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.
2 people like this
Saul Mahoney This is a really interesting approach. I’m still learning more about the theatrical distribution side of post-production, so I appreciate you sharing your experience and perspective.
I’m c...
Expand commentSaul Mahoney This is a really interesting approach. I’m still learning more about the theatrical distribution side of post-production, so I appreciate you sharing your experience and perspective.
I’m curious about a few things: when you talk about automated DCP mastering, what parts of the current process are you seeing as the biggest opportunities for automation? Is it mainly the technical packaging and QC process, or are there other areas where filmmakers tend to run into challenges?
For independent filmmakers completing their first feature, what are some of the most common mistakes or unexpected costs you see when preparing a film for theatrical release? Also, how much technical knowledge do filmmakers typically need to have versus relying on platforms like Cineport to handle those requirements?
It’s exciting to see solutions being developed that could make theatrical distribution more accessible for indie filmmakers.
1 person likes this
Cyrus Sales One key area to be mindful of - DCP File size. If the DCP is 200GB, that 200GB has to be transferred to every location. This has an impact on cost, efficiency, reliability (and climate, we...
Expand commentCyrus Sales One key area to be mindful of - DCP File size. If the DCP is 200GB, that 200GB has to be transferred to every location. This has an impact on cost, efficiency, reliability (and climate, we should not forget).
In early 2010's we set out this issue at Disney; in operations, we were dealing with huge files, each release suffered these challenges. We reached out to our studios (Marvel, Pixar, ILM, Disney Animation, Disney Live Action) and discussed how file sizes might be reduced - to lighten the load on the delivery operation - with both eDelivery and HDD options. File size is the last thing anyone thinks about when mastering, and the tools to reduce file size are there, but VBR -Variable Bit Rate compression is always worth considering. Applying VBR can return significantly smaller DCPs without any quality loss, than more common CBR (Constant Bit Rate) compression. This results in leaner and more reliable distribution from the get go. File size is an important decision often overlooked in the business, and there are tools to address this effectively, we just need to implement them. Cyrus Sales , As you are in Post Production, is this subject on your radar when considering theatrical releases?
1 person likes this
Saul Mahoney Thanks for sharing your perspective, Saul. That's a really interesting point and, admittedly, not something I've had to consider yet.
Most of my work has been creating deliverables for soc...
Expand commentSaul Mahoney Thanks for sharing your perspective, Saul. That's a really interesting point and, admittedly, not something I've had to consider yet.
Most of my work has been creating deliverables for social media and digital platforms, so I haven't had the opportunity to work through the DCP mastering or theatrical distribution process firsthand. My focus has primarily been on ensuring the audio and final deliverables meet the client's platform requirements.
It's interesting to learn how much file size optimization can impact theatrical distribution, especially at scale. There are clearly a lot of considerations beyond simply creating the final master.
I appreciate you sharing your experience. It's definitely an area I'd like to learn more about as I continue expanding into theatrical post-production.
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At what stage is the VBR applied? When I make a JPEG 2000 sequence for use in a DCP, I’m not sure that’s an option.
1 person likes this
Hi Mike, it is applied at the JPEG encode stage. I know it used to be a choice in Clipster, but it is possible some solutions no longer offer a choice but apply their compression automatically.