Film Crew Essentials - Learn to Become An Unforgettable Crew Member
Other education that may be of interest to you:
How To Develop Your 30-Minute Multi-Cam Television Series
Learn the fundamentals of how to create a successful multi-cam television series from a seasoned television writer who has worked on FX's IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, Freeform's BABY DADDY, Disney's SYDNEY TO THE MAX, and more! PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you on your multi-cam comedy writing journey, including the script for the pilot episodes of FRIENDS, NEW GIRL, CHEERS, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, BABY DADDY, and SYDNEY TO THE MAX! Multi-cam comedies are half-hour shows filmed in a studio in front of a live audience with multiple cameras directed toward standing sets, like a living room, that we get used to seeing in every episode. The multi-cam sitcom has been the mainstay of TV comedy since I LOVE LUCY first invented it in 1951. From CHEERS, SEINFELD, and FRIENDS to EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, BIG BANG THEORY, FULL HOUSE and FULLER HOUSE, so many of the mega-hit TV shows that we all know and love are multi-camera series. Even in 2023, multi-cam sitcoms are everywhere, with shows like LOPEZ VS LOPEZ, THE CONNERS, NIGHT COURT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and THAT 90'S SHOW garnering huge ratings and anchoring program schedules for their respective networks/streamers. There will always be a robust market for multi-cam comedy writers who can deliver laugh-out-loud scripts, which means writing your own multi-cam pilot will greatly increase your staffing and development opportunities. In fact, most kids and family sitcoms are multi-cams, which in many cases represent the easiest path to getting that ever elusive first writing job or sale. In a world where writing staffs and episode orders are shrinking and opportunities for writers to go to set and gain valuable producing experience are becoming less and less the norm, multi-cam television is one of the few genres where the traditional job of a TV writer/producer still exists. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, veteran TV writer Eric Zimmerman will teach you the essential elements that comprise a successful multi-cam television series - characters, tone, dialogue, and set ups, to name a few - so you can create your multi-cam series that sets you up for a successful career. Eric has been a working TV writer for 14 years, including writing on all 100 episodes of Freeform’s multi-cam hit BABY DADDY. Most recently, he served as a Co-Executive Producer on Disney’s multi-cam series SYDNEY TO THE MAX. He has also sold several multi-cam projects to Disney and Netflix, as well as worked on multi-cam network pilots. Eric wasn’t always a multi-cam writer. He got his start writing on single camera and animated series, including the Emmy-nominated DAN VS. But once he started writing multi-cams, he quickly fell in love with the genre. In this information-packed webinar, Eric will go in depth on the differences between writing a multi-cam versus single camera or animated sitcoms. He will give you the necessary tools to determine if your pilot idea works best as a multi-cam, single-cam, or perhaps the often hard to purely define “hybrid” series. Eric will also break down all the essentials of writing your own successful multi-cam pilot script, with an eye toward the goal of it serving as an effective writing sample or to be sold as a spec. PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you understand multi-cam character and structure so you can write your own. Downloads include the PILOT SCRIPTS for: FRIENDS NEW GIRL CHEERS IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA BABY DADDY SYDNEY TO THE MAX If you want to explore the key elements of writing a successful multi-cam series and learn the process of writing your very own multi-cam pilot, this webinar is a must! "I am thrilled to be part of this vibrant stage 32 community! I have every confidence that my Multi-cam 101 class will prove more valuable to your life than food, water, and perhaps even air." - Eric Zimmerman
How to Edit Your Film or TV Footage to Make a Trailer that Pops
Learn directly from an editor who works with Netflix, Max, Warner Bros. and more! Putting together a great trailer for your own film or series can make all the difference when it comes to building an audience, getting eyes on your film, or even convincing distributors, executives and more to be interested. And editing trailers seems easy enough. It’s just the coolest bits of the movie with some awesome music behind it, right? Then why is it that when you try this yourself, the trailer just feels flat, no matter how good the track is? Why is it so difficult to make your project look engaging in a trailer when you’ve done the elevator pitch for this story more times than you care to count? Why is it that you were able to edit a whole long-form movie together, but this 2-minute trailer is giving you so much trouble? The truth is: a successful trailer is so much more than your best shots with your best music behind them. There’s a reason that there are entire agencies dedicated to just trailers and promos along with a whole roster of “trailer editors” who specialize in this medium. Trailer editing is really its own unique art form with its own rules and its own skillsets required to make it work. This doesn’t mean you can’t make an effective trailer of your own film, but you’re first going to need to learn how to navigate this medium and approach your film with new eyes to make the trailer sing and get your project the attention you’re looking for. Stephen Boyer is a film and video editor with nearly 10 years of experience in post-production and currently serves as a trailer editor for HBO Max, where he recuts modern trailers for existing films in the platform’s catalogue. Through his career, Stephen has edited feature films, documentaries, commercials, music videos and nearly everything in between and has cut for a litany of influential brands such as Netflix, Microsoft, SiriusXM, Nintendo, Blizzard Entertainment, and Warner Bros. A Los Angeles native with a lifelong passion for filmmaking and music composition, Stephen is well-versed and passionate in the art of trailer cutting and is bringing his years of experience exclusively to the Stage 32 community. Stephen is going to break down what makes an effective trailer today and the steps you should take to create a great trailer for your own film or television project. He’ll first discuss what good trailers look like in general and will then delve into how to re-approach your film with new eyes to begin building your trailer and find the right clips to include. He’ll also go over how you can identify the right pieces of music for your trailer and will teach you how to build out the trailer’s story. Stephen will go over polishing the trailer with sound design and will explain the fine tuning and rewrite process necessary for any trailer. Stephen will identify some of the most common pitfalls trailer editors should avoid and will even share a case study of a real trailer he edited for HBO Max of a notable film and explain how it came together. Through Stephen’s lessons and case study, you’ll gain a series of new strategies and techniques to tackle your own project’s trailer with confidence and create something that will stand out from the crowd.
How To Create a Professional Budget For Your Under $300K Film + Handouts To Help You Create Your Budget & Secure Financing
Learn how to create a professional budget for your under $300k feature film so you can make the project you envision from a producer and filmmaker whose projects have screened at Sundance, Tribeca, South by Southwest, London Film Festival, and more! Are you a filmmaker with a story to tell but you don't have access to big financing sources? You may not realize that your vision can be achieved for less money than you think and, by doing so, you can make a grand statement to the world about your talent. For filmmakers and storytellers, a film with a budget below $300,000 can be a phenomenal opportunity to launch your career or see your creative vision become a reality on screen. These low-budget films are incredibly enticing to financiers who are more open to hearing from fresh voices when they're not spending millions. And agents, managers, and executives are often blown away by an artist's creativity when they work with lower budgets. It's a calling card. But in order to make it happen, you’ll first need to present how you’ll achieve your vision at such a low cost by building a realistic and professional budget and schedule that show you are prepared to make and deliver your film. That is an art in itself. Producer and filmmaker Julie Buck will teach you everything you need to know to accomplish this goal. As a producer, line producer, production manager, and member of the Directors Guild of America, Julie has budgeted and scheduled hundreds of independent films. Julie’s work has been screened at festivals including Tribeca, South by Southwest, London Film Festival, and Sundance, among others. She's worked with A-list talent throughout her career, including Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Octavia Spencer, Anjelica Huston, and Bill Pullman. Over four sessions of this exclusive intensive on-demand Stage 32 class, you’ll immerse yourself in how to build a realistic budget in this price range by breaking down your script costs accurately, conveying everything your physical production requires, and understanding above-the-line vs. below-the-line costs. You’ll then move onto equipment, transportation, and legal considerations that are imperative for any budget, and ensure that your numbers cover everything through post-production. Once you’ve built out your budget, you’ll learn how to find financing, even if you don’t think you have those connections yet. In addition to Julie’s wealth of experience, she’ll be providing you with exclusive handouts to help you create your budget that can be used to find financing, including: Breakdowns Schedules Budgets Union sheets How to determine rates and working with SAG Testimonials from Julie's previous Stage 32 Courses: "Julie is beyond informative and helpful. Thanks to her, I actually see a clear path to production on my first feature." - Tiffany R. "Huge thanks to Julie for sharing her wealth of knowledge with our class. Her expertise is evident in her teaching. Well done." - Sebastian L.
VEEP Script Coordinator Breaks Down Expectations of a Comedy Writers' Room
The writers’ room is the beating heart of any scripted television show and the area where writers find their footing and voice within this world. Being a successful writer in the world of television is only possible if you’re successful in a writers’ room setting and breaking into a writers’ room as an assistant or coordinator is often the springboard needed for writers to build their career in the television space. For these reasons, it’s critical to understand how writers’ rooms work and how to best to perform and stand out in one to positively contribute and get noticed for the right reasons. While each show’s writers’ room has unique characteristics, there are specific expectations of a comedy show’s room in particular that differ from their counterparts. You’re not just breaking story in these rooms, but jokes too. This process brings with it a different rhythm and understanding. Finding success in a comedy room requires different skills than others. If you’re an aspiring comedy writer with hopes of breaking into a show’s writers’ room, it’s crucial you understand how exactly these rooms work and how you can best fit in and stay in. Jon Stahl is a writer, producer and script coordinator, who has served on HBO’s DGA, SAG, WGA and Emmy Award-winning comedy series VEEP. Jon began his career in production, working on projects like Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT starring Charlize Theron, Showtime’s THE BIG C, and IFC’s MARON. He also produced Season 1 of the Emmy-nominated series EASTSIDERS, before getting his first high-profile writers’ room position on the NBC network sitcom MR. ROBINSON with Universal Television. Jon went on to work in the writers' room at Nickelodeon on their show GAME SHAKERS. He’s currently on the upcoming FOX animated series HOUSEBROKEN starring Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte. Working alongside the writers of television’s best comedy, Jon not only knows what it takes to write great comedy, but also what is needed to take a seat at the table with the rest of them. Jon will break down how a leading TV comedy writers’ room works and outline how you can break in and find success in one as a script coordinator. He will begin by going through the basics of how a writers’ room runs and the different key players. He’ll show you how to get a job in the writers’ office and delve into the culture of the room and you can navigate. Next Jon will break down the duties of a script coordinator in the room, including, taking notes, scriptwriting, distribution, investigating clearances, using the white board and more. He’ll also give tips on the technical side of the script coordinator, including typing etiquette and using specific software. He’ll go through the art of pitching in a room and how to handle “big personalities”. Finally Jon will give you tips on how to take next steps from the script coordinator position, how to put together writing samples and use your connections to move up. If you’ve always wanted to have a career in TV writing but don’t know where to start, start here.
Independent Film Acquisitions - How to Get Your Film U.S. Theatrical Distribution
With more and more content being created and more avenues for films to be seen, the overall distribution market is changing at a rapid pace. But, the classic in-theater experience is still alive and well – if you have the right type of film and you understand how tailor your approach to the market. Don't think for a second that your film is not a fit for theatrical distribution or that all theaters and screens are controlled by the studios. There still IS an opportunity for a film to be distributed to the US market in theaters. Independent film acquisitions with the intent to distribute in the US theatrical market still make up a profitable part of today’s film business. Unfortunately, many filmmakers aren’t aware of the elements a film must have to be considered for theatrical distribution. Understanding everything from where your content fits to how to put your film in the best position to be acquired is absolutely necessary in order for you to give your project the best chance to attract a buyer and give you the opportunity to have your masterpiece, the film you worked so hard to make, seen in a theater. Jason Resnick is the Executive Vice President of Acquisitions for Aviron Pictures and has had decades of experience in theatrical distribution on films of all budget levels. He Jason was formerly the GM of Worldwide Acquisitions for the Universal Pictures Group and in charge of all acquisitions for Universal, Focus Features, Rogue Pictures and Universal Home Entertainment. Now, exclusively for Stage 32, he'll go over what the current US theatrical market looks like for film acquisitions. And, it's more accessible than you think! To fully understand how the market has shifted and how the old thinking has become obsolete, Jason will break down the last 10 years of theatrical distribution to show you what's still working and what has dramatically changed. This information alone will give you a competitive advantage in the space and make you more attractive to buyers. He will also make you understand limited, wide, and day-and-date releases and identify the key players in each. He will show you the proper way to approach these reps and buyers so you stand out in a competitive market. Most importantly you will learn how a film is acquired for US theatrical release and what can hurt and help your chances of getting acquired. You will walk away knowing exactly makes your film look attractive for an acquisition for the US theatrical market. "I learned a lot. Really appreciate Jason's experience and expertise. Jason's presentation was considered, articulate, to the point and very informative. Was well worth the class fee." - Rebecca D.
The Ins and Outs of Becoming a Showrunner for Unscripted TV
Learn directly from Adam Matalon, award winning executive producer, show runner, director and creator who's worked on over 20 projects on cable and network television. The unscripted and reality genres are becoming more and more fragmented and producers are forced into more and more niche areas of expertise. This is creating a vacuum in which producers wanting to step into showrunner roles are unable to do so because they lack the overview expertise. In this Next Level Webinar, Adam Matalon challenges that notion and investigates the role of the showrunner in today's current climate of television. As more and more networks and production companies are struggling with staffing their leader, there are fewer and fewer opportunities. We will discuss the reasons for this and how storytellers, producers, writers, and directors can best prepare themselves for leadership roles in the fast evolving television and digital space. Adam will break down the process of taking a project from presentation, through production and on to delivery to the network; something that is vital for all aspiring showrunners both in the reality and unscripted space as well as a scripted space. Adam will also touch on the best ways for building an environment that will make you more employable, how ‘storytelling’ is utilized in a reality show and the various documents needed to accomplish the task of getting the 'greenlight.'
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