Happy Sunday, Creative Army!

Let’s kick things off with a huge shoutout to everyone who has already jumped into this month’s Introduce Yourself Weekend. Thousands of creatives from around the world are connecting, sharing their stories, and building relationships that can lead to collaborations, opportunities, and lifelong friendships.

If you haven’t made your introduction yet, you still have time. Head over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge before the weekend wraps. Be bold. Introduce yourself. Your next great opportunity could be just one connection away. Now, let’s grab that coffee and dive in…

This week’s featured video comes from StudioBinder: “The Director Who Does Everything”.

Steven Soderbergh does it all. He writes, directs, shoots, edits, and produces across an astonishing range of genres and styles. From Sex, Lies, and Videotape to Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s 11, Magic Mike, Out of Sight, and beyond, his filmography reads like the work of multiple filmmakers. And yet, it all comes from one creative mind. What makes Soderbergh so compelling isn’t a single visual signature. It’s the opposite. He treats every project as an experiment. He changes visual styles, editing rhythms, narrative structures, and production methods based on what the story needs. Instead of repeating himself, he constantly pushes into new territory.

Soderbergh is also famously hands-on. By shooting and editing many of his own projects, he stays nimble, works fast, and keeps creative control tight. He embraces smaller crews, lighter gear, and new technology that allows him to stay flexible and efficient on set. His process is a reminder that creative freedom often comes from simplicity and intention, not excess. Despite the variety in his work, there are consistent themes running through it. Soderbergh is drawn to systems, power, and how people navigate structures bigger than themselves. His storytelling tends to be observant rather than judgmental, trusting the audience to watch characters make choices and live with the consequences. It’s a powerful lesson in adaptability, clarity, and knowing when to strip things down to their essence.

Watching Soderbergh’s approach reminded me of my own early lessons about clarity, efficiency, and knowing what truly matters, especially when it comes to pitching. I had a bit of an advantage early on because I was producing before I was writing. I spent a lot of time listening to pitches, hearing what worked, what didn’t, and where people lost the room. The first person I ever pitched a script to was manager Daniel Dang. When I finished, he said, “That was a really tight pitch. I want to read it.” When I told him it was my first pitch ever, he was genuinely surprised.

What helped wasn’t perfection. It was preparation and restraint. I knew to open with the important details. I asked questions. I stayed focused. I didn’t get precious about subplots or secondary characters. I gave away the ending. I respected his time. When I asked where I could improve, he pointed to something that trips up a lot of writers: the middle. Most people know their beginning and their ending. The middle is where pitches tend to wander, get dense, or lose momentum. That note stuck with me. When I pitched again later, I worked hard to tighten the middle and simplify the story spine. And when I started pitching on Stage 32, even for eight-minute pitch sessions, I always aimed to be done by five. I wanted time for questions.

Over time, I learned something important. Sometimes four minutes is better than five. If you get to where you need to go clearly and confidently, you give the room space to engage. When I stopped being rigid about the clock, my pitches became sharper, not longer. Just like Soderbergh’s filmmaking, pitching works best when you stay nimble, focused, and intentional.

How do you balance experimentation with clarity in your own creative process, whether you’re developing a project or pitching it? Jump into the comments and let’s talk.

As always, here at Stage 32, we love sharing stories and knowledge with our fellow film fans. Know someone who would love this content? Share it with them. You can keep up with all of our videos by subscribing to the Stage 32 YouTube Channel. For more inspirational, educational, and motivational content on all things entertainment industry, follow me on Instagram and X @rbwalksintoabar.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and creative Sunday.

Cheers,

RB

StudioBinder | The Director Who Does Everything

RBWalksIntoABar | RB’s First Pitch

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