Hello fellow filmmakers and directors,
As I mentioned yesterday in another post here, we haven’t been active on Stage 32 for very long and are still assessing whether it’s worth our while to invest time here.
Perhaps some of you reading this post have made good contacts via Stage 32 and have already successfully completed a few new projects? I’d be delighted if you could post a few examples of these here.
Of course, I haven’t yet been able to ‘take a closer look’ at all the users here. What I can say from my experience so far is that I’ve received a few contact requests and have also come across other profiles here that raise some questions for me. Profiles that state that the person is a “director” or “screenwriter” and has produced a number of spectacular film projects, yet provide absolutely no “evidence” of this – neither photos from the set, nor trailers, nor even a link to their own website or social media accounts. And when you then Google the names, you find… nothing. Or the profile photo used here on Stage 32 turns up online under a different name.
To put it bluntly, this doesn’t give me the impression that this platform is particularly reputable at first glance.
Of course, I don’t know exactly what the Stage 32 operators’ aim is, but it would be nice if they could at least introduce a feature here that would allow us to report and block dubious accounts.
Furthermore, it would be good if the Stage 32 operators would consider introducing a policy whereby anyone wishing to register here would first have to apply and prove that they have actually worked in the film industry – even if it was only on a small project. But at the very least, this should allow us to recognise, even if only to some extent, that the person has serious intentions here. Profiles that contain no photos, videos or audio material of their work are, in my view, highly questionable!
I know that, particularly in the field of (film) music composition, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to build up a portfolio of references, and that there are certainly some outstanding composers out there who cannot yet provide any references and, as a result, can ‘only’ showcase music on, for example, SoundCloud – but not music for a film trailer from a notable film production company. But you have to draw the line somewhere.
What have been your experiences with Stage 32? What are your thoughts on this?
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hi Sylvio Pretsch I understand your concern, especially when a profile makes very big claims but there is almost nothing to verify outside the platform. I think some kind of stronger verification could definitely help.
At the same time, I’m not sure industry credits should be required to join, because many genuine filmmakers, directors, writers and composers are here precisely because they are still trying to get their first opportunity. For me, I tend to look at the consistency of someone’s work and conversations...
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You have to be careful - I think I have been fairly accurate in being able to ID the spam accounts but if I ever have a question I send a screen print of the account to Success@stage32.com and ask them for feedback. Usually within a couple of days I will notice the account has been deleted.
The double edged sword of technology continues to be a challenge but I suppose every tool is in one way or another.
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I think verification and transparency are important on any professional platform. At the same time, everyone has to start somewhere, so having limited credits shouldn’t automatically make a profile questionable. For me, the key is being honest about your experience and who you are.
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Thank you all for your replies! Zoltán Varga Indeed, everyone has to start somewhere. But I think Stage 32 shouldn't be the place for the very beginners. It wouldn't be beneficial for this platform, their users and for their founders as well. We all need to earn money and we all want to do our business and have to see where it's worth investing and where you just waste your time for nothing. Nobody can afford that.
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I have to disagree Sylvio Pretsch , I am very convinced this is a perfect place for beginners.
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Beginners with lots of disposable income.
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without an iPhone app that allows one to easily upload video, or share the same video across platforms,Stage 32 is behind the curve.
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How long have you been on here? You have 8 people in your network and have contributed to 8 lounge posts from just a few days ago. What did you sign up for? Seriously, do you want to network, do you want a job? Are you trying to build your career or get eyes on your work? Or just have this post do all the work for you?
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I'm fairly certain there are eyes behind those shades.
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Agreed, some sort of verification can be expected, as far as industry experience many contributors have zero sold projects or a resume. This platform can hopefully those, like me, that arew trying to get their scripts evn looked at by the industry.
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What would Jesus do? I mean, if there was a Stage 32 equivalent way back then. He was an unemployed carpenter, trying to transition to an orator. No references to speak of, no published works, just a social media following by people who were searching for the meaning of life.
If we forced everyone to submit a certified portfolio just to enter the room, half the legends in history would’ve been blocked at the gate for being "unverified amateurs." Gatekeeping the entry-level crowd doesn't clean up the platform; it just guarantees you never meet the next big thing before everyone else does.
Hey, Sylvio Pretsch! My name is Ashley Smith, and I'm the Head of Community here at Stage 32. Let me take your points in order.
On reporting suspicious accounts, that already exists, and I need everyone reading this to know this:
Email Support@Stage32.com or me directly at Community@Stage32.com. A profile link, a screenshot, and a sentence about what concerned you is extremely helpful. Every single report is investigated by an actual person, and bad actors are removed quickly. Darrell, you've been sending yours to Success@, which does eventually reach the right people, but Support@ or my inbox will get it handled faster.
This is genuinely the most important thing in this thread. We have over 1.5 million members. Our filters catch the overwhelming majority of bad-faith accounts, but spammers and bots get more sophisticated every day and some always get through. That is true of every platform on the internet. What's different here is that we're in these spaces with you every day and we act on what you bring us. If you get a strange DM and simply delete it, and the next person does the same, that account stays active and keeps working through our community. Reporting it is how we get it out.
You should also know that members control their own inbox here. If someone isn't in your network, they can't privately message you beyond an initial network request. If it's someone you don't want to interact with privately, decline it and they can never contact you over a DM again.
On credentials as a barrier to entry, I disagree, and I want to be clear about why.
Robert and Darrell and Zoltán have already said it well. But I'll add that open access is a deliberate choice by Stage 32, not an oversight. Access to real professionals, opportunities, and education is what Stage 32 was founded for. It's how a creative in Lagos or Manila or rural Ohio gets the same access to craft and industry education, executives, and opportunity as someone with connections in Los Angeles. Requiring proof of prior industry work would mean the people who most need an open door would be the ones who couldn't get through it. The industry has enough of that already.
You're right that this creates a tradeoff. Some people exploit open access. That's the case on every social platform online. We accept that cost because the alternative excludes exactly the people this platform exists to help. Moderation and reporting handle the problem better than gatekeeping would. Stage 32 isn't like any other site you'll find, because this community at the heart of the platform is unique. It's incredibly supportive, welcoming, and the vast majority of members care about watching out for the people around them.
On whether real work happens here, here's the last few weeks:
Just a few weeks ago we helped six Stage 32 members screen their short films at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles with a full red carpet and Q&A during HollyShorts, making those films Oscar-eligible. Member Steven Mitchell recently signed with Stephan Dubreuil of Woolf+Lapin after meeting in a Pitch Session. Multiple members have signed with representation in the past few weeks alone. In 2025, two films that originated right here had back-to-back nationwide theatrical releases: NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH and NO ADDRESS. And Stage 32 Executive Whitney Davis posted in these Lounges recently about putting two features into contract, having a TV project out pitching, and sharing a TV drama with showrunners, with every one of those writer introductions coming from her time on this platform.
We share these constantly on the daily blog, in the Lounges, and here: https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/success-stories
Legitimate executives are comfortable here for real reasons. We're the official education partner of Cannes Marché du Film, American Film Market, Netflix, Women in Film and Television International, and the Association of Film Commissions International. Those organizations don't partner without confidence in who they're working with. And every executive who takes pitches or provides services here is a vetted working professional required to publish their bio and credits, including people who normally keep that information private.
Most of what happens here every day is free.
AJ Richards- The Lounges, the daily blog, our Ask Me Anything events that we host almost every week where working professionals answer member questions directly, free webinars throughout the year, and our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com, who will give you curated advice on your specific goals and projects at no charge. You can even join in on our month-long Creative Army Drive that's happening right now, to win free resources every week of September. This week, I'm giving away a FREE Educational Webinar to every single member who participates by EOD Sunday. Click here to join in: https://www.stage32.com/blog/were-building-a-creative-army-and-we-want-y...
Joseph Bartone, we do have a mobile app: https://www.stage32.com/app
Worth grabbing if you haven't. It's available on Apple and Android devices. You also have the ability to upload photos and videos to your profile or to Lounge posts here in the Lounges anytime.
Sylvio, to your actual underlying question about whether this is worth your time. That depends almost entirely on how you use it. The members who see things happen here are consistently present, generous with other people's work, and patient. The ones who post a few times and wait to be discovered generally don't. That's not unique to Stage 32, it's how relationships work everywhere in this business.