Claire Winters has spent the last fifteen years working as an actor, film and acting teacher, and writer/editor. In each incarnation, her mission has been to create and share deeply personal and entertaining stories. Her background as both a performer and writer gives her a unique understanding of how one's story and the performance of it - whether in person or on the page - best work together. On screen she's appeared on The Mentalist, The Bold and The Beautiful, As the World Turns and HBO's Empire Falls, among others, and has acted on stage in New York and in regional theaters throughout the US. Her cultural and personal essays have appeared on Elle.com, Medium.com's Human Parts, and The Liberty Project. Claire taught acting and filmmaking at The Lee Strasberg Institute in New York has led workshops on social media for artists, bio writing and interview skills at The SAG-AFTRA Conservatory and SAG Foundation. In addition to her creative work, she's a committed advocate for the arts community. As a charter member of SAG-AFTRA's NextGenPerformers Committee, she helped educate young performers about the benefits of guild membership and served as a delegate at the 2015 SAG-AFTRA Convention. She co-founded and edited the influential acting website BrainsofMinerva.com, which Backstage Magazine called "the spirit of helping others to find grace in a pressure-filled business." Claire is a graduate of The MFA in Acting Program at American Conservatory Theater and The Actors Fund Teaching Artist Institute and a member of Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA. Full Bio »
Learn directly from Claire Winters has spent the last fifteen years working as an actor, film and acting teacher, and writer/editor.
Testimonials:
"Thank you for challenging me to find the best in myself to present to industry professionals. I appreciate your encouragement to embrace all dimensions of myself in how I communicate. It was a pleasure to take your class." - Nikki Jacobs, Actor
"It’s not just her writing skill that made working with Claire such a great experience (though she has that in spades), but her insightful questions really got at the heart of what I wanted people to feel when reading my bio. Her knowledge of the entertainment industry also meant that she curated which work experiences the bio highlighted in an effective way. I now have something that I’m proud to share." - Sarah Sido, Actor
Do you sit down to write your bio and become paralyzed with fear and second-guessing? Or do you wonder who that blow-hard is you've created staring back at you from the computer screen? As careers in the entertainment industry become ever-more entrepreneurial, it's essential for every creative to have a bio that presents her in her best light. Yet, unfortunately, many bios are too impersonal to make an impact, or too self-effacing to engender confidence, or so egocentric that they turn their readers off. How can you write about your career in a way that sparks interest and begins a professional relationship on the right foot?
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, you'll be lead through exercises on how to tell the story of your career with creativity, intelligence, wit, and, most importantly, in your own distinct voice. Not only will you emerge with a framework for a bio you'll be proud to share, but you'll also have deeper self-respect and inspired ideas for your next steps.
Claire Winters
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"From the moment we began our work together, I found Claire to be an exceptional listener, deeply insightful and someone who truly delivers excellence. I felt seen and known through her words. Though I am a writer, it was through the bio she wrote for me that I fully saw myself and understood the big picture of what I offer. Working with Claire is a beautiful, collaborative process. She invites and encourages all feed back. I thought her first draft was amazing but was so moved by how she refined and strengthened the second draft by leaps and bounds. She out did herself. Work with Claire. She is excellence and artistry embodied." - Heidi Rose Robbins, Author & Speaker
"It’s not just her writing skill that made working with Claire such a great experience (though she has that in spades), but her insightful questions really got at the heart of what I wanted people to feel when reading my bio. Her knowledge of the entertainment industry also meant that she curated which work experiences the bio highlighted in an effective way. I now have something that I’m proud to share." - Sarah Sido, Actor
"What I loved about the process was that it forced me to really dig deep to find the answers to questions I hadn’t really thought about, but that are so important in the grand scheme of things. I knew going into the process from having taken Claire’s workshop that she would produce something good. What surprised me was her attention to detail, her genuine interest, and how pleasant she is to work with. It really was a fun experience, and in the end my bio wasn’t just good, it was great." - Neil Cox, Actor
"Thank you for challenging me to find the best in myself to present to industry professionals. I appreciate your encouragement to embrace all dimensions of myself in how I communicate. It was a pleasure to take your class." - Nikki Jacobs, Actor
Founded in 2011 by Richard "RB" Botto, Stage 32 is the world's largest online platform connecting and educating film, TV and new media creatives and professionals worldwide. Stage 32 works with over five hundred industry professionals and executives who provide education, instruction and professional opportunities for members of the platform. Stage 32 currently has over 1,200 hours of exclusive film, television and digital craft and business education in its library. Stage 32 members use the platform daily to build their network, take online webinars, classes and labs, find work and cast and crew their projects. Stage 32 members range from students to Emmy, BAFTA and Academy Award Winners. We work tirelessly to ensure that you know that Stage 32 is your online home to stay connected with over 600,000 creatives and professionals from across the globe. Now, we are excited to present a virtual panel featuring some of the top minds in the Stage 32 community to discuss the current state of television, as the industry adapts to a new development and production landscape after the COVID-19 pandemic and a continuing battle between the WGA & ATA. In this roundtable discussion you will hear the point of view of a production company (Tracy Mercer, Senior Vice President, Television at Amasia Entertainment), a television packager (Stuart Arbury, Director of TV & Episodic Content at Ramo Law), a literary manager (Raquelle David of Elevate Entertainment), a writer, producer, Stage 32 CEO (Rich “RB” Botto), all moderated by producer, writer, and the Stage 32 Director of Script Services (Jason Mirch). Stage 32 is proud to be putting the "social" in #SocialDistancing. Please share this event on your social media and tag @stage32 on Twitter and @stage32online on Instagram.
What do the singer Elvis Presley, the con-artist Anna Delvey and the phycisist Albert Einstein have in common? Their true life stories have recently been adapted into major feature films and TV series. True story adaptations find success largely because the writers and creators understand where to find the story within these real lives to adapt. They efficiently honed in on an angle that pulled the audience in while developing emotional arcs that kept viewers invested. Writing is a craft, no doubt, and one that must be managed differently when pen hits paper and for adaptations. It takes work and a deep understanding of your story as well as the medium you’re adapting it for, but it’s something you can achieve for your own true life passion project, especially with the proper understanding and guidance. Kate Sharp is a producer and literary manager at Bellevue Productions. Prior to joining Bellevue, Kate was the VP of Development and Production at Occupant Entertainment, producing short-form content for Showtime, MTV, Verizon, Facebook, and U2, and was an Executive Producer on the Hulu original, Emmy-nominated TV series BEHIND THE MASK. Her film credits include PEEP WORLD, BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY, MADAME BOVARY and THE HALLOW. Kate is currently producing THE BURNING SEASON with Naomi Watts and STRANGER THINGS’ Sophia Lillis attached to star. Kate has worked with countless writers on adapting their true story projects of all types and knows what it takes to turn a true story into a script that producers, reps, studios and execs will be interested in. Kate will delve into the craft of adapting a true story to a film or series, and how to put words to the page to make this happen. She will define the three types of true story or biopic adaptations so you can determine which option is best for you and give you the tools to decide if your story should unfold as a feature or limited series so you can determine which option is best for you. She will also walk you through best practices for researching, finding your own angle to the story, and how to write your script so it feels authentic while still possessing emotional arcs and narrative liberties to ensure your script is marketable and successful in the market. Through Kate’s rundown, you will walk away with confidence and write an adapted script that gets the attention it deserves. Praise for Kate's Previous Stage 32 Webinar "Kate Sharp was incredible. She's a great instructor, and also looks like a very special person to have as a manager, who loves what she does and would be a great partner for a writer! Thank you for sharing her gifts with us!" -Ricki L. "The information was straightforward and practical. I made loads of notes to go back over. Thanks!" -Gillian R. "BRAVO, KATE!!! She provided a wonderful presentation fueled by stellar "real world" facts and scenarios" -Bill B.
Stage 32 is committed to bringing you entertainment, education, and community from the comfort and safety of your own home. Our Script Services Coordinator, Nick Assunto, has procured an amazing slate of talented and funny actors and Stage 32 members to read his pilot The Conspiracists, a half-hour sci-fi comedy. During this exciting virtual event, you will get an exclusive look behind the scenes of a professional television table read. Watch as the actors make the script come alive for the very first time. This is a rare opportunity to peel back the curtain go behind the scenes to watch and see a script workshopped directly with professionals. Our fearless leader, Richard "RB" Botto kicked off a night of hanging out virtually. You'll get a chance to laugh along courtesy of some Stage 32 members who are incredible actors from your favorite tv shows and improv theaters including The Upright Citizens Brigade, Second City, and The Pack. Cindy Chu - playing Helena Francois (New Girl, Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver) Angela Cristantello - playing Beatrix Baker (Agent Carter, 9-1-1) Nican Robinson - playing Greg Shepherd (13 Reasons Why, Thunder Road) Carolyn Deskin - playing Mee Moo and Super Professional Sue (Water's Edge, Sorrow) Rama Vallury - playing Turkey Hemingway, Sweaty Phil, Nervous Intern, Boss Man and Bus Drive (Happy Ending, AOK) Ramona Apthorp - playing Pickle Frost PLUS! after the table read we did a Q&A with the actors, writer Nick Assunto, our fearless leader Richard Botto and our Director of Script Services, Jason Mirch moderated by our Managing Director Amanda Toney so you will get the perspective from everyone involved about the table read! What a great way to have fun and learn! Mark your Calendar! LIVE Online Table Read of the Comedy Pilot "The Conspiracists" Friday, March 27th at 7 pm PST Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32online , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .
As filmmakers, having your film stand out amidst the throng of weekly releases is no easy task. Oftentimes, you find yourself competing against studio releases and the multitude of small-to-mid-level distributors dropping a plethora of titles. This creates an influx of news that can make it feel impossible for an indie film to be noticed. Since a film’s success hinges so vitally upon a good marketing campaign, there has to be a plan from day one. In order to stand out, there are three things that you need to think about from the very beginning of your project: the assets you can create, the timeline of how you unroll those assets, and how to keep the publicity train chugging along up to and well after your film’s release. Writers and editors of genre and horror websites receive anywhere between 100-400 emails a day. A lot of messages that hit their inbox are automatically deleted because they look like every other press release that they simply don’t care about, don’t have the time for, or they know that their audiences aren’t going to be interested in. Yet with proper planning, you can figure out how to offer websites content on your film that they will be eager to write about, as well as create a lasting relationship for future projects from then on forward. Jonathan Barkan served as the Editor-in-Chief of Dread Central, one of the internet’s leading horror websites, where he spotlighted and championed countless independent horror films. He also served as acquisitions ambassador for DREAD Presents, a genre-centric distribution label under the banner of Epic Pictures Group. Before Dread Central, Jonathan served as the Managing Editor of Bloody Disgusting, another leading horror website. More recently, Jonathan joined forces with Epic Pictures’ Shaked Berenson to form the Horror Collective, where he serves as Vice President of Acquisitions and Distribution and finds and acquires genre titles for North American distribution as well as foreign sales. An internet personality, he has appeared on multiple podcasts and news segments to discuss the social and cultural significance of horror and his writing has been featured on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes, WatchMojo, Atom Tickets, Phantastiqa, ComingSoon.Net, and Shudder’s weekly newsletter The Bite. Through his extensive background, Jonathan has become a bona fide expert on the horror film industry and how independent genre filmmakers find success. Jonathan will teach you how to operate the horror and genre website landscape in order to get your genre film featured and form relationships critical to the marketing and ultimate success of your project. First, Jonathan will walk you through the assets you need to have leading up to your marketing campaign. He’ll show you what content you can create cheaply and efficiently during all stages of production, how to make it look good, how to think outside the box, and what the dreaded “curse of knowledge” is. Next Jonathan will explain how to unroll these assets, including working with your distributor (or yourself) to create a marketing plan, what to unveil and when, who to offer exclusives to, and how to get your cast and crew involved. He will give you tips of what to consider when submitting to film festivals, what to use to promote your premieres when you get accepted and what to hold onto, and how to use festivals as further promotion of your film. Then Jonathan will delve into how to get onto major outlets. He will teach you how to find contact information for writers, how to write emails for the greatest chance of success, and how to maintain a relationship that you can always rely upon. Finally, he will walk you through what to do after your movie has been released. He’ll teach you how to keep interest high moving forward and how you can keep on unveiling content. Standing out and getting your film noticed is always hard, especially in the world of horror, but Jonathan will give you practical and actionable tools to find success and your project the attention it needs. Praise for Jonathan's Stage 32 Webinar "Really valuable and interesting content and told very clearly, concisely and just very open and down to earth, really enjoyed this webinar 5 stars!" -Jaye A. "Excellent and thorough presentation." -Christopher B. "Great host, very insightful webinar." -Matt D. "The webinar and host were both great - lots of useful info" -Matthew L.
Limited Class Size - Only 5 Spots Left Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details Work one-on-one with a top Hollywood manager as you write your one-hour pilot for a major streaming platform. HBO Max, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Paramount+... Do you want to write for them? Their audiences want amazing new shows every day. But the bar is set high. That's where Stage 32 comes in. Whether you want to sell a show or be staffed on a series, the first step is writing a great one-hour pilot script. In this exclusive Stage 32 lab, you’ll work one-on-one with top Hollywood manager Charlie Osowik to craft your pilot script over 10 weeks. Professional screenwriters work with managers like Charlie to develop their ideas, pitch concepts, and get feedback on drafts. This relationship ultimately leads to a stronger script that executives are more likely to get excited about, and that is the exact process you’ll be going through in this lab. At the end of 10 intensive weeks, you’ll have a completed script, vetted and developed by an industry professional. Charlie is a literary manager who built a successful international sales career at FilmNation, Sierra/Affinity, Voltage, and MGM, so he knows what buyers are looking for. Since establishing his own company in 2018, he’s had numerous writers staffed (like on the HBO Max series DOOM PATROL) and helped them develop and sell original material (including 2018’s DUST). In addition to your five one-on-one meetings with Charlie, you will also have access to him via email for the entire duration of the class, and you'll be connected with the other writers in the lab through a private Stage 32 Lounge. With limited spots available for this lab, you’re guaranteed specialized attention for your script and the time to build relationships with your fellow writers. But don’t wait too long to sign up. Spots to work one-on-one with Charlie are limited to just 10 writers and they’re going fast. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to work with an industry pro and write your pilot script now!
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