Anything Goes : Coming Soon! Ask Me Anything with Anna Henry by Sydney S

Hey, Sydney S. I'm looking forward to this AMA! Anna always has helpful advice and insight. Thanks for letting us know about the AMA!

Maurice!!! I am so happy you're so excited :) Anna can't wait to get going!

Make sure to put all of your questions for Anna below for the AMA! Or email your questions to edu@stage32.com

Hope to see you there Jacob!

Hey everyone, happy Tuesday! I saw a ton of students just signed up, we're excited to have you for Anna's AMA on Thursday.

If you some reason you unable to attend live, no worries you can pre-send in your questions below or email to edu@stage32.com and the AMA Q + A recording will be uploaded for you!

See you all on Thursday!

Excited for Thursday!

I'm wondering about cross medium representation... I am a novel writer and have a literary agent who represents me for that. She also oversees film/tv rights for my books (or her team does). But I also have some spec scripts I'd love to shop around. Is it best to get an agent specifically for my scripts even if some may cross over with books (ex. Adaptations)? My agent has said if I got an offer for a script they would help with the contract however I don't know if I'm limiting my changes without a dedicated screenwriting agent.

Also...a side question...I know adaptations are huge right now but are adaptations written by then author worth it or a waste of time?

Sydney S Can we please make sure we get to AJ's question. I could answer here but I am pretty sure a bunch of other people have similar questions. :)

I'm super excited to do this AMA! I will do my best to answer all your questions. Please go ahead and post them in advance if you wish!

Hello Anna and everyone. Looking forward to the live at 4am Friday Malaysian time! My question is regarding global projects and language. I write only English language scripts with foreign characters and locations. Investors who invest primarily in foreign films prefer native languages spoken (even if the country speaks English widely). My question is, citing films like Crazy Rich Asians, Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire etc, is it best to search for smaller backers first, casting a strong lead who is more exposed (as opposed to local talent) and approach sales reps for pre-sales at markets, OR go full indie without a known lead and hope a festival picks it up OR approach a streamer directly and see if there's a regional slate they're looking to develop? Or is there another other better route to navigate? Are financiers becoming more open to foreign English language films? The industry is changing quickly and I've been anticipating that a good opportunity for my type of projects is drawing closer. Thank you in advance.

Amina Jindani Hi Amina - since I only work in TV, I don’t really know the feature film process, packaging and financing. I am very tangentially involved in this within the US and not at all globally. So unfortunately I am not the right person to answer your question.

Anna Marton Henry Thank you for your prompt response and the clarification on your area of expertise. If I have any questions regarding anything in this area I will ask at a later date.

Yes, to AJ's question!

Here's some more questions from students who emailed to edu@stage32.com

Question for Anna from student: "Anna - I loved your webinar on creating tone in a pitch, incredibly helpful and insightful. Question - I have a pitch coming up at Netflix and I would love some advice on the best way to talk about "Characters Arc" in my "season overview" section. Is it better to discuss character in adjectives (like, my character goes from clueless to hero over the course of the season) or better to quickly mention a scene that shows the character in action displaying this growth point? Or is there a better option? "

Question for Anna from student who emailed in "Just trying to find out how to go about getting distribution for a short film that is being edited or for films made in the past. Does it take having a manager take control or knowing the right people in the industry? I have scripts I think Lifetime would be interested in. Thank you. "

Questions for Anna from student who emailed in:

1) The screenwriting industry competition is stiff/tight. Outside/apart from stage 32 where screenwriters have a platform to get directly in touch with Producers and managers, how can a skilled but undiscovered screenwriter break out even after writing more than 10 spec scripts none of which have been entered into useless competitions? Should he go to L.A., enter an agent's office and say here are my 25 scripts and their respective loglines and synopses, sell them for us? or is stage 32's script reading and consultation services the best and only chance us underdogs have to get known in the (Hollywood) industry?

2) I have noticed that writers who collaborate on projects tend to be easily discovered by industry reps and execs than solo writers. Is this true or is it just my imagination?

3) Stage 32 is filled with great mentors and teachers of the craft. How can I get in touch with acting teachers, directing teachers, producers's teachers and so on to come and teach the crafts to my countrymen in Tanzania as we plan to mobilize and develop a new film industry engine (structure+business model) that will spread our Swahili culture into Africa and make Swahili the first language of Africa via our films? I know this is a more industrial/technical rather than artistic question but what is your take on it?

Sydney S I would love to address the character arcs / season overview question! I am also happy to talk about contests and networking / getting to execs in a variety of contexts. I am not an expert on short film distribution though, so that might be better for someone who works in that area.

Sydney S I'd love to meet the person from Tanzania who sent the Swahili acting question. I do acting coaching and my father was born in Zanzibar I know a lot about the Swahili culture.

I am looking forward to the webinar. My question is how do I get my projects out there, especially my proposed animated family comedy titled What the Mack? I have given extensive thought about transmedia, involving various social media platforms, as well as giving voiceover guest roles to prominent social media influencers. In addition, I have written more than 250 songs, a large number of which are perfect for TV, film, ads , streaming and so on.

Hi, Anna Marton Henry. Hope you're doing great! I'm looking forward to the AMA! Thanks for having it! When I pitch a feature script, I mention the budget range (micro-budget, low-budget, etc.). Should I mention the budget range when I pitch a TV series?

Thank you for doing this AMA, Anna Marton Henry!!! As a screenwriter with a novel, I'd love to hear/read your response to AJ Eversley's question.

Regarding questions, Anna Marton Henry, I have two sci-fi pilots that were finalists at two 2025 screenwriting competitions. My reps have told me it's hard to get sci-fi projects off the ground. Is that true? Is the demand for sci-fi stories limited?

Have sold to, and been produced by, Netflix. The producer I worked with then is no longer in the biz. I have rights (and screenplay) to a new true-life story about to be published in hardback by a book publisher in April of next year. Do I need to find a new producer to attach and approach Netflix, or is there another way to approach Netflix directly as a screenwriter?

How are foreign TV adaptations made/decided on and how much involvement would the original author typically have?

Hey, everyone! Hope everyone's having a great week!

Thanks for being here, Anna! What types of stories are you most excited to tell right now?

Thank you for this. Very helpful.

Fantastic AMA, Anna Marton Henry! Thanks again!

Hello Anna, thanks for the great presentation today! I've been working on several pitches and going out to streamers with a team of producers (without representation). What do you suggest we send AHEAD of the pitches? (they've all been done on Zoom where a deck is presented and scripts sent after) Should we be sending a mini-deck ahead of time? A brief project description?

Great webinar Anna, you answered every question in my head. Thank you.

Anna, thank you for webinar just now and I have a feedback question - the same pilot one executive says the pacing is too slow, another executive says it's too fast. What is the best way to answer them. Thanks again for the great webinar.

Just out of the hospital today after being treated for an incurable lung disease. Still recovering—but I made sure to attend tonight’s Stage 32 webinar. Why? Because I knew it would be informative, energizing, and exactly what I needed to keep moving forward.

I have a son with special needs. For me, it feels like a race against time. That’s part of why I’m building What the Mack?—an animated series full of music, humor, heart, and inclusivity. My son Glenn is a main character in the show. He deserves to see himself represented. So do so many others.

I love creating. I love bringing joy to others. And I know how precious that joy can be. I was extremely lucky to survive my childhood. Instead of continuing the cycle of abuse, I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to make the world better—kinder, more creative, more connected.

This show isn’t just a dream. It’s a promise to my son and a gift to the world I want to help shape. Thank you to those who see the value in stories that come from real life, real love, and real urgency.

@AJ Eversley I feel like we never did get to your question! Yes, I think you are limiting your chances with only a literary agent for your novels. I assume you've had books published if you have representation, and that's great. But if you want to get your scripts out there independent of your work as an author, you should try to get a screenwriting agent or manager. I wonder if your lit agent can refer you if you explain that you are hoping to find someone who can help you build a screenwriting career alongside your publishing career. I think I answered the second question - IP is only valuable if it has had some recognition either through awards or sales, or ideally both. Many authors adapt their own work, but it's obviously a very different medium that has much more rigid rules, and I've seen many authors struggle to reimagine (there is that word again) their book for the screen. It's worth it, as long as you don't expect it to be easy and you're willing to put in the work.

Thank you very much for your reply Anna! I will have a chat with my agent to see if she can connect me with anyone first then go from there!

Sydney S We never got to this one either: I have a pitch coming up at Netflix and I would love some advice on the best way to talk about "Characters Arc" in my "season overview" section. Is it better to discuss character in adjectives (like, my character goes from clueless to hero over the course of the season) or better to quickly mention a scene that shows the character in action displaying this growth point? Or is there a better option?

Answer: This is a great question! Avoid generic adjectives. See if you can use more specific words than "hero" for example. In what way exactly were they clueless? About what? What do they end up doing that is heroic? In what sense? How does that transformation occur in terms of an inflection point (or more than one probably)? Example scenes can be good but risk getting you mired in plot when you're trying to talk about character and keep it short and focused around the core emotional change. Alternatively you can give the season arcs in terms of plot and throw in there, ex. "At this point, since Jane is clueless about the dangers of going up against someone so wealthy and well-connected, she makes the following mistakes... Then later: As Jane realizes that believing in herself and relying on her allies empower her, she orchestrates and leads the strike that cripples the company."

Sydney S For this question: The screenwriting industry competition is stiff/tight. Outside/apart from stage 32 where screenwriters have a platform to get directly in touch with Producers and managers, how can a skilled but undiscovered screenwriter break out even after writing more than 10 spec scripts none of which have been entered into useless competitions? Should he go to L.A., enter an agent's office and say here are my 25 scripts and their respective loglines and synopses, sell them for us? or is stage 32's script reading and consultation services the best and only chance us underdogs have to get known in the (Hollywood) industry?

We talked pretty extensively in the AMA about networking. But just to say that while Stage 32's script reading and consultation services are definitely great, it is neither the best nor only chance to break in. Building a network of fellow writers and from there producers and executives is even more effective. But more importantly, competitions are not "useless" because they can give you an impartial barometer of where the quality of your work stands. Until you are getting to be a finalist or winner in some serious competitions, you are really not ready for that agent conversation. If you build a network of fellow creatives, I also suggest sending them your script to read and asking them to just read the first act. If they get back to you saying they ended up reading the entire thing, you're on the right track. As a finalist or winner in any reputable competition (including the ones on Stage 32), you should receive introductions to managers and producers. THAT is the real prize you are after.

Sydney S For this question: I have noticed that writers who collaborate on projects tend to be easily discovered by industry reps and execs than solo writers. Is this true or is it just my imagination?

I have not noticed this and it feels counter-intuitive at first glance, because producers and executives actually worry about writing partnerships breaking up which can be very nasty and sink a project. We definitely prefer that partners be related by more than just writing, ex. married, siblings, etc. That said, two people have twice as many contacts, so...

Sydney S For this question: Stage 32 is filled with great mentors and teachers of the craft. How can I get in touch with acting teachers, directing teachers, producers's teachers and so on to come and teach the crafts to my countrymen in Tanzania as we plan to mobilize and develop a new film industry engine (structure+business model) that will spread our Swahili culture into Africa and make Swahili the first language of Africa via our films? I know this is a more industrial/technical rather than artistic question but what is your take on it?

I love this question! Africa is the next big market and source of stories for the entertainment industry! Lots of folks want to get involved in and outside Africa. Start within Africa actually. Get in touch with experts in more developed markets such as Nigeria and South Africa. Look at the recently launched Kava and EbolyLife! And message mentors and teachers here on Stage 32 or on LinkedIn. Teachers don't need to physically go to Tanzania - a lot of us now have extensive experience teaching through Zoom.

Oh and get in touch with Amina - look at how a simple post got you one person right away!

Maurice Vaughan Great question - I'm sorry we didn't get to it in the AMA. Generally we don't bring up budgets in a TV pitch until they ask. Even then, TV is tough to budget because there are just so many moving pieces, from shoot location to number of episodes picked up, to how much is spent on A-list talent, etc. But you can look up the budgets of similar recent shows and have a sense of what your episodic budget might be. You can also talk about the steps you have taken to control the budget - I often talk about how we have a tight cast, how expensive sets will be used in every episode, the generous tax credits offered by potential shoot locations, for example.

@Francisco Castro Congratulations on your placement in competitions! The demand for sci-fi projects ebbs and flows (I suppose that's sort of true for everything). Certainly right now people are looking more for grounded genre projects in general with an emotional core, and there is still a bit of a block on apocalyptic stuff (there's enough apocalypse on CNN). And since there is a ton of sci-fi IP out there, it's hard for original material to break through. Budgets might have something to do with it too, though of course CGI is now not a big budget factor. Honestly, I am not much of a believer in writing to the market - hey, I work a lot on historical fiction! You and your reps just have to be persistent and keep putting you in front of people. Having said that, see if you can work on something sci-fi adjacent next, like a family drama set in another world or something with a mystery at its core (like The Expanse) or star-crossed lovers (literally). You want to stick with your brand, but you can also try to genre-blend with some other attractive elements. Always keep creating more material, and if something ends up in a drawer now, it might be dusted off and sold in a few years. For what it's worth, Shogun was 10 years in development!

@Dango Forth Typically Netflix won't take a pitch from a writer directly unless it's someone big, but if you have contacts there already nothing prevents you from reaching out to them and asking. Otherwise, yes I would recommend packaging at least with a production company before going to the network.

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh Can you clarify your question a little bit? Do you mean how does a US network decide to adapt a foreign release? Or how do they decide to adapt a foreign IP like a book? In the case of the latter, it's going to be the same criteria I talked about in the AMA - a unique point of view on the world with universally relatable characters, and the value of the IP in terms of recognition. The original author's involvement will vary depending on what they bring to the table (ex. if they wrote the script adaptation) and depending on the uniqueness of the IP (is their expertise needed). Something from a big or attractive market (Germany, Korea) may break through more easily but that doesn't mean other things won't. But your best chance by far is to sell your idea in your own country! TV is going global and new studios and networks are popping up every day in every corner of the globe. Forget the US - growth is not here, it's in your home country! When you have a hit in Turkey, Spain, Nigeria, Brazil, Sweden, etc. Hollywood will come knocking on your door.

TJ Berry I think I addressed your question in the AMA actually in talking about my company. :) My taste is very eclectic though and I am very selective about what I take on as a producer. I need for the writer to have a strong relationship with the material (why you) but I need to have that too in some way. It needs to speak to me on an emotional level and I also need to feel that it's high concept enough that I can sell it. I'm a sucker for romance and drama that has comedy. I love antiheroes - I swear nobody in any of my shows is likeable, but everyone is relatable. I look for very layered, deep characters. I am sensitive so I tend to pass on things that are very dark, like a serial killer story or something about the Holocaust, for example. I swoon at writing that is eloquent, people who write lyrically, visually, like the English language is their weapon and their lover. Most of all, I need for the project to be fun and entertainment-forward and the writer to be fun to work with. I want it to say something important about the world, but that's a secret nobody is supposed to know - I want to bury it ten layers deep.

Joseph Tamas Great question - I'm sorry we didn't get to it in the AMA. Whoever is setting the pitch - presumably one of the producers - should tell the executives that you have a pitch and a script and ask what they want to see ahead of time. Sometimes they want to read you before agreeing to the pitch, sometimes they just want to know the general parameters of the project and then want you to talk to them. Let them dictate it. But do let them know what you have so for example they know that they are going to be getting a pitch bible and therefore don't need to take notes during the meeting. In your Zoom meeting though only show images with no text! This is super important! Make a separate deck that's images only. Human beings are wired to prioritize our sense of vision over our sense of hearing, because we have much better vision than hearing so this is an evolutionary advantage. Even if you are told to listen and not read, you're not going to be able to do it - try it sometime yourself. If the text is the same as what you are saying, then it feels like you're just reading the pitch like a bedtime story, which defeats the purpose of the pitch (then just send it to me, I know how to read). If it's different, they won't really be hearing you because they'll be busy reading. Putting a character's name on their picture is fine, but that's it. And toggle between sharing your screen (images) and looking them in the eye. They have to connect with you on a human level which isn't going to happen if you're in a tiny box in the corner of the screen the whole time. Plan out when you will be on screen and when you will screen-share an image and practice it a bunch of times so you have the sequence down cold.

Jerrold Guadagni I get the question you ask about confilicting notes all. the. time! The problem is that you haven't made up your mind about the tone of your pilot - and pacing is a big element of tone. Sometimes your pilot races through too much too fast, sometimes it slows down for no real reason. You're not committing to any one writing style, because you aren't sure of your voice yet. So each reader is "helpfully" substituting their judgement for yours. One likes a roller-coaster ride and tells you to do that, another likes slow burn and suggests that. What do YOU want? Why? How is pace affecting the tone of each scene? How do your scenes flow together? Why is that the best way to tell this story? How does it serve the characters, the plot, the themes? How will that affect the pacing of episodes - the tone of the entire series? Make some definite decisions. Own your voice. Double down. I hope this helps! (I did a webinar on tone which might help some more too.)

Anna Marton Henry thank you for your answer, but I meant for example like how Breaking Bad has a Colombian remake. How does it come about, like does the show have to be especially popular in a certain country for there to be a foreign adaptation/remake?

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh Oh I see! Yes, that's mainly it. Those decisions are made in those markets - a distributor sees an opportunity and licenses the rights by paying a fee to the US distributor that owns the project. If you want to do a remake of a US property for another country, you will need to take a huge risk by making a plan for the adaptation (you should also develop a detailed market analysis and marketing plan) and then try to convince your local distributor to pay the licensing fee. If you are already a successful writer/producer in your home country with connections to local distributors, you can shortcut this by approaching them first to see if there is an appetite for licensing. They will likely inquire about the fee before deciding to commission the adaptation. Usually these things work just like that - known producer approaches local distributor, distributor agrees this is a good idea and pays the licensing fee, then commissions the adaptation from the producer who looks for a suitable writer.

Anna Marton Henry thank you, very good to know :)

Thank you Anna ... with my asking you and my fellow attendees answered every question in my head.

I have a continental family saga/thriller tv pilot prequel to my trilogy of published novels. Currently outlining a passion project; historical feature, hence l would prefer to sell all rights to Roxberg and move on. Thanks again for your brilliant webinar.

Thanks for the answer, Anna Marton Henry! All of the answers! I always get helpful advice and insight from your AMAs, webinars, etc.

Thank you, Anna Marton Henry, for taking the time to answer my question. Truly appreciated!!!

Just a PSA since I encouraged everyone on the AMA to network. Reaching out to fellow writers, producers, executives, etc. through their Stage 32 profile (if they have one), on LinkedIn (especially if they often post publicly) and through their business website's contact form is a great way to start a relationship. You can try to follow someone on Instragram or X if they post publicly often. Most people who still use Facebook do so for IRL friends and family (including me) so trying to friend them won't work. Digging up their private email address or phone number from some corner of the internet and emailing / texting / calling them is a good way to get permanently blocked. As is being rude, demanding, or desperate enough to come across as creepy on any of those platforms. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me through all the proper channels and showered me with kind feedback!

Anna Marton Henry, I think this is excellent advice and a reminder we can all benefit from.

When I reach out, I always try to lead with respect for someone’s time and boundaries, and to offer genuine connection rather than a sales pitch. A thoughtful message through the right channels goes a long way toward starting a real conversation.

It’s also worth remembering that networking isn’t just about what someone can do for us—it’s about listening, sharing, and supporting each other’s work in a way that builds trust over time. I’ve found that approaching people with kindness and authenticity makes the exchange far more rewarding for both sides.

Thanks for posting this—it’s a good check-in for all of us.

Exactly my sentiment Wyman, mutual support and friendly conversations win every time.

Helen Bland, I can be bribed with good coffee and donuts. Just wanted to share that piece of information.

Good to know Wyman.