2-Part Producing Class: Attaching Talent Strategy - Actors, Directors & Creative Alignment

Learn from a seasoned film and television executive who has helped develop, acquire, and produce award-winning and billion-dollar projects across major studios

Get a step-by-step breakdown of how real packaging works today—including how to attach actors, directors, and creative talent that actually moves your project forward!

Packaging is one of the most misunderstood — and most essential — skills in the film and television business. It’s not just about attaching talent; it’s about understanding how buyers think, how projects are evaluated across markets, and how to position your project so it actually moves forward. Without a strategic package, even the strongest idea can stall before it ever reaches the right decision-maker. In this exclusive Stage 32 class, you’ll get a clear, practical understanding of how packaging works in today’s industry!

And yet, this is where many creatives struggle. You may find yourself unsure of how to approach talent, how to build meaningful relationships without existing connections, or even what order attachments should happen in. It’s easy to think packaging is about chasing big names or waiting for the “perfect” collaborator, but that mindset can lead to common mistakes—like misaligned casting, ignoring genre expectations, or failing to understand how different buyers evaluate projects. Many creatives also overlook the business side entirely, avoiding research, market data, or the roles agents, managers, and lawyers play in shaping a viable package. These obstacles can keep your project stuck in development instead of moving toward execution.

That’s why you’ll be learning from Eben Davidson, a producer and studio executive with over two decades of experience at the highest levels of the industry. Eben has worked on major projects like the Oscar-nominated Arrival and the Transformers franchise, and has overseen films that have collectively grossed over $1 billion and earned 18 Academy Award nominations. With leadership roles at Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Blumhouse Television, and now as a producer running the U.S. office for Empress Films, Eben brings a rare combination of creative and business insight. He understands firsthand how projects are packaged, sold, and produced—and how to navigate the system in a way that actually gets results.

In this interactive two-part class, you’ll gain a clear, practical understanding of how packaging really works today. Across two sessions, you’ll learn how distribution drives decision-making, how talent is evaluated across formats and genres, and how to build a package that aligns creatively and financially with the marketplace. This is a business-first approach designed to help you move from development into execution with clarity and confidence!

This interactive Stage 32 class is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. Best of all? As soon as you sign up you will be linked on email with your Stage 32 Educator and given a questionnaire to fill out and send back to them. You will have access to your Educator for the duration of your class by email to ask them any questions you have about your craft or career - it’s like having a mentor on demand! And, if you can't make a live session, don't worry! All class recordings will be available 48 hours after each session and you will be able to view them in your Library on your Stage 32 profile. Finally, you can expand your network with like-minded creatives - you'll have a dedicated lounge for interactive support and discussions with your fellow classmates!

Praise for Eben's Education:

"I really enjoyed Eben’s class and learned a lot from him. His expertise is so precious and what he shared with us is something almost no one could reach." -Mao N