Montana Screenwriting & Storycrafting

Join us in April to meet Amanda Toney, Managing Director of Stage 32, an online film/entertainment industry platform for screenwriter, producers and all types of entertainment talents. Find out why it's been called "Facebook for the film/TV biz." Learn what Stage 32 offers for screenwriters of all levels -- aspiring, newbies, veterans.

According to Variety magazine: "Stage 32, the social network designed to support TV and film professionals in more than 185 countries, has reached the milestone of 1 million members as the company expands its offerings.

"The service was founded in 2011 by Richard “RB” Botto, an actor, producer and screenwriter. The platform features global job boards and 3,000 hours of webinars, classes and labs to support a wide range of entertainment industry careers, including above- and below-the-line disciplines.

"The company’s content menu includes workshops led by such notables as producer Nick Vallelonga (“Green Book”), composer Terence Blanchard, documentarian Tiller Russel, filmmaker Martin Guigui (“Sweetwater”), showrunner Todd Slavkin (“Smallville”), writer-producer Leila Cohan (“Bridgerton”) and writer-producer Vijal Patel (“Black-ish”)."

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About Amanda: As Managing Director for Stage 32, Amanda oversees operations and partnerships for the global business. She has produced over 2,000 hours of online education created exclusively for Stage 32, and works with hundreds of entertainment industry executives from around the world to serve as educators and mentors.
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Our Zoom space is limited so be sure to RSVP YES if you think you'll attend. Then you'll get access to the direct Zoom link for our 4th Thursday meetings. And you can also get notified via this Meetup if details change (time, zoom link, etc) and receive any resource lists or related articles we might send to that month's meeting attendees.

If needed: Zoom Meeting ID: 823 4364 1571
Passcode: MTSG24

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More novels and memoirs than ever before are being adapted for films or TV series. In the book "But Have You Read the Book?", IndieWire popular culture essayist Kristen Lopez looks at 52 iconic films and how they became films.

This book is a fun and insightful way to understand what it takes to turn books into films. Kristen comments about the adaption process more than the plot of the novel, and includes surprising "behind the script" events. She also notes whether the resulting film was as good as the book (and vice versa) -- and why or why not.

Join us to discuss Adaptations even if you don't get to read Kristen's book.

If you do want to read the book, you can borrow it from libraries -- there are also copies for purchase at the new Barnes & Noble bookstore in Kalispell (look in the entertainment section, across from the vinyl music albums!).

Come prepared to share about your favorite -- or least fave -- book to movie adaptation, and whether you loved the book or the film more. If you're a novelist or memoir writer, think about what it would take to adapt your book to film -- what would stay in the story and what might need to be condensed or left out.

We'll also discuss the process of adapting books to film -- discussion leader Barbara Schiffman was a specialist in evaluating books and true stories for films and TV series for Hollywood studios and networks for decades. She also optioned several books as a Creative Producer, then found screenwriters who could shape the book's story for film. If you're a novelist, you don't need to write the script of your book for Hollywood to get interested in it -- but it helps to know how to "pitch" it for film.

RSVP here to let us know you're coming and get direct zoom link info.
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In 2024 -- we meet on the 4th Thursdays via Zoom. You can join us from wherever you are -- in Montana or elsewhere -- from 6:00-7:30pm Mountain time (5:00-6:30 Pacific, 7:00-8:30 Central, 8:00-9:30 Eastern).

Our Zoom space is limited so be sure to RSVP YES if you think you'll attend. Then you can get notified via this Meetup if details change (time, zoom link, etc) and also receive any resource lists or related articles we might send to that month's meeting attendees.

If needed: Zoom Meeting ID: 823 4364 1571
Passcode: MTSG24

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Questions?? Email Barbara Schiffman at montanascreenwriting@gmail.com