Optioning My TV Series & Signing a Shopping Agreement From Outside of L.A.

I’m sure many people in this industry outside of Los Angeles wonder a lot about whether or not they should move to the West Coast to make their dreams come true. While I can continue to complain about the fact that my commute to work takes almost 2 hours and things spontaneously combust into flames over here, I completely get it. When you think about L.A., the images of red carpets, talented celebrities, and studios as far as they eye can see come vividly, and it basically is the reality of it. Just talking to people in line at the Burbank Costco or in “da club”, I’ve talked to 10x more actors and writers than I ever did in Minnesota. Even though there are so many physical opportunities here in terms of people and productions, the fact that you have to be in California to have an entertainment career is outdated. With the emergence of avenues like YouTube and Stage 32, people have been able to find success in this industry within their own homes. Take our very own Stage 32er Brent Kado for example. Even with moving to Chicago, Brent was able to maintain his industry contacts through the Stage 32 site, and has even optioned his series and signed a shopping agreement with Indigo Films with the help of WEtv after receiving constructive advice through our Stage 32 pitching feedback services! INDIGO FILMS is an independent television production company with a long-standing reputation for developing and producing exceptional programming across a wide variety of genres. Networks produced for include Investigation Discovery, Nat Geo WILD, Travel Channel and LMN. The project pitch is now in its second round of executive reviews at Amazon! Let's give Brent a huge congratulations in the comments section below!       If there’s anything to take away here, before you decide to quit your job and abandon your old life in the pursuit of your dreams, try everything you can locally. Set a foundation for you to feel like you’re ready to take the next step. Even if you know you’d sacrifice a lot to make your dreams work, remember that there are thousands that are willing to do just as much if not more than you. It’s so important to work smart in this industry, and there’s a lot of opportunities you can commit to through your computer screen. Head over to our YouTube page to watch him talk about his success, how he did it, and advice he has to other writers. And, while you're there, don't forget to subscribe so you always get our latest updates!    CLICK HERE TO WATCH BRENT'S SUCCESS STORY     And, while you're there, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube page to get the latest updates on our videos as they're released!       About Joseph Dinh: I am currently a Psychology student at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and have recently finished my internship with Zaza Productions. I write and act, with an emphasis on comedy. I'd love to collaborate with other people and work on projects together, so hit me up if you need help or just want someone to work with! Feel free to check out my work on my reel. Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media buttons at the top of the blog. Or post to your personal blog and anywhere else you feel appropriate. Thank you. As always, we welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the Comments section below...Read More

Indiefilm & the Power of the Crowd - Here's the Cover!

Hey guys! Last week, I published a quick blog of the photo RB posted of the final proofs for Crowdsourcing for Filmmakers - Indiefilm and the Power of the Crowd. You can read that entry here. Today, I'm excited to share the final cover proof for the book and announce that the scheduled release date is now set for September 22nd.   As a reminder, this is the very first book to be published on the subject of film crowdsourcing. Here's what's being said about the book:   I cannot imagine a better match than Richard Botto writing about crowdsourcing for filmmakers in the digital age. RB is masterful in his knowledge of the digital space and attracting an audience, as he's shown with Stage 32, and this is the next logical step: applying that expertise to making successful films, which is one of the most important things to learn for breaking into today's and tomorrow's entertainment industry. Dean Silvers - Lawyer, Author of Secrets of Breaking into the Film & TV Business   As a subject matter expert as well as someone who has lived it, RB has a massive amount of wisdom to impart throughout Crowdsourcing for Filmmakers that enables entertainment industry participants to build and take advantage of their personal and social media networks to reach their goals. Paul Hanson - CEO, Covert Media    Crowdsourcing for Filmmakers should be required reading for any writer, director, or producer looking to build a career as a filmmaker. The book is a perfect encapsulation of the expertise RB developed through founding and growing Stage 32; it couldn’t be more relevant to the world of independent film. Jason Scoggins - President & COO, Slated, Inc.   Although the book won't be released until the 22nd, it is available for pre-order through Amazon right now by clicking here Please show your support for our fearless leader!   Like this blog post? Please share it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email etc) by using social media buttons at the top of the blog. Or post to your personal blog and anywhere else you feel appropriate. Thank you. As always, we welcome thoughts and remarks on ANY of the content above in the Comments section below...  Read More