Thrilled to have just found out that my screenplay just made the finals of stage32's Search for new blood. This is hot on the heels of it being an ISA staff pick for January only yesterday, taking second at Slamdance a couple of months ago and signing with my manager Tammy Hunt of Sandstone Artists only last week. 2026 LFG
As I'm re-introducing myself to the community, here's my bio:
Deborah Richards is a next-gen writer/director and part of a bold new wave of Hollywood filmmakers who emerged from the ashes of the 2020 shutdown, launching her feature film career in the wake of the pandemic.
Originally from England and now based in Las Vegas, Richards burst onto the scene in 2015 while still in film school, winning four Southwest Production Emmys® for her sci-fi short Boy Meets Girl. Since then, she’s directed over a dozen shorts and more than two hundred TV spots and branded web campaigns.
In 2022, she was named Nevada Woman Filmmaker of the Year by the prestigious Nevada Women’s Film Festival. Her debut feature, Move Me No Mountain, premiered on Amazon Prime and Tubi in 2023, followed by her sophomore film, Shaken & Stirred, a documentary which was recently licensed to Apple TV.
Richards is a co-founder of 1905 Films, a boutique studio dedicated to developing and producing distinctive, director-driven feature films.
A true multi-hyphenate, when she’s not directing her own projects, Richards freelances as a writer, director, editor, colorist, VFX artist, educator, and speaker. She's also a former world champion flair bartender, an advocate for the arts, and a proud dog mom.
She is currently in development on her third feature, Scissor Mouth — a gothic horror fairy tale set in 1980s Texas that explores beauty, identity, and revenge through a blood-soaked lens.
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You're having an incredible year, Deborah Richards! Congratulations on Scissor Mouth making the finals and all your success! I'm looking forward to seeing Move Me No Mountain and all your films!
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Hi Deborah, I watched your video, very nice, do you make it yourself?
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Deborah Richards, congratulations! Making finals in the New Blood Contest AND signing with Tammy Hunt at Sandstone Artists...all within weeks of each other? Wow! How did the signing occur? Any tips to share with fellow members you've learnt from signing with a manager?
Beyond contests like New Blood, we've built a whole ecosystem designed to connect writers and filmmakers like you with the right opportunities:
- Pitch sessions with managers, producers, and development execs actively seeking material
- Open Writing Assignments where executives request scripts directly
- Educational webcasts with industry professionals
- Professional script services (coverage, consultations, development notes)
With your track record and the heat you're building, there are specific executives on our platform who'd be perfect matches for your work (especially with Scissor Mouth in development, I'd love to offer you a free month of the Writers' Room so you can explore everything we have without any commitment. The Writers' Room gives you:
Exclusive access to pitch sessions before they go public
Ability to submit to Open Writing Assignments (execs requesting scripts)
350+ on-demand educational webcasts
10% discount on all services
Early access to contests and pitchfests
To claim your free month, just email our team at success@stage32.com and mention this conversation. Tell them a bit about your current projects (Scissor Mouth especially) and what you're hoping to accomplish in 2026, and they'll set you up with personalized recommendations on which executives and opportunities make the most sense for where you are right now.You've clearly figured out how to turn talent into tangible results. Let's make sure you have every resource available to keep that going.Congrats again on the New Blood finals and everything else stacking up. Can't wait to see where you take Scissor Mouth.
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Deborah Richards Congratulations! Those are tremendous accomplishments - bravo! Proud for you. Best of luck with not only this project, but all your endeavors.
Cheers,
Mikey
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Billy Kwack Thank you. Yes I wrote, directed, co-produced, production designed, DP'd, Camera operated, Edited, Colored and VFX'd it myself.
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Geoffroy Faugerolas Thank you. It only took 15 years, 2 movies, 4 Emmys® and 200 commercials. As for 'tips' I'm always happy to talk about the movie biz with aspiring filmmakers.
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Mikey Franks Thank you sir. It's truly appreciated.
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Maurice Vaughan Thank you! Move Me No Mountain was my first feature and while I'm extremely proud of the team I don't feel it's my best work. I only had a couple of weeks to write it before we were in pre-production. I was stretched so thin and shot it in difficult circumstances during high covid restrictions. However, it is very pretty to look at and as the DP that makes me happy :)
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Congratulations
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You're welcome, Deborah Richards. What's the story behind the name 1905 Films?
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Maurice Vaughan I’m from Las Vegas. 1905 is the year it was founded
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Adebowale Segun thank you. that’s very kind of you
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I didn't know that, Deborah Richards. Did you see Army of the Dead?
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This was very helpful, I appreciate your perspective.
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Maurice Vaughan I did not. While it was set set in las Vegas it was not filmed here, And that upset local film industry here.
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Douaa Bordi you’re welcome.
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Congrats. Scissor Mouth looks very interesting. I like the allusion to Japanese folklore with it still being an original story in a new setting.
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Congratulations and hey, it's good to meet you!
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Congratulations on your recent success!
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Thank you so much, Michael. I really appreciate your kind words.
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Thank you so much, Chris. I really appreciate it.
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Thank you so much, Elle Bolan ,that truly means a lot. I appreciate the support.
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Massive accomplishment, Deborah Richards. New Blood has become the gold standard for horror contests in the industry and, as such, the competition is fierce. Congratulations!
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Hi Deborah, very good, congrats
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Michael Dzurak thank you sir. it’s such a mosh mash of different influences but then all good art is.
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Richard "RB" Botto thank you kindly sir. long time listener, first time caller… I follow you on insta, have heard you speak in person at AFM and have long been a fan of your spirit and all you have accomplished. Game recognize game
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Elle Bolan thank you! it’s a pleasure to connect.
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Game does recognize game, Deborah Richards. Appreciate all the kind words and grateful to you for following and listening. Keep charging!
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Chris Watt thanks! I appreciate the positivity!
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"it’s such a mosh mash of different influences but then all good art is."
I agree, Deborah Richards. It's all parts of one huge web we weave.
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congrats Deborah Richards on all your accomplishments to date. will check out your feature but just watched your short and the trailer for Move Me No Mountain... all of it is just pure visceral beauty - and a special ability to capture our attention to moments we would not normally want to look at or wrestle with within ourselves. biutiful. wishing you an amazing 2026!
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Sebastian Tudores Thank you for the extremely kind words. Move Me No Mountain was my first feature and while I’m extremely proud of the team I don’t feel it’s my best work. I only had a couple of weeks to write it before we were in pre-production. I was stretched so thin and shot it in difficult circumstances during high covid restrictions. However, it is very pretty to look at and as the DP that makes me happy :) my second feature Shaken & Stirred: The Story of Flair Bartending is much better but hey that’s filmmaking for ya lol
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Wow Deborah Richards congrats!
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I thought Army of the Dead was filmed in Las Vegas, Deborah Richards. It should've been. Congratulations on winning a flair bartender world championship! I'm looking forward to checking out Shaken & Stirred: The Story of Flair Bartending too!
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Marie Hatten thank you so much!
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Congrats, Deborah!
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Spenser Wise Thanks man, I appreciate the positivity.
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Sebastian Tudores I just uploaded some new vids to page if you would like to see more of my work :)
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Maurice Vaughan Thanks man! I just added the trailer for Shaken and Stirred to my page with a couple of other vids. Shaken is a really fun Doc.
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You're welcome, Deborah Richards. Thanks. I'm about to check out the trailer and vids.
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Deborah Richards thx for taggin' me :) ... loved all of them! BUT... I should NOT have watched the Scissor Mouth trailer so close to going to bed! I mean... f%$k ... look forward to staying in touch :)
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Hey Deborah Richards Great job by you! Scissor Mouth is an amazing script and worthy of accolades like this one!
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Pat Alexander Thanks man, that's so meaningful. I know it's dark but I promise you I'm nice :)