Screenwriting : Netflix + Stage 32 Free Webinar: How to Write Hit Drama TV for Streaming Platforms by Amanda Toney

Amanda Toney

Netflix + Stage 32 Free Webinar: How to Write Hit Drama TV for Streaming Platforms

Hi everyone, I'm excited to bring in a producer & writer from BRIDGERTON to teach the final installment of our education series with Netflix. Here's all the details - be sure to register: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Netflix-%20-Stage-32-Present-How-to-Wri...

Ahmed Hayat Khan

I want to thank you for your work. I am also looking forward for this webinar. You are remarkable job. It is really nice to work with you Amanda Toney

Emma Crookes

Hello from Bath, England. I’m so looking forward to this.

Thank you

John Forbes

Hey everyone -- looking forward to this presentation . . .

Vikram Bhandari

Hey Filmmaker from Germany! Excited to connect with creatives around the globe.

Balarama Munoz Medina

Hello My name is Balarama Munoz, i am filmaker and director from Chile

Natalia Cruz

Hi, my name is Natalia. Anyone else from Vancouver, Canada?

Luiza Paniagua

Hiiii! I'm Luiza Paniagua and i'm from Brazilll ! Very anxious with this webinar!

Francesca Varisco

Hi everyone! Francesca here, looking forward to the presentation!

Kathi Carey

Sooooo looking forward to this -- outlining a drama pilot now!

Jerry Jaz

No drama in writing, but selling writing, well….

Danielle Boone

Looking forward to hearing from Leila. She was awesome in the pitch tank last week :)

Hania Sherwani

Hi!! my name is Hania. I'm a film student. Very excited for this seminar

Diane Namm

Hi. Looking forward to hearing what Leila has to say! Thanks for arranging this!

Dominika Gniewek

Hello! Best wishes from Cambridge! I have been really looking forward to this webinar :)

Ayn Carrillo Gailey

Thanks so much. @ayngailey from Orcas Island/LA

Lise Rask

Excited for this webinar :-)

Casey Williams

Hey everyone! I'm Casey from Calgary, AB! So excited for this!

Donald Jacobs

So looking forward to this session

Trisha Evans-Lutterodt

Hi everyone, I'm Trisha, an aspiring screenwriter, and director from London, UK. Lovely to meet you all!

Sam Felman

Looking forward to meeting everyone! / @SamFelman / www.SamFelman.com / Director and Production Designer

Omowumi Ogunsola

I'm so fascinated about this. Looks interesting already. I'm Vicky, from Johannesburg South Africa

Anastasia Yules

Looking forward to this. Greetings from Sheffield, UK :)

Anna Fong

Hi! New here, nice to meet everyone

Diana T Black

Thank you RB, Amanda, and of course, Leila... these are really valuable presentations...

Jeff Shelby

Hi all - I'm in cold, dreary MN. :)

Camille Elston

Hey everyone! I'm here from Riverside, looking forward to the webinar!

Fawaz Azim

Very excited! Name is Fawaz. and joining the webinar from Toronto

!

Reneasha Lawrence

Hi, looking forward to this from Trinidad and Tobago.

Rebecca Gismondi

Hi everyone, tuning in from Toronto, Canada!

Nosipo Matanzima

Hi there, am so looking forward to this.

Svetlana Tulasi

Hi everyone! Loved Chris Mack's Netflix workshop, excited for this one too! Svetlana (IG: @svetlanatulasi)

Steven Delisi

hello from Chicago! … musician & aspiring screenwriter :)

Dinesh Holmes

Hi there, greetings from Sri Lanka! Tuning in even though it's almost 11pm, excited to meet everyone

Maurice Vaughan

Hi, everyone. I'm Maurice, a Community Thought Leader in the Screenwriting lounge. Looking forward to meeting you.

Staton Rabin

Hi, I'm a working screenwriter and a freelance script analyst. Also write YA novels for Simon & Schuster. Never stop learning.

Wendy Pfeifle

Excited to learn today! Hi from Los Angeles!

Joanna AY

Hello from Nottingham, UK. Great to see everyone :)

Lucie Page

Hey from Toronto!

Pritts Castor

Hi, everyone, from Manila, Philippines!

Evangelist Keoagile

Hello all. From Botswana, Africa

Ebony Franklin

Hi, im a film student from Manchester :)

Shanra Jean Kehl

Hi Everyone from sunny Santa Monica.

Dominika Gniewek

Hello everyone! I am so excited about this webinar!

Colette "ByFilms" Byfield

Welcome everyone! I’m sure this will be another great Netflix + Stage 32 session!

Carla Mejia

Hi - Carla Mejia from new york city!

Deke Acosta

Hi all from Puerto Rico!

P. James Norris

Anyone wanting to Link "up", I'm at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjamesnorris/. I write teleplays, short stories, and novels.

Alexander Gerlach

Hi, I'm Alex from Berlin, Germany. I am so excited!

Ashley Owens

Hi! Everyone! Coming from NYC. Super excited to “meet” you all today.

Nicole F. Burney

Hello everyone from New Jersey.

Tricia Cerrone

Hey everyone! Pens at the ready!

Joni Rodgers

Peace and grooviness to all :)

Raphael Bittencourt

Hi all! Brazilian writer-director-producer based in LA here! Great to see you all!

Opute C. Joel

Hi everyone...

My name is Opute C. Joel. I am a filmmaker based in Nigeria. Good to connect with you guys

Lucas Zoppi

Hi everyone from Buenos Aires!

Summer Rona

Would love to connect @summerrona https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Just moved from New York to Pacific Palisades, CA

Samuel Tracton

Hello everyone! Hello from Pennsylvania!

Gary Feld

hi all from Alexandria, Virginia

Sally Clements

Hi from Ireland! Loved Awkward!

Adamu Adamu

Good morning from San Diego!

Muhammad Saqib

Greetings everyone from Karachi, Pakistan

Isaac Dil

Hola! from South Africa

Zachary Fox

Good evening from London, UK!

Mayra Belén Leiva

Hello from Córdoba, Argentina

Naail Ishaq

Hello, from England. Is this webinar recorded and able to be viewed later?

Tim Wright

Greetings all from Dallas via Detroit

Karen "Kay" Ross

Greetings, y'all! I'm Kay, the Community Manager here at Stage 32, tuning in from Los Angeles - WELCOME! Be sure to hit that REFRESH button on your web browser to read the newest comments on this thread!

Amari Grant

Hey y'all I'm a screenwriter in Maryland. Let's connect on IG: cr8tivemari

Laura Van Der Zee

Hi everyone!

Sallona Ramesh

Hello everyone! Greetings from Germany :)

Jillian Del Rosario

Hello to everyone! I'm Jini from the Philippines :))

Robert A Douglas

Hello everyone. Thanks to Stage 32 for this learning opportunity.

Søren Jonia Nissen

Hello from Denmark :-)

David China Woolf

Hello from Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel

Carrie Hayes

Hello from the Garden State! So glad to be here.

Anastasia Pisklyukova

Hi everyone, I'm producer & line producer working in Berlin, also aspiring script writer, developing a coming of age tv series atm.

Jermaine Johnson

Hi, everyone! I am Jermaine from Jamaica.

Tanmay Tushar

This is my handle if anyone wants to connect! Filmmaker and Film student @tanmaybetheone - Instagram

Phiwa Sukumane

Hello from Pretoria , South Africa

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

I just realized I hate drama. Yikes. :-D

Raksha Thakur

Hi! Comedian and writer! Thanks!

Fahd Aldajani فهد الدعجاني

Greetings from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia! good to see you again!

Jason Dallas

Hi there! Jason from Burbank!

Oriana Theola Nair

Hey Everyone!!! I'm Oriana and I'm from South Africa

Alice Militaru

unfortunately it's late and I have to go, I will watch it after when available. Nite nite

Olga Kozhema

Really hope it will help me as I'm a bit stuck right now:)

Joy Mamey

Hey everybody - I'm a Lebanese, cancer surviving comedian and writer in LA! @joymamey

MoMo Matsunyane

Super excited! MoMo from Johannesburg.

@momomatsunyane

Tamesha Edwards

Hello everyone! I am from California... Thank you, Stage 32 for this great experience...

Andrea Bandiková

Hello from Bratislava :)

Justin Narthuna

In which category does a gangster story fall in?

Karen "Kay" Ross

So true, @DanielleBoone - Leila was fantastic as she gave feedback to Stage 32 Writer's Room members' pitches! It's such a valuable monthly event, and she definitely elevated the experience!

Jillian Del Rosario

Never too late for a good webinar! It's currently 1:35 AM here now haha!

Jo Gomesh

Hello from Portugal :)

Justin Narthuna

In which genres does a gangster drama fall in?

Rebekah Zink

Actress/screenwriter/directory and romance author from New York, moving to London in August. Let's connect :] IG: @rebekah_zink

Karen "Kay" Ross

@NaailIshaq - Yes, this webinar will be available as a recording, probably within 24 hours of its wrapping.

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

Hey, screenwriters, what are you working on right now?

Martin Reese

This webinar is great already.

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for taking the time to teach this webinar, Leila!

Susan Bowery

Hello & Much Love from Manchester, England x

Sandeep Gupta

: ) help! is there an app for “get a life” ?

D'Anthony Johnson

Hello D'Anthony Johnson Here from Jamaica Queens NYC. Thank you Amanda, RB, and Leila, for this amazing content and info. I'm an aspiring screen writer very interested in this topic. Can anyone advise me on the best software/apps for developing a screenplay for streaming/ broadcast/or content creation?

Analía Feble Badano

Hi everyone! I'm a filmmaker from Argentina currently living in Deutschland.

Maurice Vaughan

Dima, check out posts in the Screenwriting lounge. They will help you learn screenwriting.

Maurice Vaughan

I'm rewriting two feature scripts, Agnieszka. Are you working on projects?

Rebekah Zink

@Agnieszka, working on some Young Adult book adaptations and a short film drama. :] You?

Christi Corbett

Hello all! I'm an author/screenwriter in Oregon

Dawn Sellers

Hello to all. I'm watching from Portland, Oregon. If you'd like to connect either here or https://www.instragram.com/dawnsellerspdx

Mark Giacomin

Hey everyone! Loving the Leila's enthusiasm, tough gig doing a solo webinar!

Maurice Vaughan

D'Anthony, are you looking for software to develop a script or actually write the script?

Delia Dobritoiu

Hi everyone, I am Delia and I am based in London. Aspiring writer, looking for a mentor.

Theodor Inelus

https://www.instagram.com/theodorinelus/Hi guys! Id love to connect with y'all. Im a producer and screenwriter from Romania!

Joy Mamey

Beat is a good screenwriting program too!

Yvonne Griffiths

Hello from Alberta, Canada. Looking to write inspirational dramas.

Jo Gomesh

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak I've just finished a feature script for a realistic drama. Next step: rewrite :)

Roger Anthony Dumadag

Hey y’all! Native NYer in Hotlanta! Writer, director, producer and actor

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

@Rebekah Zink that sounds interesting! I'm writing a sci-fi plant horror! :-)

Ahmed Hayat Khan

Hi I am from Islamabad Pakistan. Its really great resourceful. I thank you for all team. You are doing a good job.

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

@Maurice Vaughan cool! What genres?

Samuel Tracton

My primary script at the moment is a pirate/fantasy/political epic pilot. :)

Summer Rona

Excited to learn. I've written a hip pop musical that will be adapted into a musical TV series as well. Plenty of story and songs!

H-D Messias

Hello everyone I am, in based in Toronto trying to figure out how to start writing a tv series do I start with the premise pilot or character breakdown or synopsis?

Phiwa Sukumane

I watched Stage32 webinars (Write comedy/Sci Fi, pilot story structure). Now I see all the story concepts in Scorpion TV series. Awe-some!

P. James Norris

What is the term Ms. Cohan is using to describe the pilot where you start in the middle of the action?

Maurice Vaughan

Horror/Thriller, Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak. A Sci-Fi Plant Horror sounds interesting.

Karen "Kay" Ross

Don't forget to share your posts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook - it's such a great way to say "thank you" to our host for so generously sharing her time with us today!

Instagram

@rbwalksintoabar

@stage32

@netflix

@leilacohan

https://www.instagram.com/rbwalksintoa...

Expand comment
Daniel Velasco Cajias

Contact me on IG: @dannothewriter

Maurice Vaughan

I start a TV show by outlining the show's story, the world, and the characters, H-D. Then I outline the first season and the future seasons.

Karen "Kay" Ross

Y'all can also find and tag me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.osswrites/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmbraceZeKayoss

Phiwa Sukumane

How do we reply to each other in this chat?

Shakeema Simpson

This is really good.

Soha Ali Syed

Hi everybody! A budding Pakistani filmmaker here. It's lovely to connect with you all. :)

Phiwa Sukumane

@H-D: watch the webinar on Pilot Story Structure

Karen "Kay" Ross

P. James Norris - Cold Open? I think that's what it means to open in the middle of the action.

Phiwa Sukumane

P. James Norris the phrase is "In media res" - in the middle of the story.

Mary A. Byron

Let's connect ... https://www.instagram.com/noordinarylifememoir/

lived in a dozen locations, writing true stories of an insider's diplomatic life and encounters...

David Kayode

How would you define a Drama pilot to a kid?

Karen "Kay" Ross

In case anyone has any questions about industry terms, Stage 32 has recently put together a comprehensive Industry Glossary: https://www.stage32.com/glossary

Be sure to bookmark it for future reference!

Mike Chinea

Wishing all much success.

Maurice Vaughan

Phiwa, you can reply to someone in the chat by putting @ before their name. Sometimes people's names will show up. If that doesn't work, just type their name.

Dawn Sellers

Yellowjackets is so good!

Joy Mamey

Such great advice about Killing Eve - they are two sides of the same coin and they both want something from the other. Love that.

Tanmay Tushar

Lets connect !

IG link - https://www.instagram.com/tanmaybetheone/?hl=en

LinkedIn link - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanmay-tushar-3915b933/

Theodor Inelus

I've never seen Yellowjackets, but it sounds good.

Sara Crosignani

Hi to everybody! I'm Sara and I'm writing from the north of Italy!

Maurice Vaughan

I've heard of "Yellowjackets," Dawn. I haven't seen it yet.

Phiwa Sukumane

Maurice Vaughan Thanks - I figured it out.

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Phiwa Sukumane.

Summer Rona

What do you think makes dialogue great?!

D'Anthony Johnson

Maurice Both actually I'm new to this space.

Lyndsay Sinclair

Watching from Australia. Thank you Stage 32, Leila and Netflix.

Laura Van Der Zee

Let's connect! I'm an actress and film director from the Netherlands. insta: @ l.artzy Always on the lookout for new co-ops! Also interested in moving to London :)

Phiwa Sukumane

I need all your help. I wrote a satire on xenophobia. How do I write 'happy vibes' into the story?

Hariharan Thavanirupan

Watching from Sri Lanka, this webinars great!

Dawn Sellers

I think good dialogue is natural but not cliche. How a character converses shows who they are.

Sajani Fernando

Hi, I'm writing a script about the journey of a boy who becomes a feared villain. And he is challenged by his childhood best friend emotionally and through action as well because his friend disagrees with how he thinks.

Sajani Fernando

Any thoughts or ideas about it?

Phiwa Sukumane

@Summer Rona Dialogue must move the story 4ward, Characters must sound diff, must not be repeatitive, must not be realistic - not kitchen sink, no backstory in it. Lastly - no, 'good mornings'

Theodor Inelus

Research is extremely important. Ive prepared a year and a half for a feature lenght script I wrote.

Karen "Kay" Ross

Since Leila just mentioned the WGA website, here is the link for WGA West: https://www.wga.org/

Sam Sokolow

Hi everyone - what are you watching currently on Netflix?

Daniel Velasco Cajias

The rules of your world need to be clear and you have to respect them once you have laid them.

Samuel Tracton

@Isabelle Hardesty! Me too! That's my bread and butter! Do you have a Twitter we can connect over? Mine is @SamuelTracton.

Karen "Kay" Ross

I love how everyone is sharing what they are working on! Be sure to add your loglines to your Stage 32 profile so that more visiting members can ask you about your projects: https://www.stage32.com/loglines

Keith Dury

Super amazing!

Maurice Vaughan

D'Anthony, I use Microsoft Word to develop my scripts. I've heard that Prewrite is great for developing scripts. https://prewrite.com/

I use Final Draft 12 to write my scripts. WriterDuet is my backup screenwriting software. WriterDuet is cheaper, but I find Final Draft 12 a lot more useful.

Dawn Sellers

This is so great but I have to leave. I'll catch the replay and look forward to connecting with others. Happy writing everyone!

Marquita Owens Robinson

Looking forward to connecting!

Instagram

@marquitaowensrobinson

Phiwa Sukumane

@Sajani Fernando - What villian is he? What challenge is it? Disagree about what?

Vikki Harris

Regarding relationships of the characters, I agree that all characters should have some type of relationship with all the characters of the show, but why is so important that male/female leads of a show have to have a sexual relationship/tension? Example: Benson/Stabler.

Ophir Zonicle

Hello everyone, ophir here, so I am excited about this webinar....currently in the early stages of working on a thriller drama pilot !!!!!!! These notes are so good to help in my development stage

Theodor Inelus

https://www.instagram.com/theodorinelus/Lets connect! I am a writer with an MFA in screenwriting and I work as a producer.

Daniel Velasco Cajias

@Agnieszka A sci-fi fantasy show set against a Crime Drama background.

Frances Oruene-Harris

Hiya I'm super excited to join this community, I think it's brilliant that theres such access to resources and support

Jeff Sturm

Can I submit a script on Stage 32, to be reviewed? I have copyrights and WGA on everything.

Shola-Adido Oladotun

New member alert! Glad to be here.

Joseph Cassis

I am so impressed with the talent that is on this great platform and the incredible education available.

Emmanuel Ariguzo

Hello, I'm Emmanuel from Nigeria (Africa).

Stanton Longoria

Hello everyone! Stanton here-@TheStanLongoria on Instagram. Great to meet everyone!

Aspiring writer/Full-time actor in Austin, Tx. Looking forward to connecting!

Tanmay Tushar

Would love to connect! and collaborate together! https://www.instagram.com/tanmaybetheone/

Sara Roybal

Hello from Albuquerque NM! I normally do makeup but also interested in writing.

Rhone Fraser

Good afternoon EVERYONE and I am glad to be part of this community of creators and writers!

Alison Hogge

Hi, great session. Will have to catch up later for notes, as it is diner time here in Scotland!

Daniel Velasco Cajias

@isabelle hardesty. I love the genre, and I'm actually working on a graphic novel! I'd love the opportunity to exchange ideas!

Khaled Alrayhi

Film and animation Director , So thrilled to be here

Summer Rona

Grateful to be here. As a performer, I am a natural extrovert, but as a writer I have been isolating so I can finish this script. It's been a very emotional journey, very lonely, but necessary. Finally finished my first draft and excited to get back into the social world. Organizing the mass amount of content has been overwhelming and exciting! Mad respect to all of you out there.

Anna Robinson

Hello from North Vancouver! New member and so excited to join this community :)

Karen "Kay" Ross

Agreed Vikki Harris ! Relationship dynamics are so, SO important to creating multi-faceted characters. To your point, I really enjoy female characters that have a camaraderie with a male character without it becoming romantic (e.g. Zoey and Mal in Firefly).

Maurice Vaughan

Jeff, you can submit your script for the Stage 32 Script Services. https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices

Maurice Vaughan

Congrats on finishing the first draft, Summer.

Karen "Kay" Ross

Welcome to all our new members! If you want to connect with anyone on this thread, you can CONTROL+CLICK on any member's profile picture, their profile will pop up in a separate tab, and you can request to join their network! DMing is free, just like your membership!

Tom Van Basten

Hello everyone, for cooperations in developing and working on new exciting series,, targeting younger audience, feel free to add me on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom_van_basten/

Sajani Fernando

Phiwa Sukumane my villain is based on a fictional character in an already established story that doesn't have much backstory to his character. Basically, my villain doesn't start out as a villain but he grows to believe that in the fictional world certain people are lesser than him and therefore sho...

Expand comment
Lennox Schmidt

Hi from Amsterdam, glad to join this webinar. It's truly inspiring. Thank you.

Maurice Vaughan

Sajani, does the main character become a villain and his friend becomes a hero?

Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

I'm writing a science-fiction, plant horror, military movie :-) I would love to get some feedback!

Sajani Fernando

Any thoughts on this? The conflict is between their ideologies, about how one breaks out of it and one gives into it.

Maurice Vaughan

Welcome to the community, new members!

Sajani Fernando

There's more to the story and the characters and their relationships so if anyone wants to know about it or work on it with me let me know

Rebekah Zink

This is a great webinar! Don't hesitate to connect - I'm an actress and screenwriter, and a published romance author (under a pen name). Originally from Los Angeles, lived in NYC, and moving to London in the summer. IG: @rebekah_zink

Maurice Vaughan

Your story sounds interesting, Sajani. Is it a movie or a show?

Alexander Gerlach

Bless you

Karen "Kay" Ross

Uhhhh... y'all - that super special education discount for 50% off is good for TODAY ONLY! Jump on that for sure! What classes are you thinking about taking? You can search for available classes here: https://www.stage32.com/education

Theodor Inelus

If you write horror and more specifically Lovecraftian inspired horror, dont hesitate to connect with me! Lets share ideas.

https://www.instagram.com/theodorinelus/

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks, Leila. I was wondering about season arcs.

Wendy Pfeifle

@PfeifleWendy on twitter to connect and collaborate.

Sajani Fernando

Maurice Vaughan I was originally thinking about making it a feature film but because of the themes and content I wanted to explore, I'm now writing it to a TV show. What do you think?

Phiwa Sukumane

Sajani Fernando Thanks. Now tell me the story in description include plot: Example - Joe and Henry are best friends and are recent fighter jet pilot graduates. Joe is a first generation pilot but Henry comes from a family of helicopter pilots. Joe believes that helicopter pilots are not pilots becau...

Expand comment
Dinesh Holmes

Interestingly, I remember reading about how Vince Gilligan and the team wrote Breaking Bad- allegedly, in the last season, they didn't always know how they were going to incorporate the machine gun at the end. They thought it was cool, then had to figure out how to make it pay off in the end.

Sajani Fernando

The characters and their relationships with each other evolve but the endgame is that the villain gains power in the end.

Sajani Fernando

Is anyone interested? Any thoughts or ideas about it?

Daniel Velasco Cajias

LOST suffered from the network's mandate to stretch its run longer than the writer's original plan. So they had to divert from character and burn through plot. By the time the ending came, the audience was a mix of early Lost fans (character driven) and late Lost fans (plot driven) and of course, the end is what the writers hoped it would be in the beginning, so the late fans felt "betrayed" by the character driven ending.

Maurice Vaughan

Sajani, I think it would be great as a show. You will have more time to explore the characters, themes, etc. if it's a show.

Sajani Fernando

Maurice Vaughan the friend fails to stop the villain who becomes more powerful than anyone thought he could be. The ending is that the villain gains power but after the friend dies knowing that he failed their friendship but fighting against the villain.

Sajani Fernando

Anyone who wants to work on this with me, let me know! It would be so fun!

Jaclyn Gonzales

Hello!

Carla Mejia

How to hire writers? Is there a group, webiste or community that we can hire or collaberate with writers?

Kristen Kuhns

Hello from Northern Cali!

Karen "Kay" Ross

I noticed a few people asking for feedback on their scripts, and Amanda just mentioned all the services we offer. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND an Executive Script Consultation service on Stage 32 that I cannot recommend enough. You get to choose the executive who reads your script, AND you get to talk w...

Expand comment
Karen "Kay" Ross

@CarlaMejia - You can post your job listing in the Jobs Section here: https://www.stage32.com/find-jobs/add

Daniel Velasco Cajias

IG: @dannothewriter I'm a Bolivian screenwriter living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Always looking to connect with fellow writers around the world!

Berenice Del Carpio

Kira dies, and we need to establish a few good suspects. Not the killer yet.

Marcin Klinkosz

Erica sees Ciara flirting with Xavi

P. James Norris

NOT who murdred the Kira.

Luis Mariano Menchu Juarez

The killer poisoned the water... it was given to the wrong person.

Sajani Fernando

Jason orphaned and alone always knew he was different because of his magical powers. Ralph was born to the most powerful magical family believing in great purity, always wanted to truly belong to someone, somewhere without judgment, and do something right with his life. When the two o...

Expand comment
Camille Elston

Identify the initial conflict, hint at the secrets

Berenice Del Carpio

4 or 5 suspects with good motive and opportunity - and Kira's secret reveal, that should set up some more motivation for her murder.

Patricia Lamwaka

Make affair pentagon not triangle

Colette "ByFilms" Byfield

Set up the relationship between Keira and Erica. Rivals? Friends?

Hajar Lou

maybe have one of the characters have a dispute with keira or a rivalry between the coaches in the pilot, to push the viewers to guess who is the killer

Phiwa Sukumane

Bankrupt and take gangster money to stay in business

Sherry Lamoreaux

Let us meet Kiera before she gets killed, let us care about her

Maria Chiara Elisabetta Redoglio

someone inside the studio is trying to cover up the murder to avoid the bad publicity

Reign 4Ever

We find out Erica and Beth are close friends and Beth has been trying to work for Erica for years.

Uju Odiah

Erika was killed by the couple; Xavier,etc

Ozlem Williams

Maybe it was the keto diet :)

John Martin

what if kera did suicide? and all the suspects had mentally damaged here even if they did not want to but they subconsciously did

Reign 4Ever

In the beginning Xani is just an incident businessman who helps run the gym. But eventually we find out he is a former hitman.

Uju Odiah

I mean, kira is killed by either Erica or Xavier because she knows something she isn't meant to know

P. James Norris

Discover that Erica's doping was a set up or rather that she had not been doping intentionally and someone else somehow faked the fact that she was doping.

Isabelle Doucette

Which characters may benefit from Keira's death?

Shakeema Simpson

A malevolent spirit that followed and killed Keira due to a family coverup. Beth becomes a suspect due to her ties to the family that Keira hid secrets from.

Fawaz Azim

Establish that all characters had motives for killing Kira. Maybe she was having an affair with Avi. Perhaps Erica was selling steroids and Kira found out.

Shannon Kenny

they meant to kill someone else.. Beth or Erica

Marcin Klinkosz

Do they rely on the police or hire a private investigator?

Alastair Swartz

What is the level of Beths newness to the type of work or to the area. Each one a suspect it could be a case of Xavi exercising his 2 face nature, knowing that Erica has a past it is easier for him to escape his wife by framing her over something she is technically involved in as the boss of Erica.

he makes off with Beth, or tries.

Patricia Lamwaka

We move forward in time

Shakeema Simpson

The second option.

Andrea Bandiková

Forward!

Suzanne Birrell

Kira's death is teaser -go back

Camille Elston

We go forward from Kiera's death, and learn more about her from the other characters

Denise Angela

Option 2

Berenice Del Carpio

Actually, I'd rather mix present with flashbacks - like HTGAWM

Shannon Kenny

neither. go forward

Patricia Lamwaka

In a different setting altogether

Marcelina Santoso

Flashback will be great

Alastair Swartz

is a mix between the two possible??

Sandeep Gupta

both, we don't have to know there was a murder until moving forward is frustrated ...

P. James Norris

If you're not going to reveal the murderer by the end of the pilot, then going back would be a good way to go.

Danielle Boone

I like the move forward. I am actually writing a series where a death happens and we move forward to reveal things.

Shakeema Simpson

I love this!

Sara Roybal

Kira was in bed w Xavi

P. James Norris

Discover that Erica's doping was a set up or rather that she had not been doping intentionally and someone else somehow faked the fact that she was doping.

Karen "Kay" Ross

How does Beth benefit from Kiara's death? Would it pit her against her boss, Erica, as a competitor?

How would the investigation prevent Erica's business to continue to grow? *This is giving me Veronica Mars vibes!

How does Xavi use the suspicion against Erica to get what he wants? Has he been looking for a reason to separate, and this is the last straw? Is his "heart of ice" cruel or calculating?

Amanda Michel

I like the Eric escort thing.

Richard Osborne

Hi all. I'm a writer, actor and director from the UK and I’m happy to connect. My first film (but it's complicated :)) is premiering in London next month. For more info visit https://impact50film.com.

Alastair Swartz

we get to learn more about each character, their past and if they are tied or seperate from each other. an event that sets them up together away from the spin studio.

Sajani Fernando

Erica set her husband up for the murder and is living freely somewhere under a fake identity

Amanda Michel

Erica....

Reign 4Ever

Erica finds out Xavi and Kiara had an affair

Fawaz Azim

Kira takes a pregnancy test and learns that she is pregnant.. We see her tell the father of her child (via phone call) that she's pregnant, but we don't find out who the father is.

Marcin Klinkosz

Xavi is Ciara's brother, but he doesn't know it.

Karen "Kay" Ross

@Marcin - Ooo, I really like the idea that they may hire a PI!

Shakeema Simpson

She had a hand in the murder of a stranger. She had no choice in order to save herself and her family, but it eventually came back to get her.

Gary Feld

Erica quit her old spin cycle company and took a lot of subscribers with her to the new company

Eunhye Necee

We see glimpses of Beth around from the start.

Ebere Emenike

Kira has health issues, which the killer takes advantage of, almost inspiring them to kill, so they can cover it up easier

Martha Caprarotta

Looking forward to getting the handouts. The one she showed us live about where story ideas for the series and pilot are generated is great!

Jillian Del Rosario

The show is in Beth's POV. A month ago, Beth sees Erica being so mean to Keira but never knows why. Because of this, Erica becomes the main suspect. Everyone believes it to be her. By the end of the pilot, a huge evidence will be revealed that points to Erica. For the next episodes, even when Beth t...

Expand comment
Sajani Fernando

Erica has trouble in her marriage with her husband so she decides to leave dramatically by setting up her husband who has been two faced and hurtful to her for murder and she is living freely under a fake identity

Shakeema Simpson

Xavi's parents discuss her disappearance in order to protect the family's legacy.

Isabelle Doucette

What if the murder/power going out was a smoke screen for another crime to occur?

Jason Mirch

Hey folks! I am seeing a lot of people looking to connect. There is no need to connect with folks on other social media platforms. There is so much positive power on this platform. Why would you go anywhere else??

Build up your bio, add a headshot and connect with people here. Make sure to build your...

Expand comment
Wendy Pfeifle

Kira dreaming about giving birth years earlier

Crystal Millington

What if more people died? Customers dying at the studio would raise the stakes for Erica and also for Beth if they die in her class

Isabelle Doucette

What if we find out Keira's ex is Mr. Big and we're actually in an in-between world of Pelaton and Aviation Gin commercials

Phiwa Sukumane

Sajani Fernando Cool. Now add the emotional stakes. EXAMPLES - not comments on the story - only my generic feedback.

Jason was on the verge of being thrown out of the orphanage when the cult leader recruits him and to test his loyalty - asks Jason to cast a spell to open a tomb rumored to house a mu...

Expand comment
Sara Roybal

Maybe different characters get picked off but it's not any of the spin clients.

Sara Roybal

Maybe pickef off not in studio

Fawaz Azim

What if one of the characters is turned into a police informant? Maybe Xavi since he is married to Erica.

Sajani Fernando

Thanks very much for your feedback. It's really helpful!

Ophir Zonicle

What if Kera and Erica had an affair

and you see that play out

Reign 4Ever

We find out there are more people in the studio who wanted Kiara dead because she had. an affair with their partner.

Anastasia Pisklyukova

Erica is a cult leader. Let's be honest, those soul cycle things are strange.

Karen "Kay" Ross

I would second Jason Mirch's advice - just like LinkedIn, Backstage, or StaffMeUp, professionals here will review your profile as a way to decide whether or not they will interact with you. Feel free to reference my blog post on "Polishing Your Profile" to help guide you: https://www.stage32.com/blo...

Expand comment
Andre Campbell

What if another person connected to Beth and Erica or Kira dies and season 1 is all about finding the connection

Alfonso Aguilar Carmona

Keira was using an ALIAS, so we have to discover her real name and identity

Eunhye Necee

Kira is Xavi's daughter and Beth's sister which is why she came to the studio in the first place. She wants to find out what happened.

John Martin

what if kera did suicide? and all the suspects had mentally damaged here even if they did not want to but they subconsciously did broke her mentally?

Cristobal Barrera

Keira's sister joins the studio as a new instructor to go undercover and find out who killed Kiera.

Alastair Swartz

we want to see how the characters are affected by the death and their individual feelings, what if we see a new character and their pov, but this is the wolf in sheeps clothing

Ophir Zonicle

backstory on Erica for season 2 that reveals that Xavi was behind the steroids scandal

Shakeema Simpson

Erica is a relative of Keira that was rejected by her family due to an affair. Erica wants her portion of the inheritance.

Uju Odiah

Beth's murder

Alastair Swartz

we see a new character, we dont know who they are but they are the wolf in sheeps clothing.

Fawaz Azim

Beth joins another gym and actively poaches clients from Erica and Xavi's gym, which turns into an even larger conflict.

Berenice Del Carpio

- one of the main characters murdering someone in s2

P. James Norris

What is instagram? :-)

Max Jones

Maybe the murder leads to a wider conspiracy about a chain of gyms that double as cults. Maybe the bikes are used in a satanic ritual that the people are unaware they are participating in

Shakeema Simpson

Keira is really an alien who goes from body to body until they are not needed anymore

Khaled Alrayhi

Beth is an illusion made up by Erica and Xavi knows that and plays with Erica's mind so he get what he wants from her.

Berenice Del Carpio

LOOOOVED Leila!!! Amazing

Camille Elston

absolutely! It was sooo helpful

Laura Van Der Zee

Leaving a bit early, have a great day/night everyone! It's been a good seminar, thank you Leila!

Isaac Dil

Very informative, loved it

Keith Dury

Yes! Fantastic!

MoMo Matsunyane

This has been awesome!!!

Theodor Inelus

Had an amazing day! Thank you guys, and thank you Leila!

Wendy Pfeifle

Yes. Fabulous!

Tim Wright

This has been great! Got great notes

P. James Norris

Very much, THANK YOU!

Kesha Ya

Yes so great...

Valcerine Diana Mouton

Thank you from Namibia!

Leslie Bates

This was really informative!

Adi Tantimedh

Thank you, Amanda, for all the work you put into bring these webinars to us.

Justina Ashley

This session has been really informative.

Catherine Saykaly-Stevens

This has been insightful. Thank you.

Danielle Boone

Absolutely enjoyed the webinar! Thank you again Leila for your insight. A lot of confirmation that I'm on the right track and good tips I look forward to using.

Sandeep Gupta

this part was great — as an insight into what a writers room can do for developing a story …

Summer Rona

Grateful for this community! Excited to connect and get creative.

Jerry Jaz

Great, wide ranging, focused paths. Grateful for Leila’s experience and positive attitude.

Sandeep Gupta

: ) as was all of it!

Balarama Munoz Medina

Thank you Leila, very goood and helpfull presentation!

Melissa Spearman

If your goal isn't to create a trope-filled soapy drama, then what would be your top tips to help ensure that your drama falls out as a natural cause-effect-and-consequence series of events?

Phiwa Sukumane

Amanda Toney How do I write 'happy vibes' into a story?

Karen "Kay" Ross

Such a fantastic webinar! Thank you so much, Leila!

Also, I cannot recommend the Stage 32 Writer's Room enough - not just because of the monthly Pitch Tank where you can pitch directly to executives like Leila, but the recording is saved in The Vault where you can watch and learn from past Pitch Tan...

Expand comment
Johnatas Costa

It was amazing! Tks, Leila! :)

Morgan Morris

The session has been brilliant.

D'Anthony Johnson

Maurice you are a God Send, thank you. This community is so Amazing... Thank you so much for sharing this important Info.....

Hiba Anjum

I'm curious about feel good writing and why many teens/Gen z youth has been finding any show /film/ piece with an emotional story arc, too emotionally difficult and how do you cater to them (keeping in mind they are the future) while also creating lives full of mystery, joy and agony?

Donald Jacobs

That was awesome

Have you ever written for an interactive Netflix show like Black mirror Bandersnatch or any of the other ones where you control the story flow?

Yvonne Griffiths

What is the best book on screenwriting right now to learn from, and how can one find what the current tolics are that people want to see?

Hiba Anjum

Have*

Kristen Kuhns

great talk! (off to go delete my twitter account... lol)

Yasila Cabrejos

I'm writing a historical drama and most of my characters are male. How do I make the show and female characters more feminist while still honoring the society's ideas and rules of 1700s?

Alastair Swartz

Q- how do you determine where to write your story for? between streaming and film?

Marcin Klinkosz

That was awesome. Thank you.

Fawaz Azim

What is the best way to get into a writer's room?

Melanie Star Scot

This has been a super informative webinar, thank you!! I've been tweaking & improving my pitches for my TV series & feature film script. I got a LOT of new ideas. Thank you.

Lucretia Stenson

Thank you for everything! These gems will go so far and I can’t wait to apply these new skills to my show

Phiwa Sukumane

How do I write 'happy vibes' into a story?

Antonio Tyger Olivas

Tyger Torrez, Army Vet, "the Writing Warrior", produced screenwriter of genre (horror) films, writing a fantasy-drama pilot for studio fellowships. www.tygertorrez.com.

D'Anthony Johnson

Amazing Webinar. So much great info and insight. Truly excited to dive in and start my story telling journey with the direction of this awesome community.

Karen "Kay" Ross

@KristenKuhns - LOL

@Fawaz - there is a great webinar coming up with a Writer's Room Tell-All (could be good to use with your 50% off!): https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Inside-the-Writers-Room-Tell-All-Secret......

Expand comment
Katherine King

QUESTION (I don't know if this was mentioned as I missed the middle bit - will watch later!). Should you still add acts with page breaks in the script even if it’s for a streamer?

Karen "Kay" Ross

For those of you looking to do more Writer's Room-like work, definitely check out Stage 32's Mock TV Drama Writers' Room starting in May: https://www.stage32.com/classes/Mock-TV-Writers-Room

Debra Holland

Kay Ross, does the code LEILALIVE20 work for both the 50% off workshops AND the 20% of script services?

Karen "Kay" Ross

Katherine King - Have you seen the TV Structure Netflix Webinar with Anna Henry? That may be a better reference for your question:

https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Netflix-%20-Stage-32-Present-Television......

Expand comment
Sajani Fernando

QUESTIONS

If you are adapting a character who doesn't have much backstory from a book as a main character into a script, do you need permission from the author? Can you take creative liberties?

Sajani Fernando

QUESTION

What makes an effective plot twist?

Melissa Spearman

I noticed that a lot of the new shows these days are not taking full advantage of the conflicts and/or mysteries that they might have set up during the pilots, thereby giving viewers like myself the impression that "something" is missing even though they're not quite sure what that "something" is on...

Expand comment
Sajani Fernando

QUESTION

Can you be the writer and director of a TV Series?

Sajani Fernando

QUESTION

Hi Leila,

What do streaming services look for in a good script?

Lauren Asberry

What if you want to direct a show you wrote? Is is similar to the showrunner?

Katherine King

Thanks for answering my question! @Karen"Kay" thanks I will check out that webinar

Sajani Fernando

Thank you very much Leila! It was such a great learning experience.

Jeff Sturm

Today was fantastic! Thank you!

Katleen Brusselmans

Thank you, Leila! Hartelijk dank! It was very interesting and practical. Take care!

Kesha Ya

This has been so informative! Bravo!!

Isabelle Hardesty

Thank you so much for today! It was great! Let's stay connected: https://www.instagram.com/iamisabellehardesty/

Crystal Millington

Thank you so much Leila!! This was so informative

Isabelle Doucette

Q&A for Leila: In your experience working with Netflix writer’s rooms, are you working virtually or on the lot? Do you work with any remote writers? Asking for someone who’s prepared to start working as a WA but not physically located in NYC or LA.

Kyla Robinson

Amazing, thank you!

Anthony Betts

How do you create relatability in the midst of likely bias or prejudice?

Collin Lieberg

Thanks for doing this. The role playing a room was a lot of fun!

Hannes Kivilaht

Thanks for a great session, Leila, and Amanda!

Andrea Ohnesorge

Hi! Thank you for your time and experience.

Ruben Varela

THANK YOU LEILA., FANTASTIC, INSPIRATIONAL, INFORMATIVE.

Reign 4Ever

Thanks Leila! Great job and love the positive energy.

Camille Elston

Question: How do you get into a writer's room?

Kisha Callwood

Thank you for all the wonderful advice Leila! You've given me lots of inspiration. All the best to you. Hope to see you again on Stage 32 and at Netflix one day. :)

Eliya Kisang

Thanks for the webinar.. very insightful and inspiring

Sheila Rinear

Leila, thank you sooo much for your time and brilliance. And thank you, too, Amanda, for facilitating. You're both awesome.

Tammy Westbrook

Leila, thanks so much for this thorough, strategic information! Also, thanks Amanda and the entire Stage 32 team.

Karen "Kay" Ross

Yes, thank you so much, Leila! If you took any pictures during the webinar, be sure to post it on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook - and tag @stage32 and @RBWalkintoaBar and @Netflix and @Leilacohan

Shelly Battista

This webinar has been great, I've already taken notes on how to change the open for a TV pilot I've been working on. It'll make a huge difference in engaging the audience.

Mary Peleja

Fantastic presentation, bravo!

I have a quick question, how to become a partner in writing assignments from neteorks, e.g. to become a member of a creative team, characters, worlds, stories, etc

Thank you in advance gor everything!

Mary

Irene Reis Leite

Great words. Thank you for that :-)

Kristen Kuhns

Question - can you work "part time" as a writer on a pilot you wrote - perhaps consulting? Or is writing in this capacity an "all or nothing" thing? I hope this is not a "forbidden" question in this industry?

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, D'Anthony.

Keith Dury

Thank you for your time and juicy information :) I took loads of notes!

Mari Nicolson

The variety was great. Very helpful, thanks.

Samuel Tracton

Thank you so much for doing this, Leila! Do you have any advice for a writer who has scripts that feedback says are good enough to sell who wants to get them in front of managers, agents, executives, etc.?

Maurice Vaughan

What do you mean happy vibes, Phiwa?

Kathy Jean

Thank you very much for today's webinar. Wonderful presentation!

Maria Zampeli

Thank you, Leila! you are amazing!

Tanmay Tushar

Thank you so much Leila, Amanda and Richard!! This has been amazing!

Sandeep Gupta

thank you, Leila and Amanda Toney this was the most practical and ironically least prescriptive take I've heard recently!

Melissa Spearman

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us today! You did a wonderful job today Leila, and I had a great time learning alongside the rest of the community today!

Marta Słupecka

Wonderful webinar! Thank you so much for all the valuable information :)

Emmanuel Ariguzo

Thank you so much Leila, I learnt a lot and this will go a long way. Also, thanks to the Stage 32 team for putting this up.

Susan Bowery

Thank you so much Leila… Something you said mid-way through gave me an idea for a Drama based on a true story. Also, thank you so much to everyone at Stage 32 Xx

Daniel Velasco Cajias

Great webinar! thank you everyone!

Analía Feble Badano

Thanks a lot Leila! Such a great webinar :).

Phiwa Sukumane

Thank you, Leila. Thank you, Stage32 and Netflix.

Deborah(Dee) Rosencrans

The session was terrific and thanks Leila and Stage 32!

Melissa Spearman

& kudos to Leila and Amanda for putting together such a great presentation!

Amanda Michel

Thank you Stage 32 and Leila

Ivan DeLaTeja

Thank you Leila, Amanda, and the whole Stage 32 team. This was an awesome presentation. And thank you guys for all the amazing ideas and enrichment throughout the entire webinar.

Nicolle Howard

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights. It was very informative.

Adi Tantimedh

Thank you, Leila, Amanda and Richard.

Karen "Kay" Ross

For those of you who were asking, here are the links to the previous Netflix + Stage 32 Webinars - ALL FREE:

TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack:

TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack - Closed Caption:

https://www.stage32.com/webina...

Expand comment
Vikram Bhandari

Thank you Leila, Amanda and RB. This was a great wealth of information for not only screenwriters but for all creatives. Thanks a ton!

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for your time and the great advice, Leila! Best to you on your projects. Thanks, RB, Amanda, Kay, Jason, Stage 32, and Netflix!

Kirsty Moss

Thank you Leila, Amanda and RB! Really enjoyed the seminar.

Fahd Aldajani فهد الدعجاني

Thank you Leila & Amanda for this great webinar.. thank you Stage32!

Brendan Davis

This was a helpful good time, and actionably useful for me; I gained both lots of new insights and also reinforcement of things I know / have learned along the way. It helped shake loose a way to make my current pilot much more compelling (I'm going to take an idea I was saving for Ep 2 - a huge "ho...

Expand comment
Amanda Toney

I hope everyone enjoyed yesterday! What were some of your favorite takeaways? I uploaded the on-demand for you to watch, as well as the handouts and resource sheet that you can find underneath the on demand video. Enjoy!

Dawn Sellers

I had to leave early yesterday but was just able to catch up by watching the replay. Such a great webinar with helpful information as I am polishing a couple of drama pilots to submit for labs and fellowships. Thank you!

Leila Cohan

@d'anthony johnson I use Final Draft for writing my scripts and Writer's Room Pro for boarding them.

Leila Cohan

@h-d messias I like to start with just a logline, then expand out to the characters, and then start thinking about the pilot. Good luck!

Leila Cohan

@phiwa sukumane Not every story is going to have happy vibes - do what's organic to your story!

Leila Cohan

@Vikki Harris, I don't think male/female leads have to have sexual tension - look at Don and Peggy on Mad Men! That being said, it's an easy source of conflict/story.

Leila Cohan

@Donald Jacobs I have not, but I pitched an interactive show - they're tough sells, but so cool!

Leila Cohan

@yasila cabrejos I think the characters can still have feminist viewpoints and goals while operating within the strictures of society at the time.

Leila Cohan

@alistair shwartz It depends on the structure of the story! Closed-ended is better for film, open-ended is better for TV.

Leila Cohan

@fawaz azim There are a lot of ways, from breaking in as a writers assistant to developing a reputation as another kind of writer. But basically, I like the Steve Martin saying of "be so good, they can't ignore you."

Leila Cohan

@katherine king No need to add act breaks for streaming!

Leila Cohan

@sajani fernando You definitely need an author's permission to use ANY of their work! And I think any plot twist that provides a genuine surprise is an effective one!

Leila Cohan

For those asking about directing your show, it's definitely possible, but unless you're very established as a director, likely won't happen until the show is a success.

Leila Cohan

@isabelle doucette My current room is still on Zoom but more and more are returning to in person - really depends on the showrunner's preference!

Leila Cohan

@kristen kuhns That's unlikely for a project you wrote the pilot for but very possible if you're the author of a book etc. that's adapted for tv.

Leila Cohan

@samuel tracton The fellowships and certain script contests like Austin Film Festival are great for that! Also calling in favors.

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for answering the questions, Leila. I like that saying by Steve Martin. Have a great, creative week!

Chester Damian

Excellent presentation. Thank Leila & Stage32!

Andrea Kelly

Caught this webinar today and it was wonderful.. So much information and communicated so well from Leila. Has demistyfied the process for this new screenwriter and I can't wait to apply what I have learnt. I am visualising myself in a writers room someday

Amanda Toney

Glad to hear you enjoyed it @andreakelly! It really was a fantastic webinar! For anyone who hasn't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Other topics in Screenwriting:

register for stage 32 Register / Log In