On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Liliana Granados was recently the Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helped shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. She also served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the film drama department. Liliana’s mission is to build and guide the next generation of diverse storytellers. Her goal is to stay at the forefront of changes happening in entertainment and produce socially empowering films that inspire audiences globally. Liliana began her career with NBC Casting, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Sofia Vergara's Latin World Entertainment, CAA and worked in international film sales and financing at Sierra Affinity. Full Bio »

In recent years, studios and streamers have created production shingles with top on-screen talent at a furious pace. They rely on this big name talent to bring them ideas so aligning yourself with one of these A-Lister's companies can increase the odds of your project happening. And all of these production companies have development executives and are open for business.
Learn how you can get the attention of an A-list star's production company for your next film or television project from esteemed executive Liliana Granados, who was Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions and Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez's 3Pas Studios!
One way to put your project on a successful path is to set it up at an A-List star's production company. In the lest several years, the big studios and streamers have made deals with A-List stars and rely on their production companies to bring in ideas and fulfill the terms of their deals. The studios and streamers are incentivized to work with the stars they have in deals. And each of these companies has development executives and are open for business. Sometimes setting your project up with them is is the easiest path into the big streamers and studios.
So how do you capture the attention of these star-led production companies? How can you craft a pitch that not only grabs their interest but also aligns with the aspirations of the actors they seek? We’re here to help.
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how you can attract the attention of an A-list actor’s production company for your film or television project. You will learn the indispensable elements necessary to captivate star-led production companies, including aligning your project with the company’s brand and how to approach the project from an actor’s perspective.
Teaching you everything you need to know to successfully approach a star-backed production company is esteemed film executive Liliana Granados, whose illustrious career has woven through the corridors of entertainment alongside luminaries like Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Eugenio Derbez. Liliana worked as a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helped shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. Recently, Granados served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the film drama department.
In an information-packed 90 minutes, Liliana will draw from her rich professional experiences to unravel the intricacies of crafting a compelling pitch tailored to these star-led entities, sharing insights into what actors truly seek in projects. You will walk away from this webinar with the tools and knowledge you need to navigate this current landscape and understand the pulse of what captures the imagination of both actors and the entities they helm.
PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you get the attention of an A-list actor's production company.
"As an executive with extensive experience across multiple actor-led companies, I've had the privilege of evaluating numerous pitches and contributing insights at various film festival panels, guiding filmmakers through the intricate art of pitching. Whether engaging with emerging creators or seasoned artists, I've witnessed firsthand how crafting a compelling pitch stands as the pivotal selling point for any project.
Throughout my career, I've gathered invaluable insights into what resonates with actors when assessing potential projects. This knowledge has been honed through years of immersive industry exposure, enabling me to discern the elements that truly captivate actors and align projects with their aspirations.
Now, I'm thrilled to distill this wealth of knowledge into a concise and actionable framework. My aim is to empower you with the strategic tools and insights necessary to elevate your pitch, significantly enhancing your project's potential for success. Together, let's navigate the nuanced landscape of pitching to ensure your project stands out and captures the attention it deserves." - Liliana Granados

Liliana Granados
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Learn how you can land meetings with influential Creative Executives and maximize the results of those meetings with esteemed executive Liliana Granados, who was a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions and the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez's 3Pas Studios! PLUS! You'll receive an exclusive "Informational Meeting Questions” handout to help prepare you for your meeting with a Creative Executive! ***Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and you will have direct access to Liliana Granados on email to ask her any questions so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details As a writer, director, or producer of film and/or television, you will inevitably spend countless hours working with the Creative Executive at the company or studio where your project is set up. Creative Executives play a critical role in getting your project off the ground and are involved in the early stages of project development, script evaluation, casting, budgeting, scheduling, market research, and more. Your Creative Executive can be your best friend, but it’s critical you know how to work with a Creative Executive in order to ensure you get the most out of the relationship. In this exclusive Stage 32 2-part class, you will learn directly from a top Creative Executive on how to approach specific production companies, land meetings with Creative Executives, and how to foster meaningful and productive working relationships with a Creative Executive so your project succeeds. Teaching you everything you need to know to best work with Creative Executives is Liliana Granados, whose illustrious career has woven through the corridors of entertainment alongside luminaries like Viola Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Eugenio Derbez. Liliana worked as a Creative Executive at Viola Davis' JuVee Productions where she executed her passion for developing projects that celebrate culture and diversity. Most notably, Liliana participated in the development of TriStar’s WOMAN KING as well as helping shepherd Amazon and MRC’s upcoming G20 film. Recently, Granados served as the Director of Development at Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios, where she helped build the company's feature film drama department. Over the course of two highly interactive sessions, you will learn the art of crafting a compelling email, understanding the crucial elements that captivate Creative Executives, and how to maximize the impact of your meetings. Liliana will teach you how to delve into the strategic importance of researching a Creative Executive's businesses, identifying causes they are passionate about, and uncovering studio deals and partnerships that align with your projects. You will learn how to navigate your meetings with a Creative Executive with confidence and how to follow up strategically to keep your relationship moving forward. PLUS! You’ll receive an exclusive "Informational Meeting Questions” handout to help prepare you for your meetings with Creative Executives! If you’re interested in bringing your film or television series to life with a reputable production company, that means working closely with Creative Executives, and this class is something you do NOT want to miss. "As an executive with extensive experience across multiple actor-led companies, I've had the privilege of evaluating numerous pitches and contributing insights at various film festival panels, guiding filmmakers through the intricate art of pitching. Whether engaging with emerging creators or seasoned artists, I've witnessed firsthand how crafting a compelling pitch stands as the pivotal selling point for any project. Throughout my career, I've gathered invaluable insights into what resonates with actors when assessing potential projects. This knowledge has been honed through years of immersive industry exposure, enabling me to discern the elements that truly captivate actors and align projects with their aspirations.Now, I'm thrilled to distill this wealth of knowledge into a concise and actionable framework. My aim is to empower you with the strategic tools and insights necessary to elevate your pitch, significantly enhancing your project's potential for success. Together, let's navigate the nuanced landscape of pitching to ensure your project stands out and captures the attention it deserves." - Liliana Granados
There was once a time when screenwriters solely used typewriters to tell their stories. Obviously that time has since passed, and the tools writers use to create their scripts have drastically evolved. Software like Final Draft, Writers Duet and Fade In has been created to optimize a writers’ experience, help with formatting, and ideally aid writers through their various obstacles and make the process easier. Yet this doesn’t always work out as intended. Too often, technophobia - the tendency to be intimidated by technology - limits writers’ ability to work with efficiency and speed and makes these programs more overwhelming and burdensome than helpful. And with so many different types of writing software out there, how can you know which one is the best fit for you? We all know that writing is hard enough on its own without the extra burden of navigating difficult technology. The tools you use to write shouldn’t get in the way of creativity. Instead, gaining confidence and proficiency with technology can allow it to fade into the background, allowing you to focus on the task of great screenwriting. Knowing how best to use the tools available to you—and which ones to use in the first place—can serve as a powerful boon to your writing process and overall career. Whether it’s software, hardware, or workflow, moving past the technophobia and embracing the tools that are right for you can allow you to write with more ease, speed and efficiency than might be otherwise possible. First, it’s important to know what’s out there and how to actually use it. Jon Stahl is a writer, producer and script coordinator, who has served on HBO’s DGA, SAG, WGA and Emmy Award-winning comedy series VEEP. Jon began his career in production, working on projects like Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT starring Charlize Theron, Showtime’s THE BIG C, and IFC’s MARON. He also produced Season 1 of the Emmy-nominated series EASTSIDERS, before getting his first high-profile writers’ room position on the NBC network sitcom MR. ROBINSON with Universal Television. Jon went on to work in the writers' room at Nickelodeon on their show GAME SHAKERS. He’s currently on the upcoming FOX animated series HOUSEBROKEN starring Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte. Jon’s career has hinged on writing quickly and efficiently by using various software and technologies and knows better than most how to use the tools available to enhance your own writing career. Jon will give you the tools to embrace good technology and use all the technological tools at your disposal to tell an amazing story. He’ll begin with a rundown of the different tools you should have to write, including keyboards, monitors, ergonomics and software. He’ll then delve explain why you need screenwriting software in the first place. Jon will delve into the lay of the land of screenwriting software, including a run through of the main players, free and affordable options, and what the standards and expectations are in the industry. Next he will show you how you know what screenwriting software is the best fit for your specific needs. He’ll go through the strengths and weaknesses of the leading programs and show you what paid software can offer that free versions do not. Jon will then go through a live demonstration of Final Draft. He’ll walk you through Final Draft’s interface and main features, how to start a script on the software, how to set up your workflow through Final Draft, and keyboard shortcuts you need to know to save you time. He’ll also go through other tricks Hollywood writers use to optimize Final Draft, how to write safely and back up your work, and how to use templates. Jon will then do the same live demonstration for both WriterDuet and Fade In. Next he will discuss other types of software to consider, including general purpose writing software, miscellaneous writing tools, and system software. Finally, he will provide you with additional resources you should consider. Expect to leave feeling a lot more confident and a lot less overwhelmed in bringing in good technology to help your writing. "Screenwriting software is a necessary tool for anyone who wants to write for film and TV. I'm so excited to lead this webinar and help anyone who wants to gain proficiency with these widely-used tools, so you can focus on the craft of storytelling." -Jon Stahl
Learn how to secure money for your film even after an investor says "no" from a producer whose raised over $15MM for her own projects and whose films have been in theaters, on HBO, Hallmark, Starz, Showtime, and more. Plus! You will receive an Investor Pitch Flow Chart, Sample Sponsorship Tiers, Sample Wish List, and a Sample In-Kind Letter of Intent to use on your own projects! Many filmmakers run into the same problem over and over again during their careers: they write a great script or find an exciting piece of IP, finish development, set up a meeting with an interested investor to fund the project then…the investors passes for any number of reasons. At this point, many filmmakers stop trying with that investor, curl into a ball and question why they chose this crazy industry, indulge in a pint of ice cream or bottle of wine, and threaten to quit the business. However, this does NOT need to be the case! There are steps that you can take with the investor who said "no" that can lead you to money for your film and we archer to show you how it's done. So, what exactly do you do when you get the dreaded "no" from a potential investor? This exclusive Stage 32 webinar will help you to make a little mindset shift and see every “no” as a wonderful opportunity to still finance your film…which oftentimes becomes the case! Here's how it's done... More often than not, the investor is excited about the project (they did take your meeting after all) but the financial ask is a bit too steep for their capabilities at the moment. So, it makes sense to approach them again with a new strategy. The strategic shift you need is simple and involves thinking as creatively on the business end as you have on the artistic end. When you are in this critical phase of raising money for your film, you are relationship building; you need to think about how you can reposition the deal, create partnerships, or potentially find "soft costs" to cut your budget to save money thus sweetening the deal. Working these types of angles with the potential investors who say "no" starts up fresh conversations and can lead to the success you're looking for. You’ll find that with the right tools and mindset at your disposal, the investor who initially told you "no" will become the perfect resource to help finance your film, expand your network, and get your film closer to a green light into production. Teaching you how to turn a “no” into actual financing for your film is producer and executive Sara Elizabeth Timmins, founder of Life Out Loud Films. Sara Elizabeth has raised over $15MM for her own projects using the tactics she is sharing in her webinar. Her films have been seen in theaters, on HBO, The Hallmark Channel, Starz, Showtime and internationally. She has worked with talented actors like Josh Lucas, Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper and Mackenzie Foy and writers like NY Times Best Selling Author David Baldacci. Sara Elizabeth has found success on numerous films by leveraging people who initially said "no" to an investment but whose connections, resources, and passion helped her save hundreds of thousands of dollars in in-kind, sponsorship, donations and connections. PLUS! Sara Elizabeth will provide you exclusive handouts you can use throughout your financing process. Downloads include: Investor Pitch Flow Chart - This Is A Step-By-Step Guide On How To Navigate An Investor's “No” Into Multiple Options That Can Lead To Money For Your Project Sample Sponsorship Tiers Sample Wish List Sample In-Kind Letter of Intent What you learn from Sara Elizabeth today can help get your movie financed and made tomorrow! Praise For Sara Elizabeth's Previous Stage 32 Webinars "Sara Elizabeth is just phenomenal. She teaches through her experience and successes, which really helped me learn how to navigate my filmmaking process." -- Mary S. "I've taken a handful of filmmaking and producing courses and none have compared to working with Sara Elizabeth. She is not only knowledgeable, but also cares about her students and offers help in any way she can!" -- Amanda B. "Sara Elizabeth really impressed me across the board. Her expertise, personality, and approach to the business and art of making movies is really top notch." -- Nick L.
Action sequences are no longer solely confined to big budget features. Movies and series of every size demand them. And while they can boost the status and popularity of a project, they are also complex and difficult to shoot and require special treatment and knowledge from the director. They are, in some way, mini silent movies, relying on image rather than dialogue to tell your story. To be a successful director today, whether you’re focused on film, television, or anything else, it’s important to have the necessary tools so you can tackle these demanding sequences Because every filmmaker, producer and crew members needs to know how action sequences are created, prepared and executed, Stage 32 brought in a bona fide expert to show you how it's done. Michael Nankin has been a working writer, director, producer, and showrunner for 40 years and has directed action-packed episodes of popular television shows like the Peabody award-winning BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, TAKEN, VAN HELSING, HELL ON WHEELS, CSI, and more. Michael started as a writer/director at Walt Disney Studios at age 22 and his first independent film, THE GATE, was the highest-grossing Canadian-produced film ever at the time of its release. His first series, LIFE GOES ON, was the first series that presented a continuing character with Down Syndrome as well as the first HIV-positive continuing character. Michael’s other directing credits include Showtime’s THE GOOD LORD BIRD, ALPHAS, TURN, DEFIANCE, and the upcoming Stephen King horror series CHAPELWAITE starring Adrien Brody. A Humanitas Prize and Leo Award winner, Michael is an incredibly successful and sought-after director, in part due to his ability to inject action and energy into the projects he takes on. Exclusively for Stage 32 in this on-demand webinar, Michael will lay out how exactly to lay out a fantastic action sequence for your own project. He’ll do this by first explaining how to find the story and character development within the scene and use this as a guide to forming your plan. He’ll then go in-depth on how exactly to prepare for your action scene before you even go on set, including collaborating with the other departments, storyboarding and shotlisting, and the critical wounds and kills meeting. Michael will then teach you how to actually direct the scene on set, detailing camerawork, working with the stunt team, and shooting for visual effects and more. Along the way, we will examine two specific action sequences from projects directed by Michael Nankin – one from his film RED FACTION: ORIGINS and another from an episode of the celebrated AMC series HELL ON WHEELS. Michael will walk through the choices he made in putting these scenes together.
Once you sell your TV show to a network the real work begins as you have to deftly navigate your project forward through development and production to become a successful series on the air! You will learn every step of this intense process from Peter McDonough, who has worked in the writers' room of the hit CBS series GHOSTS since the first day of development. PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help with your own pilot writing including access to the pilot script for GHOSTS! Congratulations! You’ve accomplished your dream and sold your pilot script to a television network… now what happens? Many writers are unaware of the huge amount of work that’s still left to do after selling a television show to a network. As a creator, you will be in charge of much more than just driving the creative direction of the show's story. Creating a television show requires staffing, auditions, meetings with the network, managing multiple arms of production, and many other responsibilities that take place behind the scenes. All before shooting even the first scene! As the series creator, you will be tasked with working with the network to address a slew of questions and decisions before, during, and after shooting. What production roles need to be hired? What creative decisions need to be prioritized? How does the audition process work? When do you hire a writing staff? How much time do you have to make these decisions? While it may sound daunting, there is a pragmatic process to developing a television show and aiming it for a network run. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how your television script turns into a hit TV show on air. Teaching you the process that series creators and showrunners go through is Peter McDonough, the Showrunner's Assistant on the CBS hit show GHOSTS. Peter was the first employee hired on the show and has first-hand experience in advancing the show from a pilot order to multi-season series order on CBS’ Thursday Night Primetime lineup. In this information-packed webinar, Peter will take you through each stage of a television show’s development. Starting from the day a network orders a pilot script into production through a successful first season and to the premiere of a second season. You will learn the different stages of development, production, and distribution that a network series goes through so you can confidently prepare yourself and navigate the intricate process of network television once you sell your show to a network. PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you navigate the world of network television. You will walk away from this webinar understanding the entire process of taking your original TV series idea and taking it all the way to becoming a hit so that you know what to expect when you sell your series to a network! "I am thrilled for the opportunity to share my professional experience in Network Television with Stage 32's creative community. As a former recipient of Stage 32's services, I feel honored to provide some insight that will benefit the next generation of television writers. I look forward to seeing all the writers and hope to give you any info you need to help pursue your professional television goals." - Peter McDonough
For Hispanic Heritage Month (or Latinx Heritage Month), it's important to reflect on the contributions made by the Latinx community, consider the progress made and the work that still needs to be done to empower and raise up Latinx voices. This is especially true for the film and TV industry. Incredible work has been done in front of and behind the camera recently that showcases Latinx talent and culture, including films like COCO, ROMA and IN THE HEIGHTS and shows like VIDA, ON MY BLOCK, and more. And as the industry strives for more inclusiveness and equity, this is the time for more Latinx talent to share their voices and their stories around the world.But more than just celebrating accomplishments, it's important we take stock of where we are today. To continue creating change in the industry, we must review what representation exists and what is lacking, what is being made and watched, both in America and in Spanish-speaking countries, and how Latinx creatives can best find their foot in the door.Therefore, in honor of Latinx Heritage Month, Stage 32 has partnered with some of the industry's top leaders from both the U.S. and Latin markets who are dedicated to elevating the voices of the next generation of Latinos in entertainment. Together, we will be hosting a FREE no-holds-barred panel and discussion where our experts will discuss trends in the Spanish-speaking market, opportunities for bilingual content, language barriers in the U.S. and how to overcome them, and how to shorten your path to success.Plus we'll have an exclusive Q&A where YOU will have the opportunity to ask any questions you'd like.We'll see you there! Panelists Diego Cantu, Emmy Award Winning Screenwriter and Producer Guillermo Olivo, Director and Documentarian David Zannoni, International Business Specialist, Fintage House