Animation

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July Filmmakers Club Week 1 is Here! Set Your Independent Filmmaking Goals

July Filmmakers Club Week 1 is Here! Set Your Independent Filmmaking Goals

Read this week's blog, complete the challenges, and enter to win a FREE Stage 32 Pitch Session

Welcome to Stage 32's 3rd annual July Filmmakers Club, our month-long creative accelerator built to help you set intentional goals, connect with fellow filmmakers, and move your projects forward with purpose, in partnership with Blackmagic Design!

Every week throughout July, you'll have access to:

  • A brand new blog packed with insight from a Stage 32 team member, exec, educator, or industry pro
  • A Free webcast or 24-hour AMA event on Wednesdays in one of our free Lounges
  • Three creative challenges to keep your momentum going
  • Weekly prize drawings
  • A grand prize at the end of the month of 3 FREE DaVinci Resolve Studio Licenses from our partners at Blackmagic Design

This Week's Blog: Setting Your Independent Filmmaking Goals

This week's Week 1 blog is all about setting clear, intentional goals for the month so you can move your projects forward with purpose this July. Whether you're directing your first short or navigating your fifth feature, this is your invitation to lean in, get inspired, and commit to one step forward at a time.

This Week's Challenges:

Complete all 3 challenges by Sunday, July 6th to be entered to win a FREE Stage 32 Pitch Session with an executive of your choice. Winners will be announced in next Monday's Week 2 blog!

  • Comment on the Week 1 Blog with your thoughts, a question for Ashley, or what you're most excited about this July
  • Post in the Stage 32 Filmmaking Lounge and share your current filmmaking goals with the community
  • Comment on at least 3 other members' posts in the Filmmaking Lounge to offer insights, encouragement, or support

Remember: Every week that you complete all 3 challenges enters you to win the grand prize. Participate all 5 weeks and you'll be entered 5 times for a FREE DaVinci Resolve Studio License!


Liked by Federico Alerta and 8 others

James Lagrimas
Stage 32 8-Part Screenwriting Lab: Write your Animation Feature or TV Script (June 2026). With Evan Anglin

Streamers and studios are pouring more than ever into original animated content for TV and film, and right now is your moment to jump in. Imagine bringing your own unforgettable characters to life, building imaginative worlds, and writing stories that make directors, artists, and audiences sit up an...

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Steph West

Same here, Lauren. And now I'm not sure if it's going to spam or the wrong email....? Could just be he's busy and hasn't been able to get them just yet. :) Cheers!

Scott Hardgrove

Hello fellow writers - I'm sorry I missed Saturday's class. I had a transfer of the posterior tibial tendon with muscle redirection and routing (ankle surgery) on Friday. I offer the book/film, Misery...

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Evan Anglin

Scott - I am going to be sending links from our class Scott. Hope you are feeling better. I also wanted to check in with everyone to see how the writing is going!

Johnny Washington

Writing is going well! I just emailed you my script. It is geared to be a 25-30 minute project, like Bojack Horseman. I am looking forward to hearing your feedback and hearing about the rest of the class' projects!

Daniel Bayliss

Evan Anglin since we don't have a class on the 4th (happy early 4th of July to all who will be celebrating), will we get feedback on our outlines this week? And then since we're onto writing our first...

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Alex Olguin
Spheres concept and character sheet

Hi everyone!

I'm currently developing SPHERES, a dialogue-free animated short (around 10 minutes) set in an alien world built entirely from simple geometric shapes.

The story follows 12.66666666666666666666666666666666π, a small alien born with a crack in his shell whose job is to organize the stars i...

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Ashley Renée Smith
Which Animated Character Has Stayed With You the Most?

Let’s talk characters this week.

Across all the animated films and series you’ve seen, which character has stuck with you long after the story ended?

Maybe it was:

A character arc that felt incredibly real

A personality that was completely unforgettable

A performance or design that brought them to life...

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Sachin Yadav

That’s a powerful take. Woody’s shift from needing to be needed to accepting change is something a lot of stories struggle to portray honestly. Letting go is harder to write than holding on, but that’s where real character depth comes in.

Evan Anglin

I absolutely love this post, Ashley Renée Smith . A character that has stayed with me especially in animation is the character, ZAZU from the Lion King. While The Lion King as very close ties to Shake...

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John E. Bias

I'm going to go back, way back. The 80s and the television premiere of "Robotech: The Macross Saga." The main character, "Rick Hunter," stood out to me for a reason I couldn't explain when I first wat...

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Whitney Davis

Oh this is a good one! There are so many however the first to come to mind is Tiana (although she’s a frog most of the movie). I have a 6-year old daughter and to watch her come live to see a Disney P...

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Christopher Humphrey

John E. Bias a family member said he was almost traumatized after Ricks death when he was growing up. I never understood until, decades later, I decided to watch it. Even as an adult it was hard to wa...

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Gasem Habibian
فیلمنامه

سلام. امیدوارم دوستان خوب باشند. مستحضرید:

فیلمنامه گلادیاتور یک و دو ، یک فیلمنامه جهانی است، به خواست خداوند، فیلمنامه گلادیاتور 3 را در سطح جهانی نگارش نمودم ، در حال ویرایش و تکمیل دیالوگ‌های قوی هستم. تا فیلمنامه گلادیاتور 6 جمع‌بندی کردم و امیدوارم تا گلادیاتور 10 نگارش نمایم.

فیلمنامه سینمایی...

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Cyrus Sales

Gasem Habibian اگر ترجمه من دقیق نیست، عذرخواهی می‌کنم. تمام تلاشم را می‌کنم.

با این حال این پست بیشتر درباره فیلمنامه و نویسندگی است (با فرض اینکه ترجمه درست باشد). ممکن است اگر در «Screenwriting Loun...

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Gasem Habibian

سلام وقت بخیر امیدوارم خوب باشید مرسی از شما

Kevin Jackson
New Dreamworks animation trailer shows off diverse animation styles

I like how quirky this style is. Very different but at the same time familiar....

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Joshua Powell

Really makes me think, the environment and how it is animated really matters in movies. I am not going to say I am invested in the plot to a kids movie, but, it does look like a movie I could watch wi...

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Joel Hughes
Looking to collaborate

Hello everyone, I am a composer looking for filmmakers to work with! I have experience composing short films and animations, I also work with spacial audio for film. I’m looking to build my portfolio and will happily work for free. Let me know if you are interested! Thank you.

Joshua Powell

Hey Joel! I am actually working on a Proof-of-Concept for my screenplay. I would love to discuss more details with you. I sent you a network request. Lets discuss details!

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh
Rewatching Shrek

I would love to be writing, but the gods have decided I’m better off refilling the energy pool by rediscovering classics so today it’s Shrek :)

It’s aged so wonderfully since 2004, the satirical fairy tale that hits nice whether you watched it as a kid or an adult (and of course as an adult you notic...

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Joshua Powell

For me, it's the combination of satire, pop culture references, and the chemistry between Shrek and Donkey. Their personalities are complete opposites, and Eddie Murphy's timing still makes me laugh e...

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Robert Stack
Adult Animation Series — Fully Packaged & Ready for a Manager

Profile is live. NICK & ROGER: REALITY HACKERS is ready. Two scripts. A visual bible. Original music. A proof of concept. Looking for a manager or production partner who wants to bring this animated series to life. Let's hack reality.

Leonardo Ramirez
July Filmmakers Club Week 1: Setting Your Independent Filmmaking Goals!

July Filmmakers Club is back!

If this is your first time joining us, here's the quick version. July Filmmakers Club is your month-long creative accelerator, built to help you connect with fellow filmmakers, set clear intentions, and move your projects forward with real purpose, in partnership with Bl...

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Christopher Humphrey
Latest episode from my solo project.

Could use any feedback (pacing, animation, writing, acting, good/bad, etc). I spent about 3+ years on this one but probably still needs work

Jack Binder

Congratulations!

Christopher Humphrey

Thanks! it means alot

Levi Cahill

impressive you did that all by yourself is crazy - if you ever wanna add a soundtrack let me know !

Hiro Yamamoto
Building Creative Bridges Between Japan and the World

As a Japanese novelist, I believe great stories have the power to connect people across cultures.

While I'm currently developing THE LOVE LETTER AFTER Forty Years for the international market, I also enjoy connecting with writers, screenwriters, editors, filmmakers, and other creatives from around th...

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Snehil Mishra

Yes

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh
Original vs remake: Ranma 1/2

I watched the original Ranma 1/2 some months ago and it was a blast. Of course it also got a modern remake which has stronger colours and the actors coming back to reprise their roles.

Studying this side-by-side comparison of a pivotal scene (Akane’s haircut), there’s quite a bit similar and differen...

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Akane's Hair Scene Original vs 2024【RANMA 1/2】
Akane's Hair Scene Original vs 2024【RANMA 1/2】
Comparing Akane's hair cut scene from the original 1989 vs 2024 remake in Ranma 1/2. ⚠️ Copyright Info ⚠️ © THIS VIDEO IS FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. All the videos, images, graphics, and…
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