Producing

I can’t imagine trying to match up with a stranger online. Makes much more sense to me to go to friends or colleagues whom I have a history with.

Corey Perkins, I've been so busy writing humor that I haven't considered a comical partner. That doesn't mean my heart is closed to the idea, and I've never put myself out there with a profile to do so... but... I agree - having someone with the same goals (someone you can laugh with) to share ideas - especially about the comedy in a script ... I'd consider a swipe, thumbs up, or whatever you do on a dating profile.

The partners I've collaborated with are thankfully focused, but sadly forget the comedy. AND none of them have taken a long walk on the beach with me!

Now I'm rethinking my solitary life in front of the (computer) screen. A writing partner could lead to a creative relationship. (I'm not flirting with you btw) LOL.

Debbie Seagle If you are interested and when you are ready, we can talk. I am guessing this is one partnership my wife might be alright with.

hey Corey, I started a screenwriters troupe - 6 quality creatives. we’ve been together for 3 years and besides quality notes we’ve collaborated on more than a few scripts. It’s a great experience every Monday. in addition to great collaborations the group drives action and holds member’s accountable for writing and reading. best of luck in your creative journey!

Thanks, Tommy Gallego I participate in the Northwest Screen Writers Guild’s scene analysis group. They give great feedback and it’s nice to participate in the live reads, provide input, and hear a script come to life.

Add the Knicks, The World Cup finals, the best fireworks show in years on America250 - New York is the entertainment capital right now (and again) and New Jersey is doing amazing things and its great to see. Markets are emerging. So excited for the stories and movies and shows that will come from from the area and I hope this inspires other regions to continue to support the creative community in the best ways.

Fantastic point, Sebastian Tudores. A valid one at that. And yes, NY was smart to add that independent angle to their overall budget and NJ has invested massively in infrastructure. They are going to be a player for years. And they're going to steal a ton of business.

Absolutely true, Charmane Wedderburn, and, honestly, one of the main drivers I had in launching this platform almost 15 years ago. The world is getting smaller by the day. The idea of Hollywood being the epicenter is gone - especially for physical production. Borders have been broken down. The world is wide open. It's never been more important to be utilizing this platform every single day to forge and nurture GLOBAL relationships.

No better time, Sandra Isabel. No better time. Until tomorrow, that is. The global expansion train isn't stopping any time soon.

Agreed, Sam Sokolow. It's a shoppers market.

This really resonated with me, especially the idea of focusing on micro goals instead of getting overwhelmed by the bigger picture.As someone who works across songwriting, music production, and visual storytelling, I've found that making consistent progress on one task at a time builds far more momentum than chasing perfection. The reminder that even industry legends refine, revise, and face uncertainty is encouraging.

I love it, Luna. Consistent progress is really one task at a time.

I admit to having bad days with lack of motivation. And before I write it, I commit to doing one thing to move a project forward. At very least, I get that one thing done, but often it leads to another and another.

Consult the project risk and opportunity plan you prepared beforehand - check where the increase matches the risk and increase you predicted, and look for the areas of opportunity to manage mitigate transfer or eliminate it, that you also predicted.

Yes i know you don’t have one - that’s my point.

David Taylor, fair point. And honestly, it's a very producer-accurate one.

You’re absolutely right, without a proper risk and opportunity plan, a team ends up merely reacting to budget shifts instead of actively managing them. The entire point of that document is to map out exactly where line-item increases are likely, where they become dangerous, and where they might actually be strategic. That way, when the numbers inevitably move, you aren't scrambling; you're executing a plan that already anticipated those pressure points and mitigation paths.

And yes, I know; I didn’t include one in the scenario. Touché. It’s a great reminder that disciplined producing isn’t just about static budgets and schedules; it’s about establishing a framework that protects you from making emotional decisions under pressure. That is the true heart of risk-aware producing.

Appreciate the nudge!

Sandra Isabel its also more interesting, because if in the PROM plan you also insert team assessments of the likelihood of occurrence of each event 10%, 30%, 50% or 80%) you can then run it through a simulation (in a programme like ‘at-symbol Risk) you can make the movie 100,000 times in it - the ‘S’ Curve it then produces - between the 30 to 80% level on the curve, will tell you how much the movie is most likely to cost you. If the S is almost vertical - that’s how much your movie will end up costing. More importantly, if the S curve is flat it’s telling you this is a very high risk movie you probably shouldn’t make without getting firmer control.

David Taylor, this is such a sharp breakdown and, honestly, a perfect illustration of why proper risk planning matters. It's a clean, practical way to see the truth behind the numbers and exactly the kind of risk‑aware producing thinking we all need. Thank you for sharing.

I am not a producer, but I believe you should stay with your plan. If you are planning a low-budget 4M, stay with it. If you plan for a mid-budget 8M, stick with it. If you are planning a 100M film, stick with it. If you stray away from your plan, you might end up in a bad place. Someone I know started his house construction, and he went over budget, and the house stayed half-constructed for years.

what is your award winning script?

Hi Sandra Isabel and everyone in the lounge!

Thanks for opening up such a great space to wrap up the week. Even though my day-to-day is screenwriting rather than dealing with budgets or contracts, I didn't want to miss this conversation. For me, writing is just the starting point. Everything I have in my head is created with the big screen in mind from day one.

Right now, I’m fully focused at my PC, putting the final touches on my action and dark fantasy trilogy, Suplicio. But my mind never stops; I’ve already structured my next stories, Lúcido: El Guardián de la Luna (Lucid: The Guardian of the Moon) and Las Sombras del Darién (The Shadows of Darien). I love defining myself as a creative developer who builds worlds to grip an audience.

So, looking at the horizon, my next major milestone isn't just about finishing the pages. My real goal today is to find the right production partners and international allies who will fall in love with this vision. I want to connect with producers to team up and bring these stories—which carry the roots and unique mystique of my home country, Venezuela—to the global market.

In the end, that’s my dream: to write, create, co-produce, and fully experience these universes coming to life on screen.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Cheers from Venezuela.

Emilio Briceño

My current goal and dream is to finish my series. Even if it's an AI video. Even if it has a lot of errors. But I couldn't achieve anything better.

How was your week?

The next milestone calling me forward is getting a deeply personal narrative feature fully financed and into production—with a team that trusts my vision enough to let me lead from the chair and from the ground.

I’ve put in years building my name through music videos, co-producing, and behind-the-scenes work, but now it’s about stepping up as Jamez T. on a project that reflects my story, my perspective, and the communities I come from. When that film is greenlit, it won’t just be another credit—it’ll be the moment the work I’ve been quietly doing on sets like these turns into the story I was always meant to tell.

Jamez T. - I love reading that!!

Pink, welcome and congratulations on the incredible milestone coming up! Being the first in your family to earn a college degree, and doing it while writing a script based on your own lived experience, is a genuinely remarkable accomplishment!!

I saw your Introduce Yourself Lounge post too, thank you for jumping into IY Weekend! Between that and this Producing Lounge post, you're already ahead with two challenges done. To complete Week 3 and be entered into this week's drawing for a Career Development Call with a Stage 32 exec of your choice, all you have left is the final challenge:

Send at least 5 new Stage 32 connection requests or invite 5 new creatives to join Stage 32 (https://www.stage32.com/invite), and then come back to this week's JFC blog (https://www.stage32.com/blog/july-filmmakers-club-week-3-book-the-room-n...) and comment about who you reached out to and why. That comment on the blog is what officially checks off Challenge 3.

Also, if you have a chance, Henry is actually hosting a LIVE Ask Me Anything event right now in the Producing Lounge, so if you have any questions about finding the right producing partner or navigating those first collaborator conversations, this would be an incredible opportunity to ask him directly! Here's the AMA link: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing/AMA-7-15-to-7-16-UK-Time-Ask-Me...

Cheering you on with graduation AND with "The Girl They Didn't See," Pink!

Ashley I already sent out the invites to complete the challenge the same day I did the other 2 posts/requirements. Thank you

Madam PInk ,, you are an inspiration !! i mean its soo incredible of you

Thats wonderful, Pink Matzke! Make sure you comment about it on this week's blog or the challenge won't be considered complete.

Hey Pink,

I am also in my 60s, late 60s, in fact. I got into filmmaking five years ago.

Fortunately I was at a stage in my life where I could finance a few short films, yet my long game is a feature that will require serious dough.

May I kindly suggest that you think about doing a few shorts, perhaps within the genre of your dream film... and submit them to festivals. Then, when selected, an absolute MUST (IMO) is to attend those festivals and network... go to the pub across the street at small festivals and to the events at larger festivals... and just be fun. The biz usually follow.

Congrats and good luck!

What margins should a written pitch not go past

Henry Hereford Thank you, Henry. I really appreciate your honest and practical answer. It makes a lot of sense that producers need confidence not only in the screenplay but also in the director's ability to execute it. I'm currently attached as both the writer and director of my feature, and I'm committed to building that confidence by continuing to direct and develop my work. I also appreciate your point about having that conversation early clarity and honesty are important for everyone involved. Thanks again for sharing your perspective.

thank you Henry Hereford - "I tend to work from what's already there and build on it, in the same way a director gives notes to an actor,..." I think that approach likely allows the writer to connect your notes to their script/scene/line of dialogue with a good degree of applicability rather than having to spend a few weeks decoding the 'riddle' within the note :) appreciate the rest of the insight you've shared with us in this AMA as well. cheers

Henry Hereford Thank you. I chose the screenwriter after several discussions with real screenwriters - and a few fakes. She responded to my request for details about Fiverr and how it works. The security of my money is paramount. The lady is in the UK which also made me feel more secure. She sounded promising, but it not taking any options on the script or my series. She is just the screenwriter.

Book one, is Forgetting Lorna Rose. I was disappointed with the lady's work at first, and began conversations with a range of other ladies who are all working in the US. They agreed that 2 chapters at a time gives me chance to see if the complexity of the characters in my crime romance novel leap off the screen - or not. At first, my characters were coming out bland. However, now that I've worked on four chapters of book one with her, she is getting better at this, and I am happy to pay as I go.

One helpful chap from a movie company (8 films?) wanted thousands of dollars up-front to read my novel and recommend how to move forward, and then thousands more to script it. When I explained I am just a retired person on low income, he insisted I check out his You Tube video about screenwriters being unfit to bring characters to life. It taught me a lot, and I am using his mantra to build a powerful story from page to screen.

My story is part-bio and was easy to write with passion. It has developed into something much deeper and sometimes darker, and as yet I'm not 100% about the screenwriter's ability... but I trust her. That's worth a lot.

So are you available for two pages of my pitch, please?

Pegasus Publishing own the rights to my first two novels. Amazon has the third and will have the fourth one when my final edits are complete. Then - I shall begin the fifth book.

Sorry I missed this. It looks valuable...

As I always preach - the first Academy Award for best picture ever - WINGS - was awarded in 1927. Less than 100 years ago. This industry has changed every day since the first frame of film was processed and it will always change and evolve. Our job is to ride the waves, find the wind and tell great stories. Microdramas are another canvas to paint on that hopefully creates opportunity for artists far and wide.

I agree 100% with you, my friend Sam Sokolow. This is such a gorgeous reminder of how young our industry actually is and how endlessly it reinvents itself. Ride the waves, catch the wind, and just keep telling great stories!

You hit the nail on the head; microdramas are simply another canvas. Another doorway. Another brilliant chance for storytellers to experiment, stretch, and be discovered in ways that didn’t even exist a few years ago.

Honestly, it inspired me to jump in, too :) I actually just wrote my very first vertical microdrama right here on Stage 32! It is so incredibly exciting to watch these formats evolve, and even more thrilling to watch writers and filmmakers step into them with fierce curiosity instead of fear.

Thank you for sharing, Sam, and if you ever want to ride some real waves one day, we have some unforgettable ones right here in Portugal! :))

The key reason Hollywood is getting involved is low risk. If something takes off, they will already have the rights sown up to make a TV series or feature film. All the studios do co-financing/co-productions for most territories for local language productions. These are usually low budget by Hollywood standards. If something gets traction, the studios already have access to the rights. So yes, evolving mediums are good, and "gooder" from some.