Hello, fellow members of Stage 32!
My name is Tennyson E. Stead, and I'm an award-winning writer and director with a lifetime of background in classical theater, ten years of experience as an independent development and finance executive... and a roller-coaster Hollywood experience that encompasses the best and worst of what Los Angeles has to offer, from fraudulent film investments and the wannabe Wall Street drug scene and even traumatic brain injury on the one hand, to having worked very closely with many of my heroes on the other. After more than a decade of cold sales work, screenwriting, and theater and web production, I'm finally working with a manager and a team of producers that value my contributions to the industry. My own projects have a strong finance team moving them forward, my spec screenplays are getting the attention they need to sell, and I'm creating good opportunities for people in my community. Thank the gods.
As far as my producing and directing efforts go, my goal is to build a company and a community that sets a sustainable standard for the future while everyone else is running around panicking over drying pre-sales markets and tax incentives. Creatively and financially, this means working with an ensemble to take personal responsibility for the excellence of our shows and the strength of our community. My work in particular revolves around classical performance values and genre material like science-fiction and fantasy. Spectacle, I believe, is the experience of watching someone do something that we didn't realize people could do... and it's a lot easier to underestimate a human being than it is to underestimate a computer program. Performance, as in acting, is at the heart of everything that I do.
If you want to talk about writing, producing, film finance or anything else, just drop me a line!
This is so impressive. Welcome!
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Why, thank you sir! It strikes me that you've done a much better job of actually breaking into Hollywood than I have!
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I've had some nice jobs, but moving into writing has been a different experience altogether! A new kind of break in.
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Good to meet you, Tennyson!
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Welcome to Stage32, Tennyson.
Good to meet you all! This isn't my first time posting on the "Introduce Yourself" forum - I've been on Stage 32 for a while, and I've even done a little blogging for them!
Good to see ya. Give us some of the gold mine of tips you acquired.
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Peter, it just so happens that I've written 200 articles on how I think showbusiness should be run! Here's a link to the table of contents of that body of writing, which at the moment is all living on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notes/8-sided-films/the-developmental-breakdown...
Julie, congratulations on the decision! Good luck, and have a great time in school!
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Hey Tennyson! Nice to ''meet you here'' knowing how you create good interactions between people, create apertures all over.
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Thank you, Florica! It's good to see you, too!
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Thanks Tennyson.Will give it some read time this weekend.
What a wonderful post, Tennyson. Thank you for sharing with us. With your attitude and vision - the gods (GOD) Blesses.
I am interested in discussing my script with you if that's OK.
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Great to meet you!
Oyibo, you are welcome to discuss your script with me. You should know that I write all my own material as a producer and director, however. I am not a buyer, but we can talk about any aspect of screenwriting or marketing scripts that you care to.
Great thanks for at least offering help but sadly i write crossover women centric scripts
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Fantasy...thats my word! Working on a screenplay for a fantasy movie based on my fantasy novel. Would be nice to talk about it with you.
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Feel free, Evelyn! I'll tell you upfront that I write all my own material, so if you're looking to network with me as a potential buyer I advise you to spend your time on someone who might meet you halfway on that issue. If you want to talk about screenwriting, film finance, or anything else, please feel free to ask any questions you have!
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Pamela Bolinder : In my case, I'm working with a producer who is shepherding them through the development department at a studio... and that's an irregular situation built on both our own long-term relationship, and on the 50% commission I offered her to make it happen.
"What comes next" can mean a million different things. Every single film production has its own, unique, crazy story. That said, it does only take two things to succeed in showbusiness - and we are 100% responsible for building and maintaining both of them. One is the strength of our craft, which must be absolute. Any show deserves the absolute best person for that production in any given role... so make yourself into the perfect person. Secondly, a showbusiness career needs the strongest of communities. Each of us is responsible not just for our relationship with each person in the community, but for those people's relationships with one another - audiences and colleagues alike.
How many shows have immaculate craft and strong, vibrant communities around them and still fail to put butts in seats? Not very many. Make your craft immaculate and your community powerful, and what comes next is pretty well handled!
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Julie Rojas: My fiancee is Aleut, and she has the same goals in mind. We're working on a couple of Native-driven projects together right now!
By far, the best screenwriting tool I've found is Syd Field's "The Screenwriter's Workbook." Check it out - it's $10 on Amazon. Beyond that, the most important thing is to remember your scenework fundamentals as an actor. Too many screenwriters are concerned with conveying themes and ideas... when a movie is about actions in conflict, driven by strong and personal motivations. As a screenwriter, the most important thing to remember is "don't show, don't tell"! Give every actor a strong action that's hard to fulfill, make sure that the actions draw the actors into conflict, and end the story as soon as the action is done!
Remember why we call them actors!
Glad to be of service, Pamela Bolinder and Julie Rojas! I told my fiance about your comment, and she added you to her network. Her name is Marie Ipiluni.
Tennyson you are correct of course i was lucky to have A FB friend Alexander Dietrich to edit my script for free with an undertaking that my script will sell but people seem to be prejudice against writers like me.