Introduce Yourself : Film/TV producer - former Universal Pictures creative exec by Regina Lee

Hello Regina, nice to meet you!

Hey Don, thanks very much. Nice to meet you too!

Thank you!! Flattery will get you everywhere, Kathryn! ;-)

Impressive to say the least. I'm new here too so welcome.

Awesome! Congrats!

Hi MD, thank you. I've been very lucky, and as they say, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. So I'm hoping to teach a class/webinar to help emerging filmmakers better prepare themselves and their projects for success!

Hey, Coreetta, very generous of you. Thank you! Nice to meet you!

Nice to meet you, Regina!

Thank you, Elisabeth, and nice to meet you too!

Hi Regina nice to meet you

CONGRATS REGINA!!!NICE TO MEET YOU :)

Wow, very impressive Regina! It's great to meet you!

Welcome Regina, you'll love the action here.

Welcome on board Regina. Pleased to meet you!

Thanks very much, Carol, Bobby, Isiss, Ian, Stephen, and Suzanne! Look forward to maybe meeting you in a class/webinar soon!

Nice meeting you Regina! I'm a producer of a small production company that I recently created. Just produced my first short film, and own a red dragon camera package as well as a crew. Would love any producing advice you have!

Hi Paulina, respectfully, my initial piece of producing advice is to be more precise in your pitch. You're a brand. You only have one chance to make a great first impression. For example, "I'm a producer with a small prod co..." That's fairly generic and doesn't tell us about your brand or your forte. It doesn't tell us why you're the one someone else should hire/partner up with and in what situations they should seek you out. What if Ford marketed the Explorer as just a "large car"? That message wouldn't tell you enough about the Explorer to know if it's for you and if you should consider buying it. A more precise pitch for yourself might be, for example, "I'm a VFX producer (or a creative producer, a physical producer, or a production services producer, etc.), and my forte is making low budget short films look like a million bucks with VFX designed by my in-house team. I spent 5 years producing 20 short films for grad students at USC, and my team won a Student Emmy for x. My short film x cost $50K, and the Emmy committee person xyz said it had ...." Whatever speaks to your specific strengths. Think of your intro/pitch as a 30-second commercial for your brand. I don't mean to say "make it a brag-fest," but we all need to learn to pitch our best selves in what is obviously a very competitive market.

Nice to meet you Regina!

Hi Regina I would definitely like to speak with you in regards to some projects I'm producer. Congrats on the project at Starz

Congrats! It's nice to see your name attached to a project.

Thank you, Vince, Myron, Dennis, and Natasha. Very nice to meet you all as well!

Welcome Ragina. You are an asset here.

Hey, Regina. So I completed my first script this year and need some advise on the direction I should take as far as pitching and finding companies who are looking for new screenwriters. Thanks!

Thanks, Kevin! Too kind.

Hi Howard, when asking questions, I'd recommend trying to be more specific so we know where you stand at present and can better tailor advice specific to your situation. The good news is that almost every single company is looking for great new writers! The question is - is your current draft at the level it needs to be, and are your overall writing skills at a high enough level that you can consistently write high quality work at what we instinctively know to be industry standard? I assume you don't have industry contacts in your friend group who could help you along. I know this advice sounds cliche, but you should enter some prestigious screenwriting contests to "test the waters." If you win/place with the current draft, managers will notice and seek you out. If you don't, then you know that your script is not yet sharp enough to "show" the mainstream Hollywood community, and you can take steps to sharpen your work (like taking a writing class at UCLA Extension or joining a writers' group). Best of luck. We each only have one chance to make a great first impression so do all the prep work needed to approach companies with the best possible script.

Hey everyone, I've received a few messages from filmmakers hoping to submit their projects to me. I'm happy to try to offer some advice, but please note that I have to follow standard industry submissions guidelines, and I cannot accept unsolicited submissions. If you send me any material unsolicited, I will not be able to read it or click on the links of story material. Thank you.

Wow, thanks Regina. It would be great to learn from the experience you have.

No questions. Just a hello.

Thanks, Tao and Virginia, for the warm welcome.

Hi Regina, This is Kevin Doy Burton again. I would like to ask you this. Have anyone in the movie business,that you heard of,ever sat down to have a nice glass of wine or beer and read an ordinary book and said to himself,or herself, " This is really a good story.I think i'll talk to my team of writers and let them read it and see if they will write the screenplay from it? The book is not a best seller but to the reader,the story was great.

Lol, Kevin, I think every writer would love that to happen.

Hi Kevin, I think if you're in "the business," every time you read a piece of content, you're seeing it through a professional lens: "Is there a story that could be adapted, and does it fit into the segment of the marketplace that I occupy?" For people in the biz, the bummer is that you're so trained to read everything through this lens, you lose out on many aspects of "pleasure reading." Almost every single piece of reading is work-related! Cry me a river, right? If a person in the business finds a piece of content that he/she wants to adapt, the next step is usually checking the adaptation rights, not going to writers. (And btw, I lack the alcohol enzyme, so I feel sick when I drink more than a few sips of your delicious cocktail!)

Hi Virginia, trust me, people in the business are highly incentivized to find stories that can be adapted. Not because we're such nice, wonderful people, but because it's a business. And to generate business revenue, product sales are required. Is there a barrier to entry? Yes. Should there be? Also yes. Are many readers skeptical of finding a needle in a haystack? Yes. Go to the library or a used book sale. You have finite time, energy, and resources. How would you go about finding the one great adaptable, unknown property in a haystack?

Furthermore,wouldn't you wish that there was some way to curate/filter only the best of the bunch, so you wouldn't have to search through a haystack with only your finite resources (and your finite patience for haystack-searching)? Wouldn't you want to rely on the filters available to you, like bestseller lists, prestigious book reviewers, writing prizes, the recommendations of trusted friends, agents, managers, Oprah's book recommendations, etc.? Or would you prefer to read every single book in a used book sale yourself? There are opportunity costs to spending all your time searching for a needle in a haystack. Thankfully, there's a pretty effective filtering process already in place for us. For scripts, there's no bestseller list, but there are screenwriting contests that help filter out. If you don't make it through the filter, you can rewrite and improve. Even Michael Jordan didn't win Player of the Year in his rookie season.

It's a step by step process for each and every one of us.

Hi there Regina. I assumed as much but this isn't my thread and I didn't want to overstep. On average there are upwards of 5000 books published a day at Amazon alone. Finding the next great adaptation would be a daunting task to say the least. Not to mention taking care of what is already on your plate. Reading for pleasure must be a luxury.

Hi Virginia, please feel free to jump in!! I like to learn! :-) Sounds like you can help answer Kevin's question too, so please don't be polite.

Hello, Regina, and welcome to Stage 32! I don't spend too much time here each week (more often on LinkedIn or just working on my writing, etc.), but I ran across your blurb here about looking for adaptable material, "needles in haystacks," etc. and I found myself both really appreciating and really relating to your sharing. I recently pitched a number of my projects at the ScriptFest held at the Burbank Marriott a couple weekends ago (right down the street from Starz, btw--LOL), and each time I did, I was grateful for each of the execs that I pitched to for hearing me out, listening carefully, usually taking my written pitch material, etc., sometimes even requesting my script(s), especially as I looked at the mountains of material that each was collecting from us writers and wondering how they'd get through all that, along with all their other responsibilities, once they went back to work on Monday. I'm sure each will have to employ some filtering systems just as you do, and I suppose the pitchfest itself is another of those filters. And regardless of the frustrations writers always feel that we weren't the right needle that the exec was looking for in the haystack at that particular time, I certainly appreciate all the time and effort they went through to even check out my contribution to the haystack :).

Hey Lee, I was invited to that pitch fest but was unable to attend because I had to go out of town to meet with an Oscar-winning actor for a TV project I'm producing (!!). That's not a "humblebrag," it's proof of what I posted earlier - luck is when preparation meets opportunity! Btw, the Starz Burbank office is the sales & distribution office, while the creative & production office is on Beverly Blvd in Beverly Hills. Thank you for sharing your perspective with us. I really believe there are effective mechanisms in place for the creme to rise to the top, but yeah, luck is a big part of it too. Similarly, different projects have different paths. For example, some concepts are indie, while others are mainstream, and still others might be better suited for foreign producers. We all have to learn to be honest with ourselves, define what we're offering, and figure out which company/person/methodology is the best fit for each specific project.

And Lee, you have a great, inspiring attitude. We should all feel lucky and privileged just to have a shot at chasing the dream! I know I do!

Interestingly, I got a chance to discover what that filtering process for finding good adaptable material was like when I was challenged by one of my mentors to find a book, story, article, or whatever, that I found interesting, thought was marketable, etc. and write an adaptation of that material in order to get a feel for what writing adaptations is all about. And of course, the first step was to find material. And yes, I went to "filters" like you mentioned before I did anything else--there's just waaay too much material not to. Since I'm not a big company that can option the rights to major bestsellers, books published by big publishing houses, celebrity stories, etc., I had to look through filters that I could afford, and I found that in the Amazon Kindle store with authors who are mostly either self-published or published by smaller(but still very legitimate) print-on-demand small-press publishers. And I used the Kindle Store's filtering systems to find starting points; best-seller lists in categories that fit my brand first, then reviews (both professional and reader-generated), sample pages, ones recommended to me by friends, etc. I also Googled award-winning books and perused them. I did all sorts of filtering, and STILL, it was an arduous process to filter down to several that I felt passionate enough about to approach the authors. And THEN, because I didn't have tons of money to throw around, I had to find one of those authors who I could work with who didn't have stars in their eyes and expect me to offer those to them (along with the Moon and the Sun) for an option fee, understood what the word "adaptation" means (I won't regurgitate their entire book word-for-word into a screenplay), etc. etc. And yes, I did find what I feel is a really amazing book series to adapt written by a very reasonable author, and have had a wonderful time adapting the first book and also writing a TV mini-series concept doc for the entire series. And I was rewarded by a good deal of interest shown in the project(s) by execs at the recent pitchfest. But did I use filters? Did I take advantage of everything I could think of that others had already done to help me find my needle in the haystack. Oh you betcha! Interesting to not only hear you talk about your process, but to have actually experienced it and have some understanding of how difficult it is. Thanks once again for sharing, for being a part of Stage 32.

If you've never heard of it, The CineStory Foundation is one of the few (if not the only) nonprofit screenwriting competitions, which runs writers' retreats and offers a free year-long mentorship/fellowship to the most outstanding screenwriter each year. I've been a volunteer since 2008. A recent success story was 2013 CineStory Fellow Patrick Tobin, whose top script CAKE became an indie movie starring Jennifer Aniston! Congrats to our 2015 semifinalists, and good luck to the finalists as they enter the last phase. Check us out: http://www.cinestory.org/

Well, I guess you're forgiven for not showing up at the pitch event, Regina :) LOL! Best to you in whatever the project is--I hope it all works out and we'll see it on Starz in the not too distant future. And you're so right-- there's always a luck ("opportunity") factor in Hollywood, but if you haven't put in the time, work, and effort necessary, or have a lousy attitude, or whatever, you'll never be able to take advantage of it once it happens for you.

Thank you Regina. I appreciate that. The writing industry as well as the TV/Film industry is continually being bombarded by "the next big hit" and there are paths one can take that might be helpful. Check out the pitch sessions, lounge discussions and seminars offered at Stage 32 Kevin, which might be of help. Perfecting our craft is a never-ending process and the yellow brick road doesn't always lead to OZ without a lot of work.

Virginia, how can a newbie reading this thread navigate to 32 Kevin? (Update: I thought Virginia meant that "Stage 32 Kevin" was someone's username. Disregard!)

Congratulations on the project! I know what kind of work goes into any project. After two years I just had a project I was a small producer picked up by Showcase and Marvista. It should have a TV premiere in October. Keep posting.

Hey Regina, sorry went doggie walking. I'm not sure what you mean?

Betty, not sure whose project you're referring to (mine or Regina's), but interesting about how things worked with you. You mentioned MarVista. They're actually one of the companies that took my materials for my adaptation project and also requested the script. They even wanted hard copies of the book series that it's based on. I'm hoping that it won't take them two years to make up their minds about it, but it would be cool if they picked it up. Congrats on yours getting produced now, and let us know sometime what it's called so we can be looking for it in the fall :).

Congrats, Betty! I don't know Showcase, but I know Mar Vista churns out a ton of content, so the numbers game is very good with them!

Woman in film! YAY!

Hello Regina, Just wanted to say how nice it is to read so many supportive comments from you. I have a question for you if you don't mind - as an actor, we are often encouraged to try and contact producers directly to get ourselves seen - but there is conflicting advice - some people say Producers hate it when we do that as that's why casting directors exist, and some say it's a good thing! Itwould be Fantastic to get your view on what is the best approach and also to know of you get approaches now and what you like and don't like? It's great to get the opportunity to talk to someone so openly about that but this forum is amazing for that. Thanks in advance for the response! David

Hi David, I can't speak to what other people "hate" or don't hate. What I can say is that producers are typically not keeping their eyes open for casting ideas unless they are lucky enough to have a fully financed movie in pre-production which is when casting takes place, or a TV pilot that has been picked up, or an ongoing TV series that is casting. If the producer isn't casting a "go" movie/show at the moment, then what are the chances he will make note of an actor's random submission? Even if he is casting, if there's no role for that actor's type, then what are the chances he will make note of the submission? Chances are, your submission is going into the recycle bin because there is probably not a "need" at that moment. So I'm going to speak to your question in a different way. We each have finite time and resources (and favors!). Do you want to go for the lower percentage play and devote all your spare time to submitting to producers who aren't even casting a role you'd be right for? Or do you want to spend your limited time/resources on targeting casting directors who are casting all day, every day? I would make this a question of PRIORITIES. If you already know all the casting directors in your city, then sure, move onto producers. If you don't, I would recommend putting your finite time into meeting all the casting directors and locking in their support. In an ideal world, you should be getting a call from them every time they are casting for your type. All that said, if you are an actor/writer, then it makes more sense for your talent agent/manager to reach out to producers on your behalf. Because producers are always meeting writers (and typically only meeting actors when they have a show that is casting). Or maybe if your type is very specific (e.g. maybe you're multi-racial and have a truly unique look that no one else has), then maybe you can get some producer meetings simply because you're a unicorn. Let me close by saying, man, I sure don't envy actors who have to navigate a very tricky business!

And David, personally, I don't find random actor submissions to be of any utility to me because if I'm not casting a specific role, then I have no pressing need that a random submission could fulfill. I would also add that producers, just like everyone else, have actor friends who would love a day player role. So your submission has to convince me to hire you, not my buddy or someone else I already know. The chances are just not great, so if I'm you, I would prioritize casting directors, whose job is to have a long list of actors at their disposal.

Thank you - that's exactly what I thought - really appreciate you taking the time to respond!

Hi Regina, welcome to Stage 32 and hopefully we all can get some great advice form you. Love the idea that you've been secretly watching us :)

Hi Regina, I would love to meet with you or SKYPE ... to share my award-winning novel, Pushing Upward with you. I have written the screenplay as well and currently pitching the project to producers. Imagine: a combination of Clueless, Good Will Hunting, Harold and Maude and The Peaceful Warrior...

Welcome, Regina! It's great to meet you, and congrats on your project. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences in the industry!

Glad to have you contribute Regina! I am sure you are bogged down by questions and other requests. Love to know your insight into the live action comic book/superhero genre on TV. Is there room for an independently created series organic of any IP and is developed from scratch?

Hey Regina! Welcome and congratulation on your new TV project! Looking forward to your upcoming class/webinar. Cheers!

I have put my London Gangster script out there by placing it on Amazon as an eBook. It's more the story taken from my movie script rather than a 100% bonafide book. Here's the direct link for the book titled "Who's Your Daddy" http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YJGL87U

Thanks for the warm welcome, JC, Michael, Andrea, Rebecca, David, Patrice, Gary, and Phil.

Andrea, sorry please see my other post - I cannot accept unsolicited submissions. Best of luck with your pitches.

David, yes I think there could be room for superhero shows on TV that aren't based on major comic book characters. However, the bulls' eye is a smaller one, particularly now when you're competing against the big dogs. Personally, I'm not competing in that space, but if it's your passion, and if your material is great, then you should give it a shot.

Regina: I am polishing up the script. The concept has potential as it varies greatly from the traditional superhero archetype and character development. I believe with this variance from the norm it can stand on its own to create a larger bullseye! I write more than just superhero genre concepts but I am very passionate about this story. Tanks for connecting Regina! I look forward to hearing further development of your projects!

Welcome, "silent lurker"!

Nice to meet u . I am also pretty silent too.

Already won 4 script Awards for my romantic comedy feature film "Absolutely American." All Comedy category: a Second Place Award a Certificate of Excellence, a Official Selection award, & an Honorable Mention. A total of 4 script awards so far, from film festivals. Here's my movie script info:=> www.AbsolutelyAmericanMovie.com Please let me know if you are interested or Pass it on to someone you know are interested? Thanks Peter Chen Writer/Director

Nice to meet you - I'm a Professional Background actor looking to expand into other area's. I'm new to Stage32 and finding it very interesting - always looking for advice too

Talk about modesty Peter

JOKING!!

CONGRATS!!!!!!

Hi, and welcome! I am "Momager" for my 13-yr old son, Grant McLellan. My son is repped across the board with Abrams. I would love for you to keep him in mind for projects you have that may require a young actor. His IMDb profile link is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5162168/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 Thank you, and again, Welcome! Melody

Hi Regina I understand an know far to well the filtering process although my experience comes more from music but knowing that I understand that all parts of the entertainment industry has this sort of filter. My question is, would the industry look at a script that has production associated with it, skipping the festival avenue. I do understand it's a step by step process but there must have been a process in place pre festivals?

Hi Melody, sorry I'm not casting anything, but congrats to your son!!

Hi Bobby Nickson, sorry I don't quite understand the question.

This whole thread is like a mini masterclass. If Stage32 doesn't ask you to teach a class, Regina, we need to start a petition!

okay a script that has been independently produced, the screenplay is delivered with conceptual visuals, would the industry not look at this work that has bypassed festivals since festivals are one of the forums the industry uses to filter?

Hi Ragina.What type of scripts is Hollywood looking for? I'm just curious. I understand that Hollywood don't except unsolicited scripts, so who do you have to know? What agents do Hollywood listen to? There are actors on Stage 32 who actually have played parts in movies made by Hollywood. Should we be talking to them about their agents and if we do, and get their permission to use their names as recommendations, would our scripts no longer be unsolicited? After all,isn't this whole thing about unsolicited and solicited is who do you know? After all,we are one big family here and we should all stick together and help one another.

Hi Regina Hello & Welcome

Hi Bobby, I'm still not quite clear on what you're asking. If it's a "script that has been independently produced," then isn't it no longer simply a script but now a finished film? In that case, you would need to contact Acquisitions Execs at distribution companies to secure a distribution deal for the movie, or try Direct-to-Consumer platforms like iTunes or VHX.

Hi Ann, thank you. I'm already in talks with Stage 32's Director of Education to teach a class, but we haven't designed the class yet. If you guys have ideas of what you'd like the class to be, I'm open to your suggestions! Thank you.

Hi Kevin, to answer your questions, we'd have to write a book. Why don't I start by saying that writers need to figure out their forte. Then figure out how your forte fits into the contemporary marketplace. For example, if you're a kickass children's entertainment writer, then the market you should be targeting is Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Jr., Amazon Kids, etc. Figure out your forte, your target, and then develop expertise in that target zone. Be the best Disney Jr. writer you can be, and try to get a job in that arena, rather than trying to understand the entire marketplace. In terms of unsolicited scripts, once you develop your expertise and reach a level at which a reputable agent or manager wants to sign you, the agent/manager will submit on your behalf, and therefore, those submissions are no longer unsolicited.

Thanks for joining our community! So many great people here. Hope to have the chance to get to know you better in the future :)

Hi Regina, it's very nice of you to offer your expertise. Welcome!

Hi Regina, welcome aboard to the talkers! As you can see from my profile and site (www.seritastevens.com) I write books, scripts, adaptations, and teach writing, too. One of my new books is The Ultimate Writers Workbook For Books and Scripts based on my teaching at USC UCLA, etc. I am also trained as forensic nurse so if you have any medical or investigative questions for your work I might be able to help you. My The Book of Poisons was just seen on the desk of the ME in a recent episode of SUv! Let me know if I can help you with anything.

You asked for topics for a class. I suggested some to Joey already and I am not sure if these are in your ball park or not, but I thought about "Getting Deals in China - or working with them?" Or "Getting deals with Amazon/Netflix,etc." I am repped by a manager and agent, but it's, nevertheless, important to stay on top of things and be proactive. Thanks.

Hello Regina, glad to have you around and look forward to whatever class you come up with. Cheers from Australia!

Welcome!

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone (Paul, Nicole, Lauren, Lori, Taylor, Felipe, Phillip, & Laura), and thank you, Serita, for the class suggestions!

My belief has always been, if you have talent and are producing and putting yourself out there, and in a city or location where what you are doing has a market then you will eventually find success.....this with the caveat that you have real self awareness and self truth as far as your talent level based on real world accomplishments and work and sweat...........talent if we are talking anything but possibly acting (Whish has to do also with your look etc) equates to money in most fields so sooner or later someone who likes making money will dig you out....

Welcome, Regina! Happy to have you here!

JD I agree which is why I asked my question didn't really get an answer to, If you produce a script as a concept not finished product which would require a bigger budget would the networks read it then besides the script you would be presenting a mockup production of your script. I would like to know if this is an avenue that bypasses the festival filter the use? If Regina can help with answering.

Hi Bobby, I think you're talking about sending out a script with a "pitch reel" of some kind, or concept art, or a pitch packet. Yes, that is seen as fairly standard practice, though it happens a minority of the time. Typically, the script should be strong enough to speak for itself. As such, typically, scripts are not sent out with supplementary materials. But sometimes, particularly with science fiction where new worlds must be created, the writer, producer, or director wants to support the script with an additional presentation so that a reader can understand just how specific their story is. Again, in most cases, adding supporting materials is not necessary because 1) the script should speak for itself and stand firmly on its own two sturdy legs, and 2) Hollywood professionals have read thousands of scripts, and we have plenty of experience imagining a script's potential without looking at supplementary material. I hope I'm understanding your question.

people are visual, want to see it, so very difficult for a no namer to just sell a script my suggestion would be to shoot....shoot a scene or two out of it as a teaser......or like im doing shoot shorts, if you yourself are not a director or have inclinations for such, hook up with the multitude of indie directors who are not writers

but make sure your production value is there....do not shoot outside budget wise what you can do to make it look impressive, now there are ways to cheat the camera with lighting and angles etc to hide stuff you dont have budget to shoot to look real etc...

Bobby, to play devil's advocate, you don't want to make a bad first impression. If someone thinks the script doesn't work on its own - that it needs supplementary materials in order for it to make sense - that could be a potential pitfall.

Bobby, it is possible that you have a script that builds a new world, for example, and could benefit from supplementary material like a pitch reel.

I agree, i have always believed first impressions are last impressions, why i have always told actors to only put up well written, well produced, great performances as their reel, better to have no reel then horrible above as your reel, same thing with people shooting, dont put up short films of yours if they had horrible produciton value, you were still learning your craft etc etc

though believe me learning never stops, I've been writing for 25 years and still always growing and attempting to learn, and triple so as a director as I have only been doing that for two years and 6 shorts.......also learn your craft before attempting your craft in a public venue...i studied lighting and directing for 7 or 8 years before shooting my first thing

also understand like most things, filmmaking is a team sport, not something you can do by yourself, so surround yourself by likeminded hard working beautiful, talented spirits, and be humble enough to know when someone is better at something then you and let them shine.......to me one of the most beautiful things I can do and have done is by shooting film having allowed other people to shine so beautifully and getting opportunities from it

With 25 years of working hard in the Ent. Industry. If you like to watch the following 3 min shorts web series. Feel free to make comments : "Gramedy 7" : https://youtu.be/4_3gwBVuJfA/ "Gramedy 6" : https://youtu.be/pXFtPFRJtwg/ "Gramedy 5" : https://youtu.be/rGYwME-t2t4/ "Gramedy 4" : https://youtu.be/PO9QfRnbYks/ "Gramedy 3" : https://youtu.be/M9xMD_apZpo/ 2: https://youtu.be/xNvfALZz_r4/ 1: https://youtu.be/lDTEwbk3q0I/ Enjoy! :) www.PeterChen.Info/

Despite my numerous books and scripts, I still take classes etc because you can LEARN FROM EVERYONE even the Janitor! The Torah says He who is wise learns from all. You never know what someone will say that will trigger an idea or a new techinique for you -or one that you might have known or heard about but forgotten to use in your story. And ALWAYS PUT OUT YOUR BEST

Thanks Regina that did answer my question and I understand that creative executes have the imagination necessary to visualize a well written script and a reel could potentially harm there imaginary interpretation of your script it's just as risky as just having the script by it's self or giving the reader an visual that will make them have that moment of clarity that aids the story, it's always a risk no matter how you approach it. As for first impressions that would be conditional and I do not feel it would carry over to your other works, a writer has more than one story if one fails try another the point is to keep trying because you can have many first impressions as creativity isn't static.

Yep, I hear you, Bobby. Thanks.

Wow! Regina, I see why you were a "silent lurker"(sounds like a screenplay to me) for six months. I don't think I've seen such a long welcoming thread and I've been a member for several years. So here's my two cents. Welcome and I look forward to your continuing pearls of wisdom.

Ha! Thank you, Ronald.

Hi Serita, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to teach a class on "Getting Deals in China." It's not my focus, although I am working with another producer who is focused on China, so maybe I'll learn enough over the next few months that I will be able to share at a later date. In terms of "Getting deals with Amazon/Netflix," I see those deals as very similar to any other buyer. Amazon's series purchases have been generally quite similar to basic cable overall, while Netflix is closer to premium cable overall.

Hi! All Producers! Please know about me and read my concept for a feature film. Kavi Akbardeen *** Writer, poet, freelance journalist, script writer and song writer Life member of Film Writers’ Association, Chennai, India ****************************************************** Concept Title: The dancer-killer Genre: A blood-freezing thriller Log line: A dangerous young man,who is a great abductor ,rapist and killer for money and who escapes the police net, is caught by a dancer-killer. Thank you, To your success! Kavi Akbardeen 18-6-2015 kaviakbardeen@yahoo.co.in

I think you are probably right as far as Amazon/netflix. It's just getting to the right person there. As far as other suggestions, I find that most of my students still write very passively - a lot of There is. was running - not ran; etc, not giving characters real attitudes but physical descriptions. Or something on Hooking in the first 10 pages - though I think Danny Manus did something on that, didn't he? Not sure it was Stage32 or elsewhere. At a writing con June 26 in Valley College, I am going over difference writing scripts vs books - that might be interesting for some people. Or maybe the importance on paying attention to international wants and needs in this global market where so much money comes from overseas. Just ideas.

A class on the half hour dramedy using Togetherness, Transparent, New Girls would be a great class. I haven't seen it. I've written one and am cutting a premise sizzle on it to go out.

Oops Girls.

Hi there Regina. There is something to be said for lurking, lol. Maybe a class on the roll of a Producer and their responsibilities would be interesting and informative. For instance; the Producer's roll in the production process as an individual and as part of the team responsible for selecting marketable projects, then raising financing and staying on budget with the production. The process of working with writers and program editors, the scripting, casting and crewing a project. And lastly, what does it take to become a Producer? What experience in the industry qualifies a person to become an Producer? Enquiring minds want to know.

Hello Regina. It's brilliant to have access to someone of your experience and wonderful that you are giving your time. I would love to know more about the role of a Producer and the key challenges in interfacing with Investors and Directors. Thank-you!

Hey, Regina. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your very helpful and inspiring advice. I am currently doing a re write because someone, with more experience in film than me, from stage 32 read my script and gave me some very constructive criticism. A few industry friends are busy and say they will read it when they get some free time. I have also been given a helpful link to some screenwriting contests and read up on which ones to enter. On the other hand...a film company in Oregon has been very supportive in bringing my script to life. To be more specific in my question though, I would like to restate it and ask. What website, or other social platform, do producers go to in search of new writers?

Hi Regina! We've got a cool project you could get involved in, we have three audio series and an upcoming television program - www.intergalacticspacerangers.com

Pleased to meet you Regina

Welcome to our family, Regina!

Hi Tegan, I'm sorry that question is so open-ended, I feel like I'd have to write a book. I don't know how to answer it on a message board.

Howard, I don't think producers typically go to any platform other than The Black List to look for new writers. I'm going to use my "needle in a haystack" analogy again (see above). However, I think the lit managers who are looking to sign new writers check out many screenwriting contest winners of the top tier contests. And book-to-film agents and book scouts check out the bestselling self-published book titles too.

Hi Regina, your new project sounds interesting. Great to make your acquaintance.

Hi Regina, I'm sorry, I read your Introduction as asking for questions that we'd like advice on in your webinar. I will spend more time on the site understanding how questions are asked. Best wishes Tegan

I'd be very interested in your class. Knowledge is power. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, Dayna, that's very kind.

Thank you, Alessandra, for your very kind comments.

Thank you! I hope you have a great weekend! And again, welcome!

Welcome Regina!

Congratulations!

Thank you, everyone (Adena, Ken, Shawn, Steve, Melody, JF, and Collier), for the warm welcome!

That sounds cool.

Hi everyone, my name is Sonny Skyhawk and I am a Native Consultant, Producer and actor.

Hi Regina! Thanks for breaking radio silence. What are you working on?

Thanks, James. Sorry it's not appropriate for me to pitch my projects in this medium, but thank you.

Goodness sakes, not asking for a pitch. But I'll message you so it's not in this forum.

I'm using the word "pitch" colloquially - the same way an agent would say, "pitch me your idea" or "tell me about your idea" at drinks. In any case, I'm just here to offer a bit of help/advice to Stage 32ers, not here to use the platform to make deals for my own projects. But thank you to those asking.

And here to plug The CineStory Foundation! :-)

Thanks a lot for the info. Very helpful and congrats on the dramedy!

Hi Regina- very nice to meet you :)

NIce to meet you too, Rosemary, Howard, Mark!

Hello Regina. Always nice to meet a fellow lurker.

Ha, yes! I typically lurk because I don't like getting in angry debates (like on Reddit), but I've been pleased to see that there are very few of those on Stage 32!! Thanks, Tom!

Hey Regina, pleased to meet ya.

Hello and welcome out into the open of Stage 32 :) Congrats on your projects. I hope you get to a class on here, I woul like to hear about the work you do.

impressed and happy to meet you.

Thanks so much, Michele, Alberie, Wallace, and Brandi. Alberie, I am designing a class with S32 Education Director Shannon Stegall now! I've been reading a lot of Lounge posts this week to try to learn what topics people are most curious about.

Hey Regina, Congrats on your successes -- It looks like you won't be needing a small distribution company like Black Wolf Media Group, but just in case you have a project that Universal declines, please check out my company at http://blackwolfmediagroup.com. We have guaranteed distribution placements and commitments with major retailers, and are currently screening films for inclusion in our 2016 line up.

Thank you, Vincent and Ash. Ash, unfortunately, I don't have any projects in need of distrib right now, but thank you again.

HI Regina and a very big welcome to Stage 32! If you ever hear of anyone looking for some great family-friendly science-fiction or apocalyptic fiction material please let me know. I'm a novelist (seven published novels) and a screenwriter, with one sci-fi thriller already adapted to a screenplay (Cybersp@ce). Again, welcome! Jeff W. Horton www.hortonlibrary.com

Hi Regina - it's a pleasure to meet you! Be well and have a delightful week!

Thank you, Jeff and Erica, for the warm wishes!! To you as well.

I'm still open for the Stage 32 version of a Reddit AMA. Happy to try to answer questions. I cannot take unsolicited submissions. Please try to make your question specific, so we can help each other with specific info that you need.

Welcome to 32 Regina.

Thank you, Renee!

Wonderful community

Oops...sorry Brandi. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was posting it. My apologies, Regina! I just hit delete on the post, but it appears to still be there.

Welcome Regina. I am in the same boat as you when it comes to getting accustomed to the layout of Stage 32, but RB has done a great job of making this site user friendly. Side note* I find it a complete coincidence that you work for Starz (being I just filled out two applications to their Denver HQ this morning). Welcome again Regina. It is great to have you and I am looking forward to any classes or webinars you might be a part of. Cheers!

Loving your posts in the Screenwriter's forum, Regina. You are a real asset here both in your knowledge and the time you take to interact. Major kudos to you.

@Anton, to clarify, I do not work "for Starz." In Hollywood lingo, I've sold a TV pilot to them (with my other team members), so I'm producing a TV project "set up" at Starz. Jargon. When you sell a project to a network as a producer, the network (in this case, Starz) contracts with you on a per-project basis. I don't want to falsely represent who I am or what I have done, so please don't misread my intro and make an incorrect assumption.

@CJ, thank you for taking the time to write! Much appreciated.

Sorry for the mishap. I still look forward to any material you may be a part of on Stage32. It would be neat to hear about your experiences in this industry.

@Anton, no need to apologize. I don't want to be accused of misrepresenting myself. If as you say, you want to read more about my experiences, please check out my Wall. I've responded to several questions and you can read some of my answers/anecdotes.