man? Etc. Stage 32 assemble!
4 years ago
Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter
Hi, Bamutiire. I'm not sure which Stage 32 staff members are which superheroes. RB has to be Nick Fury because he started Stage 32.
4 years ago
Katherine De Bois
Accommodation Specialist, Author, Publisher
Thank you for letting me stumble in here. The team and members are incredibly supportive and to be honest nurturing. In the short while that I have been here, I have been humbled by all your support and willingness to share knowledge. Thanks again for including me in this wonderful and unique network of creatives. 
4 years ago
Amanda Toney - Next Level Education
Director of Operations, Producer
Hi everyone! We love being a part of our incredible community. Thank you for all the wonderful years of seeing everyone's success!
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
You rock, my Jedi Master! Thank you for all you do!
5 years ago
Tasha Lewis
Actor, Author, Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Editor, Filmmaker, Marketing/PR, Narrator, Producer, Researcher, Screenwriter, Student, Translator, Voice Actor
Team Stage 32 you rock!
5 years ago
Tasha Lewis
Actor, Author, Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Editor, Filmmaker, Marketing/PR, Narrator, Producer, Researcher, Screenwriter, Student, Translator, Voice Actor
Your welcome!  Karen, I’m adding Stage 32 to my case studies for my PhD TRPP Project.  I’m working on the report this month with my pitch preparation.  Would appreciate any support the the Team can provide.
4 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Thank you, Tasha! Glad to have you in the community!
5 years ago
Taylor C. Baker
Actor, Screenwriter, Content Creator, Producer
So honored to be a part of this epic dream team! The Stage 32 community is a constant inspiration to me, and I have met so many amazing people from all over the world! Here's to making movie magic together y'all :)
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Here, here! So glad to be working with y'all!
4 years ago
Angela VanZandt
Screenwriter
What a great idea this was to create such a company!  It has made a huge difference in my goal-setting.  Stage 32 is reaching full potential as a company due to the changing structure of agents and also due to the pandemic.  One thing I really appreciate is that Stage 32 is an ethical company.  Thank you for making us feel secure and for all the edifying mentoring we receive from producers and staff.  Glad to see all your faces in one place.  I can imagine the office now.
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Aww, that's so kind! Thank you, Angela! We love having you in the community, and we are so grateful to be a part of your process!
4 years ago
Jason Mirch
Creative Executive, Producer, Screenwriter
Thanks so much Angela VanZandt-Bumpass! You are a fantastic part of the community! 
5 years ago
Jason Mirch
Creative Executive, Producer, Screenwriter
To all the members of this incredible community - we are here because you are here! Thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your creative journey and trusting us with advancing your career goals. 
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
So well said, sir! And thank you for being a fantastic mentor. It's been an honor!
4 years ago
Harri-Pekka Virkki
Author, Stunt Performer
\#IAmStage32! It's amazing that you guys have succeed to create this community where you really feel you are a part of the creative scene. The atmosphere is professionally supportive (and yet critical if needed). And those webinars/blogs! Love'em. It's always a pleasure to sign in here. Thanks!
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Thank you, Harri-Pekka! So glad to have you in the community - and you ARE part of the creative scene! We love hearing from you!
4 years ago
Taylor C. Baker
Actor, Screenwriter, Content Creator, Producer
You are the backbone of this blog Harri-Pekka Virkki! I love seeing your comments everyday! You are so supportive and engaged in the community and we appreciate you!
5 years ago
Doug Cole
Screenwriter
Great to read all of your bios. What an amazing team you all are. I so appreciate the resources Stage 32 has provided me over the past year as I have been working on my script. As a relative newcomer to this world, the support and encouragement has been invaluable. I especially want to thank Jason for the care and attention he shown me- holding my hand each step along the journey! Love you guys❤️
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Thanks so much, Doug! So glad to hear, and we're happy to help you keep going! I second that - JASON ROCKS!
5 years ago
Navid Lancaster
Music Composer, Sound Designer, Musician
The Dream Team!! #makingthingshappen
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
Indeed! Thank you, Navid! So glad to have you in the community!
5 years ago
Karen E Ross
Filmmaker, Producer, Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Voice Actor, Actor
I'm beginning to lose count of how many times people tell me how rare it is to find such kind-hearted and uplifting people in the industry. It's so gratifying to see members find the encouragement they need to keep creative and productive in each other. I'm so grateful to be a part of such an amazing team and an inspiring community! Congrats on the 10 year anniversary, RB & Amanda! A special thank you to Jason who has been my writing mentor for the past year - I'm so grateful for your honesty and dedication!
5 years ago
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