If you've been away from The Writers' Room for a while or this is your first time hearing about Stage 32’s exclusive membership—buckle up. Because in the past few months, we didn't just improve The Writers' Room. We opened up a new world of possibilities. Here's everything that's changed, everything that's happened, and why thousands of screenwriters are joining the new Writers' Room. The Numbers Don't Lie: Real Results for Real Writers Let's start with the facts. Since we launched the im...

If you’re taking your career as a writer seriously, you’ve probably spent a fair amount of time studying the craft. You’ve read the books—Save the Cat, maybe some Truby or Syd Field. You’ve taken the webinars, maybe even an online course or two. You understand story beats and character arcs and you have a solid sense of how to put the pieces together. But maybe you’ve hit a plateau. Technically, your story works—yet somehow, it doesn’t sing. If you’ve read my other posts, you know I’m a stru...

So you’ve finally caught on that the easiest script to get made is horror. It’s global, it’s cheap and it’s the most-made genre with independent investors. What do you need to know? 1) Low Budget If You Are Not Established There are so many genius horror movies that take place in a house or a hotel or in the woods. Why? Because you only need one location. Monsters are tricky, but ghosts that you never really have to see (Paranormal Activity) are cheap. The cheaper your budget, the more likely...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in. This week’s video essay from Film Stack is an inspiring one; it’s called “When an Actress Stopped Playing It Safe”. Few actresses have risked as much for their careers as Charlize Theron. She broke out in the lat...

There are sooo many incredible Horror movies. It’s really hard to pick ten favorites. And my “10 Favorite Horror Movies” list changes a lot. I recently watched some movies that could be on this list one day. Here are my favorite Horror movies, why they’re my favorites, and one screenwriting tip from each movie. You can use some of these tips for other genres. And SPOILER ALERT- the below contains spoilers about the films!!! 10- THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS The People Under the Stairs is o...

Happy Friday, Stage 32ers! I’m excited to announce that FilmScape Chicago is partnering with Stage 32 Certification to offer our acclaimed Stage 32 Production Accounting Master Certification Course to train and elevate local talent, ensuring Chicago’s productions continue to thrive with the highest-caliber crews. “The most common question we get—whether through social media or in person—is, ‘How do I get started in this industry?’”, says FilmScape Chicago’s President, Ned McGregor. “Taking t...

Happy Thursday, Creative Army! Every year, the American Film Market (AFM) transforms Los Angeles into the beating heart of the global film industry, where thousands of producers, distributors, financiers, and creatives come together to make deals, launch projects, and build partnerships that define the year ahead. Whether you’re attending AFM for the first time or returning with new projects to pitch, understanding how to navigate this event strategically can make all the difference. That’s...

I had lunch with a producer on Friday who's worked on major sci-fi franchises for studios like WB and Netflix. Their big takeaway? Whoever has the audience has the leverage. Theaters used to have it. Netflix has it now. But YouTube? YouTube has more leverage than anyone. Here's the shift: it's not enough to own content anymore. You have to own the distribution or the channel. More and more production companies are financing, producing, and distributing their own content to reach audiences di...

We’ve all heard the stories. Paranormal Activity, a film with a budget slightly less than a used Honda, made $193 million worldwide and launched a profitable franchise. That film’s progenitor, The Blair Witch Project, had a $60K budget and turned out a $250 million box office haul. The most profitable films from 2010 to 2015 were all horror films. 10. The Last Exorcism ($68M gross vs. $1.8M production budget) 9. Annabelle ($257M vs. $6.5M) 8. Chernobyl Diaries ($37M vs. $1M) 7. Ins...

There is a particular silence that every independent creator knows. It is the silence of a sent folder after a week of no replies. It is the quiet dread of a theatre with more empty seats than occupied ones. It is the crushing stillness of a streaming analytics page, where the view count flatlines after a brief flicker of interest from friends and family. This silence is not bad luck. It is the sound of a dream colliding with the brutal mathematics of a new creative economy. The Old Dream and...