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." - Chris Moore With so many variables in the 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 light on the big-picture questions that you should be focusing on. PRAISE FOR CHRIS'S TEACHINGS: "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.
Your Definitive Legal Guide to Distribution Deals: 2-Part Intensive Class "Very informative. Sean is very knowledgeable and charismatic. When questions were asked, he gave full and complete answer. I highly recommend taking Sean's webinar." Learn from one of the top entertainment attorneys in Hollywood who has worked on hundreds of film & TV projects! Distribution can often be confusing, complicated, and murky territory, and there are many common pitfalls filmmakers of all levels fall into when navigating. It can feel like you need a law degree and a special glossary just to understand the rights you’re giving away, along with the territories, fees, expenses, residuals, and everything else that comes along with a distribution deal. But you don’t need to pass the Bar to find success in seeking distribution. Gaining a keener understanding of the process and how agreements work can empower you as a filmmaker to negotiate a distribution deal that’s right for you and your film. Sean Pope is a Senior Associate at Ramo Law PC, one of the largest and most respected entertainment law firms in Hollywood, where he works with producers and production companies focusing on all aspects of production legal services from development to distribution. Prior to joining Ramo Law, Sean worked at a boutique entertainment transactional and litigation firm providing legal services for producers, writers, actors and musicians. His past projects include the upcoming Liam Neeson thriller HONEST THIEF, Netflix documentary THE BLACK GODFATHER, and hit Netflix docu-series CHEER. Sean has helped countless filmmakers negotiate fair distribution deals and make the most out of their film, and is ready to share what he knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community. In this advanced level, intensive on-demand two-part class, Sean will walk you through the nuts and bolts of distribution deals and zero in on the provisions and clauses you need to understand when negotiating your own distribution and sales agreements. Sean’s exhaustive rundown will leave you with a much deeper understanding of what agreements look like, what you should be looking for, and how to avoid pitfalls along the way.
Learn how the pros acquire the rights to books or other intellectual property and adapt them into your favorite films and television shows, from a writer who’s worked with Clint Eastwood, Kevin Bacon and more! IP, short for “intellectual property,” has become the buzzword in recent years. Sometimes it seems like there aren’t any originals left. So if IP is what producers want, how are you supposed to get them to read your original pilot? Maybe it’s time to adapt that short story, magazine article, or epic fantasy novel you’ve had on your mind for years. Now, where do you begin? How do you lock down IP before someone else does? What does it cost to get the rights to the source material? And once you do get the rights, how do you attack it so that it has your voice but stays true to the original? In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you’ll learn the ins and outs of landing the rights to every kind of source material, including understanding the chain of title, how to approach the author or reps of the IP, and the different rights agreements available to you. You’ll know how to break the story in a way that audiences will love while still making the story your own, and how to attract talent to create a package that sells. Taking you through the journey of adaptation is Micky Levy, a screenwriter who launched herself in the industry with the script RAILS & TIES, which was directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. She has a long history of adapting IP, including AMISH GRACE, which earned her a Humanitas Prize nomination, NOBODY by Caryl Phillips, DANCING IN THE DARK, THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS by Yuav Blum, and STOLEN WATERS by Ada Shauluv. Micky will take you through the process of securing IP, her own process of breaking the story, and how to launch your own writing career or package the project to produce. Micky will even provide examples of decks and mood boards that help emerging writers and producers sell their projects and that you can use to create a buzz for the next hit film or series created by you. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask Micky any questions you have during the live webinar about your own adaptation, writing process, or breaking into the industry. With Micky’s incredible industry experience, you can use this webinar to get ahead of the trends and snag the next juggernaut project based on IP that you had the foresight to discover. PRAISE FOR MICKY'S TEACHINGS: "Micky Levy was really well prepared and gave tremendous advice. Not only an experienced screenwriter and a skilled communicator, but just a fine human being too." -John D. "The webinar was very informative and helpful. I appreciated the inclusion of the instructor's own pitch deck during the presentation to have as an example." -Ardith M. "GREAT info - I will have to watch the replay to get it all again! Thank you!" -Paolina M.
Over the past few years, studios, independent production companies, networks and streamers have been turning to stories based on IP (Intellectual Property). Often times screenwriters, filmmakers and producers find great source material based on a book, article, life or public domain and the next part is struggling to figure out how to adapt it. You want to make sure that you are able to tell your story in the best possible way. Could it make a good movie? Or, do you have more elements that could make it extend longer into a full TV show? Or, what about creating a podcast that could sell? Making this crucial decision on how to adapt your story can help accelerate your path toward success. When embarking on a strategy to figure out how to adapt your IP, it's important to understand the potential and the limitations within the material. This includes considering many variables including the genre, budget, and story beats. Although you may have begun with a specific format in mind, sometimes you may find that your material may inherently lend itself to one format or another. So, how do you truncate a story into a 110 page script? Should you include more characters and write a pilot that can serve multiple seasons? Could you write a podcast to help your characters come to life? Understanding your audience and where that audience consumes content today might alter your thinking. And, most importantly, you must be paying attention to the marketplace - what's selling, who it sold to, where it will live - so that you don't waste time and navigate the landscape in a productive, more successful manner. Jim Young of Animus Films is a leading independent non-fiction producer, with almost two dozen films under his belt. Jim has created a successful career producing true-story films such as THE CATCHER WAS A SPY with Paul Rudd, LIFE OF A KING with Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY with Oscar-nominee Dev Patel, LOVELACE with Oscar-nominee James Franco and Amanda Seyfried, and the upcoming film, THE PEOPLE VS. VEGAS DAVE. Jim has a long history of producing critically acclaimed features and documentaries including YEAR OF THE BULL at Showtime, THE WORDS with Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana. Almost all of Jim's projects are based off of IP and he has a clear grip on what adapts best to what medium and what the marketplace is currently looking for. Jim will go over how determine your objective for your project whether you're a director, writer, actor or a hybrid. He'll go over what is important to you in the overall process in order to help you be clear on what you want to get out of adapting your IP into a film, television pilot or podcast - whether it be creative satisfaction, financial gain or proof of concept. He'll go over what the flow of your story is - open ended or single climax, event vs. character driven and visual vs. storytelling. He'll help you determine your writing style to help cater to which format will work best for your project, discussing comparisons between X-FILES, DIE HARD, STAR WARS and STAR TREK. You'll learn how different genres and budgets play into a project based off of IP. And, most helpful, Jim will go over the current marketplace in terms of popularity of projects based on IP, and break down the pros and cons of working in each medium - film, television and podcast. You will have a clear direction on which format will work best for your project. Like what you heard from Jim from during this webcast? Send your script to Jim and speak with him for an hour by clicking here. Praise for Jim's Stage 32 Webinars: "This was my first webinar and I learned so much. I thought Jim was thorough in his descriptions of what each medium has to offer regarding IP" -Marietta K. "Jim opened up new avenues for our IP that I didn't realize existed. He was a great presenter and shared his own experience with relevant info. It was really motivating." -Ricki L. "Thoughtful way of exploring options. Using podcasts was inspirational." -JoAnne E. "Tons of new information. Thanks!" -Jacqueline L.
Learn how to attract and negotiate a winning cast to your project from an entertainment lawyer who's worked with Sony, Starz, Discovery, and more... What is the most important element in your film - that crucial piece that will land you a distributor? is it the script? The director? For many distributors and financiers, choosing one project over another often depends on if you have a star that audiences recognize. Actors performances breathe life into a film, and their fame gives a film its marketing power which often equals financing. To nab the right talent, you’ll have to put together your casting strategy, get their reps to pay attention, negotiate the terms of their deal, work with SAG-AFTRA, and close their deals so they are officially attached to your project. Not sure where to start? We'll show you how. In this exclusive 4-part on-demand Stage 32 class, you'll learn how to reach out to talent representatives, how to attract them to your project and how to negotiate the performer’s services agreement. If you know how to do these crucial steps you can give your film or TV show its best chance of success. Guiding you in attracting and signing talent to your project is Thomas A. Crowell, Esq. a top entertainment attorney who has worked with Sony, Starz, Discovery, TLC, and more. By the end of this class, you’ll understand how independent filmmakers like yourself can attach big names to your projects and how you can create a package that investors and distributors want to be a part of. Don’t miss out on your chance to learn from Thomas so you can land the top-tier performer your project needs and deserves!
If you're an independent filmmaker, it's likely you don’t have all of the funds you need to begin or complete your production. In this scenario, you need a film financier to step in and invest equity. While the financier is often hands-off with the actual production, they do have a prominent position in the process. Their assets are your assets, and they need to be protected. Borrowing money is only one step in the process. Assuring your financier that their assets will be protected during the filmmaking and production process is another. If you’re ready to take your film to the next level but aren’t clear on what financiers expect as far as protection when you borrow, you may be at a disadvantage. Protecting money given to you by someone with a vested interest in your film is extremely important. It’s also good business practice. And going into a conversation knowing what they expect before they hand over any equity - can only work in your favor. Your future lender has expectations. Let's delve into how you can always meet those expectations. David Zannoni is an international business specialist for Fintage House in the US, Europe, Canada and Latin America territories. Fintage House, the world's most respected company for revenue and rights protection for industry professionals and companies. David negotiates agreements for films and television series and is involved in business development and relationship management globally on hundreds of productions. David is continuously present to make deals and speak at international film markets, festivals and conferences, including: the Cannes Film Festival, the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin, the American Film Market (AFM), Ventana Sur, the Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM), and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and travels regularly to the United States, the Netherlands, Europe, and all over Latin America. David will teach you how you can keep your financiers protected and explain the 6 different options you should take into consideration when you sit down with a financier for your own project. After explaining what the role of a financier on an independent film usually looks like, he will discuss security interests, completion bonds, escrow accounts, collection accounts, legal representation, and compliance, what each of these look like, and how you can use these to best protect your financier. There are variables for every filmmaking scenario, but David will leave you with a much clearer understanding the role of the financier and how you can keep them happy and safe so that they’ll want to work with you time and time again. Praise for David's Previous Stage 32 Webinars: "David is incredible and lovely and clearly knows his stuff." - Cynthia P. "Eye-opening information. A no-brainer approach that wouldn't be so obvious to the uninitiated." - Gary O. "By far, the best class I've seen on the subject." Kirk K. "David is a fantastic teacher. And what a voice! I could listen to him all day. More importantly, I learned so very much!" - Isabella T.