Alan Brewer is an independent music, film & television producer, music publisher, and the President/Owner of New Brew Entertainment, a Los Angeles area production company with several feature films and television series on its production slate. He has worked as a Film Producer, Score Composer, Music Supervisor and Soundtrack Producer on feature films & television productions for Universal, MGM, Fox, Warner Bros., Bold Films, CBS Television, Orion Pictures, Miramax, Summit Entertainment, Shochiku-Fuji Films, Anonymous Content, IFC Films, CMT, and VH-1, and others. Alan produced the Universal Pictures release, “Playing For Keeps,” (starring Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn, Marisa Tomei). His feature credits include the Warner Bros release "American Pastime," “Come Early Morning,” (starring Ashley Judd, Laura Prepon, Jeffrey Donovan, Tim Blake Nelson), David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars,” Paul McCartney’s “Rockshow,” horror classic, “The Burning,” “Trailer Park Of Terror,” “Tokyo Pop,” and “Secret Policeman’s Other Ball” (featuring Monty Python, Peter Cook, Rowan Atkinson, Pete Townshend, Sting and others). Alan has produced recording sessions on 3 continents, in 5 countries in over 50 studios in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Boston, London, Manchester, Tokyo, and Toronto. Projects he has supervised or for which he produced and mixed music have included music by Jeff Beck, Clarence Clemons (of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band), Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Rick Derringer, Bob Geldof, Ruben Blades, Sister Sledge, Rick Wakeman (of Yes), O.M.D., China Crisis, Donovan, and many others. Alan is on the Advisory Board for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, served on the founding Board Of Directors for the Burbank International Film Festival and is a Past President of the Board Of Directors of the Nashville Film Festival (one of the longest running film festivals in the U.S.). He is also one of the founders of Film-Com, the annual Nashville based film & television conference, and is currently its West Coast Chairperson. Alan’s current production projects include “The Human Fly,” inspired by the real story behind the Marvel Comics character, “Sewerville,” a gritty, rural crime thriller set in Appalachia, “Hitchhiking With Larry David,” based on the popular book by Paul Samuel Dolman (Gotham/Penguin books), and “Deadfellas,” a mind-opening sci-fi horror feature co-written by Jeff Buhler, screenwriter of “Studio 666,” starring Foo Fighters, “Pet Semetary” (2019), “The Grudge” (2020), and creator of the George R.R. Martin based SyFy series, “Nightflyers.” Full Bio »

Learn everything you need to know about how to source and use music in your productions from Alan Brewer, who is the President of New Brew Entertainment. Alan has extensive experience in every aspect of music for film and television including Music Supervision, Music Clearance & Licensing, Music Production, Score Composition, and Music Publishing!
PLUS! You'll receive a Music in Motion Pictures: Rights and Licensing exclusive handout!
We all agree that music can make or break a film. From Spike Lee to Steven Spielberg to Greta Gerwig to Quentin Tarantino, the best filmmakers rely heavily on music in their films to create a particular tone and evoke a certain emotion from the audience. The music you choose for your film can literally make or break your project.
However, most budding filmmakers have no clue where to begin in getting the necessary legal rights to use music in their films. While many independent filmmakers spend a great deal of time learning about the various aspects of the craft and business of filmmaking, most emerging filmmakers, even those who have gone to prestigious film schools, have little to no knowledge about the administrative and legal requirements for the inclusion of music in their projects. Furthermore, most independent filmmakers don’t know how to best navigate the creative music search with respect to finding songs and/or composers suitable for their productions and appropriate to their budgets. All too often, independent filmmakers find themselves in a bind, learning late into post-production that they don’t actually have permission to use the music they were planning to include in their project. Without the proper legal authorizations for the use of the music, your film will not be accepted to film festivals or get released on any platforms. We’re here to help!
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how to ensure that the music in your film satisfies the necessary legal requirements in order to be included in your project. You will learn everything from the different types of rights you need for music and how to obtain them, to how to work with a composer and your music team, the differences between using existing songs or creating original music for your film, how and when you need to create music cue sheets, and more. Teaching you everything you need to know about the use of music in your film is Alan Brewer, President/Owner of New Brew Entertainment. Alan has worked as a Film Producer, Score Composer, Music Supervisor and Soundtrack Producer on feature films and television productions for Universal, MGM, Fox, Warner Bros., Bold Films, CBS Television, Orion Pictures, Miramax, Summit Entertainment, Shochiku-Fuji Films, Anonymous Content, IFC Films, CMT, and VH-1, and others. He produced the Universal Pictures release PLAYING FOR KEEPS (starring Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn, Marisa Tomei). His feature credits include the Warner Bros release, AMERICAN PASTIME, COME EARLY MORNING (starring Ashley Judd, Laura Prepon, Jeffrey Donovan, Tim Blake Nelson), David Bowie’s ZIGGY STARDUST & THE SPIDERS FROM MARS, Paul McCartney’s ROCKSHOW, horror classic THE BURNING, TRAILER PARK OF TERROR, TOKYO POP, and SECRET POLICEMAN'S OTHER BALL (featuring the members of Monty Python, Peter Cook, Rowan Atkinson, Pete Townshend, Sting and others).
Over an information-packed 90 minutes, Alan will cover the full range of information you must have in order to effectively and legally include music in your production whether you are working on a feature project with a substantial budget or a micro-budget short film intended only for festivals. Additionally, not only will this course be highly informative and useful for individuals working in film & television (producers, directors, production managers and post-production supervisors) but also for those songwriters, composers and music artists with a focus on creating music for film & television or placing their existing music in current projects.
PLUS! You'll have a Q&A with Alan and receive exclusive handouts to help you best work with music for your project. Downloads include:
"I'm excited to share with the Stage 32 community my accumulated knowledge resulting from many years of experience in all aspects of the music for film & television process. Having worked all my life as both a music "provider" and a music "user” for film, I look forward to providing the facts regarding what has to be done as well as the language and terminology that will help facilitate communication between all parties involved in the use of music in a film project.” - Alan Brewer
Praise for Alan's Work
“(Brewer is) a sort of artistic systems resource manager, ever balancing aesthetics and the bottom line." - MIX Magazine
“One of the most diversified artists in the industry.....There’s a lot to be learned from such a revered professional as Brewer.” - The Music Paper
“Brewer worked to develop a creative consistency despite the diversity of the musical artists. The result is pure state of the art sound throughout.” - Valley Advocate/New Haven Advocate

Alan Brewer
Q: How do I watch my webinar live?
A: If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Go to Webinar, you will receive an email from Go to Webinar with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. You can also access your webinar link in your purchase history located under settings in the top right-hand corner of your Stage 32 profile.
If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Zoom, you will receive a separate email from Zoom with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. Your login link will not be in your Stage 32 profile. If you did not receive your link via Zoom please email support@stage32.com.
Q: How do I watch my webinar on demand?
A: You will be able to watch your webinar on demand as many times as you’d like inside your Stage 32 profile. The recording is processed and posted between 24-48 hours after the webinar concludes. You can follow the instructions below.
YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO – STAGE 32 IS FREE TO JOIN
If You Already Have a Stage 32 Profile:
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.
Q: What are the system requirements to watch my webinar live?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.9 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer.
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you cannot attend a live webinar or purchase an on demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to re-watch?
A: Yes! Like all Stage 32 education, after the purchase of a live or on demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording.
Q: How do I get a copy of the handouts provided?
A: If the webinar you take included handouts you can find them as downloads underneath your on demand video. You must be logged into your Stage 32 profile to view the video and get the handouts by clicking settings in the top right hand corner, then clicking purchase history.
Q: What if I need accessibility and accommodations?
A: Email support@stage32.com to request accommodations.
Thanks for your loyalty to Stage 32 Education. We value having you in the Stage 32 community.
If you have any further questions, we are always happy to help. Please contact Stage 32 support at support@stage32.com.
It's not an understatement to say that the decisions made during the casting of your film, short film, TV pilot, or short form digital content can make or break or break your project. Being able to cast a wide enough net to assure that you see enough actors so you can choose those who fit the vision and tone of the material is paramount. But not all filmmakers and producers have that kind of reach. Further, they don't have the connections and experience to not only cast that wide net, but also bring in familiar and experienced talent that can accelerate this aspect of the pre-production process while saving valuable time, resources, and, most importantly, money. But for many, identifying and engaging casting directors of value is a challenging process. And for that reason alone, many filmmakers and producers handle the casting calls, the auditions and the decisions to hire their actors on their own. Often, that's a fatal mistake. Finding the right actors for your film does not have to be difficult. Neither does interviewing and, eventually hiring a casting director. The fact is, casting directors are plugged in to the most experienced and the best up and coming talent. Further, they know what to look for in the room during the audition process. What questions to ask. What signs to look for. And what red flags may be readily visible to them that you might overlook. While many filmmakers and producers believe they can't afford a casting director, they don't have the information and knowledge to truly know. Experienced filmmakers and producers know they have to include a casting director in their budget. And they also know that they can secure one without breaking the bank while bringing enormous value to their project. Over the course of her stellar and prestigious career, Casting Director Erica S. Bream (CSA) has had the opportunity to work on a myriad of projects across all platforms. A few of these titles include TV series such as ALTERED CARBON, COLONY, WORKAHOLICS, HOUSE OF LIES, CRIMINAL MINDS, and the upcoming TELL ME YOUR SECRETS, PANDORA as well as numerous TV pilots and miniseries, including Hulu’s 11.22.63, and FULL CIRCLE from DirecTV. She has worked on several feature films including STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS and many indie films, such as the John Legend-produced BREAKING THROUGH. Erica has also worked extensively in the internet and short film worlds, most recently casting award-winning AFI short, RITA MAHTOUBIAN IS NOT A TERRORIST as well as PINKY for Refinery29. She has also ventured back to her first love, theatre, working closely with THE BLANK THEATRE COMPANY and IAMA THEATRE COMPANY in Los Angeles on many main-stage plays, as well as numerous years casting The Blank's prestigious YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL. Finally, Erica is an Artios Award winner (Casting Society of America) and seven-time nominee for her work in theatre, television and short films. Erica will teach you exactly what a casting director does and lay out in specific detail why you need to hire one and where to find one that can make a difference for your project. She will cover all your questions on budgeting for a casting director and what the expectations should be. She will discuss how to approach casting directors for features, short films, web series, digital shorts and more. She will show you how to secure name talent that can lead to a greenlight. Erica will also take you through the audition process, including live and taped auditions, and call back sessions. She will take you through common mistakes filmmakers and producers make when communicating with casting directors and how to not only avoid them, but what to do instead. This is a full, immersive deep dive into demystifying all the untruths and misinformation regarding hiring casting directors and how, instead, you can have a CD on your team that can help elevate your material and allow for you to see your vision on screen with actors who can carry that vision forward. Praise for Erica: "I've been listening to the wrong voices. For the longest time I thought it would be impossible to get a casting director to cast my film and also thought it would be ridiculously expensive. My world has completely opened up." - Christina T. "Now I know exactly why my casting director was the wrong casting director. I won't make the same mistake twice." - Aimee C. "Drop the mic advice." - Slater M. "This felt like I was accepted into a secret club. So much information that I have never heard before. Insider kind of information. Thank you, Erica!" - Dina R.
The art of the pitch. In many ways, outside of honing your craft, your ability to pitch may just be the most important skill you can learn as a creative. At its core, pitching is storytelling. But the ability to be a clear, concise storyteller, and, as a result, be someone who can deliver a memorable and winning pitch is something that takes time, knowledge, a clear strategy, and repetition. Understanding how to pitch any person or audience will give you a clear and tremendous advantage in any situation or room. You will stand out from the hundreds if not thousands of pitches a gatekeeper or decision maker hears in a given year. But further, learning how to pitch will help you build confidence, a huge variable in winning over those looking to work with you, buy your material or invest in your project. The bottom line: Whether you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, producer, or any creative or industry professional looking to gain representation, sell their material, attract talent, raise financing, or simply looking to find work, you WILL have to pitch. Further, you WILL be in competition with others pitching as well. You've put so much time and effort into your work and building your reputation, you don't want to have it all undermined with a terrible pitch. And the truth of the matter is that most people that pitch make the same fatal mistakes over and over. They don't know how to tell a concise, riveting story. They don't know what to put in, what to leave out, and what elements really and truly sell someone on their story. But not you. Not anymore. You're about to become a pitching ace.
Only 10 Spots Available! 2 spots remain (early spots went to Writers' Room members first! Not a Writers' Room member? You're missing out!) Payment plans available - email edu@stage32.com Do you have an idea for a horror script and want the motivation to type FADE IN?If so, you can write your horror feature film screenplay in just 8 weeks with one-on-one mentoring from Sean Keller, a screenwriter and producer who has written for horror greats like John Carpenter and Dario Argento! Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to bring your horror feature film to life under the guidance of a seasoned pro. Sean is a genre screenwriter and producer who, for over two decades, has written horror, science-fiction, and thrillers for Blumhouse, Hulu, ABC, SyFy, Lionsgate and more. He has also written for Nicholas Winding Refn, Chelsea Stardust and Antoine Fuqua. His dialog has been performed by Academy Award winning Best Actors Nicolas Cage, Anthony Hopkins, and Adrien Brody. With Sean's expertise and our hands-on approach, you'll whip up your horror masterpiece in just 8 weeks. Are you ready to take the next step to getting a draft done for your own horror feature film script? This is your chance! Your 8-Week Screenwriting Journey: You'll engage in an 8-week virtual screenwriting lab with Sean to write your horror or genre feature film script. You'll connect with Sean in virtual class sessions and one-on-one Zoom sessions. (If you have to miss a class, don't worry! You can watch the recording) Talk with Sean on email throughout the lab to ask any of your script, craft or career questions. Leave the lab with having written a completed script! Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to bring your horror feature film to life under the guidance of a seasoned pro. Sean is a genre screenwriter and producer who, for over two decades, has written horror, science-fiction, and thrillers for Blumhouse, Hulu, ABC, SyFy, Lionsgate and more. He has also written for Nicholas Winding Refn, Chelsea Stardust and Antoine Fuqua. His dialog has been performed by Academy Award winning Best Actors Nicolas Cage, Anthony Hopkins, and Adrien Brody. Let's make your screenwriting dreams a thrilling reality! Join now and let the horror adventure begin!
Animation in both film and television has found increased popularity in recent years. Since it’s possible for the bulk of the work of animated films and television to be completed from home or while socially distanced, the industry has been flourishing as more players are turning to this format. As a result, this is a prime and exciting time to take your first steps into this world and find your space within it. The tools you need to succeed in animation are quite unique, but once honed, they can offer you a long and fulfilling creative career. Many are surprised by just how different the world of animation is to its live action counterpart, both in television and film. Animation plays by different rules, different hierarchies, different schedules, different expectations, different everything. That’s why approaching a career in animation the way you’d approach one in another field of the entertainment industry just won’t work. To find your place in animation and build a long-lasting career, you first need to understand how the business works and where you can best fit in. Mike Disa is an accomplished director, producer, writer, and artist who directed on shows like the hit Netflix series PARADISE PD and has been in the animation industry for over twenty-five years. Mike found success working with studios such as Dreamworks, Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and many others. Over a fascinating career, Mike has worked with some of the greatest and most infamous people in Hollywood including Steven Spielberg, Eric Goldberg, Ralph Bakshi, Glenn Close, Steve Oedekerk, David Tennant, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, Jeffery Katzenberg and Roy Disney. A favorite and fixture among the Stage 32 community, Mike is deeply entrenched in the world of animation and knows better than most what it takes to build a career in this industry Mike will walk you through what the animation industry looks today, both in film and television, and teach you how best to find your place within it. He will begin with animated TV and go over its financial models of production. He’ll explain what the animated TV industry looks like on broadcast, cable and streamers and go through the rating system widely used. Mike will also explain the types of animated shows currently being made and how best you can place your own show. He will also discuss representation, why you need it and how to get it. Mike will then move on to animated features and explain the financial models here, for studio films, indies, and what the “Bluth Bubble” is. He’ll also discuss domestic vs. international animation, incorporating toys and merchandise, and the balance between art and commerce. Finally Mike will explain how to find your own place in the future of animation. The world of animation might be an anomaly compared to the rest of Hollywood, but Mike will give you the understanding to walk in with your eyes open and find success. Praise for Mike's Previous Stage 32 Webinars: Mike’s knowledge is sound and extensive. His vision for what’s happening now and what we are to expect in the future is brilliant. I could listen to him forever. -Jane D. "Mike Disa was amazingly generous with his time and information. And he was real. It doesn't get better than that. I'll be able to apply his insights and the information he shared immediately. I'm so glad I decided to participate." - Elizabeth A. "The stories and ideas and descriptions were excellent. Straight talk from a true professional." - Don S. I loved the wealth of content and Mike's humor. -Prema R.
"Very informative and complex concepts were broken down so folks without a law degree could understand them." - Elisha B. When you are putting together a deal as a writer, producer or filmmaker there are many things to think about when it comes to your contracts - between option agreements, purchase agreements and negative pickups it's important you understand what deal you're getting yourself into before you start development. Your Stage 32 Educator is entertainment attorney Jordan Barel, who's a California attorney that has worked with AMC, New Line Cinema, Generate and Alloy. He is also a producer who develops projects based off IP and started out as the television coordinator at Verve Talent & Literary Agency. You will cover three different types of contracts: purchase agreement, option agreement, and negative pickup. Jordan will discuss terms in both a legal and practical matter so that you get the information needed to be prepared to negotiate your next agreement. Such things will include material and boilerplate terms, what can or can't be negotiated, and how lawyers themselves will be reading and reviewing your agreement. This will be an in-depth, but accessible, legal discussion walking you through each part of a standard purchase and option agreement. Plus! You'll get 5 contract templates to download! Whether you're a producer, filmmaker or writer learn the overview of contracts to give you a competitive advantage in your next negotiation! **All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only to permit you to learn more about certain types of contracts within the entertainment industry. The information presented is not legal advice and is not to be acted on as such, please consult your lawyer for issues specific to your contract. PRAISE FOR JORDAN'S TEACHINGS: "Very informative and complex concepts were broken down so folks without a law degree could understand them." - Elisha B.
It’s the dream of many to have a career as a writer for TV or film, to be able to make a living creating worlds and telling stories. Just ask almost anyone at any coffee shop. However the life of a writer, even the most successful, isn’t always easy. The career path is fraught, unpredictable, and inconsistent. Every writer breaks in (or doesn’t) in different ways, and as a result, there isn’t a singular roadmap for aspiring writers to find the success they’re looking for. That said, having a keen understanding of the industry you’re trying to break into and a wherewithal of potentially helpful steps on your journey is vital in finding your place and advancing in your career. The truth is there’s so much more that goes into being a writer than just writing. Creative chops alone won’t save you. You are creating art for a market and therefore need to understand how the market operates in order to work within it. And while every writer’s career is unique, there are still commonalities and patterns among them and mistakes many have made that you can avoid by learning from them. Lee Sternthal is a screenwriter, director and photographer who has written screenplays for every major studio, including TRON: LEGACY for Disney, as well as scripts for Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson and many others. His film, THE WORDS starring Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana and Jeremy Irons was an Official Sundance Film Festival selection and was later bought by CBS Films. Lee is a Sundance Institute Fellow, and his work has appeared on The Black List. Through his journey in this industry he has seen it all - the good, the bad and the ugly - and has come to Stage 32 exclusively to tell you about it. Lee will reflect on his own career as a writer, the mistakes he’s made and the successes he’s found, both in the indie space and the studio system, to give you the perspective, lessons learned, and strategies to better navigate your own writing career. He’ll begin by focusing on writers just starting out and will discuss whether new writers need a manager and whether they need an agent. He’ll then talk about the pros and cons of having a writing partner and what to expect if you join forces with someone else. He will discuss Sundance Film Festival and reveal what actually happens if your film gets accepted. Lee will also discuss the insider Hollywood script survey the Black List from and illustrate what happens when your script appears on this list. He’ll then delve into screenwriting services, how they can be helpful, and how they can be harmful. Next Lee will then share his own experiences, both writing for a studio for the Disney film TRON: LEGACY as well as writing for the independent project THE WORDS to give you a sense of what those experiences are like from the inside. He’ll discuss how to know how much you’re able to take on and how to grapple with the doubt and Imposters Syndrome that is incredibly common among writers starting to find success. He’ll then go over the best ways to continue to pay the bills as a new screenwriter. Finally, Lee will give you his insider knowledge of the industry, including how to understand who “The Players” are and how to navigate them, what “The Venues” are and how they operate and how to work different rooms. Praise for Lee’s Webinar: “It was great to hear about all of Lee’s different experiences. I feel like I have a better sense of what to expect and what to do moving forward to keep on writing!” -Dennis G. “Lee was great! This was such an interesting webinar!” -Betty H. “I’m so glad I saw this! Lee has so much knowledge to share.” -Terry C. “Lee definitely answered a lot of big questions I’ve been asking myself about getting into writing, and now I’m excited to take some next steps. Thanks!” -Gwen D.