Distribution

If you had told me a while ago that I'd be where I am today, I would've said you were wrong. But "wrong" and "right" are subjective, aren't they? They depend on your goals, ideas, and beliefs. Today, I want to share my filmmaking journey with you, along with some tips that might help you if you're dreaming of directing your own short film.  My Unexpected Path to Directing I pioneered female entrepreneurship in Portugal and won the most significant awards a businesswoman could win worldwid...

Yep. MAGPIE FUNERAL, a recent film of mine, was almost dead on arrival. But hey, what independent film can’t say that? Here are three crazy stories about MAGPIE FUNERAL, now streaming on TubiTV, Amazon Video, YouTube, and Google Play. Story One: TIMING IS EVERYTHING. John T. Sweeney, Magpie Funeral’s producer, insisted that the production must start in mid-October of that year. I had the following January in mind. But John persisted. He explained it was imperative principal photography co...

Happy Tuesday, Creative Army! We’re keeping the momentum going this summer by continuing to bring Cannes to you, one powerhouse panel at a time. As you know, Stage 32 proudly celebrated our 10th anniversary partnering with the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival this May. Our programming featured some of the most influential and innovative minds in the business, sharing unfiltered knowledge on what it really takes to get your projects made in today’s ever-changing industry. Today, I...

Happy Tuesday, Creative Army! If you weren’t able to make it to Cannes this year, don’t worry—we’re still bringing Cannes to you. As I mentioned last week, Stage 32 celebrated our 10th year partnering with the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival this May. Our panels were packed with powerhouse insights and practical strategies from the most respected minds in film and television. And the best part? We’re sharing every one of them with you, right here on the Stage 32 blog. Today, I’m...

Passion projects. We all have them. Or at least we all should, in my opinion. That one film that MUST get made, no matter what. Your very own Megalopolis, I don't care about the costs in time, effort, and tears, it's getting done kind of project. Well, I have one too. As a matter of fact, I'm in pre-production on it now as I write this. The good people at Stage 32 (Thank you, Ashley!) are indulging me to share my story in real time, of getting this made. So, without further ado, here is the firs...

It’s true that the writing sample is the most important part of any query letter. However, you need to spend some time making sure that the query letter is solid as well. First impressions matter, and you can rub agents the wrong way if your query letter isn’t up to snuff. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes screenwriters make when querying. 1. Using A Generic Greeting If you are submitting a query letter, address the agent properly by name in your greeting. It’s unprofessional to use a...

Happy Thursday, Creative Army! As you probably saw from my posts, I like to compare festivals and markets not against one another, but year over year. We had a fantastic Cannes last year, but there was still much apprehension in the air. Residue from COVID and the strikes, although even then, the international perspective remained optimistic. This year, the vibe was overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve returned to business as usual. The general feeling toward any negativity is that it’s all he...

As an audiovisual creator, protecting your project from legal issues is just as important as its artistic quality. This guide will help you understand the fundamental aspects of the clearance process (legal authorization) that you need to consider before exhibiting your work. What is Clearance, and Why is it Important? "Clearance" is the process through which you obtain all necessary legal authorizations to include any material or element in your audiovisual production. This process protects...

We can all agree that it’s nigh impossible for a finished film to be even 90% close to the original screenplay. Budget and logistic constraints can be very limiting for the filmmaker and often the creative vision changes according to the ebbs and flow of the production. Locations are changed, dialogues are added, and sometimes even characters are edited out. As a result, when the filmmaker has finished post and is busy procuring deliverable material required by film festivals or the distributo...

How in the blue blazes is an independent filmmaker like yourself supposed to find a favorable distribution deal and secure profitability for your movie? You’re not. In today’s economy, in every sector of the entertainment industry, institutions are more apt to sell artists and creators the possibility of success than they are to invest in the actual labor that goes into making a film successful. Just like every other sector of the entertainment industry, this unsettling reality tends to make eve...