Introduction
Hey all 👋 My name is Ste (short for Stephen and pronounced st-ee). I’m here to introduce the go-to place on the internet for producing Film & TV content and film producer coaching. Today, in this blog post I’ll be explaining what I do and what information you can find on this website. But before I go into that, let’s first define a few things.
What is a Film & TV Producer, and what do they do?
This job role has many possible definitions. However, for me, my definition of this job role is to “make it happen”. Quite simple, right? From my perspective, I see the role of producer as getting a project up on it’s feet. Now, you could argue that any job role on a set can help to “make it happen”, and that is absolutely true, but I’m talking more about allowing a project to happen in the first place.
Raising finance, negotiating distribution deals, basically everything they never taught you in film school! Educators do a great job of teaching the arts side of the industry, but fail to sometimes even mention in their programmes how to make it happen. That’s what I’m here to do.
Who am I?
I’m Ste, and I’m a film & television producer from Manchester. After years of working in the industry I realised there were many filmmakers who get stuck and can’t advance in their careers. At every industry networking event that I’ve ever been to, I will speak to a significant amount of people that feel stuck. They might be stuck making hobbyist short films whilst they have a boring corporate job to pay the bills. They might freelance but feel unfulfilled by the work they book and thought they’d be further ahead by now.
I’m here to make a change to that!
I’m a Producer
At the time of releasing this website, with my production company Spread Like Wildfire Films, I have released two feature length films, one of which I negotiated theatrical distribution. Ammonium Nitrate (an action adventure movie inspired The Goonies) and A Manchester Story (a documentary on the Manchester Arena bombing)
One thing most people tend to do in this industry is share their wins. Few share their failures and this is what I intend to do with stebergin.com in order to paint a more authentic picture of the industry. Instead of glitz and glam, I’ll share things like attempting to acquire the option to my favourite childhood author’s works. Or, how I was almost scammed out of thousands by a fake product placement agency. I truly believe this is the type of information you won’t find anywhere else online.
An Entrepreneur
As well as working in the industry as a producer, I also create businesses designed to make the Media & Entertainment industry better for all. One example is my marketing agency Spread Like Wildfire Media which helps make and operate marketing campaigns for film & TV.
Keep an eye out on news about my businesses soon.
And an Educator
For four years I worked as a lecturer across several institutions, both in the UK and in China. Including the University of Salford, University of Bolton and the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in Dalian, China. I’ve taught both in the realms of film production and business across these institutions.
Put these things together, and you get a business-savvy film producer ready to educate people on how to get a film or TV show off of the ground!
What can I find on stebergin.com?
You are unlikely to hear me often talk about different camera angles or other artistic elements of film production on this website. There are far more qualified people to talk about that stuff out there. Instead, I’m going to do what I do best and teach you how to make it happen.
Blogs, News & Articles
At stebergin.com/blog you will find several different types of writing:
– Blogs
Blog posts are updates about me in one way, shape or form. I may be speaking at an event and letting you know, I might be writing an opinion piece, that short of thing.
– News
Written news pieces are pieces of writing on news happening in the industry and the wider Media & Entertainment sector. This could be news about a new grant for example.
– Articles
Articles are guides on how to do a certain thing.
Each category (Blogs, News and Articles) are available to see on the blog card before clicking the written piece in question. This helps to avoid clicking on things that you are not interested in. If you only want to read about news and articles and don’t care so much on my personal updates, then this system will easily help you filter out content you don’t want to consume from me.
I believe in quality over quantity. So whilst I plan to write and release content often, I’d rather make a piece of content good and valuable for you, the reader. Because of this, I won’t have a formal release schedule. So make sure you sign up to my monthly newsletter below to keep up to date (it’s free).
Databases and Tools
In the header of the website, you’ll find access to databases and tools. Let’s talk about what’s available here:
– Databases
The database listings on stebergin.com contain an ever-evolving list of resources, collated by myself and other collaborators. Examples include lists of distributors and sales agents, and lists of financiers within the industry. There are plenty more to come though and all lists will be constantly changing, so make sure to keep returning to check out when more information comes live.
– Tools
Tools on stebergin.com are small app-like experiences designed with one specific function in mind. One such example is a Production Budget calculator.
Film Producer Coaching
This website is designed to give everyone access to information that we in the industry so definitely need. I realise that whilst this information is useful for all, some people need help in order to achieve their goals. So, that’s why I’m offering 1:1 coaching to help filmmakers achieve their goals.
Coaching is part of my premium service, which brings me to the next point…
Is it free?
Every piece of information on this website is and always will be 100% free and available for all! I truly believe that access to information will make this industry a better place, which is why I am making this website. But… I do need to make a living so here is how this website will be funded:
Advertising
Pages like blog posts or databases will contain ads which will generate a small amount of revenue. I promise that these ads will be placed fairly on the page and will not distract from the information placed on these pages.
Patreon
If you want to support me financially for my work, you can become a patron at Patreon, where for the low price of £5 (or your regional equivalent) a month, you get early access to my content as well as becoming part of an exclusive community. You can even sign up for a 7-day free trial!
You can find me on Patreon by using the link patreon.com/stebergin, if so far you like what you see and want to work closer with me on your projects, then you might want to know more about my coaching (see below).
Improve your profile in the industry with film producer coaching
If you think I can add value to your projects, you can work with me directly by signing up to my film producer coaching tier on Patreon where you get access to a boatload of benefits. For an incredibly reasonable price, I offer coaching, bid writing and more, all for an incredibly affordable price that I guarantee you won’t find anywhere else!
Summary
And that’s pretty much it! That should be everything you need to know about me, this website, and how you can work with me via my film producer coaching tier on Patreon. Don’t forget to sign up to my monthly newsletter below!
