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Jessica is a Producer and Screenwriter who specializes in female angst stories and is currently developing “Fran Frazer” withArchie Comics. Over Jess’ career she’s not only written dozens of episodes of television but has actively produced her episodes, becoming an experienced and valued on-set producer.Jess finally made her way into television as the showrunner’s assistant on USA’s “Covert Affairs,” Disney’s “Bunk’d” and CW’s “Supergirl.” It was “Supergirl” where Jess received her big break, writing episodes for the show until she was fully staffed on season four. Jess remained on staff as an Executive Story Editor until the show’s sixth and final season before jumping onto CW’s horror-romance (and “Supernatural” prequel) “The Winchesters.” Jess started her career at the Gersh Agency and then went on to work in film sales at Preferred Content. Full Bio »
Learn how to professionally develop your television series with acclaimed television writer and producer Jess Kardos, who has written for the CW’s SUPERGIRL and the prequel to SUPERNATURAL, THE WINCHESTERS!
PLUS! You will receive examples of a writer's room "board," story outlines, and a structure cheat sheet to help you in developing your series!
Every award-winning, binge-worthy television show started out as the same thing… a great idea. So how does a show go from “great idea” to Emmy or BAFTA winning TV series? A pilot script that introduces the world and the characters in the most compelling and exciting way. Choosing what, and why, to put in your pilot is know as "breaking the pilot" - and it is the way professional TV writers start their process. But that's easier said, than done, right?
Breaking the pilot for your series can be overwhelming. Knowing where to start (and where to end!), what to include, how to tell a complete story while leaving enough to act as a springboard for future episodes, making the audience care about your characters, their wants, their needs, their struggles…it’s a lot, even for the most experienced writers. You spend hours, days, weeks (sometimes years!) thinking about the plot, the characters, and the world before you write a single scene. And the pilot is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies under the surface is much larger than you could ever imagine. So how do you get there?
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how to take your kernel of an idea and turn it into an original one hour pilot that will garner the attention of agents, managers, and executives alike. Teaching you how to "break the pilot" for your one hour television series is TV writer and producer Jess Kardos. Jess has been a TV writer for ten years and has written for shows like the CW’s SUPERGIRL and the prequel to SUPERNATURAL, THE WINCHESTERS. Jess is also developing the Archie Comics property FRAN FRAZER and adapting the NYT’s bestselling series, SHANE SCULLY for television.
Jess will walk you through her personal pilot-breaking-process and share tips she learned inside the writers’ room on how to most efficiently and effectively break an episode of television. You will walk away from this webinar with the necessary tools you need to effectively develop your pilot so you can get it on the air and in front of millions of people!
PLUS! Jess will provide you exclusive handouts to help you develop your TV series and streamline the pilot breaking process to get your writing on the page and into the hands of Hollywood’s movers and shakers!. Downloads include:
"I am so excited to share with the Stage 32 community all the tips and tricks of breaking a TV pilot that have been shared with me over my ten years writing for television." -- Jess Kardos
Jessica Kardos
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Most people don’t know the scope of what a Line Producer actually does. How does one make a budget? What goes into it? How do you devise a realistic plan to shoot a movie and how do you seamlessly make it happen? Maybe you’ve managed to finish one movie, but how do you repeat that over and over? Do I really need a real budget for my $100k film? (Hint: the answer is Yes!) Every project, whether it's a movie, a TV show or web series - or even reality TV works - off the same basic blueprint. You need a script, a schedule, a budget, and lastly someone with a plan to manage all the elements you need to shoot, from cast and crew to locations and equipment. This person is the Line Producer. Maura Anderson is an award winning Line Producer who has worked on films and TV series such as Academy Award nominated Winter’s Bone, Would You Rather, and Suit Up. She's the former EVP of Production for Indigenous Media, a next generation digital studio focused on producing original content for digital and emerging platforms worldwide. Having filmed in many places and situations, from the Ozark Mountains to the Alaskan Tundra, and with budgets ranging from $30k to $10M, Maura discusses everything from the minuscule details to the broader strokes of making a film. In this Stage 32 On-Demand Webinar, Maura will take an in depth look at all the steps a line producer takes from script stage to years after the film is made. Using materials from actual films, she’ll discuss how a script is turned into a schedule and a budget. You’ll learn how to build out your team and how you can create long lasting relationships. You’ll also learn the basics of setting up a film’s infrastructure. Lastly she’ll look at enacting the brilliant plan that you came up with and what that looks like in terms of prep, shooting and wrap. This webinar includes examples of schedules, budgets, wrap binders, etc. from films she's worked on! PRAISE FOR MAURA'S TEACHINGS: "Seriously one of the best webinars on the whole site. Absolutely fantastic, informative, and easy to follow. Maura gets 5, no 20 stars from me!" -Steph G.
Join the CEO of BrandCinema and producer of multiple feature films to discover how to identify and access tax incentives that can help finance your film. Plus! Receive 10 exclusive handouts, including a tax incentive resource sheet, to help you find those incentives. Let's face it... making a movie can be expensive. The prep, development, production, and post-production costs add up quickly, and the need for more money is real at all budget levels. But production is also big business and state governments around the country have programs that give productions money to incentive them to shoot in their state and employ their residents. You can take some of the pressure off of your budget and investors by using state tax incentives and rebates in specific locations to help finance your film. In this exclusive on-demand Stage 32 webinar, you'll learn what kinds of tax incentives are available to you in the United States and all of the ways you can utilize them to finance and produce your film. Why do states give out what level of tax credit? How do we access them? This webinar will explain it all and help you take that aggressive first step in using these resources to make your indie feature. Having worked in various states that offer film incentives, your instructor, Nicholas Levis, shows you how this opportunity is essential for you, your investors and your distributor. That money can make the difference in your project happening or your investors getting a return on their investment. That means the difference in getting your movie made. These tax incentives do, however, come with challenges. You'll see the stringent guidelines by using examples from certain territories. We will explore the legal and accounting obligations required to stay in compliance. The tax incentive is one of the assumed standards in the entertainment business, so don't miss out on this opportunity to learn how to reach those key government officials who want your movie in their state. Nicholas Levis is a highly sought-after producer and the founder and CEO of BrandCinema. He's well-known for his think-outside-the-box producing style, having produced content across the country in 30 states utilizing the incentives discussed in this webinar. His recent film credits include WHO IS CHRISTMAS EVE? for the Bounce Network and DREAMKATCHER for Lionsgate, starring Lin Shaye, Radha Mitchell, and Henry Thomas. He also recently produced the globally distributed films HIGH STRUNG and HIGH STRUNG REE DANCE, directed by Michael Damian and starring Jane Seymour and Thomas Doherty. Not only will you walk away from this webinar knowing how to use these great sources of financing for your film, but you'll also receive exclusive access to the resources below to find tax incentives available to you: Entertainment Partners - New Jersey Incentive Overview Entertainment Partners - North Carolina Incentive Overview Entertainment Partners - Georgia Incentive Overview Media Services Production Incentives Comparison Tool Georgia Incentive Map New Jersey Incentive Map North Carolina Incentive Map NYC Budget Stage 32 Filmmaker Magazine Beyond The Basics Of Tax Incentives Tax Incentive Resource Sheet Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from Nicholas and discover how the pros utilize what's available to everyone to get every dime available to produce their films. "As a mentor at heart, the opportunity to be engaged by this amazing global community at Stage32 makes my teaching webinar sessions feel like I'm learning..." -- Nicholas Levis
So you want to shoot a low budget feature film. You've heard everyone tell you how difficult it will be to raise the funds, secure talent, get through production and post, and most of all, how hard it will be to secure distribution and find a path to profitability. We're here to tell you show you how to get it done! Low budget filmmaking has changed drastically over the last few years. From finding investors to attaching talent to having your pick of distribution channels, the landscape looks markedly different than at any time before. And in many ways, these shifts have proven to be quite advantageous for filmmakers, screenwriters, producers and financiers - if you know where to look and how to navigate. Here to show you the ropes on how to make your low budget feature film is veteran producer, director, screenwriter and actor, Zack Ward. You may remember him as Scut Farkus in A Christmas Story, but that was just the beginning. Zach has acted in over 100 films and been involved in dozens of others. Over his 3 decades in the industry, Zach experiences have allowed him to become an expert on the world of indie film. Over the last few years, Zach has produced 3 independent films and directed one more. His films Restoration and Ubiquity which he wrote, directed, acted in and produced are currently available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Hulu, and for rental through Redbox. His film Restoration was made for only $75,000, was shot in 14 days - and - here's the kicker - was making money before he ever yelled "ACTION!" How did Zach get it done? Well that's exactly what he's going to teach you in this extended webinar - almost 2 hours of information! PRAISE FOR ZACK'S TEACHINGS: "Zack was phenomenal. This was such rich information. He is the real deal." -Debra S. "Best, most practically informative webinar I have taken on Stage 32. So good to have someone walk through the process giving so much valuable insights. Good to hear Zack talk about the importance of looking at a project from the business side. Thought this was most informative webinar yet. Zack was fantastic in detailing through various stages of film little things that had to be done." -Andy S. "This was easily one of the most approachable How To sessions I've seen here. Advice given was rooted, did not include things only obtainable from within the system or resources that are unreasonable or unmanageable for starting/indie filmmakers." -Shane Wheeler
Work with a producer and filmmaker who's films have screened at Sundance, Tribeca and South By Southwest to learn how to budget your own independent film between $700K - $2MM so you can attract investors and buyers! It’s time to take the reins and make your story a reality by producing your independent film! Independent films that cost between $700K and $2 million are proving to be a fantastic way for up-and-coming filmmakers to get noticed as new paths to distribution grow hungrier daily for more content. Before you start shooting, you must prove on paper that you can produce your story with limited funds. This four-part intensive class guides you through what you need to know, shows you how to avoid rookie mistakes, provides real example budgets for you to learn from, and more. This exclusive on-demand Stage 32 class is an intensive course that will teach you how to budget your film at a price point between $700K and $2 million. This will allow you to have meaningful and productive conversations with investors and production companies. Guiding you each session is Julie Buck, a producer and filmmaker whose work has played at festivals including Tribeca, SXSW, London, and Sundance. She has budgeted and scheduled hundreds of independent films. In each session you’ll learn a vital step in the process of creating your budget, receiving example handouts of real budgets and assignments that will help you put into practice the wealth of information covered. Over four sessions, you’ll go in-depth on: Transforming a schedule into a budget Above the line vs. below the line costs Scheduling and budgeting software Pros and cons of working with unions How to budget post-production Rookie mistakes and overlooked costs Tax incentives available to you And more By the end of this intensive course, not only will you have a budget for your own film, but you’ll also have the knowledge to create budgets and schedules for future productions, and handouts to keep and utilize in the future. Plus! Julie will provide you with exclusive handouts to use for your current and future projects. Downloads include: Sample budget breakdown Rate sheets for your crew and IATSE agreements Rate sheets for your cast and SAG agreements A comprehensive list of festivals to target Sample scripts Testimonials from Julie's previous Stage 32 Courses: "I'm so happy I found Julie, she has helped me tremendously in preparing for my new film!" - Christine F. "Julie has been my favorite teacher on Stage 32 thus far! She's very informative and really cares about helping out her people." - Julia M. "Julie is fantastic! My favorite teacher from Stage 32 thus far. Take her course! You'll be happy you did." - Zuzanna R.
Learn directly from Managing Attorney of the immigration firm D'Alessio Law Group, Lorraine D’Alessio! For freelance creatives like actors, directors, writers and producers, Hollywood is probably your Mecca. However, if you don’t already live there, or are not even a US citizen, how do you get there- and work there- legally? Unfortunately, the artistic community is often the target of immigration scams. It’s hard to know what information is valid and what is not. Many people spend hours researching work visas only to end up with the wrong type of visa for a creative career. Stage 32 is here to make sure that doesn’t happen to you! The more educated you are on the subject, the more empowered you will be in your career and in your life. Knowing how to find and secure the right work visa for you will get you one step closer to living your dream. In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, Lorraine D'Alessio, managing attorney of the immigration firm D'Alessio Law Group, will walk you through how to live and work legally in the US as a creative. She will educate you on the different visas that exist, go step-by-step through the O-1 "person of extraordinary ability" visa, suggest ways to build your career portfolio in order to strengthen your visa petition, alert you to the dos and don'ts at the border and most importantly, dispel the many myths and misinformation that exist on US visas. Lorraine D’Alessio’ combines her unique knowledge of the entertainment industry and immigration law to assist foreign nationals who wish to come to the United States and work in entertainment and entertainment related fields. Her practice is limited to immigration and nationality law and concentrates on temporary and permanent business and employment related visas for investors, artists, entertainers, musicians, actors, directors, producers and essential technical and creative personnel in the motion picture and television industries. Ms. D’Alessio routinely gives lectures throughout Canada on entertainment and investment immigration.
Stage 32 + Netflix join forces to bring you an exclusive television pitch workshop Learn best practices to make your pitch work and what your pitching document should look like You do NOT want to miss this! For many, the holy grail of television has become Netflix. It’s a titan in the industry, and with over 200 million subscribers worldwide, no one can put out content quite like them. Just look at the recent hit show BRIDGERTON, which has already been seen by a massive 80 million households (!!) since its release. If you’re a writer or creator, getting your series onto Netflix’s platform can spell success in a big way. But first there’s the matter of getting your series in front of them and pitching it effectively. It should be a comfort to know that you’re not the only one who wants your series on Netflix. Netflix wants that too! Netflix execs are constantly on the lookout for exciting new voices and new series to fill their slate. Yet it takes more than just a good series or a good pilot script to get on Netflix’s radar; you need to be able to communicate it well and pitch it in a way that will get their team excited. This certainly takes some work, but it’s absolutely achievable. If you’re interested in getting your show on Netflix, it’s time to learn directly from the source what it will take to make that happen. In an effort to reach more writers and find more content, Netflix has joined forces with Stage 32 to present a FREE and invaluable workshop on what it is that they’re looking for in new shows and how you can best pitch your series to their executives. In Stage 32's continued effort to help level the playing field for content creators worldwide, we felt it's important that we help you get tools you need to be able to make sure that you can pitch effectively. Kicking off the workshop will be Stage 32 CEO, Richard "RB" Botto (@rbwalksintoabar), and hosting this presentation will be Stage 32's Managing Director Amanda Toney with Netflix’s Director of Creative Talent Investment and Development for International Originals Christopher Mack. Christopher was previously Senior Vice President of Scripted Content for Stage 13, overseeing all of the brand’s original scripted series and development slates across multiple genres, including Emmy nominated Netflix series’ SPECIAL and IT'S BRUNO. Before Stage 13, Chris headed the Warner Bros. Workshop, the writing and directing program for professionals looking to start and/or further their careers in television. Over a period of 10 years in this role, Chris curated a roster of close to 100 writers and 50 directors representing the breakthrough emerging voices working on high-profile television shows today. In addition to these responsibilities, Chris has covered hit shows such as TWO AND A HALF MEN and SMALLVILLE for the Current Programs department. Prior to joining Warner Bros., Chris spent seven years writing on various one-hour dramas including ER, THE PRACTICE and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Chris got his start in television at NBC Studios as an associate and he quickly rose to becoming an executive. During his time at the newly created NBC Studios, he oversaw a varied list of shows including: THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and IN THE HOUSE, among others. In this exclusive Stage 32 workshop, Christopher will delve into what exactly makes a television pitch work at Netflix. He’ll discuss the essentials you’ll need to catch Netflix’s eye and will zero in on how to write an effective pitch document. He’ll pose questions you be able to answer and communicate for your series and give you ideas on how best to communicate your show’s overview, world, tone, and characters. Christopher will then discuss how season summaries should be built and give you ideas on how to think about and present potential episodes. Finally, you will have the invaluable opportunity to ask Christopher your own questions. You will leave this presentation with the understanding of how to structure and present your series, not in theory, but directly from the source.