Bring Your Questions: Join Us for the FREE Stage 32 Community Open House
Wednesday, September 23rd at 12:00pm PT
You have questions. You're curious about how to actually make the most of your time on Stage 32, how to use the resources here successfully, how to build genuine relationships that lead somewhere meaningful, and how to move forward with real intention. How to find the right collaborators, producers, financiers, reps, distributors, etc.
That's exactly what this FREE event is designed for.
Our Community Open House is a live, fully interactive conversation hosted by me, Ashley Smith, Head of Community here at Stage 32. It's a genuine gathering where you get to show up, share what you're working on, ask the questions that have been on your mind, and get direct guidance tailored to where you actually are in your journey.
Whether you've attended one before or this is your first, the conversation is different every single time. It's shaped by the members who take the time to join, be present, and bring their real questions to the table. Your voice, your goals, and your curiosity make each Open House uniquely valuable.
Free Registration: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-september-2026-community-open-house-webcast
We'll cover the tools and features on Stage 32 that most consistently create momentum for members, and we'll talk about what's happening on the platform that you don't want to miss out on. September lands us in a genuinely exciting stretch of the year. We're coming off Venice and Toronto International, in the middle of New York Film Festival, heading into Austin Film Festival, and gearing up for our annual November Write Club campaign. There's real opportunity to position yourself for what's ahead, and we'll talk about how to do exactly that.
We'll close with a live Q&A focused entirely on you, your questions, your projects, and your next steps. And if you can't join us live, don't worry! Registering guarantees you the full recording so you can watch it anytime, from anywhere.
Come as you are. Bring your questions. Let's have a real conversation.
I write character-driven feature dramas centered on identity, belonging, relationships, and the conflict between who people are and who their families, communities, or circumstances expect them to be....
Expand commentI write character-driven feature dramas centered on identity, belonging, relationships, and the conflict between who people are and who their families, communities, or circumstances expect them to be. and combine LGBTQ+ themes with universal stories of love, family, resilience, and personal transformation.
David Mills That’s a really meaningful space to write in. I like that while LGBTQ+ themes are part of your stories, you are also grounding them in universal experiences like family, love, belonging, a...
Expand commentDavid Mills That’s a really meaningful space to write in. I like that while LGBTQ+ themes are part of your stories, you are also grounding them in universal experiences like family, love, belonging, and personal transformation. Those themes can connect with audiences far beyond one specific community. What usually comes first for you when developing a new story the character, the central conflict, or a real-life experience that sparks the idea?
For Beyond the Arc, the setting in rural Eastern Kentucky, and the crossroads of fundamentalist religious beliefs, and gay protagonist set the screenplay in motion. Without making the surroundings ste...
Expand commentFor Beyond the Arc, the setting in rural Eastern Kentucky, and the crossroads of fundamentalist religious beliefs, and gay protagonist set the screenplay in motion. Without making the surroundings stereotypical, I show how the community beliefs shape the inhabitants. No one is made out to be evil or ignorant.
I really like that approach. It makes the story feel more human when nobody is simply labeled as “good” or “bad.” Did real people or places influence how you created the community in Beyond the Arc?
I wouldn't say any particular person or place, but more of a compilation of people and places.