Learn how to pitch your work so you can build a profitable career in film and television with the Vice President of the company behind Finding Ohana (Netflix), Saving Private Ryan, Transformers: The Last Knight, Almost Famous, The Boys (Amazon), Preacher (AMC), and more! Do you ever feel like your great ideas go unnoticed by producers, directors, agents, and managers alike, and that you don’t get the shot you're looking for as a result? This isn’t because these decision makers don’t care; it’s because you may not have pitched or sold your ideas the right way. The reality is, successful screenwriters are as much storysellers as they are storytellers. Whether you like it or not, your primary goal as a writer must be to stand out in a sea of competing projects. The bottom line: Whether you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, producer, or any creative or industry professional looking to gain representation, sell their material, attract talent, raise financing, or simply looking to find work, you will have to pitch. Further, you will be in competition with others pitching as well. You've put so much time and effort into your work and building your reputation, you don't want to have it all undermined with a terrible pitch. And the truth of the matter is that most people that pitch make the same fatal mistakes over and over. They don't know how to tell a concise, riveting story. They don't know what to put in, what to leave out, and what elements really and truly sell someone on their story. This webinar will give you insight and tools to pitch better and get ahead of the pack. Will McCance is the Vice President of Production for Ian Bryce, producer of blockbusters like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, ALMOST FAMOUS, the TRANSFORMERS franchise, and most recently Michael Bay's SIX UNDERGROUND for Netflix. At Ian Bryce Productions, Will oversees the company's entire development slate. Before working with Ian Bryce, Will worked in development at Original Film's TV department, working on hit shows such as THE BOYS (Amazon) and PREACHER (AMC), as well as on SWAT (CBS) and HAPPY! (Syfy). Independently, Will has produced films such as the upcoming LOLA JAMES, starring Nicola Peltz and Oscar-Nominee Virginia Madsen, BERNARD AND HUEY, starring Jim Rash, David Koechner, and Mae Whitman, as well as Belarus's 2018 Oscar selection for Best Foreign Film, CRYSTAL SWAN, along with Vice. Through his years working as an executive, Will has deep experience with working with writers and choosing to work with them or not based on their pitch, and is prepared to share what he’s learned with the Stage 32 community. In this exclusive on-demand Stage 32 webinar, Will will equip you with all the tools you'll need to elevate your next script to the top of the reading stack. He will discuss the various techniques of pitching, from finding the right words and unique style, to understanding which type of pitch to use and when. He will also analyze sample TV and feature film pitches and break down the hidden power of the perfectly-worded logline. He will teach you tactics, strategies, and even books that will make you a stronger storyseller, and in turn, a stronger storyteller. Will will even deliver a pitch of his own to use as an example and will share other film and TV pitches to analyze what works and what doesn’t. Through Will’s presentation, you will not only learn how to better understand and explain your story, but to also instill a newfound sense of confidence that you can take with you to your next meeting or pitch session. PRAISE FROM WILL'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 TEACHING: "I would not have been able to advance in my writing career without Will McCance and the pitching lab. I highly recommend Will as an instructor and the pitching lab itself for Stage 32 writers. Thank you." -- Sean M. "Will's credentials speak for themself. He is an incredibly knowledgable executive with the passion to help writers get their projects moving forward. Thank you for all your help on my pitching for my feature!" -- Morgan M. "Will has been hands down the best teacher for pitching I've ever had!" -- Chase R.
This script breakdown has a 100% satisfaction rating! The hit HBO show SUCCESSION has shattered Emmy history with a record-breaking 27 nominations for the 2023 Emmy Awards alone! Add that to the 13 Primetime Emmy Awards they've already won, as well as the dozens more nominations over its 4 seasons, it is safe to say that SUCCESSION is one of the greatest shows of all time. As a creative, it's important for you to understand WHY it's so successful. In an exclusive Stage 32 Script Breakdown Webcast the Vice President of Production for Ian Bryce, Will McCance, will break down the first episode of the Emmy award-winning series SUCCESSION using excerpts from the pilot episode. Will McCance is currently Vice President of Production for Ian Bryce, producer of blockbusters like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, ALMOST FAMOUS, the TRANSFORMERS franchise, and most recently Michael Bay's SIX UNDERGROUND and FINDING 'OHANA for Netflix. Will has worked on hit television shows including THE BOYS and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER for Amazon, PREACHER for AMC SWAT for CBS and MAX TILT for HBO Max. During this FREE Stage 32 Next Level Webcast Will will take you through the SUCCESSION pilot as he examines the main story engine introduction and themes, how character arc intros and drama is teed-up for the season, managing the script's pacing in an ensemble cast and exploring it's tonal elements, and much more! Plus, everyone who registers for the webinar will receive a copy of the pilot script of SUCCESSION to study after the webinar is over!
Every successful filmmaker has, at some point in their career, written, directed, and/or produced a short film. For filmmakers who are just starting out, a short film is the best calling card to showcase their unique talent and vision. It is important to remember that short filmmaking is different from feature filmmaking, with challenges unique to the process. Even so, producing a short film may seem daunting, but there are several key secrets to getting the most out of your project. This intensive 5-week course will give students the tools and techniques necessary to produce a world class short film. Each week will be dedicated to a different aspect of the short filmmaking process, including, concept development and writing of your short, budgeting and scheduling, understanding and drafting production agreements, pro-tips on directing actors, and how to get the most out of the post production process. Students are strongly encouraged to come with ideas for a short film, which will be developed over the course of the 4 weeks, so by the conclusion of the class, the should have a screenplay ready for production.
Joe Ferrante - Writer & Development Producer with Verite Entertainment
Private lab limited to 10 authors - walk away with your completed book proposal! You'll receive an exclusive "Book Proposal Information Sheet" to help you create your own proposal! Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details If you’re writing a novel the dream is to get the attention of a major commercial publisher. But to get your foot in the door, you’ll need an effective book proposal. What is a book proposal? A book proposal is a document intended to convince a publisher that your project is economically viable for their publishing house. A book proposal is not a lofty, idealistic presentation of your brilliant idea, but rather a persuasive document meant to convince a publisher to spend their time—and their money—on your idea. As publishing becomes increasingly competitive and publishers less willing to take risks, a compelling professional proposal is more important than ever before. And we’re here to make sure you have one. In this exclusive Stage 32 8-part lab, you will create your persuasive book proposal so you can get the attention of major commercial book publishers. To work with you one-on-one for your journey is NYT best selling author Suzanne Corso, who is hailed as one of USA Today’s New Voices for her literary debut, Brooklyn Story. This book is part of a successful trilogy published by Simon & Schuster, which includes The Suite Life and Hello Hollywood, in which is now being adapted by a Major A-List Studio. Over 8 interactive sessions, you will work directly with Suzanne create your professional grade book proposal, which includes: The perfect query letter to publishers The best 2-to-4-page synopsis of your book A chapter by chapter outline of your book Your one page, authors, bio, which explains who you are and what you’re writing about and why should a publisher and audience will care. This lab includes a personal one-on-one consultation with Suzanne where you will receive expert personalized feedback on your work and a discussion on strategy to get your book to the right publisher! At the end of 8 sessions, you will have your book proposal finished and ready to send to publishers! PLUS! You’ll receive an exclusive Book Proposal Information Sheet to help you create your own proposal. ***Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and you will have direct access to Suzanne on email to ask her any questions so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Praise for Suzanne's Stage 32 Teaching "...I've been saying I wanted to write my book for years now and learning from Suzanne has solidified my game plan - I'm going to start today! I'm glad I learned from her before. There's so much I didn't know about the craft and business of writing novels." - Melissa M. "I've had one book published and have to say, I learned a ton from Suzanne. She's a great teacher and a fantastic writer." - Phil G. "Suzanne is amazing. Seriously. She knows her stuff and isn't afraid to share it, which is refreshing for people who are successful in entertainment. Love her!" - Kaitlin B.
Founded in 2011 by Richard "RB" Botto, Stage 32 is the world's largest online platform connecting and educating film, TV and new media creatives and professionals worldwide. Stage 32 works with over five hundred industry professionals and executives who provide education, instruction and professional opportunities for members of the platform. Stage 32 currently has over 1,200 hours of exclusive film, television and digital craft and business education in its library. Stage 32 members use the platform daily to build their network, take online webinars, classes and labs, find work and cast and crew their projects. Stage 32 members range from students to Emmy, BAFTA and Academy Award Winners. We work tirelessly to ensure that you know that Stage 32 is your online home to stay connected with over 600,000 creatives and professionals from across the globe. Now, we are excited to present a virtual panel featuring some of the top minds in the Stage 32 community to discuss the current state of animation, as the industry adapts to a new development and production landscape after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this panel discussion you will hear the point of view of top animation minds including Mike Mitchell (THE LEGO MOVIE: 2, TROLLS, THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER), Conrad Vernon (THE ADDAMS FAMILY, SAUSAGE PARTY, SHREK) and Harland Williams (Disney's PUPPY DOG PALS, Netflix's SKYLANDERS ACADEMY), all moderated by producer, and Stage 32 Managing Director, Amanda Toney. Stage 32 is proud to be putting the "social" in #SocialDistancing. Please share this event on your social media and tag @stage32 on Twitter and @stage32online on Instagram.