Holly Brown is a producer and executive specializing in working closely with writers, filmmakers and talent to tell commercial, character-driven stories for both film and television She is currently producing Cruise, written and directed by Rob Siegel (The Wrestler, Big Fan, Turbo) and starring Spencer Boldman and Emily Ratajkowski. She also executive produced the upcoming film The Founder directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, The Alamo, Saving Mr. Banks) and starring Michael Keaton and Nick Offerman which will be released by The Weinstein Company later this year. Previously, Holly has worked as an executive at both Jeremy Renner's production company, The Combine and at Overbrook Entertainment. Full Bio »
Plus, a recorded Q&A with Holly!
Holly Brown
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In this 5-session online master class, learn from leading producer Jason Mirch, and his special industry guests on how to take an idea for a short film from concept all the way to post-production. Every successful filmmaker has, at some point in their career, written, directed, and/or produced a short film. For filmmakers who are just starting out, a short film is the best calling card to showcase their unique talent and vision. It is important to remember that short filmmaking is different from feature filmmaking, with challenges unique to the process. Even so, producing a short film may seem daunting, but there are several key secrets to getting the most out of your project. This intensive 5-week course will give students the tools and techniques necessary to produce a world class short film. Each week will be dedicated to a different aspect of the short filmmaking process, including, concept development and writing of your short, budgeting and scheduling, understanding and drafting production agreements, pro-tips on directing actors, and how to get the most out of the post production process. You are strongly encouraged to come with ideas for a short film, which will be developed over the course of the 5 weeks, so by the conclusion of the class, you should have a screenplay ready for production! Every week your host, Jason Mirch, will be bringing in special guests to help teach you, including: Christina Snider - Casting Associate, Susan Edelman Casting (Melrose Place, Malcolm in the Middle, Drop Dead Diva, Wonder Years) Michael Carney - Director (Same Kind of Different As Me) Brian Swanson - editor and sound designer Abeer Abu Schmeiss - Marketing Director, Image Nation (He Named Me Malala, Flight,The Help, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
What is it about the most successful TV comedies that have allowed them to stand the test of time? Whether it’s ALL IN THE FAMILY, SEINFELD, PARKS AND RECREATION, or FLEABAG, it’s not the jokes that have made these shows so successful—as funny as they might be—it’s the characters. Distinct, hilarious, memorable and, above all, authentic characters are always the ingredient that will make a good TV comedy great. Whether you are working on your own comedy project or are hoping to write on an existing show, it’s crucial to have an understanding of what makes TV comedy characters great and how you can create your own Archie Bunkers and Leslie Knopes. Crafting great comedic characters is not only important in creating a successful show; it’s also how you can get noticed. After all, with so many different types of comedies in the marketplace, it is becoming the toughest genre to break into. Writing great characters can separate your work from the rest and give you the kind of attention that solid jokes and a good sense of humor simply can’t muster on their own. This means it’s vital not only to have great characters, but to know how to make them shine on the page. The good news is there are strategies and actionable lessons you can use to elevate the characters in your own television comedy. Vijal Patel is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning writer and executive producer who has written for many award-winning comedy series including ABC’s BLACK-ISH and THE MIDDLE. Vijal currently serves as writer and co-executive producer of the ABC comedy series SCHOOLED, starring Tim Meadows and AJ Michalka. He also writes and develops feature film projects for the powerhouse studio DreamWorks. Vijal has built his career on writing comedy and using it to explore race, family, religion, politics, and class struggle. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar Vijal will teach you how to make your characters funny. He’ll go through the 2 most basic comedy archetypes and explain the difference between jokes and attitude humor. He’ll teach you how to differentiate your characters and ensure they’re unique and will guide you through both the “One Word” exercise and “Situation” exercise to help improve your characters, using examples from THE SIMPSONS, FLEABAG, BLACK-ISH, SEINFELD, and others. Vijal will then delve into how to make your characters feel authentic and how to write impactful character descriptions to ensure they pop on the page. Finally he will dive deep into how to write funny dialogue for your characters, including how to use humor, how to end the joke, metaphors, similes, and reactions. Vijal will leave you with a series of strategies and clear examples that you can bring back to your own project to make your characters, funnier, more memorable, and more authentic. Praise for Vijal's Stage 32 Webinar: " LOVED IT!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Vijal was very engaging, intelligent and helpful. He gave so much insight to the nuts and bolts of creating comedic characters that are authentic." -Debbie C. "Exactly what I needed to know" -Shashank M. "Great info, every moment jam packing with knowledge. Great perspective from a working writer." -Ashton S.
A New Exclusive Webinar! Learn the key components for your script that will attract top talent from a WME executive who's worked with Denzel Washington, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liam Neeson, Robert Downey Jr., and more. Do you want to see your script on the big screen? Do you want to write the kind of script that makes A-list actors wants to attach themselves to? A script that agents and managers fight to represent and sell? Then you need a commercial script. WME executive Chris Lockhart has read thousands of scripts and has been tasked with finding the next hit project for talent like Denzel Washington, Michelle Pfeiffer, Liam Neeson, Robert Downey Jr., and many more. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, he’ll show you the key elements he believes need to be in a script to know if it will grab the attention of executives and talent and how to utilize these elements correctly. You’ll cover what a commercial script is, the concepts that sell, how to write this type of script, and how to bring your voice into the script so that it reads like an exciting and fresh piece of material that only you could have written. Chris will be using the script from Top Gun: Maverick as his main example to further dissect these critical elements. Plus! You will receive a download of the Top Gun: Maverick script. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn from one of Hollywood’s top talent influencers and story editors as you develop your next hit commercial script. Praise for Chris's previous webinar with Stage 32 "Amazing seminar loved it. It was the best I have ever watched or ordered!" - Robert M. "Chris was clear, concise, helpful, and focused. Loved his enthusiasm and humor." - Lori H. "Oh my god, I was laughing all the way through. In between writing about 10 pages of notes. SO much fun and a wealth of knowledge." - Denise G.
HBO Max, Netflix, Disney +, Hulu, oh my! It seems that everywhere you turn there is a new streamer showcasing some of the best television shows we have ever seen from creatives. With more distribution outlets than ever and larger, global audiences to be able to watch it, the demand for television content is the highest it's ever been. We've seen incredible shows emerge like INSECURE on HBO, THE HANDMAID'S TALE on Hulu and THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY on Netflix, and it's the engine of the writers' room that keeps us coming back for more and continuing on to watching episode after episode. Stage 32 is going to peel back the curtain and take you behind the scenes of what it takes to write on these popular shows, and what it takes to help you break in to get there. Join us as we bring in showrunner Mike Gauyo from AMC's ALLBLK SEND HELP and writer on HBO's INSECURE, as well as Co-Executive Producers and writers Jason and Jamie Neese from Netflix's THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, and John Herrara and Nina Fiore from Emmy-nominated Hulu's THE HANMAID'S TALE for an exclusive FREE Stage 32 webcast. Moderating this world-class group of television writers is our very own Jason Mirch, Director of Script Services of Stage 32. This world class group of television writers will be talking about the craft of TV writing and going over what they are seeing in the marketplace today for streaming. Come join us for this free fun and educational webinar!
In Stage 32's continued effort to shine the light on women in the entertainment industry we have partnered with Female Voices Rock for a thrilling virtual event. On March 8, International Women's Day, some of the industry's top leaders who are dedicated to empowering women will be coming together to host an inspiring webcast celebrating women in entertainment. The panel features five powerhouse female voices of entertainment, including: Carmen Carbana - Cinematographer, Marvel & Disney Plus Ms. Marvel; Hulu's High Fidelity; Lionsgate/Starz LatinX hit show Vida, Netflix's Narcos Robyn Watson - Director, WarnerMedia Distribution & Board President of Women in Film & Television, Atlanta (WIFTA) Kristi Shuton - Walt Disney Television, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion Amanda Toney - Stage 32, Managing Director Moderator: Catherine Delaloye - Female Voices Rock,Founder & Executive Director After our live panel, join us for an exciting networking happy hour! We will break off into smaller groups and meet and toast your fellow female filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, cinematographers, production designers, and entertainment creatives & professionals from all over the world.
Along with characters, story and structure, one of the most important elements of any television series is world building. Certainly this applies to fantasy and science fiction shows like GAME OF THRONES and THE MANDALORIAN, but it’s just as important for any realistic and grounded series as well. Giving the viewers the ability to fully immerse themselves in the world your characters live in—the setting, the rules, the culture, the counter-culture, the history and more—will make them more invested in continuing to watch. Yet it’s not just the viewer you’ll be enticing with a well-defined world; it’s also the executives that might choose to pick up your show because of the world you’re able to present to them as part of your pitch and pitch deck. With so much content being pitched and with so many creatives trying to get their work in front of creatives and ultimately picked up, it is hard for anyone’s show to stand out above the noise. To do so, you need more than a great show and a great script; you also need a great pitch and pitch document. It truly can be what stands between you and that green light. So what does a great pitch document look like, and more specifically, how does that great pitch document get execs invested and interested in your show’s world? Boman Modine is an Emmy-nominated producer for his show DARK/WEB on Amazon, and an award-winning producer with a long history of film and franchise development. Boman's production company, Strangeway Productions, is currently developing several animated, horror, science fiction television properties with partners that include Sanctum Studios (THE NEW MUTANTS, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY). He is also the former head of acquisitions and development for Mt. Hollywood where he also produced the BAFTA-nominated "THE PARTY's JUST BEGINNING" with Karen Gillan. He has also consulted and produced with BRAIN ACADEMY, known for the Keanu Reeves/Peter Stormare show "SWEDISH DICKS", where he packaged both features and television shows. Boman has an impressive history of packaging and selling TV series, especially science fiction and other genre series, to notable networks and streamers and understand what it takes to get an exec on your side and interested in your project. Exclusively for Stage 32, Boman will delve into the art of world-building, both for science fiction and fantasy series, and for all other genres as well, and show you how best to incorporate your original world into an effective pitch document to get networks and streamers interested. He will explain the elements of any effective TV pitch document before exploring what good world-building actually looks like and how you can “build your own sandbox” to establish your series’ genre and tone. Boman will also walk you through filling your sandbox with sand by defining your who, what, when, where, why, and how, as well as your world’s culture, counter-culture, and history. He’ll also teach you how to use what came before as a way to better help execs understand your series. Throughout, Boman will provide case studies of professional TV series pitch documents to illustrate how other creators have made their own world leap off the page.