The place to discuss, share content and offer advice and tips on all things lighting, framing, cameras, lenses and technique
Hi Stage 32,
I'm Eugene Onzere Kaiga, a Director of Photography and cinematographer based in Nairobi, running around East Africa with a Sony FX6 chasing wildlife, conservationists, tech innovators, artists and the occasional zebra that refuses to hit its mark.
Twelve-plus years in: DIT/camera assista...
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Hello, everyone. I’m Bill Treise from Longwood, Florida.
After retiring from a career as a tennis professional and teacher, I took up writing as a hobby. Twelve years and two stories later, GRUMPA hit me. Since then, I’ve written 88 episodes.
His granddaddy was a Grumpa. His daddy was a Grumpa. Now th...
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This one has been in my back pocket for a while and it is still worth sharing -- StudioBinder put out a video earlier this year called Everyone Gets This Wrong About Cameras, and the title is not clickbait.
The premise is simple and a little uncomfortable: most filmmakers know their camera's brand. F...
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Particularly since even for films shot with celluloid post production is still largely digital, what do you miss most about shooting with film?
Rakesh Malik, for me, what I miss most is how intentional every single decision had to be. When I was in film school, we weren’t allowed to touch a digital camera during our first semester. We had to...
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The responses here echo my own opinions; what I miss most about using film is the discipline in filmmaking, and along with sacrificing the discipline, many filmmakers who began after the digital revol...
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That's a great way to put it Rakesh Malik .
I miss the gels. Lighting meticulously with gels. The way the light just looks different on film. The only time I use clothes pins now is for laundry.
Totally agree with Ashley Renée Smith about there being a lot more intentionality about every shot, especially on low budget shoots. You rarely now get movies where you get that "every frame is a pain...
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RB shared a great video this week about how director Boots Riley brought I Love Boosters to the screen, and there is a detail in it that belongs specifically in this lounge.
The cinematographer on the film made a deliber...
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RB shared a great piece of content this week built around a video on Nolan's use of visual effects, and the central idea is one worth sitting with in this lounge specifically.
Read the blog here: https://www.stage32.com/blog/coffee-content-invisible-effects-invisible-....
The argument is simple: Nolan...
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This is a fascinating video about the iMax process used in Christopher Nolan’s film, The Odyssey.
I simply wanted to share it with the community, because it’s so amazing.
What are your thoughts about it? Other than it’s not affordable for indie filmmakers.
I’m going to see the film on the 22nd July, so...
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That was a great video Geoff! Thanks for sharing! What did you think of the movie?
Amanda Toney hi Amanda, I must admit that my social media feeds were full of negative reviews of the film and so I was a little trepidatious of seeing it. I even saw one today by a famous British hist...
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We all know that it looks cool, and some filmmakers definitely seem to overuse it to pad runtimes, but it also has its uses emotionally, not just in scientific research. Discuss :)
And for some inspiration...
https://youtu.be/us_llBEti44...
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Hello everyone!
My name is Chaitanya Sai Priya, and I'm an author and aspiring screenwriter from India. While my primary passion is writing original stories, I believe that cinematography is one of the most powerful tools in storytelling.
I'm currently developing my original psychological crime thrill...
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Joyce's response is a great. Strong emotion and action that propels the story forward helps cinematographers make choices that guide the audience in the right direction. If it isn't written, we are he...
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Hi Chaitanya! Greetings from a fellow writer on this same journey of learning and creation.
I completely agree with you: to write for the screen, we first have to visualize. In my view, any well-develo...
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Every scene should inspire you visually. The clue's in the title - Moving Image. Good luck with your project and I wish you great success.
Thank you all so much for your thoughtful comments and valuable insights. I truly appreciate the time you took to share your perspectives on visual storytelling and cinematography. Reading your experi...
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Great discussion! For me, it's scenes where the emotional subtext is doing all the work. A simple conversation can immediately become cinematic if there's something unspoken hanging in the air. I also...
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Hi Cinematography Lounge Fam!
I came across a video breakdown this week that I think is going to resonate with a lot of you, especially anyone who's ever had the "what gear do we actually need?" conversation trying to bridge the gap between indie budgets and industry-scale productions. The video walk...
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As a composer, I find this interesting because practical effects often give actors and editors something tangible to react to. That can influence the pacing, performances, and ultimately the way the s...
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September 2026 Open House Webcast
Bring Your Questions: Join Us for the FREE Stage 32 Community Open House
Wednesday, September 23rd at 12:00pm PT
You have questions. You're curious about how to actually make the most of your time on Stage 32, how to use the resources here successfully, how to build genuine relationships that lead somewhere meaningful, and how to move forward with real intention. How to find the right collaborators, producers, financiers, reps, distributors, etc.
That's exactly what this FREE event is designed for.
Our Community Open House is a live, fully interactive conversation hosted by me, Ashley Smith, Head of Community here at Stage 32. It's a genuine gathering where you get to show up, share what you're working on, ask the questions that have been on your mind, and get direct guidance tailored to where you actually are in your journey.
Whether you've attended one before or this is your first, the conversation is different every single time. It's shaped by the members who take the time to join, be present, and bring their real questions to the table. Your voice, your goals, and your curiosity make each Open House uniquely valuable.
Free Registration: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-september-2026-community-open-house-webcast
We'll cover the tools and features on Stage 32 that most consistently create momentum for members, and we'll talk about what's happening on the platform that you don't want to miss out on. September lands us in a genuinely exciting stretch of the year. We're coming off Venice and Toronto International, in the middle of New York Film Festival, heading into Austin Film Festival, and gearing up for our annual November Write Club campaign. There's real opportunity to position yourself for what's ahead, and we'll talk about how to do exactly that.
We'll close with a live Q&A focused entirely on you, your questions, your projects, and your next steps. And if you can't join us live, don't worry! Registering guarantees you the full recording so you can watch it anytime, from anywhere.
Come as you are. Bring your questions. Let's have a real conversation.
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