Uma Incrocci’s TV credits include appearances on “How To Get Away With Murder,” “Jane The Virgin,” Hulu’s new show “The Path,” “Bored to Death,” “Louie,” “Pan Am,” “Lipstick Jungle,” and “Chappelle’s Show.” She’s also been in a wide variety of indie films as well the Jason Bateman comedy, “The Longest Week.” She’s recently relocated to her hometown of Los Angeles, after many years in New York, where she worked extensively in regional and New York theater. She also co-produced and co-wrote the pilot Living in Captivity (official selection, NY Television Festival and LA’s Independent Television Festival), and co-wrote the book and songs of the rock musical Mother Eve’s Secret Garden of Sensual Sisterhood (FringeNYC; and Winner, New Jersey Playwrights Contest), which is currently in the fundraising stages for an off-Broadway run. Christian Pedersen has appeared on “The Good Wife”, “Damages”, “Fringe”, “Royal Pains,” and has had recurring roles on the daytime dramas One Life to Live, Guiding Light and All My Children. He is fortunate to have performed in dozens of plays in New York, Los Angeles and all across the country. Christian is also an award-winning composer who, along with his partner Uma, has just finished his second rock musical entitled Grandma’s Ring. Together, they’re a husband-and-wife songwriting, producing and teaching team. Between the two of them, they’ve attended over a hundred casting director workshops, acting classes, and business of acting courses, and been on hundreds of auditions. They’ve worked in every area of the business from commercials to TV to webseries to audiobooks. Both have degrees in Theater and are thrilled to share their experiences in the business with the Stage 32 community. Full Bio »
Ready to make the transition into TV work? Or looking to start your career in TV?
Even the best actors can stumble when faced with starting out in a new medium. Especially if your experience or training is mostly in theater, there are key differences between the audition styles. Most actors start with co-star roles, which are often short scenes that can be especially challenging to prepare well. Breaking into TV also requires a strong working knowledge of the business, how to build relationships with casting directors and agents, and how to best market yourself.
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, actors Uma Incrocci and Christian Pedersen will walk you through each step of the TV casting process, from submissions to auditions to producer sessions to bookings. They’ll discuss practical strategies on how to get in the audition room, how to prepare for the room, and how to book the room. They’ll focus on how to tackle a co-star audition – with specific tools and tips on preparing the material, even if you only have one line. They’ll share the tactics they use themselves on how to deal with nerves, how to ace the chit chat in the room, and how to be a smart actor that casting directors will want to call in again and again! They’ll also offer a preview of what to expect on your day on the set. Self-taped auditions are becoming more and more the norm, so they’ll also review how to make a high-quality audition video.
After attending over a hundred casting director workshops and classes, going on hundreds of auditions, and booking many TV roles, Uma and Christian offer a unique insider perspective on getting started in TV work.
PRAISE FOR UMA'S TEACHINGS:
"They were awesome. A very likable couple full of fantastic information." -Jan H.
"Uma and Christian are amazing. They presented the most dynamic, compelling and informative webinar I've ever attended. Awesome!" - James B.
"Really great information and nice to have a working actor be so giving and helpful with what they have learned!" - Kira G.
Plus Q&A with Uma & Christian!
Uma Incrocci and Christian Pedersen
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"They were awesome. A very likable couple full of fantastic information." -Jan H.
"Uma and Christian are amazing. They presented the most dynamic, compelling and informative webinar I've ever attended. Awesome!" - James B.
"Really great information and nice to have a working actor be so giving and helpful with what they have learned!" - Kira G.
The audition room. Even thinking about it makes even the most seasoned actor cringe. Walking in, you never truly know what you're going to get, but what if you had an upper hand on knowing what to expect before you ever walk in the door? We're here to help you learn just that! In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, accomplished actors Uma Incrocci and Christian Pedersen are back by popular demand to walk you through what happens in every type of audition room: Film auditions TV auditions Theater auditions Voiceover auditions New media auditions Commercial auditions Self tape auditions They’ll share the tactics they use themselves on how to deal with nerves, how to ace the chit chat in the room, and how you can be a smart actor that casting directors will want to call in again and again! After attending over a hundred casting director workshops and classes, going on hundreds of auditions, casting their own projects, and booking work in every area of the business, Uma and Christian offer a unique insider perspective on booking the room, no matter what the format. Everything you learn in this webinar is essential for you to know and understand when trying to book a new role. PRAISE FOR UMA AND CHRISTIAN'S TEACHINGS: "Uma and Christian are amazing: super smart, highly articulate, totally authentic and exceptionally charming and generous. As long as they're willing to create more fantastic webinars, I'll be attending them." - James B. "They are very charming, giving, fun, and always very sharing. I feel that I am very close to where they are at in their careers, so it is nice to know that we are all experiencing the same things, and they always give me some new info. Great webinar!!" - Jan H.
Are you an actor looking to make the leap from educational theater to professional theater? Or have you built an on-camera career but would like to work in theater more? Outside the major markets of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, there is a lot of work for actors in Regional Theaters all over the country. Building a career in theater requires a strong working knowledge of the business, how to build relationships with casting directors, and how to best market yourself. In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, actors Uma Incrocci and Christian Pedersen will walk you through each step of advancing your career in theater. They’ll share from their own experiences auditioning for and working in Regional Theaters, tours and off-Broadway. Special Guest, Broadway Casting Director Erica Jenson will join! Plus, as an exclusive bonus, they’ll then be joined by legendary Casting Director Erica Jensen, who has cast Broadway shows (including Hedwig and The Angry Inch and the recent Of Mice and Men with James Franco) and major off-Broadway and regional theaters (including Classic Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Williamstown Theater, Actors Theater of Louisville and Playwright’s Horizons). This class is a unique opportunity to hear about the theater casting process from both sides of the table – from the actor’s preparation, to what the casting director expects, to their different experiences of the room. We’ll also talk about the big question for many theater actors as they build their careers: “Do I need an MFA?” Erica attends showcases from all the major programs and she’ll share her opinions and insight. We’ll talk about the realities as well as the joys of a career on stage. Join us for this one of a kind webinar – we'll have 3 incredible professionals discussing the theater industry!
A hot topic of conversation in our current COVID-19 world is how film, television and new media productions will resume production safely and effectively. The entire entertainment legal landscape has changed as a result of the world’s pandemic. Producers, filmmakers, directors and crew need to think about protection before you can ever step on set to say “action.” It’s important to take a deeper look at the legal agreements that tie parties together on a project as we contemplate the future. Contract provisions that parties wrote off as “boring” or “boiler plate” will significantly change moving forward. It’s important you understand how this affects your project. You don’t want to get stuck with a production or financial nightmare if you’re not protected legally to move forward on your film, TV or new media project. There are five basic provisions in a legal contract that many dismissed as “boring boiler plate” that now will have significance moving forward. It’s important that you know the basic purpose of these provisions, why they are drafted and what purpose they serve for all parties. With each provision, you will need to know the impact and implications as it relates to COVID-19 and how these provisions will continue to change to comply with government and guilds, insurance coverage and mitigation of risk for both parties. You need to make sure to contemplate unlikely scenarios so that contracts are comprehensive to whatever may occur. Elsa Ramo is one of the top entertainment attorneys in the industry today and the managing partner of Ramo Law. Recently named to Variety’s 2019 “Dealmakers List,” Elsa Ramo has represented over 100 films and 50 television scripted and unscripted series in 2019 alone, including Emmy award-winning shows and films which debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.Her clients include Imagine Entertainment, FOX, Balboa Productions (Sylvester Stallone’s production company), Scout Productions (creators and EPs of QUEER EYE), Boardwalk Pictures (EPs for CHEF’S TABLE) and Skydance. Elsa has her finger on the pulse of the legal side of the entertainment law and works non-stop to protect her clients in all deals. Elsa will go through the nuts and bolts of contractual provisions in the entertainment industry and a walk through of how these should and will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Elsa will start by offering a basic understanding of five contractual provisions that are now much more important in the wake of the pandemic: Force majeure, suspension/termination provisions, assumption of risk and related indemnification provisions, medical releases and disclosures, and scheduling and payment provisions. She’ll discuss why they are drafted and what purpose they serve among the parties. Then, with each provision, she will discuss the impact and implications as it relates to Covid-19 and how these provisions are and will continue to change to comply with government compliance, guild compliance insurance coverage and mitigation of risk for both parties as they contract during a pandemic. Elsa will distill what we can learn from changing these ‘boring provisions’ that we can apply to better prepare ourselves for future unlikely scenarios and ensure contracts are comprehensive to whatever may occur. Finally, Elsa will teach you how to flag and ensure that the modifications placed on these contracts comply with government legislation, union compliance, and other worst-case scenarios.You will be fully prepared to understand how “boring boiler plate” provisions can affect your project and how to best protect yourself. Praise for Elsa’s Stage 32 Webinar: "This was one of the best webinars I have taken so far. Thank you again. I look forward to the next one!" -Romina S. "Awesome presentation - great speaker, made complicated issues much clearer, lots of great info! Great info for anyone in the industry in all positions. Thanks!!" -Ron H. "This webinar was absolutely brilliant! Elsa is clearly a pro, but her manner was so calm and approachable. She didn't talk down to us and explained all these intricacies so that I believe everyone was able to understand them. Bravo! More Elsa Please!" -Becca G. "Elsa is always amazing and legal is always a fantastic topic, now more than ever!" -Lisa G.
Learn the fundamentals of screenwriting from a producer who has worked with Joe Dante, Roger Donaldson and more! PLUS receive 14 script downloads to hep you better learn your craft! You have a story idea in your mind and you just know it will make a great movie or TV show. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, you are on the path to being a screenwriter, but where do you start? Screenwriting is a special art form unto itself - it takes a fertile, vibrant mind to develop story and character, yet immense discipline of the writing craft. Too many writers try to jump into this insanely competitive field with little to no training. It takes 5-10 pages of a screenplay for a professional to know whether or not you know the basics of screenwriting, so don't you want to give yourself the best chance to stand out as a professional? It's important you understand the fundamentals of the screenwriting craft to make sure that when you do get your script in front of a decision maker that yo have a competitive advantage to get them to read focus on your story and characters and not your structure. Mary Cybriwsky produced Joe Dante’s BURYING THE EX, starring Anton Yelchin, Ashley Greene, Alexandra Daddario and Oliver Cooper, as well as executive produced STICKY NOTES starring Ray Liotta, Rose Leslie and Justin Bartha. Prior to opening production/management company Scooty Woop Entertainment in 2009 with Frankie Lindquist, Mary worked in all aspects of film development and production as an executive at Mosaic Media Group / Atlas Entertainment under the prolific producer Charles Roven and his team, on projects such as THE DARK KNIGHT, GET SMART, THE INTERNATIONAL, THE BANK JOB, amongst others. Mary is a disciplined teacher of the screenwriting basics and in an exclusive Stage 32 4-sesson on-demand Class, Mary breaks down in four jam-packed sessions what you need to know about the basics of screenwriting. If you are brand new to the screenwriting profession, or a seasoned writer who wants to brush up on your skills, this Stage 32 on-demand class goes over the basics of screenwriting to perfect your craft. The objective of this 4 session class is to cover basic screenwriting formatting, 3 act structure, characters, plots, themes, what to write and what NOT to write, but Mary will go over so much more! Best of all, the class sessions are available immediately to watch on demand at your leisure! You Will Receive These Handouts: Title page format spec sheet Sample screenplay page, broken down section by section with descriptions Screenwriting dialogue tips Plus! You will get these screenplays to download for FREE: Feature Film Scripts LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ALL YOU NEED IS KILL (movie version changed title to: EDGE OF TOMORROW) PARASITE THE TRIAL OF CHICAGO 7 GET OUT GREEN BOOK THE BIG SICK INSIDE OUT Television Pilot Scripts THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT BREAKING BAD MODERN FAMILY FLEABAG BARRY GAME OF THRONES Testimonials about Mary's Class: "Loved Mary's teaching process! Will definitely take other classes if she offers them in the future." --Jessica R. "Very good basic introduction course!" --Diana B. "Mary makes learning the basics of screenwriting easy and welcoming. I have a lot to think about." --Harry M. "After this class writing is no longer scary. I can't wait to type FADE IN!" --Paul M.
You’ve heard that the opening pages of your pilot script are the most important – hook your audience early and they’ll be invested in your show, fall short and producers, managers and executives might not even finish reading your script. At many companies, your script will be handed off to a member of the development team whose job is to just read the first act, then decide whether to pass or flag your script for further consideration. Having a great first act isn’t just a good way to get your pilot noticed; it might be the only way. When you watch a pilot, though, whether on Netflix, HBO or ABC, it can feel like every show is so different, it’s hard to see a pathway to success. Or even if you master one aspect of your opening act, somehow it can still feel like you’ve not done enough. In a TV pilot, that crucial first act is the most challenging because there is so much you have to do really well, really quickly: you have to introduce your characters, set up your world, and launch your story. What’s more, the first act sets your pilot on solid footing – nail this section and the rest of the pilot seems to develop and flow easily. Get stuck on how to start, and you might never finish writing the pilot that could launch your career. You’ve probably watched outstanding pilots where 10-15 minutes in you’re already making plans to binge the season. What do all those pilots have in common? What techniques do experienced show creators use to give them that early edge? And what exactly do producers, managers development execs and other professionals expect to see in a first act? We have the answers to those questions and much more. Anna Henry is a Producer and Development Executive who has worked at CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, and multiple production companies, as well as a manager at Andrea Simon Entertainment. Her clients have worked on shows such as THE DEUCE, POWER, IN CONTEMPT, TOMMY, VIDA, SEVEN SECONDS, HUNG, CHICAGO FIRE, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, THIS IS US, and THE FLASH, and have set up projects at AMC, Amazon, Starz, HBO, Sony, Fox, EOne, ITV America, OddLot Entertainment, Corus, and others. Anna has projects currently in development around the world and is incredibly familiar with what goes into a great television pilot. Anna will analyze pilots more deeply so you can see the tools successful writers use to set their show on the right path from the start. She’ll discuss the ingredients of a pilot in general, including the basic structure, identifying the type or genre of your show, meta-themes, and crafting characters to serve as the audience's entry point. Anna will then delve into the key elements of a first act, as well as a great teaser or cold open, including using framing devices, and a strong out. She will go over tips to writing memorable character descriptions, using physical descriptions, elements of identity, and putting thought into how you name each character. She'll next focus on introduction scenes and using them to generate interest in your characters, using dialogue to establish their voices, and introducing relationships. A vital aspect of a pilot's first act is creating character moments, and Anna will go over effective examples of many different types of these moments, including meeting heroes, meeting villains, meeting supporting characters, establishing the right amount of backstory, and the benefits of having your characters argue. She will then discuss how to create exposition and communicate your world effectively, crafting a mystery and building the rules of your universe, as well as how to avoid overused crutches. Anna will then offer her take on implementing and incorporating tone and themes into the script and how to sneak them in subtly through details and character moments. She will finally lay out how to best use your first act to bring the audience into your story and world, where exactly your story should start, and how to launch your 'A' story and introduce your 'B' and 'C' stories. Examples will be used from one-hour and half-hour shows on network, cable and streaming platforms, PLUS! you will receive pilots for each after the class: THIS IS US - NBC ONE DAY AT A TIME - Netflix / Pop MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL - Amazon ATLANTA - FX KILLING EVE - AMC THE EXPANSE - Syfy / Amazon Praise for Anna's Stage 32 webinar: "The webinar was fantastic. I am writing my first one hour drama pilot so this webinar was packed with the exact information that I will be immediately putting to use in my rewrite. The slides were clear, concise and informative. The speaker was excellent at conveying the information I needed." -Bobby C. "It was really great information. Anna was a terrific host, very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information and tips." -Marla H. "Comprehensive, insightful. Combined a lot of material I had heard snippets of on character, world dev, etc. but artfully stitched together in one presentation." -James F. "It was amazing, enlightening - completely. I learned soooo much - especially as a feature writer who's been asked to turn a feature script into a pilot!! Thank you soooooo much." -Kristin G.
In Stage 32's commitment to bringing you free educational virtual events we are excited to bring you a special global edition of the Stage 32 Writers' Room Pitch Tank. We brought in the President of Production at Zero Gravity Management, and 3 industry leading literary managers from Circle of Confusion, The Cartel, and Art/Work Entertainment to hear pitches directly from writers across the globe! In this exciting 90 minute webcast four different screenwriters from the US, UK and Scotland step into the Stage 32 Pitch Tank to pitch their script to a panel of some of Hollywood's power players. The hopeful end result? That their script is requested! And...as an exciting surprise, we have brought in a special industry pro to come in and pitch to the panelists! Pete Goldfinger, who is the scribe behind the SAW franchise's JIGSAW, Piranha 3D and Sorority Row steps into the tank to pitch his new screenplay idea. You'll be able to see up close and personal on what different types of pitches and learn how the decision makers on the other side of the table feel about the process. And...best of all there were several requests in the tank. Want to find out which ones they were and why? You have to watch to find out!