Introduce Yourself

Hi Stage 32 — I’m Matt Skrobalak, a producer and casting strategist based in Los Angeles. I spent 15 years as SVP of Casting at CBS Television Studios before making the move to independent producing about two years ago. After that long on the studio side I wanted to bring that perspective to independent filmmaking — both in my own projects and in the work I do with other filmmakers.

Right now I’m in active development across several projects — two features, three pilots, an international co-production, and a biopic in early stages. The genres range from horror comedy to dramedy to prestige independent film. Some have talent attached, some are in active director searches, some are earlier in the process.

I also work with motivated independent filmmakers on something I developed called the Casting Blueprint — an upstream packaging strategy designed to identify and sequence the right attachments before you go out for financing.

Always happy to connect and hear what others are passionate about !

Hi all ! Do we know someone who can create a professional bespoke presentation deck for a drama script? Apparently, there are some catchphrases and wording that make the presentation valid and valuable. Thank you!

Hello, my name is Yvonne, although most people online know me by my pen name, Ivory.

I’m from Germany and completely new to screenwriting. Writing has always been one of my favorite hobbies. Over the years, I’ve written short stories, Pen & Paper adventures, and various collaborative projects with friends.

In 2018, I started working on a fantasy trilogy, which I finally completed in 2025. During the writing process, I noticed that I often found it easier to visualize scenes as if they were part of a film. Because of that, I frequently experimented with screenplay-style writing, adapting scenes and dialogues from the novels into script format just to see how they would work on screen.

I really enjoy this style of storytelling and would like to develop my skills further and learn how to do it professionally. That’s why I joined this community, and I’m looking forward to learning from others and improving my craft - while also improving my English skills. (Sorry, I need the translator for the grammar.)

Best regards,

Ivory

My name is Matthew Thompson. I’m 41 years old, a father of three, and I work basically two full-time jobs. In between all of that, I’ve been taking time to explore writing screenplays.

I’m still very early in this journey, but not long ago, I decided to stop just writing scripts in my head and on paper… and actually started trying to bring them to life.

Here’s what I’ve learned quickly: you don’t need a big budget to start making proof-of-concepts. If you already have a smartphone, you’re most of the way there. Add a few inexpensive lights, a decent mic, some simple props, a couple friends and suddenly you can start building something real for under $100.

Instead of aiming straight for a 90-minute film, I started small. A 3–5 minute short is enough to experiment, learn, and actually finish something. That alone changes everything.

I primarily write comedy—absurd, slightly chaotic worlds with grounded characters trying to survive them. It’s just what naturally comes out of me. There’s something about that contrast that I love.

I’ve written a couple feature-length scripts, and I’m still working on more. But lately, I’ve shifted into actually filming.

I recently shot the first two acts of a short film, and I’ve been editing everything myself.

My background in music helped more than I expected. I’ve recorded in bands before, so learning to cut, edit, dub, and mix audio using a simple phone app felt like a natural extension of that. The app is free. That still surprises me.

What’s been the most encouraging part is sharing it with a low-budget filmmaking group and getting solid, constructive feedback—especially knowing how brutally honest those spaces can be.

Right now, I’m just focused on continuing forward.

Not perfectly. Not expensively. Just consistently.

If you’re sitting on an idea, you don’t need permission, a big crew, or perfect gear.

I hope this is allowed, if you’re interested in this 3 minute short I’ll post the link below!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jyKc0iVR0Kg&ra=m

My name is Saida Kalykova. I am a pianist and composer from Kazakhstan.

Music has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember. I perform as a concert pianist, compose original music, and continue to explore new artistic paths and collaborations.

I am especially interested in connecting with filmmakers, composers, musicians, and other creative professionals from around the world.

I look forward to learning from this community, sharing experiences, and discovering new opportunities for creative collaboration.

Thank you for creating such an inspiring and supportive community. I am truly happy to be here!

Hello, I am the owner of Juniper Post and sound supervisor. We currently have Obsession in theaters right now. We are looking for feature films in need of or award winning sound design and mix team.

Hi everyone, I'm Lima, a creative freelancer with a wide range of skills across writing, design, illustration and animation.

I work with authors, filmmakers and content creators helping them bring their stories to life. From ghostwriting and copywriting to book cover design, character illustration, book trailers and animated content, I cover every angle of the creative process.

I'm here on Stage 32 to connect with screenwriters, filmmakers and storytellers who need a versatile creative partner. Whether you need compelling content written, striking visuals designed, or your story brought to life through animation and motion, I'm your person.

Always open to collaborations, creative conversations and new projects. Let's build something unforgettable together

i saw an interview where an icon movie star talked about a concept he wanted to see done. I envisioned it completely different and it’s grown into a massive story. I’m currently polishing up 65 written scenes. I'm keeping it in stealth mode for legal reasons, but the right person will instantly see how easily it converts. I've had three avid readers give it a look under strict orders for brutal honesty. They were absolutely shocked by how much they liked it—and none of them were my mom, so I know it's real!"

Hi, I'm Chase Carmichael.

I wrote animation screenplays, currently writing the pilot structure on my animated family sitcom. I finished the teaser and I'll be able to move forward with the script if I get feedback from the local group this Monday.

Well, the reason why I posted this is because some of my favorite colleagues have deleted their accounts and only contacted through other platforms.

The problem is that I never had a chance to discuss on other progresses to show for.

Of course, that's not really a case anymore. I just wanted to meet other writers or artists or authors or producers about my progress. I can't rely on AI at all because it's not even realistic writing through my plays and made bad decisions on it from November 2025 to March 2026.

AI is part of the new process, but you only have to use it to express your ideas.

My own world would be either an all-bipedal animal universe to make it animation in any genre or a human and bipedal animal world-building to make a fantasy in between.

My main themes are sports (baseball), comedy, superheroes, family, action/adventure, spy/heist, and romance. The tone is positive and sincere to make it like genuine or "Disney-style" philosophy to make more sense within the dialogues, heart and comedy is key. I'm not really a songwriter though that's why I don't write musicals.

I truly believe that I will make it within 2 or 3 years. Not this year or next year since I've learned my mistakes in between since March. I just need support from everybody around whether you're from Utah (LDS or non-LDS) or California or New York (State or City like Queens or the Bronx) or Arizona or Nevada or overseas like Australia or Japan or even Europe.

I just want to know how to meet literary managers through email with confidence or showing your true identities after they reply to you or even meet the executives. I also wanted to know the behind the scenes on how TV animation was made.

I hope everybody is having a first day at Stage 32. Thank you!