Filmmaking

When you think of great original soundtracks - the best of the best, you probably think of Final Fantasy, Zelda, Skyrim, and even Sonic. Video game music is a genre in itself. It went from 8-bit synthy beeps and bobs to orchestra epic arrangements. The genre has impacted and inspired so many, myself included. I will admit that growing up, I wasn’t into the greats like Final Fantasy or Zelda. I was more into obscure games such as Spyro, Twisted Metal, Crazy Taxi, and such. It is games like thos...

Happy Friday, Stage 32 Community! Our Stage 32 Team has been working diligently to bring in as many new resources and opportunities as possible to enrich your experience here in our community! At Stage 32 you have direct access to award-winning industry executives and professionals who’ve written, directed, produced, filmed, developed, performed, and represented acclaimed projects such as ARRIVAL, TRANSFORMERS, FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS, FOOTLOOSE, THE BOYS, ELEMENTAL, SPIDER-VERSE, MEG 2, C...

Happy Thursday, Stage 32 Community! I hope that the last month has been joyful and productive for you all! Our Stage 32 Education Team has certainly been hard at work to bring incredible education opportunities and resources to this fantastic community. This May, you'll have the chance to learn from knowledgeable industry executives, award-winning screenwriters, producers, directors, showrunners, animators, podcast hosts, authors, script supervisors, attorneys, and representatives. Impressiv...

As a working actor, I am often asked: How do you balance your acting career with the rest of your life? It usually comes from those who aren't actors/artists or those who are actors but are struggling to find that balance. This got me thinking about balance and I asked myself whether "balance" is just an abstract idea or something practical to have in your life. More importantly, is it even possible to have balance with all the things we have going on, all the tasks we have to perform every...

You’ve heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”? I’m going to start with something controversial, I hate that quote. This quote has been preached to me on many occasions throughout my career and I can imagine it will continue for the rest of my years. Why this quote? Because my creativity is hard to grasp, I do many things and can do many things well. Does this sound like you? Your creativity doesn’t fit in the societal norms of occupation, the idea that we decide to be or do one...

Happy Thursday, Creative Army! As many of you already know, Stage 32 Certification has been working tirelessly to bring new film commissions, institutes, colleges, streamers, and other organizations into the mix. This week we’re welcoming the Polish Film Institute to Stage 32 Education! Together, we’ll be training people looking to work above and below the line in Poland in support of the rebates, incentives, and the production companies and streamers looking to film locally. This will conti...

To have or not to have production insurance- the most important question. Short answer? YES. Always, yes. Production insurance is a necessary part of the production process that many independent creators love to avoid, whether to “save” money or avoid all the paperwork. However, much like car, health, and any other business insurance, it is a MUST! What does production insurance do? It covers rentals, liability, injuries while on set, vehicles operated on set, and even copyright claims. If...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? I have some content here for you that is sure to get the creative juices flowing, so grab your coffee, and let's dive in. First up, in this video from the Writers Guild Foundation, acclaimed showrunner Glen Mazzara (THE ROCKIE, THE DARK TOWER) discusses the challenges of being a screenwriter, advice for new writers, and the importance of including fun in a spec script. It's great insight into what a showrunner looks for whe...

Let's set the records straight for parents of young, and specifically, young adult actors (~16-24) in the entertainment industry. While there is a lot of content about sexual predators in the Industry, there’s very little about other types of abusive, manipulative, and predatory behaviors involving young actors. In an unnatural arena where profit, investment, careers, and social status rely on our kids more than ever, we, as parents, need to remain vigilantly aware that while “magic” exists i...

Independent film projects deal with business and legal aspects all the time. Bigger production companies generally have an in-house or external business and legal affairs manager. This is however less common for small production companies. In this article, we will discuss the role of business and legal affairs in independent film, and explore the areas covered by a business and legal affairs department or manager.     Business and Legal Affairs in Independent Film Business and le...