As Managing Director for Stage 32, Amanda oversees operations and partnerships for the global business. She has curated over 1,500 hours of online education created exclusively for Stage 32, and works with hundreds of entertainment industry executives from around the world to serve as educators and mentors. She has spearheaded partnerships with such prestigious organizations as the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film, American Film Market, SXSW, Austin Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, PGA, WGA and DGA, as well as brands such as AT&T, Peerspace, Pond5, Mandy, Bondit Media Capital and her personal favorite partnership, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which is the official vodka of Stage 32.As a film producer, Amanda has worked on the psychological thriller What Lies Ahead starring Rumer Willis and Emma Dumont, Metaphorms, a Hungarian film, which premiered at the Raindance Film Festival and Dolphin Girl which premiered at the Oscar qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival. She has also helped incubate Chick Fight, starring Malin Akerman, Alec Baldwin and Bella Thorne and 10-31 which is being produced by Eli Roth and Orion Pictures. She is an Executive Producer on Vagic with Amy Baer at Gidden Media, as well as My Clone's an A*Hole with National Lampoon. As a television producer, she recently sold an unscripted show to a major US network.Amanda has spoken all over the world at the Cannes Film Festival (France), Hollyshorts Film Festival (US), Raindance Film Festival (UK), Hamburg Film Fest (Germany), Trinidad & Tobago Film Commission (Trinidad), Fest Festival (Portugal) and Harvard (US) on the business of the entertainment industry. Carmen Cabana - Filmmaker & Cinematographer MS. MARVEL, NARCOS, VIDA Carmen Cabana is a cinematographer of Afro-Hispanic descent raised in Colombia and Venezuela. Her TV work includes Marvel & Disney Plus Ms. Marvel; Hulu's new series High Fidelity starring Zoe Kravitz; Lionsgate/Starz LatinX hit show Vida, Netflix's Narcos Season 2, Amazon's pilot Los Angeles, HBO Access pilot Sterling and TNT/Refinery 29 short French Fries directed by Janine Sherman Barrois. Her film work includes 25 independent features including Blumhouse/Amazon's: Nocturne starring Sydney Sweeney.She has been recognized in magazines like Variety as one of the most promising filmmakers ("10 Cinematographers to Watch List" Nov/2020) and "Below the Line report Up Next" (Aug/2016). In the magazine American Cinematographer as a "Rising Star in Cinematography" (AC May/2010) and (AC Feb/2017); ICG Magazine (Oct/2018) covered Vida S1.Carmen's years of experience and ability for understanding story, capturing emotion and visual dynamism has catapulted her towards the top choices for female cinematographers. Quickly to adapt and collaborate with locals, Carmen has filmed features in 16 US states and in Mexico, Cuba and Colombia.She teaches cinematography workshops around the world as well as empowerment talks. Her past appearances include: The 8th and 9th Annual Masters in Motion Film Conference (Austin-Texas 2018 and 2019); HBO Access Mentorship Program (2018), Arri and Film Independent Project Involve: Cinematography workshop (2017), UCLA: Summer speaker sessions (2020); NAMIC: "Latino Creatives in Entertainment" (2018); HRTS Women of the West: "Diversity on Television Panel" (2018); Women Empowerment Panel-DTLA Film Festival: "Seen and Heard" (2018); STAGE 32: "Women in Entertainment Panel"; Rule the Set "Cinematography for episodic TV" (2016); ENFOCUS Cinematography workshop (2016 in Costa Rica) , Erman Baradi's Industry Panel (2019); LITEPANEL's workshop (Vegas); LITEPANEL and ADORAMA "Gemini" workshop" (New York).Carmen is an ADFC and Imago member; a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow (2010), a Sundance Director's Lab Crew Participant (2008) and a member of the Friends of the ASC. Robyn Watson - Director, WarnerMedia Distribution Board President Women in Film & Television, Atlanta (WIFTA) Robyn Watson is director of communications for WarnerMedia Distribution, based in Atlanta. Previous to that, Robyn was the principal owner of Watson Media Ventures (WMV), an entertainment consulting firm that advised on film, television, digital media productions and entertainment events. Prior to WMV, she spent over 17 years as a corporate communications executive at Verizon and Time Warner Cable. Robyn has been involved in the Women In Film organization for over 10 years having served on the board of directors for New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT) and Women In Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA). She is also on the board of Women In Film & Television International (WIFTI) where she serves on the Knowledge, Advocacy and Activism Committee. Robyn graduated from Emory University and holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Benedictine University. Kristi Shuton - Creative Talent Development & Inclusion, Walt Disney Television A long-time Walt Disney Television cast member, Kristi Shuton has spent time working in various positions at ESPN and ABC, joining the Creative Talent Development & Inclusion (CTDI) team in 2006. In her current role as Manager, Shuton partners with network/studio programming and casting executives to connect professionals at all levels to opportunities at WDT and beyond. She also helps guide the WDT Writing and Directing Programs, contributing to identifying and cultivating talent, providing creative guidance and professional development. Shuton's extensive knowledge of diversity trends positions her as a key contributor, engaging with the creative community, diverse national partners and advocacy groups, as well as entertainment industry guilds. She has served as a panelist at the annual Comic-Con International: San Diego as well as various film and comedy festivals. A Colorado native, Shuton is an avid supporter/volunteer for the Adopt the Arts Organization and mentoring creative young minds thru volunteering at school campuses and workshops. Additionally, she also serves on a non-profit Board of Directors with Hollywood music producers in support of efforts to end human trafficking. She received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Cal State Northridge. Moderated by Catherine Delaloye - Founder & Executive Director, Female Voices Rock Film Festival Catherine Delaloye is a director, producer, and writer, who is passionate about social impact and dedicates her work to empowering diverse voices. Her credits include WHERE TO NOW?, THE WITCHES OF BUSHWICK, THAT PART, and the upcoming feature film SLEEPAWAY CAMP, starring Antoni Porowski (QUEER EYE). Growing up between Europe and the US, Catherine has a global perspective that she uniquely brings to each film and project she is a part of. This, along with her avid attention-to-detail, valuable direction, and impressive verbosity, has gained recognition in the film community. Her projects have been awarded with various honors including more recently winning the Grand Jury Prize at Barnstorm Screenwriting Contest for her script Noah & Camille. She's also won the International Honolulu Film Festival Screenplay Award and the International Los Angeles Film Festival Screenplay Award for her script THE DOLLMAKER. Catherine founded Female Voices Rock, an organization that aims to increase the female presence in the film and TV industry. Through her organization, Catherine has raised over 200K for various film projects, creating a substantial platform for underrepresented filmmakers in the industry. The annual Female Voices Rock Film Festival has grown to be rated amongst the “Top 100 Film Festivals in the World” in just two years since its inception. Full Bio »
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:
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.
This is a global event and we encourage you to join us! Take our #internationalwomensday challenge on social media!
Amanda Toney
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It is an honor and a privilege to bring you the worldwide premiere of the 5th Annual Stage 32 Short Film Program on Stage 32! Our seven winning filmmakers hail from all over the world, and we could not be more excited to share their undeniable talents with you. We were proud to screen these films in the 2020 Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival and the Raindance Film Festival in London. And, we're even more proud to showcase the international premiere to all of the development executives, agents, managers and agents that work with us. Since 2016, the Stage 32 Short Film Contest has served as an unparalleled incubator for finding talented filmmakers and helping them forge connections that make their careers blossom. Our past finalists have gone on to be signed by Paradigm, APA, Gersh, Verve, Echo Lake, Circle of Confusion and more! Congratulations to all the 5th Annual Short Film Contest winners, we cannot wait to see where your talents take you.
***Sorry, the lab is filled!*** This lab is designed for beginner and intermediate screenwriters looking to build a pilot from scratch or expand on an existing idea. With the TV market exploding right now, 30-minute and 60-minute TV drama and dramedy pilots are in demand. Many, if not all, managers and agents are looking for writers that can write in this space, and with more and more production companies heading into TV, knowing how to write a strong TV pilot will give you a competitive advantage and help you find success as a TV writer! Stage 32 is thrilled to have our Writing Lab: Write Your TV Pilot and Lean How to Pitch it in 10 Weeks taught by Anna Henry who is a veteran TV development executive that's worked with ABC, CBS, Nickelodeon, SONY, 20th Century FOX Television, Amazon, Starz, EOne, OddLot Entertainment, Corus, ITV America and more. This hands-on intensive lab will guide you through picking a concept, creating engaging characters, structuring and outlining your pilot, writing the pilot, polishing and pitching it! You must have a solid understanding of screenwriting to participate. We will not be going over the basics. The main objective of this 10-week lab will be to have a solid completed script that is market-ready to start pitching. You will meet online with Anna for 2 hours a week in a class setting, plus have phone or Skype consultations during some of the weeks when you don't have an online class. This will be accompanied by weekly homework assignments to guide you on your way to creating a marketable, unique pilot that will grab the industry's attention. Payment plans are available - please contact edu@stage32.com for more information. This Lab is Limited to 10 People.
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.
Rene Veilleux and Donald Roman Lopez talk about how they built Verite Entertainment from the ground up, how they develop original IP, what it means to be "Glocal" and the time we worked with comedy legend Mel Brooks!
The television landscape has changed dramatically over the years and continues to evolve, seemingly on a weekly basis. Yet through all of it, an undeniable constant has been late night TV. In fact, with their up-to-the-minute spoofs of our fast-changing news cycle and cultural landscape, late night shows like THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON, THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH, LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, and FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE have never been more relevant. The appetite is high, but writing for this rapid-turnaround genre is its own skill set, separate from others used throughout TV and film. Furthermore, getting hired for such a show can be particularly challenging. Yet it’s still possible. So how can you prepare yourself with for when late night writing opportunities present themselves, and can you find these opportunities in the first place? For as ever-present as late night TV is, the industry itself can seem hard-to-know and enigmatic. It’s certainly less covered in media than other types of television. Yet if you’re interested in writing for a late night program, it’s critical to have a basic understanding of how these shows work--both the media ecosystem they exist in, and more specifically, how they are produced day-to-day, and even hour-to-hour. It’s also crucial to put together a strong, standout Late-Night Writers’ Packet, which combines a number of different elements that decision makers are looking for when hiring. If you want to pursue a career in late night writing, it’s time to learn everything you need to know to find success. Rob Kutner is an Emmy, Peabody, and Grammy Award-winning late night television staff writer who has worked on shows like CONAN and THE DAILY SHOW. Starting out as a writers’ assistant on DENNIS MILLER LIVE, Rob is also the author of the satirical end-of-times bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! and has written material for the Oscars, Emmys, Writers’ Guild Awards, MTV Movie Awards, Guys’ Choice Awards, and two White House Correspondents’ Dinners. Rob has spent the majority of his storied career operating and thriving in the world of late night television and is ready to tell you how you can do the same. Rob will teach you how late night television works and how you can best position yourself to find opportunities as a writer within it. He’ll begin by going over an introduction to late night television, including a brief history and overview, an examination of how late night is different than other genres, how a late night show generally works, and what a typical day on a program like this looks like. Next Rob will go through his own experiences with late night and extract the biggest lessons he’s learned from his own journey. He’ll discuss his early steps, his work as a production assistant and a writers’ assistant, and how he got his first writing gig. He’ll also go into the differences between the shows he’s worked on, including CONAN and THE DAILY SHOW. He’ll explain how he continues to find work in this space. He will then go through five ways you can find a late night writing job of your own. He will also teach you strategies you should use to better get noticed as a writer. He’ll explain the difference between “hiring” and “reading”, how to be gently persistent, and what a late night writing packet is as well as why it’s crucial. Rob will dive deep into how to put together your own late night packet and share with you the 8 different pieces you’ll need to build a packet that will get producers’ attention. He’ll explain how to make your packet look good and noticeable. Rob will even offer a live demonstration, showing how to put together a packet live. Next he will talk about how to keep your writing job once you’re staffed. He’ll explain the differences between late night and episodic production cultures and go through what the day-to-day requirements of a late night writer are. He’ll explain what the etiquette of the writers’ room is, how best to pitch your ideas, and how to take and move forward with notes that you’re given. He’ll also talk about how best to navigate the quick turnarounds that are notorious in jobs like this. Finally, Rob will go through further opportunities in the world of late night that you can explore, including finding producing opportunities and chances to actually perform on your show. Let Rob help you walk into the world of late night with your eyes open and with a collection of strategies to best find the writing opportunity you’re after. Praise for Rob's Stage 32 Webinar: "Very informative, told with kindness." -Zara Q. "Rob's webinar was uber insightful and detailed. I learned more about breaking into the industry than several UCLA extension classes." -Jamie T. "Wonderful insider POV, super helpful tips on the package/sample work" -Laura D. "Very on point. Speaker was knowledgeable and had lots of real world experience. He seemed very relatable, too." -Jeff E.
This webinar has a 100% satisfaction rating! Learn how to make your horror short or feature screenplay stand out to managers, producers, and execs from one of the leading literary managers in the genre! The challenge for most horror writers or filmmakers is coming up with either a totally new concept (THE CONJURING), or coming up with a new twist on what has already worked in the past (INVISIBLE MAN). Or, if you are a horror short film maker your story has to stand out and grip the viewer in a way we haven't seen before...and in horror/thriller, almost everything has been done. But once you have fleshed out the concept, you need to make sure the writing is on point. That includes a perfect opening, a cadre of memorable characters, a plot that keeps those pages turning, and a close that makes a manager want to pick up the phone and schedule a meeting. Jake Wagner is one of the most respected literary managers working in the business today. Jake has also been one of top selling spec script managers of the last decade. Jake was responsible for the largest spec sale of the last 10 years (and one of the biggest in history), with SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN which sold for over $3MM to Universal Pictures. After an illustrious and celebrated career at Benderspink and Good Fear and Film + Management, Jake is now the owner of Alibi Management. Jake’s clients have written some of the most popular recent horror films including POLAROID and CRAWL. He is a producer on the Studio Canal film BAGHEAD written by Stage 32 member Christina Pamies. In this exclusive on-demand Stage 32 webinar, Jake will teach writers of horror screenplays and filmmakers of horror short films what managers look for in a spec screenplay or film. As one of the leading sellers of horror specs in the market today, Jake will tell you the common mistakes horror writers make and how to avoid them. To start, Jake will take you through the types of horror scripts attracting financing and producing interest in the market right now and he will explain why certain feature scripts stand out above the rest. Then, Jake will dive into the writing and the reading habits and needs of a manager. He will dive into what your first 10 pages tell a manager and how you can not only make them shine, but how to do so in a manner that keeps a manager turning pages. He will discuss the importance of your first act, the introduction and nuances of your characters, how to make sure your plot is not only interesting, but clear, and how to stick the landing. As a bonus, Jake will take you through 10 case studies of some of the most successful horror feature and short film projects of recent years including A QUIET PLACE, NO GOOD DEED, MEET JIMMY and more. Praise For Jake's Previous Stage 32 Teaching: "Jake was terrific...knowledgeable, insightful and passionate about the subject mater. There were many great, simple takeaways. One of the best webinars I've participated in, in terms of being on point and offering actionable advice." -- Michael H. "Jake is phenomenal. He exceeded my expectations and was beyond helpful to my writing and career in general. Thank you, Stage 32!" -- Tim M. "I was pleasantly surprised by how thoughtful and diligent Jake is as a teacher. I feel fortunate to be able to learn from him." -- Amanda R.