CJ Walley

CJ Walley

Screenwriter

Five Reasons Why We All Need to Take Stage 32 Very Seriously

I’ve been a member of Stage 32 since November 2013 and I want to say something, and while I do have the opportunity to say it via the Stage 32 blog, I want to make it here, to show that it is real, that it is independent, without agenda, and because I alone want to say it. Stage 32 is something I feel very passionate about and I want others to share that passion with me, plus ultimately I feel Stage 32 has given me so much since I joined I want to give something back.

You may know about Stage 32, you may even have registered, hopefully you’ve had sense to utilise it. What you may not be aware of is the many articles Stage 32 has featured in this year including; Forbes, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Business Journal, Wikipedia, The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Robert McKee's STORY Magazine. Perhaps you’ve seen the site mentioned in a forum post but didn’t see the recent mention in the Page International Screenwriting Awards newsletter, the Podcast on the Doorpost Project, the chat session on Script Chat, or the packed out panel presentation in the NEXT pavilion at Cannes. Maybe you’ve missed the constant stream of positive interest that Stage 32 has been generating through 2014. Maybe you've been missing a lot?

If this is all a bit of a surprise to you, then you need to read on because I would like to give you five good reasons to get a head-start on what I think is becoming one hell of a ride and a huge change to this industry.

Stage 32 Gives Us Access and Asks Nothing for It

Stage 32 was created by someone tired of seeing talented people quit because they didn’t have connections. Its mission is to give us access so that we don't give up on our dreams. Stage 32 is built on the principle of giving us the opportunities we need to keep us going.

And it’s free. Just stop and think about that for a moment. Free. How often does anybody in this industry offer us access, networking, or exposure for free? I’ve paid to play reader roulette on one site, handed over cash to enter the listing lottery on another, it seems every other person wants to reach into our pocket, take what they can, and give as little as possible back. Sometimes it feels like there’s only two kinds of people in this industry, artists and con-artists.

Providing we embrace what’s on offer, Stage 32 works. I know this because it’s worked for me a few times, I’ve gotten assignments, I’ve optioned scripts, and I’ve been given a platform to voice my thoughts, but more importantly I’ve learnt a ton from interacting with industry members I’d have no other realistic route to having dialogue with. All this has given me something few other sites manage deliver, hope. Plus I’ve seen it work for others, in two months I watched composer Brandi Thomas join, interact, and generate more work in those eight weeks than she’d been able to find in the previous eight years.

As to what’s on offer on Stage 32 and how to use it? Well there's a hell of a lot going on, as an introduction Laurie Ashbourne wrote a brilliant piece on how Stage 32 is like a 24/7 film festival, and On Stage with RB offers a selection of videos on how best to use what’s on offer. There's simply too much to cover here.

Real People with Names, and Faces, and Credits, and Everything

The Stage 32 system works around the idea that everyone who joins uses their real name, uploads a headshot, and populates their profile. In a mysterious online world of avatars and pseudonyms, it’s a welcome revelation to actually be able to get a background on the individual you’re interacting with. It’s kinda useful to know if that person comparing themselves to Kubrick is really churning out stuff that looks like it should belong on PBS. It’s also damn good to know when the person making a subtle point in a discussion has an impressive list of real world credits behind them. Further to this, the massive range in membership occupations means Stage 32 doesn’t suffer from being an echo chamber like so many other communities do.

There’s also some high profile members. Actors many of us may recognise and admire. Now I don’t like to act like a fan-boy, but there's been a few moments I’ve had to hold back a high pitched squeal when faces I recognise pop up.

Those are just the industry members who are camera facing. There are teams of crew members signed up and posting in the forums who have helped stuff the cool into a lot of cool stuff we’ve come to love in the film world.

Then there’s the Blog. Look, don’t judge the blog based on the fact they let me ramble on there, all the other authors are really quite impressive and wide ranging. There’s producers talking about the process of filmmaking, there’s young actors sharing their experience entering the industry, there’s mature directors giving insight into how they built their careers, there’s literally something for everybody to learn from.

The Stage 32 Love Is Strong

There’s something about Stage 32 which feels genuinely loving. As a screenwriter, I often find writer’s forums are like clubs for people who’ve been kicked out of sociopaths anonymous meetings for acting too much like douchebags. They are all too often snark infested waters. In fact, after becoming convinced by a writer on a screenwriting forum I didn’t have what it takes to succeed, the Stage 32 community pulled me out of that hole. I kind of owe those guys everything, and it’s not often you can say that about a group of people you’ve never physically met.

One of the neat features of Stage 32 is it’s karma system, we all get to share the love. By using a like system similar to Facebook, we’re able to positively give approval in a multitude of ways, be it liking a headshot, script, or showreel. This encourages an ongoing feeling of positive support that leads to interaction and eventually friendships.

Now I’m not saying Stage 32 is without its problem members, some people do wade in and crap right in their own hands. Let’s face it, there’s too much crazy in this game, and it gets everywhere. That said, I have found the Stage 32 community nothing short of remarkable when it comes to dealing with these sorts of issues.

If anything, Stage 32 feels like one hell of a party. Maybe it’s because of all that positivity being shared, perhaps it’s that sharing of love, or it could just be because a feeling of access drives a feeling of opportunity. Either way, that party atmosphere is becoming increasingly echoed in real life around The World as more and more Stage 32 meet-ups are taking place.

The Stage 32 Team Are Awesome

The staff of stage 32 are genuinely wonderful people who take time out to interact with their community as fellow industry members sharing similar goals. They’re not there to sell, they’re not there to boss around, they’re not there to contend any criticism, they’re there because they want to engage in dialogue with likeminded individuals, and this all stems from the attitude of the very special guy leading them.

I wish I was a good enough writer to express just how much respect and admiration I have for Richard "RB" Botto. And I don’t mean just as a screenwriter trying to break in, I mean as a entrepreneur trying to run my own business, and as a professional trying to build a career. RB is like a Navy Seal who’s been trained to ambush creatives with superhuman levels of positivity. I truly believe he is capable of bringing monumental change to this industry. Yet, despite that, he still manages to maintain an incredible amount of personal focus on his membership of over 325,000. I could go on, but I know he wouldn’t want me to, he’s simply that cool.

Stage 32 Is Evolving Very Fast

In the past year that I’ve been a member of Stage 32, I’ve watched the whole site get a radical overhaul and continue to adapt to the membership’s needs. First the site got a huge upgrade to the look and feel, we got wall streams to see what our connections were up to, we got great looking profile pages that work like mini websites. Then the merge with Happy Writers brought in a host of new routes to help screenwriters get coverage and pitch to decision makers. Since then we’ve seen the jobs section get an overhaul making it even easier to post and find work, a redevelopment of the networking system brought in a host of new ways to connect with others, and the recent revamp of the incredibly popular Stage 32 blog means browsing it is even more insightful. It just keeps getting better and better while growing bigger and bigger.

And here’s the thing, Stage 32 is an indie filmmaker’s dream, and it’s looking like there may be no better time to be in the indie scene. I think that very soon Stage 32 is going to hit the industry like a ton of bricks and, while there will always be opportunity for everyone, now is the time to join the party, share the love, and get ahead of the game. Some of us already have;

So I hope to see you there, on www.stage32.com