Navigating the Industry & Your Career With Oscar-Nominated Producer Chris Moore

Stage 32 Masters of Craft Class
Taught by Chris Moore

$99.50 $199

On Demand Class - For immediate download. Unlimited access for 1 year.

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Class hosted by: Chris Moore

Producer (Manchester By the Sea, Good Will Hunting, American Pie)

Chris Moore was born in Easton, Maryland, where he grew up. He went to Harvard University where he studied American history. He worked as a production assistant at USA Network for two summers and found an opportunity to work as an intern for USA Network's comedy TV series Up All Night. When Moore graduated from Harvard, he moved to Los Angeles with friends and began working in the mailroom at an agency. He eventually got promoted to literary agent and sold several scripts; some became films: The Stoned Age, PCU, Airheads, Last Action Hero, and My Girl. When Moore's agency was acquired by ICM, he left and strove to become a film producer. With friends, he raised money to produce the film Glory Daze. He knew Matt Damon from Harvard in passing, and he approached Damon to star in the film. Damon turned down the opportunity in favor of paid work but introduced Moore to his friend Ben Affleck, who ultimately starred in Glory Daze. Afterward, Damon and Affleck wrote the screenplay for what would be Good Will Hunting, and they involved Moore as co-producer in its production. Moore became involved as producer for the 1999 film American Pie, which was a breakout hit. Moore subsequently produced its sequels. In June 2002, Moore co-founded the multimedia company LivePlanet with Damon, Affleck, and screenwriter/producer Sean Bailey. Moore became CEO of LivePlanet, and the company produced the TV series Project Greenlight as well as several films. In 2016, he produced Manchester by the Sea through his production company, The Media Farm, in which he was nominated for an Academy Award.   Full Bio »

Summary

Taught by 25+ year producer (GOOD WILL HUNTING, AMERICAN PIE, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA), director (KILL THEORY, THE PEOPLE SPEAK) and Project Greenlight Co-Founder, Chris Moore. 

"I chose to teach at Stage 32 over Masterclass because I believe in their mission. Their education isn't storytelling hour or dated material, it's exclusively about offering practical, actionable, and motivational information on what's happening in the industry right now. This is going to be a fun, but honest 2-part class that will help you navigate the business today."

- Chris Moore

 

With so many variables in today’s entertainment industry how do you know the steps to not only give yourself the best chance of breaking in, but also the guidelines on how to sustain a high profile and highly successful career? What if you were able to have a legendary industry veteran look at your current trajectory and give you advice?

Stage 32 is going to give you just that.

Chris Moore has asked and answered these questions over a remarkable and diverse 25+ year career in entertainment. As an award winning director and producer of over 30 projects such as Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting, American Pie and Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea Chris has seen and experienced just about everything. And as the co-creator of the wildly successful Project Greenlight, Live Planet (both with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Sean Bailey) and The Chair, Chris has made mentoring and teaching creatives serious about a life in entertainment his mission.

Chris is here exclusively on Stage 32 to shed a light on the big picture questions that you should be focusing on. 


Session 1

How to Learn from Your Successes and Failures & Stay Focused on the Career you Desire

- Chris will walk through tangible, actionable advice you can walk away with and apply to your own projects and/or jobs. He will provide an overview of the different paths and the resources that can help you reach your goals.

***In this on demand class, Chris will no longer be reviewing loglines and synopsis from students.

 

Session 2

Evaluating & Learning Why and How You Choose the Next Move to Make

- Chris will go over a select number of submissions that students have submitted from the first session. He’ll go over, in detail, an analysis of the situation and provide real-time, actionable information to help you better understand how to navigate your next steps. We’ll do our best to chose examples that apply to multiple levels in the industry so you can apply it to your own career.

 

 

About Your Instructor

Chris Moore was born in Easton, Maryland, where he grew up. He went to Harvard University where he studied American history. He worked as a production assistant at USA Network for two summers and found an opportunity to work as an intern for USA Network's comedy TV series Up All Night. When Moore graduated from Harvard, he moved to Los Angeles with friends and began working in the mailroom at an agency. He eventually got promoted to literary agent and sold several scripts; some became films: The Stoned Age, PCU, Airheads, Last Action Hero, and My Girl. When Moore's agency was acquired by ICM, he left and strove to become a film producer. With friends, he raised money to produce the film Glory Daze. He knew Matt Damon from Harvard in passing, and he approached Damon to star in the film. Damon turned down the opportunity in favor of paid work but introduced Moore to his friend Ben Affleck, who ultimately starred in Glory Daze. Afterward, Damon and Affleck wrote the screenplay for what would be Good Will Hunting, and they involved Moore as co-producer in its production.

Moore became involved as producer for the 1999 film American Pie, which was a breakout hit. Moore subsequently produced its sequels. In June 2002, Moore co-founded the multimedia company LivePlanet with Damon, Affleck, and screenwriter/producer Sean Bailey. Moore became CEO of LivePlanet, and the company produced the TV series Project Greenlight as well as several films.

In 2016, he produced Manchester by the Sea through his production company, The Media Farm, in which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

 

Schedule

Session 1

How to Learn from Your Successes and Failures & Stay Focused on the Career you Desire

- Chris will walk through tangible, actionable advice you can walk away with and apply to your own projects and/or jobs. He will provide an overview of the different paths and the resources that can help you reach your goals.

***In this on demand class, Chris will no longer be reviewing loglines and synopsis from students.

 

Session 2

Evaluating & Learning Why and How You Choose the Next Move to Make

- Chris will go over a select number of submissions that students have submitted from the first session. He’ll go over, in detail, an analysis of the situation and provide real-time, actionable information to help you better understand how to navigate your next steps. We’ll do our best to chose examples that apply to multiple levels in the industry so you can apply it to your own career.

FAQs

Q: What is the format of a class?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Classes are typically 90-minute broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32.

Q: Do I have to be located in a specific location?
A: No, you can participate from the comfort of your own home using your personal computer! If you attend a live online webinar, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the class.

Q: What are the system requirements?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live class. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer

Q: What if I cannot attend the live class?
A: If you purchase an On-Demand class, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.

Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to rewatch?
A: Yes! After the purchase of a live or On-Demand class, you will have on-demand access to the audio recording, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year!

Testimonials

Such blunt and unfiltered analysis of how things are in Hollywood was enormously helpful, insightful, and vindicating. Absolutely the best deliverance of information I have seen to date. - Jim H.

Loved hearing his personal experience, and his take on Hollywood today. As well, his predictions for the future. - Robin G.

I liked that he is no nonsense and gave it to us straight. - Alisha M.

I liked Chris' frank analysis and the simplicity with which he laid things out. - Steve R.

Chris was honest and it's clear that he cares about helping others succeed. - Ericka B.

Loved the honest, straight, no bullshit information. - Remo P.

This is the kind of information we need! Specific, concrete things we can do coupled with the truth about what is happening for the majority of people and projects - not the outliers. - Cate C.

I liked hearing about all the different ways to build up your audience. I would love to hear even more about that especially in regards to building it up on social media if you don't really have a background in doing that. - Courtney F.

Great honest truth. Something we all know of deep down but hard to discuss in reality until one takes the chance to make that step. A sense of truth in a tough business. - Victor C.

Chris is very direct but that's what you need to hear. -Mark C.

Love the honest, pragmatic and respectful way that Chris deals with the topics. - Susan S.

Questions?

If you have a generic question about Stage 32 education you can take a look at our frequently asked questions section on our help page, or feel free to contact support with any other inquiries you might have.
 

Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5

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How to Secure a Long and Successful Career in Today's Entertainment Industry

Chris Moore has done and seen it all. During a career spanning over 30 years, Chris has produced films that have had multiple Oscar nominations and wins such as Good Will Hunting and Manchester by the Sea, to studio blockbusters like American Pie and The Adjustment Bureau, to independent darlings such as Waiting, to creating and starring in the critically acclaimed industry television shows Project Greenlight alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and The Chair. One of the secrets of Chris' longevity in the business is a full understanding of the business. He's as plugged in as they come and he knows how to adjust quickly, swiftly, and successfully as the landscape changes - which seems to happen on a daily basis these days. Most importantly, Chris is known in the industry as a take-no-prisoners, no bullshit guy. He tells it like it is and pulls no punches, which, in this business, is welcome and refreshing. And now he's here exclusively for Stage 32 to teach you how to build a lasting career in today's entertainment industry. With the evolution of the industry causing dramatic shifts in the way you create and consume content (film, television, digital) and more content being created, bought, sold, screened, broadcast and streamed than ever before, there are more and more opportunities are being presented for a creative career. But you have to know where to look, how to position yourself, how to best present yourself and show that you have a complete understanding of where the industry is headed and how you can add significant value.  Chris will discuss the current state and the shifts in the market to help you make educated decisions on the path you should take with your career in the industry to not only assure success, but satisfy the lifestyle you desire. He will also discuss where he believes the future is headed so you can be ahead of the curve in making the right decisions for you and your career. Then, Chris will make the proceedings interactive, workshopping with select attendees and discussing primary and alternative paths for their wants and goals. Some examples: For filmmakers having trouble gaining traction, Chris will go over alternative ways you can break in and gain your footing. For screenwriters who have been at it a long time and haven’t gotten their break, Chris will discuss alternatives and lifestyle choices for the current industry. For cinematographers (or other creatives) looking to move from digital shorts to streaming TV, Chris will present a path and strategies to make it happen?    This is a no nonsense, detailed filled, strategy packed session designed to help ALL creatives and professionals!     "Undoubtably, my favorite Stage 32 webinar yet, and that's saying something. Wow, was this a welcome kick in the ass. I love Chris' style, passion, and energy. Obviously, his experience and success speaks for itself, but as a teacher, he's a master. This was a huge land for Stage 32. I hope you bring him back again!" - Ronnie W.   "I like the way Chris organized all the changes in entertainment so it was easy to understand. It's overwhelming trying to figure it out and I appreciated Chris taking the time to explain it. I also appreciated the workshopping advice. Thank you Chris." - Marisa S.   "The brutal truth how Hollywood operates was eye opening, but it's best that I'm aware as I try to find my place." - Wolf O.   "Chris Moore is a hero. He saved me from my doubts." - Julia C.    

Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How To Write a TV Series To Budget

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A Better Way to Write and Develop Your Feature for the Streamers

Streamers like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and HBO Max have quickly become the holy grail for many filmmakers hoping to get their film produced and find success. And it’s no mystery why. With a subscriber base in the tens of millions (Netflix has 74 million subscribers alone!), there might not be a better place for your film to be seen and enjoyed across the globe. And streamers ARE picking up a lot of content, a staggering amount even. Netflix recently announced it is releasing 40 more films this year—that’s twice what most major traditional studios make in a whole year, all in just a few months. That said, even with this huge volume of new content Netflix and the other streamers continue to pick up and produce, it is not easy to get your film noticed or considered at these platforms, especially if you’re not already an established filmmaker. This is not to say it’s impossible, but it does require finesse, strategy, luck, and an understanding of how exactly streamers find their original films. For as prominent as streaming platforms have become, the process behind how a film actually finds its way into their libraries is opaque and enigmatic. With so little information on the inner workings of the streamers, it can seem confusing, maybe even impossible to get your own proverbial foot into the portal and get your project noticed. After all, there isn’t exactly a submission platform to upload your script for Amazon to review. The truth is, unless you’re already established or have that ‘in’ with a streamer, it’s very unlikely to get straight through and have them consider your work blind. There IS another way though, a way to get your project to a streamer, not by going through but by going around. Michael Schulman is a Feature Story Analyst for Netflix as part of its Independent Original Film Division, and his job revolves around evaluating feature screenplay submissions and deciding which ones to pass up to the executives to consider. Prior to his role at Netflix, Michael spent nearly a decade in the story department at CAA where he found projects for CAA clients. Over his storied career, Michael also served as an agent at ICM’s Motion Picture Literary Department and held numerous studio creative executive positions at Orion, TriStar, and Disney where he worked to develop film and television projects with some of the top talent in the industry. Michael is very familiar with what it takes for a script to find its way to decisionmakers since this has been a key feature of his job for over a decade. As a companion piece to his previous webinar that details the script evaluation process at Netflix and other streamers, Michael will teach you a smarter and more viable way to get your own feature film considered by streaming platforms, not by targeting the streamers themselves, but instead focusing on their content suppliers. He’ll begin by laying out how the normal streamer system works and go over specific reasons why your script might NOT be as good of a fit for them as you think. Michael will then delve into how “outsiders” can get in the streaming game by taking advantage of resources along the way and better understanding the content pipeline. He’ll explain what streamer “originals” actually are and show how streamers rely on production companies to fill their slate. Michael will show you how you can use this to your advantage by finding your way in with specific production companies and what you can do to make them want to produce your film with you. Michael will even offer a live demonstration, showing how to find the right production companies for your own project and the best contacts within them.   Getting your work on Netflix and other streamers will never be easy, but you will leave this webinar with a better understanding of the best way forward.     Praise for Michael's Previous Stage 32 Webinar   "I loved Michaels honestly. His advice is invaluable." -Linda R.   "Very genuine, authentic, knowledgeable." -Lissa C.   "Michael was highly competent, extremely knowledgeable about his subject, and not afraid to share hard truths about the industry that many just won't be upfront about." -Lee T.   "Michael did not sugarcoat anything. He gave honest information that clarified a lot of questions I had." -Nikki J.

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Stage 32 Directing Lab: Introduction to Shooting & Editing

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