So there I was — coming up to a year ago now — having just decided that Arigni, the novel I had been working on, was really a story to be seen rather than read. A story for screen.
But my only contacts were in the books world. I knew no one working in film and TV. That’s a slight untruth. I had done a photoshoot with a Spanish woman who is an up-and-coming cinematographer. I once taught (in primary school) someone who is now directing documentaries about the makers of horror films. Nothing beyond that, though.
While I set about turning Arigni into a screenplay, I began searching online for suitable forums to join. The first I tried was Stage 32, and it remains one of the most useful. [I will be reviewing my experience of others in due course.]
I’m writing this principally for anyone who finds themselves in a similar position: needing to get up to speed with a world with which they are unfamiliar.
A little general background about the site first.
It’s a US-based social network. [I’ll come on to the timezone problems that creates for European members in due course.] It was founded in 2011 by Richard “RB” Botto, a hugely likeable writer, actor and entrepreneur who still keeps up a regular engagement with the site, though Amanda Toney is the more active managing director. She has been there with RB more or less since the early years.
I’m able to describe RB as hugely likeable because he frequently features in webcasts and posts regularly to the forums. His motivational Sunday reflections are always worth reading.
The site claims some 1.5 million registered accounts, which sounds impressive but is somewhat meaningless when you consider that this will include people who registered years ago and are no longer actively participating, if they ever did.
Those actively using the site — posting to forums and watching webcasts — will quickly become aware that there is quite a small nucleus of members who regularly engage. That’s not a criticism. It’s a reality of sites like this.
I actually found it quite helpful, in my first weeks and months, that there was a small number of regularly reappearing names I could become familiar with and add to my Network, which is now just over 100 strong.
Signing up is free. This allows you to post to the forums and interact with other members. Free members can also buy the site’s paid services. There are many of these, and that can be an issue.
From the moment you sign up, you will receive countless inducements to send in your TV pitch bible, book your 30-minute call, take advantage of an early-bird webinar sale, and so on. I’m pretty good at resisting all this, though deleting the emails each morning can be a bit of a bore. [I’m sure there is a way I could unsubscribe.]
I’ve only used the written pitch-feedback service on a couple of occasions. I didn’t find it particularly useful. When I did so, though, I got a small member discount, because I’m a signed-up member of the Writers’ Room. This isn’t cheap. I think Stage 32 would really benefit from halving the monthly membership fee. This is a hunch, but I believe it would more than double the membership and secure greater loyalty. At current pricing levels, I suspect many people become paid-up members for just one or two months, take advantage of being able to watch the webinars, and then revert to free.
But being in the Writers’ Room for most of this year has been really, really helpful — especially for someone in my position. I have learned so much from tuning in to the webinars, watching other members pitch their ideas, and seeing how industry execs interact with writers.
As soon as you pay your first monthly membership fee you have immediate access to the full library of webinars. Believe me, there are some gems there. One of the best recently was The Exec Hour with Jason and Jamie Neese, the twin-brother producing team who have worked on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and Hulu’s Cruel Summer and UnREAL. These two are so inspiring to listen to.
I also like the regular Pitch Tank sessions, in which Writers’ Room members take turns to give five-minute pitches to invited film execs.
This brings me on to timezone differences. To participate from the UK in these Pitch Tank sessions would mean staying up until 1am or later. No problem for some, I’m sure. But my writing/working regime is a strict one and depends on regularity. I work 7-11am, and 6-9pm and I don’t break that for a 1am pitch.
There is an online meetup expressly designed for the European timezone, but even this, especially during British Summer Time, is not at a work-friendly hour. I realise that’s my problem, not Stage 32’s, but it may be something for others in the European zone to bear in mind.
Those caveats aside, I’m aware that I’m painting a broadly positive picture of Stage 32 based on my own experiences of the site.
However, I feel bound to draw attention to its worryingly bad rating on Trustpilot where it currently scores only 1.3, with reviewers raising issues ranging from an inability to close down an account and stop receiving emails, failure to deliver promised paid services, and execs not turning up for booked zoom calls.
These negative reviews are not new. I was aware of them when I joined the site and they’re one of the reasons I don’t use the site for their paid services.
If you’re in the position I was in a year ago — in other words, you’re new to screenwriting and need to start networking and getting a feel for how things operate in the world of film and TV – opening a free account on Stage 32, interacting in the forums for a bit, and then possibly spending a couple of months in the Writers’ Room (one month of which would be free) could definitely be a first step.
If you ever get tempted to pay someone for a script read or to pitch to, I would first check their background in IMDbPro and/or LinkedIn, both of which I will be talking about in a future post.
Do comment below if you have positive experiences of Stage 32 you’d like to share.