On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Sabelo Mgidi is the screenwriter of Netflix’s Original hit action movie SILVERTON SIEGE which debuted at no.2 in the world on Netflix in April 2022. He is also the sole screenwriter of Netflix’s African hit series KINGS OF JOBURG Season 1 & 2 which went on to dominate the number one spot for several weeks on Netflix Africa, Jamaica, Australia and a few other countries. Sabelo is also an author of 3 fictional books and has recently released his first non-fiction book about the film industry and navigating the world of entertainment as a young filmmaker in the new world of streaming and interconnectedness within the world of content. The book is titled “DRAMA” and its follow up edition is titled “FAMOUS” which releases on the 25th of DECEMBER 2023. Full Bio »

Learn how to create and write an action movie that can resonate around the world with Sabelo “King Of TV” Mgidi, an esteemed screenwriter & the Executive Producer of Netflix’s SILVERTON SIEGE and KINGS OF JOBURG!
PLUS! You will receive the shooting script for SILVERTON SEIGE, the No.2 Netflix movie in the world!
With today's global distribution landscape it is becoming more possible every day to create a movie or TV show wherever you are in the world that catches fire and gets global distribution and becomes a hit with audiences everywhere
However, creating a story and film that resonates with people from different regions, cultures and languages is no easy take. There are certain elements in your story that are critical to include if you want your film to be adored by fans across the globe.
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn what elements you need to highlight in your script to make an action film that becomes a global success no matter where you live. You will learn how to take your personal experiences, cultural knowledge and story and turn all that into something every audience member in the world wants to pay attention to. Every story is important, it’s in the structure and how we set up the story that gets the rest of the world engaged.
Teaching you how to make an action film that becomes a global hit is esteemed screenwriter Sabelo “King of TV” Mgidi. Sabelo is the screenwriter of Netflix’s original hit action movie SILVERTON SIEGE which debuted at no.2 in the world in April 2022. He is also the sole screenwriter of Netflix’s African hit series KINGS OF JOBURG (seasons 1 & 2) which went on to dominate the number one spot for several weeks on Netflix Africa, Jamaica, Australia and a number of other countries.
Over an information-packed 90 minutes, Sabelo will share with you can create and write an action movie that resonates with today's global audience.
You will learn how to think globally in your writing and include internationally compelling characters and set pieces. You will also learn how to network effectively with international constituents to ensure your action film is a global phenomenon.
If you’re looking to write your action film that becomes a hit with audiences all over the world, this webinar is a must!
PLUS! You will receive a copy of the shooting script for SILVERTON SIEGE to help in your own writing.
"Stage 32 connects with Africa in this new age of streaming where content and connections from anywhere in the world can find a global audience! I am truly excited!!!" - Sabelo Mgidi

Sabelo Mgidi
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Learn How To Make An Award-Winning Feature Film For Under $500K From The Filmmakers Behind The 2020 Award-Winning Independent Feature Film TULSA And The 2019 Award Winning Independent Feature Film BLACKBEAR PLUS! Scott and Laura will provide you with the script for their award-winning film TULSA! Are you ready to make your award-winning independent feature film for under $500K? Making your independent feature film is one of the greatest and most fulfilling creative challenges in the world. While the finished product may come across like an effortless, moving piece of art, the truth is countless elements of the filmmaking process need to go right in order for a film to be a success. You may have a great director, great actors, and a great script, but the bottom line is that you need all the pieces of this puzzle (and more) to fit together to make it to the finish line and give your film a chance to win some awards that can propel your career forward. There are so many important questions that you need to answer. What are the key elements to making an award-winning film? How do you go about assembling the right team? How do you raise money for an independent film? How can you cast the best actors in each role? And something most novice filmmakers overlook - how do you secure distribution before you start filming? In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar you'll learn from award winning filmmakers Scott and Laura Pryor who will share their journey and lessons learned with you to help you make your award winning independent feature film. Scott and Laura have made multiple award-winning films for $500k or less, including "The List” (2015), “Blackbear” (2019), and “Tulsa” (2020). Scott and Laura will teach you everything you need to know to best approach your filmmaking process to create a great low budget feature film that can resonate with audiences and voters at festivals and markets. One key element that separates an award-winning film from the rest is the ability to create massive synergy in executing the right vision with the right t in place. Proper execution requires building the right team in the right positions, having a strong pre-production, and knowing your outcomes before your very first shoot day. Many filmmakers fall into the trap of thinking that because they have a couple of the key factors in place such as financing or a great script, they will be successful. This is simply not the case. It takes the entire team and machine to be in sync and that starts with leadership from the top. If you're ready to make your award-winning feature film for under $500K, this webinar is a must. PLUS! Scott and Laura will provide you with an exclusive copy of the script for their award-winning film TULSA! Praise For Scott & Laura Pryor “Not only has Pryor Entertainment created multiple award-winning films, but films that sell, more than titles with 10 times the budget.” - John K. “It has been so fulfilling creatively working with Scott & Laura Pryor during the past 6 months. Not only are they innovative in the execution of their film projects but they come to the table with so many original ideas. They have the ability to grasp the intellectual sides of talent and character development in tandem with bright and astute teams to execute the work. They are a powerhouse duo who work wonderfully together.” - Shave S. “Scott Pryor is one of the most intense creatives I’ve had the pleasure of working with. The fact that he’s a Marine only speaks to his detail orientation and commitment to excellence. His visual skillset helps him to be a better storyteller, and his accomplished athleticism only compliments his already ridiculous work ethic.” - Mama Jan Smith, Music Producer, Owner, Jan Smith Studios
It's an undeniable fact that we're in a gold rush of television content. Last year, over 500 television shows were produced and a thousand more were shot either as pilots or proof of concept. This means the need for accountants and those who can work with television budgets, incentives, payroll and other facets associated with the accounting of a television project is higher than ever. This also means that many backroom people who have worked for years on feature films are making the jump to the television side. But, between the two mediums, the work is varied and seemingly changing by the day. Being an accountant for television requires a knowhow of the entire landscape. Between networks, premium cable and the streaming platforms, every deal has its own parameters and variables that need to be fully absorbed and understood. Whether it's working with a variety of different unions and dealing with fringes or simply deciphering and interpreting the every growing and wide ranging array of incentives available globally, you must be on top of everything happening at the moment to assure that the back end of the project runs smoothly, efficiently, and with no fiscal catastrophes. Jonathan Siebel is the Director of Budgeting & Estimation for Paramount Network. Prior to joining Paramount Network and working on their slate of television projects, he also worked in budgeting and accounting on Berlin Station, produced by Anonymous Content on Epix, and on The Unknown starring Dominic Monaghan for Crackle. He began his career working in accounting on major studio films such as Bridesmaids, Django Unchained, Thor and more. In addition to working on the studio level, Jonathan also works in the independent space, having written, directed and crowdfunded his own independent film BREAK THE WILL. He's worked on all types of projects small and large and is bringing his extensive knowledge to the Stage 32 community. With his vast and varied experience, we're thrilled to have Jonathan teaching this extremely important subject exclusively for Stage 32. While inside Movie Magic Budgeting software Jonathan will detail all the differences between a P&A and an AIO budget and show you which would be best for your project. He will teach you everything you need to know about globals, including setting up the schedule, rates, and pay hours to be used on all globals. He will define and explain fringes including state, federal and union fringes including IATSE, WGA, SAG and DGA. He will simplify and take away the anxiety of dealing with the wide world of incentives to make sure your paperwork is in line and that you're getting the best bang for your buck. Jonathan will make the complex easy and get you on the path to working consistently in television accounting and budgeting setup.
Ask any successful filmmaker how they got started and almost all will tell you that their success began with a short film. And today, more filmmakers and producers are making short films as a proof of concept for a feature length version of their story. This doesn't have to be a daunting task. And we're here to prove it by showing you how a 5-minute short made for $5,000 went on to become a feature, a Tribeca Film Festival darling, and get national distribution. Natalie Qasabian has produced movies for the Duplass Brothers and recently was a producer on one of the biggest indie box office successes of the last few years, Searching. The film, made for under $1MM, was acquired by Sony at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and has gone on to gross $75MM at the domestic box office. But much of Natalie's success and her journey began with a short film. Natalie is going to take you on an educational, inspiring, and motivational ride by teaching exactly how they pulled off the short film Join the Club, the feature All About Nina, and how the two were directly connected. She will explain the path this film took, from financing to casting to filming to film festival strategies to crushing it at Tribeca to getting global distribution. But this isn't all. Natalie will discuss the importance of making your short. How you should approach the process. How you should handle rejection along the way. How to navigate all the ups and downs of pre-production and production without having it cloud your overall strategy for the film and much, much more. Like what you heard from Natalie during this webcast? Send your script to Natalie and speak with her for a full hour by clicking here. Praise for Natalie's Stage 32 Webinar: "Natalie knows how to take a film to the highest of places by committing to sound and proven strategies. Her perspective is amazing" - Doug L.
**Learn the art of TV joke writing from long time TV comedy writer Kirill Baru and participate in an actual episode punch up room, working to improve scenes from a notable TV comedy.** Jokes don’t just come out of nowhere, and their success is completely reliant on the medium. Things that are funny in conversation or in front of an audience might not be funny on a television show. This is why being “naturally funny” just isn’t enough to make a funny series with great jokes. It takes an understanding of the medium and insight into the types of jokes that work on television. It also usually takes a team of people in a punch up room setting, utilizing multiple perspectives and senses of humor to arrive at the best joke for each situation. Understanding how to find the best jokes in an episode script and learning how to operate successfully in a punch up room setting will help make your own comedy pilot funnier and can give you the tools to be a more desirable member of any TV comedy writers room. Kirill Baru is a sitcom writer and executive producer who has staffed on and sold a variety of live-action and animated comedy shows like Freeform’s BABY DADDY and the critically acclaimed animated show DAN VS. on the HUB. He’s also written and produced several comedies in the kids space, from Disney’s SYDNEY TO THE MAX to Cartoon Network’s MAD: THE ANIMATED SERIES. When Kirill isn’t staffing on shows, he’s developing projects with networks such as Disney and Netflix. He attributes his career to writing comedy that finds a way to have a lot of edge without ever losing any of its heart. Kirill is very familiar with punching up TV scripts, finding ways to make them funnier and finding success in a TV punch up room. In this special extended workshop, Kirill will teach you how to craft effective jokes for any TV comedy. He’ll break down where good jokes come from and the elements needed to make a joke work. Kirill will also lay out the main types of TV jokes you can draw from and walk you through important comedy terminology that’s used in every writers’ room and punch up room. He’ll also go through how to make jokes work with an eye towards scene construction and explain what makes a great punch up room for any TV comedy. Kirill will then lead a TV comedy punch up room, similar to how real TV comedies run them. Everyone who signs up will be able to participate in this room and work with the group to add jokes, fill in pitches, and create alt docs for two scenes of an episode of an actual notable TV comedy. Kirill will provide feedback and analysis or all of the joke pitches. If you’re interested in breaking into TV comedy, it’s so important that you know how to craft great jokes in this specific medium. This workshop is the perfect way to help you get there. Praise for Kirill's Previous Workshop "The workshop was awesome! Going through this workshop and seeing the end result produced by our team of writers (classmates), not only shed light into how the sausage is made, but also showed me that this is something I can actually do. Well worth the investment!" -Kane B. "Kirill's workshop was a great experience. He's a natural teacher, professional, insightful, and encouraging. It was not only educational but practical, allowing the attendees to punch up an actual script as if in the writer's room, followed by him, putting on his showrunner hat and reviewing what had been created by the group. I would highly recommend anyone interested in working as a professional writer, with dreams of being in the writer's room to attend one of his classes." -Dave W. "This was the best online class tv writing class I’ve ever taken. There is only so much the brain can grasp and retain in a lecture format. Kirill did an amazing job structuring the class and providing an in the moment experience — the best way to learn. Thank you." -Barbara G.
About this time in a normal year, filmmakers from around the world would be locking down their plans to travel to Santa Monica and attend the internationally renowned American Film Market (AFM). One of the biggest film acquisition, development and networking events in the world, AFM has provided a forum for thousands of films to find funding and acquisition deals since its founding in 1981. Yet this year will be different. Like most events right now, AFM has made the shift to virtual, and with that comes new rules, new expectations, and a new landscape. If you’re hoping to attend the AFM this year and leave with a deal in hand, it’s important you understand what the market will look like and how you can adjust your strategy to find success. With the AFM moving virtual, it will be even more competitive and challenging to access sales agents, buyers, and potential international partners. You will need to know who the players are and how to get their attention - all while working on different time zones and communicating virtually. Trying to understand this new way of doing business adds another layer of complexity as you navigate your market strategy, but don't worry. This new form of market is intended to be fruitful for all - and, most importantly, fun! Alexia Melocchi is a partner at Little Studio Films, and for over two decades has produced and sold award winning movies that have earned nearly $1 Billion dollars in box office returns worldwide. Her clients have bought and partially financed films such as LA LA LAND, PEPPERMINT, THE BOY, TWILIGHT, TEEN SPIRIT and THE BANKER. Amongst her personal producing credits are the DURAN DURAN documentary directed by David Lynch, SERVICE TO MAN released through Entertainment Studios, and SOL DE MEDIANOCHE released on HBO. Alexia is also the host of THE HEART OF SHOW BUSINESS podcast, where she discusses the behind-the-scenes of how Hollywood truly works. Alexia has built much of her success on attending major film markets and intimately knows what it takes to stand out and get the deals you’re after in these forums, whether virtual or otherwise. Alexia will guide you through how to work this virtual edition of the American Film Market to get the meetings you’re after and find success for your project. She will begin by outlining the cultural differences that you can expect at this year’s AFM and the global market shifts that are taking place. Then she’ll delve into AFM as a whole and what their new virtual format is going to look like this year, including their Industry Offices, LocationEXPO, On Demand Theatre, Conference, Networking Pavilion, and Advisor Network. She’ll provide you with a rundown of the specific sales agents, distributors, and producers attending AFM this year that you should know. Alexia will then teach you how to handle the virtual obstacles taking place at the market this year, including the online meeting landscape how to work Zoom like a professional, and how to handle time zones. She’ll give you tips on how best to prepare for AFM, how to make appointments ahead of time and select your target list, how to access your targets, and how to use database platforms to hone your plan, including AFM Connect, Cinando, IMDBPro, and Variety Insight. Next Alexia will explain how you should approach buyers. She’ll walk you through the perfect approach for buyers and how to get your message across in a limited time frame to the right person. She’ll also show you what you really need to have ready before AFM begins and other relationship building tips to keep in mind beyond AFM. Finally, Alexia will expand to show you current trends overseas. She’ll talk about production challenges and updates in a COVID-19 era and why you should be planning ahead for the good times. The path to success continues to alter, and the push to virtual is challenging for everyone, but with the lessons and tips that Alexia will provide, you will leave with a solid understanding of how to roll with the punches and find the opportunities you’re after. Praise for Alexia's Stage 32 Webinar: "Really great. Actually useful, practical advice. Wasn't full of bullshit platitudes, Alexia shot straight with us, but was also positive and encouraging. All in all, really appreciated the way she gave an overview of AFM and how to best take advantage of it." -Max W. "Alexia did a fantastic job of making it all relatable and cutting through the noise." -Clint G. "I really did gain some needed information on how to address this film market online" -Craig H. "Alexia is clearing very experienced & she is so gracious in sharing her wisdom with all of us. I'm truly grateful that you all put on this webinar!" -Becca G.
Learn The Craft Of Writing Loglines From An Emmy Award Winning Producer “What’s your story about in one sentence?” Having a perfect logline ready to answer that question can help give you the best chance of seizing the opportunity when you are asked. Your logline is your most important asset. It's invaluable for keeping you focused on what makes your story unique and for always making sure that you nail the first impression when someone asks you about your work. And most executives and producers want to see a logline before agreeing to even look at a project. Having the perfect logline ready to go can make or break you when the opportunity presents itself. Why do so many creatives struggle with coming up with that one-sentence? How do you get better at honing your logline? Stage 32 is here to help you. We have brought in Emmy-award winning producer Lane Shefter Bishop who has sold over 30 projects all from pitching just a logline. Touted as “The Logline Whisperer”, Lane Shefter Bishop has the specific tools you need to help you know how to sell what you write! In this exclusive Stage 32 Webinar, Lane will give you insider information on how you can best position your project to sell your work to agents, editors, publishers and producers. Lane has successfully sold projects to various networks and studios, including NBC/Universal, ABC/Disney, CBS, Lifetime, Sony and 20th Century Fox. All of these projects have one thing in common – they began with a single sentence, a top-notch logline. After all, you can have the best material in the world but, if you get on the phone or in a room, you need to know how to sell it with your logline! PRAISE FOR LANE'S TEACHINGS: "Lane made loglines so simple. I'll be able to take the 3 tenents with me for every one of my projects moving forward. I struggled with loglines and this really helped clarify things for me." - Alan B.