06.11.20
BACKSTAGE.COM
Miranda July
From “Me and You and Everyone We Know” to her new “Kajillionaire,” the filmmaker and artist helped shape indie film as we know it 5+ Pages
The Indie Film Issue How the right role in the right project can land you an agent or manager
Red flags to avoid on set
OF CASTING NOTICES
PREPARE TO PLAY THE LEAD
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Contents The Green Room 4 Actors’ resources for the Black Lives Matter movement 6 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom 7 Kate Walsh on indie film and mindfulness
Advice 9 NOTE FROM THE CD Watch for red flags 10 #IGOTCAST Alicia Ocana 10 SECRET AGENT MAN Going small can pay big
vol. 61, no. 12 | 06.11.20
Cover Story
Can’t Box Cover Story Her Prospecting In for Gold Miranda July is more than just a filmmaker. Your official guide to the Her latest project,2020 Oscar nominations “Kajillionaire,” page 16 showcases her trademark ability to create something new while staying true to herself
The Green Room 6 8
This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom
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Annie Murphy reflects on “Schitt’s Creek”
Advice 13 CRAFT Survive and thrive 13
#IGOTCAST Mark Beauchamp
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SECRET AGENT MAN The power of intention
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Features
Features
3 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... Sydney Sweeney
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8 MEET THE MAKER Radha Blank, “The 40-Year-Old Version” writer and director 9 THE ESSENTIALISTS Sue Naegle, producer 11 IN THE ROOM WITH Kate Antognini 17 DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH From indie distribution to Oscar gold: a letter from the awards editor 24 ASK AN EXPERT Denise Simon on how to get your child cast in indie films
Casting
BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... David Alan Grier
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MEET THE MAKER Cathy Yan, “Birds of Prey” director
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THE ESSENTIALISTS Jeremy Woodhead, hair and makeup designer
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IN THE ROOM WITH Victoria Thomas
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OUR DREAM BALLOT And the 2020 Oscar SHOULD have gone to…
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ASK AN EXPERT Amy Russ on principal and background work
18 New York Tristate
Casting
18 California
22
20 National/Regional
New York Tristate
27 California
On this page: Photo by Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com. Cover photo by Matt Kennedy/Focus Features. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.
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Broadway’s audience boom
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National/Regional
Cover illustration by John Jay Cabuay. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.
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06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
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BACKSTAGE, vol. 61, no. 12 (ISSN#53635 USPS#39740) IS A WEEKLY PUBLICATION, WITH OCCASIONAL DOUBLE ISSUES IN MARCH, MAY, SEPTEMBER, FEBRUARY, JUNE, AUGUST AND DECEMBER AND ONE ISSUE PUBLISHED IN APRIL AND JULY (except the fourth week of December) by Backstage LLC, 45 Main St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, $3.99 per copy, $99 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256 and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Backstage, 45 Main St., Ste. 416, Brooklyn, NY 11201.Publication Mail Agreement No. 40031729. ©2017 Backstage LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Backstage LLC: Joshua Ellstein, Chief Executive Officer.
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Backstage 5 With...
Sydney Sweeney By Allie Volpe
Although she’s been acting professionally since she was 12, Sydney Sweeney had her breakthrough in 2018 when she appeared as Emaline Addario on the Netflix series “Everything Sucks!” and as Alice, alongside Amy Adams, on HBO’s “Sharp Objects.” Since then, the 22-year-old’s résumé has included roles on critically acclaimed series “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Euphoria,” in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and, most recently, the indie drama “Clementine.”
ILLUSTRATION: NATHAN ARIZONA/PHOTO: SILVIA ELIZABETH PANGARO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
What advice would you give your younger self? Be more confident in who you are. Confidence is something I wish I’d had when I was younger with my self-image and my body. I wasn’t that 13-year-old skinny little girl. I had some meat on my bones, and I felt very self-conscious next to other girls. How did you first get your SAG-AFTRA card? I think “Criminal Minds” made me SAG-eligible, and I want to say “Heroes” made me SAG. When I was younger, it was a cool ID card. I didn’t have any credit cards or ID cards for school, so that was my ID card, and I thought it was so cool.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a role? I had a small role in John Carpenter’s “The Ward” with Amber Heard. My character is locked in the basement and terrified for a really long time, so the audition scene was to be freaked out and crying. I had my parents lock me in the crawl space of our house and leave me in there for as long as I could stand it just to see what it felt like. [Laughs] I think [my parents] were probably like, “You’re a strange child, but also, at the same time, this is kind of cool.” And then for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I learned how to braid my hair like they did and I dressed in all gray. I usually try to dress like the character.
What is your worst audition horror story? This one scarred me: I was 14 years old. I think it was for ABC Family; I want to say “Make It or Break It.” It was for a recurring character. I was so excited; I was so prepared. I ran my lines so many times with my mom; I was doing pushups. I was testing for it, so I get into this audition room—and it was a different audition room than I’ve ever been in before. It was a mini theater room. I had to walk down these really intimidating steps to a stage. There was this big table with six people, and they were all just staring at me. It was a very dark room. My first page was this giant monologue, and I forgot everything. Literally nothing came out of my mouth. They kept saying, “You can do it again. Do you want a second? You can go back out and try it again.” It was horrifying.
What performance should every actor see and why? “Boys Don’t Cry” is an amazing movie to watch, just emotion-wise. [And] I love my favorites like “Titanic” and “Gone With the Wind,” just films [worth] watching as a whole. But “Boys Don’t Cry”—that performance by Hilary Swank made me want to be an actor.
“Sometimes you think the way the character is is completely different from what they want, and you can’t put that on yourself.”
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06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
HAVE YOU BEEN CAST IN A PROJECT THROUGH A BACKSTAGE CASTING NOTICE? Share your story with us and you might be featured in an upcoming issue! Just tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast and we’ll be in touch to hear your success story! @BACKSTAGE
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Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, and Teyonah Parris. “Queen & Slim” As much an of-the-moment Black Lives Matter feature as you’re likely to get, this gorgeous and devastating film from screenwriter Lena Waithe and director Melina Matsoukas stars Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith as a Bonnie and Clyde on the run after they shoot a racist, brutalizing cop in self-defense.
George Floyd protests in Charlotte, North Carolina
Industry
#SAYHERNAME advocates for the integration of their stories into the calls for justice and broader policy conversations in regard to police brutality and media representations of police brutality.
Actors’ Resources for the BLM Movement Organizations, art, and people you can donate to, watch, and follow in support of Black Lives Matter By Backstage Staff
BACKSTAGE IS COMMITTED to spotlighting, protecting, and uplifting Black and brown narratives, and we want to give our readers access to information they need to help us in that mission. That’s why we’ve compiled a working list of organizations, films, and advocates to follow and support. For the full list, visit backstage.com/magazine.
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National Bail Fund Network This website makes it easy to donate to bail funds across the country; you can either split donations across all the funds, or specify where you’d like your funds to go. #SAYHERNAME Focusing specifically on police violence against Black women, girls, and femmes,
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“If Beale Street Could Talk” (Hulu) This feature is an engrossing look at the romance between a young Black couple that is tested when the man is wrongfully arrested. Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) adapts James Baldwin’s 1974 novel for the big screen. The film features stunning performances from KiKi
Advocates Trevor Noah (@trevornoah and @thedailyshow) Since taking over “The Daily Show” in 2015, Noah has been a prominent voice in the fight for social justice, lending searing and clear-cut commentary on current events. John Boyega (@johnboyega) Boyega has been a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement for years. He also frequently speaks to the ways in which he has personally been subjected to racism. Mj Rodriguez (@mjrodriguez7) Rodriguez has become one of the biggest stars of the small screen thanks to “Pose,” a series that features the largest-ever number of transgender actors as series regulars in its cast. She is an active voice for both the Black and transgender communities.
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CLAY BANKS/UNSPLASH
Organizations American Civil Liberties Union There is a reason the ACLU has been one of the leading organizations in the pursuit of justice for decades: “The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures, and
communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
Films “13th” (Netflix) From director Ava DuVernay, “13th” is the Oscar-nominated documentary depicting the history of racial inequality in America with a focus on prisons and the ways in which the 13th Amendment has contributed to the disproportionate incarceration of Black people in America.
“The Hate U Give” (Hulu) This 2018 feature directed by George Tillman Jr. stars Amandla Stenberg as a young woman who witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend at the hands of a police officer, and follows the action she takes thereafter.
The Slate
The Actor’s Quarantine Resource We’re not letting creativity + productivity stop in the face of coronavirus. We’re taking you directly to industry power players through Backstage Forums AMAs, Instagram takeovers and Q&As, YouTube Lives, and most excitingly, Zoom-hosted seminars for interactive group classes! Guests include: Casting Director Robert Ulrich Casting Director Linda Lamontagne Talent Agent Jason Lockhart Fitness Coach Steph VS Casting Director Melanie Forchetti Talent Agent Chaim Magnum UK Casting Director Sophie Kingston-Smith Makeup Artist Bridie Coughlin Voiceover Actor Laurie Burke Voice Teacher Andrew Byrne and more!
To get all the details and view the full schedule, please visit backstage.com/magazine.
has locked in Tami Sagher. Production on the pilot is all hypothetical at the moment, but the team is tentatively eyeing Fall 2020 for shooting dates. When the time comes for cameras to start rolling, they will do so in Los Angeles.
3 ‘SNL’ Alums Return to TV Pilot season 2020 is looking for laughs By Rebecca Welch
STAY IN THE LOOP ON industry and casting news with our write-up on who’s been slated for recent film and television roles! While production might still be on hold around the world, some Hollywood film and TV projects are moving forward with casting ahead of tentative shooting dates set for later this year once safe on-set protocols
For more upcoming productions and casting news, visit backstage.com/news/casting
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“Big Deal” “Saturday Night Live” alum Vanessa Bayer, who spent seven seasons on the iconic sketch show, is returning to television with the Showtime pilot “Big Deal.” Bayer is not the only “SNL” vet on the project; Molly Shannon, who spent six years on the comedy juggernaut, is
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FILM
Ryan Gosling Goes Feral By Casey Mink
For the latest news, check out backstage.com/resources to find thousands of production listings, casting directors, acting classes, agents, and more!
THE TWO-TIME ACADEMY AWARD nominee has signed on to star in “Wolfman,” a remake of horror classics dating back to the 1930s, which is written by “Orange Is the New Black” team Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. The feature, from Universal, is preceded by 2010’s “The Wolfman,” which starred Benicio del Toro as the eponymous monster. No director has been named just yet, nor has a production timeline been nailed down. The project will be the latest in Universal’s “monster universe,” relaunched earlier this year with “The Invisible Man.”
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MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON
Get cast!
have been established. Please note that shoot dates are subject to state and county COVID-19 quarantine restrictions and may change. Refer to Call Sheet for the latest updates and keep checking Backstage for the latest news on project development during this time.
also signed on to co-star. Even without an official start date, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the project has continued to round out its cast and crew. Bayer has already claimed an executive producing slot in addition to her starring role on the half-hour comedy. “Big Deal” will follow a woman who survived a battle with childhood leukemia to grow up and claim her lifelong dream job: becoming an on-air host at a QVC-like show. Bialy/ Thomas & Associates is assembling the cast, and, in addition to Bayer and Shannon, the team
COURTESY VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT
What’s Casting
“American Auto” Ana Gasteyer, another “SNL” alum, is looking to revive the crumbling automotive industry in America—at least onscreen. After her time on the sketch show, the comedian has been seen in film and on television, as well as the Broadway stage. Most recently, she has her sights set on NBC’s Michigan-based pilot, “American Auto.” The project will focus on a group of executives in the American automotive capital of Detroit who, post-bailout, run a large automobile manufacturer in dire straits. Trying to stay in the fight for corporate survival, the team of bumbling C-levels finds they must rediscover their purpose and company ideals in an ever-changing industry. Joining Gasteyer on the Greenstein/ Daniel–cast pilot are X Mayo and Harriet Dyer, with additional cast yet to be found or announced. The L.A.-based production is currently suspended, like most other pilots, but will likely follow the trend of tentatively shooting this fall or winter.
more people reflected in their experience out there in the world, and that’s [why it’s] really critical and essential to support indie filmmaking. One of the things I love about ‘Almost Love’ is it’s a gaycentered rom-com, and I play the straight bestie, and that’s still kind of new, to be able to explore that relationship and that dynamic.”
Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Kate Walsh in “Almost Love”
Backstage Live
A Day at a Time
Kate Walsh talks indie film and mindfulness during COVID-19 By Paul Art Smith
The following Backstage Live was compiled by Backstage readers just like you! Follow us on Twitter (@Backstage) and Instagram (@backstagecast) to stay in the loop on upcoming interviews and to submit questions live on camera.
MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON
COURTESY VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT
INDUSTRY
HFPA Elects New Board By Casey Mink
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KNOWN FOR HER ROLES ON fan-favorite TV series “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” and “13 Reasons Why,” Kate Walsh is also no stranger to the indie film screen, most recently co-starring in actorturned-filmmaker Mike Doyle’s rom-com “Almost Love.” Walsh jumped on Instagram Live with
THE HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS Association, the organization of international journalists that conducts the Golden Globe Awards, has announced its newly elected board: Meher Tatna has been re-elected as the chair, with Luca Celada, Helen Hoehne, Yoram Kahana, and Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros having been elected to the board of directors for the 2020–21 season. They join Lorenzo Soria as president, vice president Ali Sar, treasurer Janet R. Nepales, and executive secretary Ruben V. Nepales.
Backstage as she quarantined from Australia to chat about the film and how she’s managing while staying isolated. Acting in indie films allows Walsh to work with exciting new storytellers. “It was so fun for me to do an indie, to shoot an indie in New York—that’s just such a treasure in itself—and a romcom, and it was in the summer, and it was down-and-dirty, we were shooting it all over Manhattan and Brooklyn…. I’m so grateful for ‘Grey’s’ and ‘Private Practice,’ and in 800 ways I could go on about how grateful I am for Shondaland, but also, I grew up doing theater; it was [always] very important for me to do different kinds of stuff, and you want to play as an actor, you want to play as many roles as you can and different genres as you can, and so indies are very important. Because of the internet, we’ve really been able to nurture newer storytellers and filmmakers. You get more and more stories, and more and
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As a first-time writer and director, Doyle’s skills with actors shined through. “I’ve known Mike Doyle for a number of years. He had that really special, very difficult-tocome-by quality of a first-time director. He was incredible to work with as an actor because he could speak ‘actor.’ He had a vision, but he was still super open to letting us be us—and that’s no small feat. Especially when you have an ensemble cast and everybody works in different ways, you’ve got lots of different personalities. It’s a real gift and skill.” Quarantine has been a time to lean into loved ones and take things day to day. “I haven’t binged anything. I’m the one person who hasn’t watched ‘Tiger King’.... Now, we’ll see. [Taking it day to day] has always been my spiritual practice anyway, a day at a time. Really, everything in my life has pivoted so much, minute to minute, during this time, so it’s been a good thing to go, ‘OK, here I am, let’s see what the day brings.’ There have been some actor friends of mine who have said we’ve been training for this our whole lives, this is what we do! But I’m grateful to be healthy, and I think it’s an incredible opportunity to lean into each other and see what happens and love each other— we’re all in this together, now more than ever.” Want to hear more from Walsh? Watch our full Backstage Live interview at our Instagram page, @backstagecast.
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
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Radha Blank, “The 40-Year-Old Version” writer + director By Casey Mink
Radha Blank in “The 40-Year-Old Version”
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directorial debut, though her approach to that newfound role was hardly demure. For starters, she shot the movie in black-and-white. “This is us revisiting the classic New York comedy but switching the angle, pivoting the camera to a corner of New York not usually depicted in this way,” she says. And as much as the film is a celebration of the artists who make Blank’s hometown great, it is also an examination of the city’s artistic institutions,
“I felt like I wasn’t in control of what I was making as an artist. I needed very desperately to create something of my own.”
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which too frequently define which storytellers get to tell which stories. “I come from a community of either self-taught or self-made artists who create spaces as a result of not feeling welcome, accepted, or empowered in other spaces,” Blank explains. “[In the film, Radha] is not so much defining her voice as defying what is expected of her voice, as opposed to waiting for a gatekeeper to deem you worthy of walking in.” That her own artistic hardship is the basis for what has garnered her this career-high exposure is an irony not lost on Blank (and she theorizes with just a hint of told-you-so relish that there will likely be
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JEONG PARK
“THAT’S ALL THE FILM IS about,” says Radha Blank, the writer, director, and star of the forthcoming feature “The 40-Year-Old Version,” which earned her the prestigious directing award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. “[A] person who is searching for that fulfillment as an artist in a city that has all these rules.” That city would be New York, the same one in which Blank has toiled as a playwright for two decades, and of which she is a native. The heavily autobiographical movie (which Netflix will release later this year) depicts a once-promising writer—also named Radha—on the brink of 40 who stumbles into a rap career. It’s Blank’s
more interest in producing her plays once the film comes out). But she also emphasizes the opportunity did not come to her. She had to consciously, fervently grab for it, only at last gaining control once she’d felt completely out of it. “About six years ago, I’d gotten hired on my first writing gig for a screenplay, an adaptation of a best-selling book. I’d worked in children’s television previously and was struggling to make the transition to writing [for adults],” she says. “I got this gig and they absolutely loved my first draft. Second draft, I got fired.” She shares the anecdote with a hearty laugh, but is honest that the loss was seismic. “I loved that job and was devastated. After getting fired, I felt like I wasn’t in control of what I was making as an artist. I needed very desperately to create something of my own.” Though she’s had to claw her way here, “Version” required every bit of Blank’s experience as an artist and a human being. It would not be the same deeply resonant piece had there not been ample strife and disillusionment along the way, and even when she finally arrived, she was still asked to persist. “I always knew I would be directing this film, and there was a lot of opposition, mainly from people who were concerned: ‘You’ve never even shot a film before, why would your first film be one you would also be in?,’ ” she recalls. However, like every other pursuit, Blank kept going and, eventually, took what was hers. “I just know the world so intuitively. I feel like playing all these different roles over the years prepared me for it. I had been preparing to make this film years before I even knew I was making it.”
ILLUSTRATION: MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON; “SHIRLEY”: COURTESY NEON
Meet the Maker
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Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know
THE ESSENTIALISTS
SUE NAEGLE producer
By Casey Mink from the work.”
Producing an indie film is arduous work that sometimes literally requires you to get your hands dirty—which is exactly what makes it so special. Just ask SUE NAEGLE, chief content officer at Annapurna and the producer behind Neon’s new Elisabeth Moss–starrer, “Shirley.”
Note From the CD
Working on an indie can feel like summer camp. “There is a spirit on the set, because everyone’s working for
Watch for Red Flags
JEONG PARK
ILLUSTRATION: MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON; “SHIRLEY”: COURTESY NEON
By Marci Liroff
HAVING CAST AND PROduced many, many film projects over the years, I’ve had a lot of experience—and I’ve seen everything from the good to the bad to the ugly. From the audition process all the way through your on-set experience, you’ve got to keep your eyes open for red flags that risk derailing the project or even yourself. I was casting a big-budget studio film years ago, and the director proposed a scene in which he wanted me to cast two very young children. Once he explained the parameters of the scene, which included shooting late at night, explosions going off near the kids, and them being shot at, I immediately said no and attempted to explain why he wouldn’t be able to hire children for this scene: He’d never get a work permit in these conditions. His team then told me that they wouldn’t get a work permit or pay them through
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payroll—they’d pay them out of petty cash. I alerted the producer, who said he’d take care of it. The next thing I heard was that the kids and the lead actor had been killed while shooting the scene. A helicopter that was part of the scene came down on top of them after a Quonset hut was blown up and fragments of it flew into the tail rotor of the ’copter. It’s an extreme example, but it shows that no one can afford to cut corners. And yet, I’ve noticed a lot of that on some of the films I’ve worked on. It’s especially prevalent in the indie film space. They lovingly call it “guerilla filmmaking.” But if you’re asked to do a stunt and they don’t have a stunt coordinator to meet the required safety regulations, you must refuse. Sometimes, the filmmakers request a voluminous amount of research and training when there is no offer. Within reason, some of these requests are
a little less and you’re in it together…. No one is staying at the Four Seasons. There’s no incredible catering. You’re doing the best you can. And there’s a real camaraderie in living with the crew and getting in that van in the morning. There’s a different equalizer, because you’re all in it together. The bigger studio films, they’re great, but they’re much more luxe and that sometimes can strangely make you feel removed
valid. If you’re doing a baseball movie, we need to see you play. That said, if you find yourself in weeks of training for a part you don’t actually have yet, you might want to rethink these requests and get your rep involved. So, use your “spidey-sense”; everyone has one. If you’re sent an audition with a request to meet after hours at the director’s home, request a daytime interview in an office setting. Remember, you have the right to bring a peer with you if you aren’t comfortable going alone. Or if a filmmaker says to you, “You know, it would be easier just to make the deal with you,” or “Ugh, reps are such a nuisance,” an actor should not engage. This is exactly why you have representation. These issues can also come up with nudity riders. If you
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Shirley Jackson’s life called for “Shirley.” “I am always drawn to stories about women who are not lauded for the things they’ve done in their life and who are often overlooked: women writers, genre writers. Shirley Jackson had such an extraordinary life. She not only wrote so many of the stories that chilled us in our childhood, but if you remain faithful to her work, chill us through adulthood…. She was by all accounts an excellent mother and also created this legacy of work that was complicated in how it was received. That life and that story felt as if it deserved some exploration.”
ask about one and the director’s response is, “You’re cool, right?,” that’s your sign to walk away. The SAG-AFTRA Basic Contract requires a nudity rider to specifically outline the nudity that is agreed upon along with any intimate contact. Make sure you’ve agreed to all of the terms together before you arrive on set. The production is not allowed to ask you to do anything that you haven’t agreed to in your rider. Not all indies are bad, of course; just keep in mind what we all learned long ago from our parents: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is! Listen to your instincts.
Want more?
Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
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Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know
#IGOTCAST.
Secret Agent Man
Going Small Can Pay Big
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EXPERIENCE. Even at this level, there’s a lot to learn, and any amount of time spent on a set is time well spent. CONTACTS. That director might become the next big thing at Marvel. And now
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you’re best friends. SCHEDULE. These things are shot quickly, so time investment is rarely an issue. REEL. All you need is one amazing scene to take your reel to the next level.
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By Franchesca Viaud After taking a two-decade hiatus, ALICIA OCANA returned to acting—and Backstage was there waiting. She was able to jump back in without missing a beat; as the saying goes, once an actor always an actor. Past, present, and future, Backstage is there. “I’ve been using Backstage since 2017. I’d been away from acting for about 20 years and I remembered Backstage. Back then, it was not online—actually, not much of anything was online!” Her advice: Study. “I read an article [on] Backstage about the best schools in New York, and as a result, I went to some beginner classes at both Atlantic [Theater Company] and Stella Adler. Excellent schools! I’ve learned so much and it’s really helping me in my auditions.” When in doubt, hit submit. “Apply to everything! Sometimes, I almost don’t apply, but then I go ahead and submit. Sometimes I get a nice surprise and I’m asked to audition. You lose nothing by trying. If you don’t try, you will never know if that role could have been yours.”
TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS story in print, tweet @Backstage using thehashtag #IGotCast, or email us at igotcast@ backstage.com.
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ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; OCANA: CHRIS MACKE
I RECENTLY SAW TWO FILMS ON AMAZON THAT I WOULD CATEgorize as microbudget movies. Their titles were “Circle” (2015) and “Groupers” (2019). Truth be told, I enjoyed them a lot more than some of the bigger studio films I’ve seen. There’s no rule about this, but I’m going to define a microbudget movie as a film that’s made for less than $50,000, with a self-contained story that revolves around a few characters and one main location. “Circle” and “Groupers” both fit perfectly into that category. As a film lover, I admired those movies because of the creativity on display. And as an agent, I loved them because the leads all gave stellar performances, despite a lack of experience. It’s like they were thrilled to finally have a chance to show what they can do. I’m a big supporter of microbudget movies—and you should be, too. They present opportunities that are hard to come by when you’re just starting out. You could actually book the lead of the film, and that’s not going to happen on a larger-budget project. Here are some of the reasons you should follow my advice:
Alicia Ocana
RAQUEL APARICIO
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HOPE. Most of these films go nowhere, but you never know who might see them. As an agent, I don’t get to negotiate big numbers on these projects, but there are still plenty of deal points that need to be locked down. For example, billing doesn’t cost anything, so I always aim for a single card in the main titles with paid ads. That sort of thing will matter down the road if the film ever gets any kind of release. I also try to make sure my clients have some form of contingent compensation. That means if the film makes money, they will, too. And, last but not least, I always put language in the contract that you must be invited to the premiere and all the festivals where the film is screened. Those are major networking opportunities, and you need to be there, front and center. But there are also some potential problems with doing these movies. Technology has created a world where pretty much everyone can produce their own film, but that doesn’t mean they should. Knowing how to raise money on Kickstarter doesn’t make someone a filmmaker. So I always do an FBI-level background check on all the players. Who are they? What’s their experience? Can they pull this off? I’m not making much on these deals, so if I’m going to tie up my clients on a microbudget movie, I need to know the people behind it have the ability to finish what they start. If you land an offer for one of these films, don’t just jump in without thinking. Read the script. Meet the filmmakers. Talk it out with your reps. And if it feels right? Well, have a great shoot, and I’ll catch you on the flip side.
culture +
Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know
In the Room With
Kate Antognini
The street casting specialist gives opportunities to actors and nonactors alike for festival-favorite indies By Elyse Roth
RAQUEL APARICIO
ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; OCANA: CHRIS MACKE
KATE ANTOGNINI HAS NEVER BEEN INTERESTED IN CASTING THE easy way. You can see her and casting partner Damian Bao’s work in buzzy festival indies like “Port Authority,” which was nominated for three awards at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, and “Goldie,” which earned deserved buzz out of the Berlin Film Festival that same year. For these projects, casting was particularly integral. The stories she’s populating often depict young characters discovering their identities under circumstances that need to be treated with care. It’s not unusual that she has to take to the streets to find her talent; many of the people she finds are not the type of actors who have an agent and a laundry-list résumé, and some aren’t even actors until she turns them into one. Below, she shares with Backstage how she does it. What draws you to a project, and why is independent film a fit for your casting style? I look for directors who value the same things I do in casting. My work is very hands-on. I think that even small parts are important to making a world feel lived in and real. So, I like
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to supplement the traditional actor search with research and scouting outside the typical talent pool, whether through street scouting or social media research. When I tell a director about my process and they’re willing to invest the time, that’s a good sign!
What kind of research do you do to prepare for casting a project? If the project involves street scouting, particularly scouting outside New York City, the research can be very extensive. It usually starts with demographic research. From there, it may involve finding local fixers, speaking to locals in other states to get tips on where to scout, or researching festivals and other events that draw thousands of people. What does street casting mean for you and how do you do it? I have trained scouts who spend long days approaching people and taking their photos. Where they look depends on the project and
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role. It could be skate parks, malls, concerts, coffee shops, dive bars. I also constantly stop interesting people that I pass on the street. What are some of the challenges that come with casting an indie project, especially one with sensitive or specific subject matter? You have to be more creative about finding people. No matter how amazing the script and director [are], if the film doesn’t have a major production company backing it, it can sometimes be more challenging to get actors on board, particularly if the subject matter is sensitive or not trendy in some way. But that challenge can also lead to better casting work because it forces you to look outside the typical pool and discover new talent. How can working on an indie film benefit an actor’s career? Indie films are where most actors get their start. They also give young actors the opportunity to take on meatier parts, whereas they may only get small supporting parts in studio films or on TV shows. What can an actor do in an audition that will make them memorable to you, even if they don’t get the part? Acting as a career is scary, because there are so many variables outside of your control that factor into your success, so it’s important to focus on the things that you can control. Be persistent and professional. Show up on time, be easy to work with, always be prepared. It sounds basic, but just mastering those simple things will really set you apart.
Want more?
Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
Can’t Box Her In Miranda July is more than just a filmmaker. Her latest project, “Kajillionaire,” showcases her trademark ability to create something new while staying true to herself
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BACKSTAGE 04.02.20
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By Elyse Roth
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04.02.20 BACKSTAGE
OPENING SPREAD AND THIS SPREAD: MATT KENNEDY/FOCUS FEATURES
On the set of “Kajillionaire”
IN ORDER TO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE Miranda July’s work in film, you’d have to come up with an entirely new vocabulary. Even if filmmaking were her only craft, the term “filmmaker” could never quite do justice to July’s contribution to the medium. Speaking over the phone from her Los Angeles home, she recalls that from her very first interactions with the craft, she “had to actively ignore everything that already existed in a very myopic young person way and re-create the entire infrastructure for myself.” She felt that way before she had even made a short film, but the attitude persists today, even in Annapurna and Focus Features’ “Kajillionaire,” the third feature film she has written and directed, premiering Sept. 18. Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger play a cult-like family that performs low-stakes heists, and scams sweepstakes and contests. While carrying out one of their schemes thought up by the sheepish daughter, Old Dolio (Wood), the family meets Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), an unassuming but willing co-conspirator. This outside presence throws the family’s precarious machinery into chaos, compelling BACKSTAGE 06.11.20
both characters and viewers to examine their understanding of love, family, and identity. When “Kajillionaire” premiered at Sundance in January, it was highly anticipated. July was already well-established on the festival circuit. Her name is typically followed by a growing string of labels attempting to classify her creative output (writer, director, performer, artist, author, app developer, charity shop founder, and so on), and she likes to rotate mediums, so it had been nearly 10 years since her last film. After writing a novel, 2015’s “The First Bad Man,” July was ready to return to filmmaking, and the idea for “Kajillionaire” came to her organically. She claims it has always been inside her, in a way. While the idea might have felt personal, the film marks the first time she hasn’t starred in one of her screen projects. “The day after I had the idea, I thought, Oh, there’s no one my age in this movie, so that was clear right away,” July says. “With this movie, the opportunity to cast two young women, I was like, Wow, these could be known faces. These are great roles. I began to have specific people in mind.”
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OPENING SPREAD AND THIS SPREAD: MATT KENNEDY/FOCUS FEATURES
“Your unique handicap is also your biggest superpower. It’s the reason why your movie will feel different and be needed, why it’ll connect to someone else.”
One of the throughlines of her work is that it tends to veer outside the mainstream, so casting recognizable actors was an unexpected choice. “The film is a little bit funny and has this sort of heist thing, which is kind of accessible. It was inviting, I think, already,” she explains. “Then I thought, Oh, it’s also inviting when it’s someone we already love.” Not everything about “Kajillionaire” involved a new approach for July. “I remember being a little dismayed that I’m going to do just as I have with every movie I’ve made. I didn’t become super playful, like, ‘Let’s just improv and see what happens. Let’s just throw the script out the window.’ I always want to be that person, but [my] method seems to work,” she concedes. “Directing-wise, I’m probably on the extreme end of the spectrum of writer-directors because I’m also a fiction writer, so I am pretty invested in the way I wrote it,” she continues. “I’ve heard it in my head. I’ve more or less done all these parts myself, and I’m also an actor.” That familiarity with the roles gives July an acute understanding of how she wants them to be performed. Her actors came to be mildly obsessed with her notebook, always in hand on set. “I’m writing notes down the whole time, and then I walk over to them, I give those notes, and I sit back down and cross out those notes. I turn the page and write the next notes,” she says. It’s clear that July’s filmmaking methods are inextricable from her varied creative endeavors outside of the medium, but her consumption of film as a viewer has always been an influence, even in her non–film work—which then, full-circle, influenced her filmmaking process. “I was in high school. Indie film was just starting. I don’t think I
With director of photography Sebastian Winterø on the set of “Kajillionaire”
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realized how inaccessible even that was to me. It just seemed cool,” she remembers. “It’s this sort of showmanship of what children do to put on a show, but in this very adult, rigorous, complex way that’s popular and poppy. It’s not an opera, it’s something that kids like.” July wouldn’t release her first feature, “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” until 2005, but she was establishing herself in other ways, collecting achievements as an artist and writer. A monograph was released in April, documenting her major works from 1992 through “Kajillionaire.” In the years before “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” filmmaking wasn’t necessarily her focus, but in the monograph, a friend remembers July calling her performance pieces “live movies,” and one of her first collaborative projects was inspired by her interest in film. “In a way, I wasn’t able to conceive of making even a short movie until I started this project, ‘Joanie 4 Jackie,’ where I gathered short movies made by women and girls, compiled them, and sent them back out. I was essentially creating a context so I could conceive of myself as a filmmaker,” she says. “At that time, there was so much about dudes. Everyone wanted to make ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ but I was a young punk feminist. Then I started making short movies. I learned a lot about how to write the grant to get money or how to get access to equipment.” July admits that even if she had had an easier route into the craft, she doesn’t like to be taught and never wanted to be mentored. She had dropped out of college and moved to Portland, Oregon, when she started “Joanie 4 Jackie.” By then, she had been creating her own genre- and medium-defying work, which would finally lead her to feature filmmaking. “I think it was myself as a performer, as much as anything else, that led to my first movie getting financing,” she notes. Her art pieces often incorporated complex technical elements she would control while performing—July had been an actor-director, unofficially, for years. An IFC producer was so compelled by one of July’s performance pieces that she vouched for her to make her first feature at the studio. “It was a really windy path, but it’s just kind of my nature to create the road there.” After that, she was a filmmaker in the traditional sense, but July never considered straying from her multidisciplinary roots. Praise coming out of Sundance and the Cannes Film Festival for “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” which was added to the Criterion Collection this year, meant she could choose what she wanted to do next. “I was offered all kinds of first-look deals and things like that. I was really determined to just focus on my book of short stories [‘No One Belongs Here More Than You’] and get that published. I don’t think that was a mistake, certainly not for myself as a writer, but I definitely didn’t strike while the iron was hot, as far as getting my second movie made [goes]. I guess that’s the downside of the way I 06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
With director of photography Sebastian Winterø on the set of “Kajillionaire”
on Instagram, which I consider a movie, that cost no money. To me, it was just as valid as ‘Kajillionaire,’ ” July says. “There are performances Margaret gives in it that are incredible, that probably couldn’t have happened on a film set.” To July, a small production provides opportunities that can’t exist in bigger-budget projects. “There’s something about the spontaneity that’s possible with a really, really tiny project. I’m interested in how small a crew you could have these days. Conceivably, it could be nobody. It could just be me and a camera,” she says. “That’s interesting to me because I think it just brings forth different energies
WATCH
Movie Moments MIRANDA JULY began making feature films long after finding success in other mediums, but she saw instant acclaim in the industry. Her filmmaking methods are as uniquely her as her work across art and literature—and that’s exactly how she carved out space as a mustwatch creator.
BACKSTAGE 06.11.20
“ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW” (2005) July’s first film, which she wrote, directed, and starred in, features intertwining storylines about people looking for love. It was added to the Criterion Collection in 2020.
“THE FUTURE” (2011) This feature about a couple who adopts a stray cat that changes everything was adapted from a performance piece and themes elements from other recent artworks.
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“KAJILLIONAIRE” (2020) July’s first nonstarring vehicle cast Evan Rachel Wood and Gina Rodriguez in her stead and follows a family who pulls off small heists for money.
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MATT KENNEDY/FOCUS FEATURES ; “ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW”: COURTESY IFC FILMS ; “THE FUTURE ”: COURTESY THE MATCH FACTORY; “KAJILLIONAIRE”: COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES
make things,” she admits. And that’s why it was almost a decade between her second film, “The Future” (another Sundance success), and “Kajillionaire”—although today, she has fans at the top of the industry, and funding the third time around came easily. Now, it’s back to writing—and continuing to explore film’s boundaries. She says that while making “ ‘Kajillionaire’ was a lovely experience, a bigger budget while still being small by most people’s standards,” her “inclination after that was to make something really tiny.” That led her to Instagram. “I did this project with Margaret Qualley
and emotions and kinds of performances. It’s a different kind of art. There’s no amount of money that will buy that kind of intimacy and spontaneity. That’s within people, and if they feel comfortable and safe. Some stories are just better served by a more intimate process.” It might not be possible to copy her methods or her path exactly, but there’s a lot that aspiring filmmakers can take away from July’s approach. “If there’s one thing I would stress, it’s that we already have enough movies by guys who knew a lot about film and were really into it,” she urges. “It’s an art form. You could be the kind of person who doesn’t give a fuck about the history of film because it doesn’t relate to you or the stories you want to tell. But you’re still a storyteller, and it can still be a good medium for you.” And if you’re waiting for education or money for equipment or acceptance to a program, don’t. “Your phone is good enough for you to make your first movie, and you have a way to share it. You can begin with what you have,” she encourages. “I could 20 years ago, and I didn’t have any of this. Your unique handicap is also your biggest superpower. It’s the reason why your movie will feel different and be needed, why it’ll connect to someone else.” July has never let people’s ideas about film shape her own work, and thinks others can be bolstered by doing the same. “I think there’s this cinephile thing that is actually sort of robbing the medium of a lot of its best storytellers,” she continues. “There’s this certain way you have to talk about it, which is so boring to me. In fact, you have a leg up if that’s not the way your mind works, because that’s old-school, that’s done. You’re the next thing.” When it comes to the next thing for July, “Kajillionaire” is where her monograph ends, but she’s still creating. “I’m working on something right now that has me so giddy. I don’t want to give it away,” she says. Working on something new isn’t a new concept for July, but her excitement goes back to what drew her to filmmaking and creating years ago, and explains why she keeps coming back all these years later. “I still have that feeling about it. It’s very addictive.”
Song Kang-ho with Bong Joon-ho
the Oscars began to embrace modest, lesser-known fare, with big-name distributors falling out of favor; 2013’s “12 Years a Slave,” 2014’s “Birdman,” 2015’s “Spotlight,” and 2016’s “Moonlight,” each produced for $20 million or under, all took home the top Film Independent Spirit Award and subsequently
The story you want to tell may be too strange or bold to fit into any typical box, but it’s often strangeness and boldness that audiences—and Academy voters— are craving.
Diamond in the Rough
From indie distribution to Oscar gold: a letter from the awards editor
TANIAVOLOBUEVA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
By Jack Smart DEAR BACKSTAGE READER, So, you’ve filmed an independent movie! Or perhaps you’re hoping to do so. How do you turn your unique, self-financed, low-budget vision into a success? And also: How do you take an indie all the way to Hollywood’s gold standard of success? I am, of course, talking about the Oscars. The Academy Awards were conceived in the late 1920s to bolster Hollywood’s megastudio system. The idea that anything from a distributor other than the “Big Five” of Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. could claim victory at the Oscars has been, for the vast majority of the accolades’ history,
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preposterous. But, as we’ve seen, especially in the last decade, winners of the industry’s most prestigious prize can come from where you least expect. First things first, know thyself— or rather, thy project should know itself. Your film has a place in the ecosystem and history of film; does it follow in the footsteps of an indie predecessor, tonally or thematically? Can you whittle down its essence to an elevator pitch with a hook to lure in audience dollars? Why are you passionate about this story? Articulating what makes your film worth seeing and what sets it apart from the pack covers
many steps on the road to your Oscar acceptance speech, from securing distribution to working with publicists on generating positive buzz. Also among your first steps may be submitting the project to film festivals. Independently produced Oscar winners have emerged from Toronto, Venice, Cannes, and Telluride, but also from fests geared toward highlighting smaller, less mainstream work, like Tribeca and Sundance. Regardless of where the film premieres, what matters next is distribution. From traditional studios with an independent arm like Sony Pictures Classics or Searchlight Pictures to newer, more forwardthinking companies hoping to break into the mainstream, like A24 and Neon, each distributor approaches release rollout and awards campaigning differently, so work closely with the powers that be to maximize your film’s reach. Then, either widespread critical praise or impressive box office numbers—preferably both—are crucial ingredients. Fingers crossed! Almost a decade ago, mainstream film awards like
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the Academy Award for best picture. “Moonlight,” especially, was a trailblazer for indies earning Oscar gold, hailing from A24, the upstart distributor that, paradoxically, prides itself on daring or downright bizarre projects outside mainstream Hollywood culture. That pattern repeated itself just this year with another new-kidon-the-block distributor. Neon had tasted Oscar gold with 2017’s “I, Tonya,” but skyrocketed into the 2019–20 film awards season by acquiring and strategically campaigning Bong Joon-ho’s Korean hit “Parasite,” making history as the first winner of the best picture Oscar not in the English language. With a budget of only $11 million, South Korea’s highest grossing film of all time is unlike any contender before. But its journey from Bong’s mind to the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or to four Oscar wins can serve as inspiration for other aspiring filmmakers: The story you want to tell may be too strange or bold to fit into any typical box, but it’s often strangeness and boldness that audiences—and Academy voters—are craving. With film production on hold and uncertain for the foreseeable future amid the global pandemic, now is as good a time as any to conceive of such a story. Dream big, embrace the limitations, and use the resources at your disposal to craft the next Oscarwinning game-changer! Sincerely,
Jack
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
Plays Musicals Film TV & Video Commercial Modeling Variety Voiceover Gigs Events
Submit a Notice |
New York Tristate Plays Arc Stages 2020-2021 Season, Equity Video Submissions
• Casting Equity actors for the Arc
Stages 2020-2021 Season. Note: Due to COVID-19 and Social Distancing Efforts, accepting Video Submission Auditions in lieu of live EPAs in NYC. Season includes: “See What I Want To See” (Michael John LaChiusa, playwright; Rehearsals begin Sept. 7; runs Oct. 2-18) and “True West” (Sam Shepard, playwright. Rehearsals begin Jan. 11, 2021; runs Jan. 29-Feb. 14, 2021). • Company: Arc Stages. Staff: Adam
David Cohen, artistic dir.; Ann-Ngaire Martin, dir.
• Season runs in Pleasantville, NY. • Seeking—Equity Actors: all genders, 18+. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit video audi-
tions in MP4 or MOV format to auditions@arcstages.org. Slate your name. Submissions deadline is June 15 at 5 p.m. Adam David Cohen, artistic dir., and Ann-Ngaire Martin, dir., will review the auditions. Actors of all ethnicities encouraged to audition for all roles. • Pays $309/wk. Equity SPT 2
Agreement.
SUBMIT YOUR CALLS FOR CAST AND CREW: Visit backstage.com/findtalent and click on “Post a Notice.” Include all relevant project requirements, including any pay, fees, dues, costs, required ticket sales or nudity. of Esme. Cashier: female, 18-35, mystical, friendly, and mysterious. Liz: 18-30, famous artist whose art gained rapid popularity but it’s actually her younger sister’s art that she is taking credit for. She gets carried away by popularity and gets caught up in a web of lies. Grace: female, 10-18, all ethnicities, Liz’s younger sister, who is an innocent young artist with social anxiety.
Casting picks of the week BY LISA HAMIL
stage
• Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • No pay. Compensation for travel and
Arc Stages 2020-2021 Season Self tape for the Pleasantville, NY upcoming Equity season
meals covered. Copy of final film will be provided.
film
‘Chronicles of Steam’ Rock out in this post-apocalyptic musical in Albuquerque, NM
Scripted TV & Video
national commercial
Ad for Bloom, Video SelfTherapy App
First American Home Commercial Seeking authentic home warranty policyholders in Los Angeles, CA
• Seeking talent for Bloom, a self-therapy
app. Company states: “Bloom is building the world’s first digital therapist, combining interactive mobile-video classes with self-directed CBT exercises to make therapy more affordable and accessible for the masses. We’re on a mission to democratize mental health treatment and empower everyone to be their own therapist.”
multimedia
‘‘Paige Saves The Day’’ Make your voice heard in this children’s book trailer in Washington, DC
• Company: Bloom. Staff: Leon Mueller,
co-founder; Daniel Lohse, co-founder; Zen Pace, dir.; Linus Ignatius, casting dir.; Elizabeth Rezende, head of production.
tv
‘Fatal Attraction’ Choose the right partner in Nashville, TN for the TV One series
• Productions will begin with one fixed
half-day per week and slowly increase to two half-days or one full day per week at 37 W 20thSt., Ste. 1206, NYC. • Seeking—Guiding Therapist: female,
Student Films ‘Perception’
• Casting “Perception,” a short student
film. Synopsis: Young adult Esme gets a chance at an interview with a popular artist. Esme accidentally discovers the artist’s secret to success with the help of a mysterious camera lens that shows the inner thoughts of people being filmed. • Company: Reel Works Teen
Filmmaking. Staff: Nan Lin, writer-dir.
• Rehearsal and shoot dates TBD in NYC. • Seeking—Esme: female, 15-27, all
ethnicities, curious and adventurous student who accidentally discovers an artist’s secret. Mandy: female, 15-28, all ethnicities, energetic, supportive friend
BACKSTAGE 06.11.20
• Company: Independent. Staff: Eric Lee,
dir.; Yousef Fatehpour, AD; Yoonsoo Lee, DP. • Rehearses TBD dates via Zoom. • Seeking—Mother: female, 25-35,
White / European Descent, a woman in her 30s, she never had the opportunity to fall in love with anyone. She’s had a lot of acquaintances but she doesn’t want to die alone. She decides to go to a sperm donor and get impregnated. It took a lot of courage for her to do this since she’s private and calculated. She has been a tutor for K-6th grade children, now hitting the 12 year mark of her career. She prefers tutoring because it is more one-to-one and gets more fulfillment out of knowing how a child has improved their education. She has plentiful savings and is on maternal leave for a couple of months. She still taught when she was pregnant and let her students feel her belly. When she gets groceries a babysitter watches the baby. She lives in an apartment. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to ericjhdlee@gmail.
com.
• Pays $50/day, plus meals and refresh-
ments covered.
‘Shoelace’
• Casting “Shoelace,” a short romantic
comedy set in modern day Manhattan, NY. • Synopsis: When Andy’s new bride
Natasha temporary loses her memory from a kayaking accident on their honeymoon, he must try everything to trigger it back by showing her the past funny moments of their life as couple. He then realizes that the funny moments weren’t the trigger, but something else.
• Company: The Los Angeles Film School.
25-35, all ethnicities, an actress with a strong and empowering energy who can be to-the-point while also helping Bloom users feel safe and comfortable. Think along the lines of Lola Kirke in terms of presence and confidence. The Healer; Female/Non-Binary: all genders, 25-35, Black / African Descent, an actor of LGBTQ identity with a vibrant and strong energy to help guide Bloom users through sessions in a way that helps them feel safe yet empowered. The specification of orientation comes from the company’s desire to provide representation for all our audience members and give each user a figure they can relate to.
• Actors will be paid biweekly at the rate
of $400/day.
Southern California
rehearsals/reads June 18-19. Shoot dates TBD in L.A.
• Seeking—Natasha: female, 24+, all
‘A Mother’s Hymn’
about a single mother struggling to bond with her child.
gmail.com.
• Casting “A Mother’s Hymn,” a short film
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• Zoom callbacks June 11-12; Zoom
ethnicities, 25 to 50 years old, all ethnicities female. creative, sweet, romantic, quirky, organized, observant. Wife of Andy. She’s a well known Interior Designer in the city. Andy: male, 25+, all ethnicities, funny, good sense of humor, lovable, positive, smart, hardworking, determined. Andy is Natasha’s husband, and work as an Office Assistant in a Law Firm.
Short Films
• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit via Backstage.
Staff: Prudence Brando, prod.; Alex Meridy writer-dir.; Yeonshil Jeong, casting dir.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to Alexmeridy143@
backstage.com
California casting
• Submit self-tape. We will be conducting
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Feel free to include any skills related to
Zoom callbacks for this project. This will aim to be filmed once we are back to normal operations.
drumming. Submit two takes of the scene. Production wants to see how you interpret the scene, so perform it in two different ways.
• About the Director: “Alex Meridy is a
military veteran turned actor and filmmaker. He made his filmmaking breakthrough in film festival circuit by winning multiple awards for both of his student short film in a same year. He won ‘Best 1st-Time Screenwriter Award of Prestige’ at the Vegas Movie Awards 2019, ‘Best Student Film’ at the L.A Shorts Awards 2019 and achieved the ‘Award of Distinction’ from the Canada Shorts Film Festival 2019?. He is also part of this years AT&T/VME media fellowship program.”
• Copy and credit provided. Student
states: “Due to COVID-19, we will provide a limited number of meals for cast and crew, but encourage those to bring their own food if they can for health and safety concerns.”
‘My Big Book of Grievances’
• Casting “My Big Book of Grievances,” a
dark comedy about a cynical documentarian who tries to find funding for his latest project, but whose ego gets in the way of every interaction needed to secure it.
• Deferred pay when project set on pro-
duction date. Copy, meal, IMDB will be provided.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to annabw98@gmail. • Submit auditions by tape. • Paid, TBD rate.
edu.
young latina college student who struggles with anxiety, the weight of being a first generation student, and an overbearing professor. She falls back on her faith and friends to overcome her struggles. • Company: JPCatholic. Staff: Anna
Welter, CD.
• Shoots July 1-3 and 5 in the San Diego
County, CA area (specifically Escondido region). • Seeking—Esperanza Herrera: female,
18-25, Latino / Hispanic, she is a young Latina college student currently in the midst of some struggles. She is vibrant and energetic, and proud of who she is but struggles greatly with anxiety. She is the main character. com.
• Note: If anyone in talent’s household
falls sick, runs a temperature or displays Covid-19 symptoms after booking, shoot will be postponed. If then cancelled, certain session/virtual fees would nonetheless apply and be paid. Protocol for frequent hand washing/ mask wearing around camera equipment, and for wiping down equipment with provided sanitized wipes for production’s “no contact” pickup following the shoot, will be required.
National Commercials
• Company: Casting Office: Vicki Goggin
Casting. Staff: Vicki Goggin, casting dir.
• Casting real/authentic first American
• Shoot dates TBD in L.A. Shooting 12
• Casting director states: “Like the other
real-user spots we’ve been casting, this job requires true + verifiable (legal) testimony from those home owners who not only are/have been First American clients/customers, but in this case actually used their coverage to repair an existing appliance or system on their property, • “I’m using Backstage once again
because talent and kid talent’s parents ... as real people are very much part of the First American customer base. In light of COVID-19 and California’s “Stay at Home” guidelines, we’ve pivoted to
Warranty Customers: all genders, 20-85, all ethnicities, real authentic First American Home Warranty policy owners. Like the other real-user spots we’ve been casting, this job requires true + verifiable (legal) testimony from those home owners who not only are/ have been First American clients/customers, but in this case actually used their coverage to repair or service an existing appliance or system on their property. Note: Must be real homeowners in Southern California. Include a
MARCI LIROFF
current circumstances.
Your audition shouldn't feel like a visit to the doctor!
• Meals provided.
film. Synopsis: A homeless drummer boy, who romanticizes over a neighborhood girl, fights the path of a changing, gentrifying city in his attempt to show his affection.
• Seeking—Real First American Home
Veteran Hollywood Casting Director, Producer and Acting Coach
• Accepting video auditions due to the
• Casting “Little Drummer Boy,” a short
hours max on day of shoot.
LIMITED TIME SPECIAL COACHING PRICES!
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to l.rassool@lafilm.
‘Little Drummer Boy’
‘My Sunrise Friend’
• Casting “My Sunrise Friend,” a short
graduate student film project. Synopsis: A 32-year-old lonely accountant is fed up and defeated with dating Apps. With the prospect of spending another night alone he looks to purchase the time of an escort. He does, but what he gets isn’t what he expected.
• Company: All of a Sutton Productions.
Staff: Ellis Sutton, student.
• Rehearsals will be conducted
remotely at the discretion of the actor, director, and parent(s); scheduled to shoot Aug. 1-2, 8-9 (subject to change due to COVID-19). If not available, shooting will be completed during the two other weekends in August. Locations will include Downtown San Bernardino and Downtown L.A. (near USC).
• Company: Art Center College of
Design. Staff: Matthew Colston, grad. student. • Shoots June 12 in the Pasadena, CA
area.
• Seeking—Anthony: male, 27-36, sar-
castic, introvert, OCD, intelligent, and very lonely. He didn’t always want to be an accountant; he wanted to be a man of the theater but allowed his parents to talk him out of it. He’s never had a serious girlfriend or been on a date in years. Nora: female, 18-25, she came to LA to become a star. It didn’t happen and now she’s fallen into a career, surrounded by friends and turning into
• Seeking—Keon: male, 9-12, Black /
African Descent, a homeless kid who’s been on the streets for about a year and has been successful in raising money by street drumming. Ability to drum is not required, but if cast, then heavy remote rehearsals and practice should be done in preparation for production. backstage.com
one week after it’s finished.
home warranty policy owners.
all ethnicities, a documentarian on the verge of what he thinks is not only his magnum opus, but the magnum opus of the human race. His greatest battle is battling the ineptitude of everyone surrounding him. Kevin: male, 18-25, all ethnicities, a go-getter. Skilled with a camera but has two left feet. James: 25-50, he owns an art gallery and is an expert socialite even though everyone around him seems to be half his age. Sami: male, 18-25, all ethnicities, a recently shy and insecure painter who has just broken out of his shell and can’t wait to make it known. Jennifer: female, 18-25, all ethnicities, the prime example of the golden rule and will follow it until the end. Helen of Troy: female, 18-30, all ethnicities, a folksinger who has the presence of singers such as Odetta, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, or Joan Baez, but don’t dare try to approach her after her show.
• Casting “Ansiedad,” a story about a
• Pays $75 dollars for the day, plus a copy
• Shoots in September at the Los Angeles • Seeking—John David Ross: male, 18-30,
‘Ansiedad’
artcenter.edu.
• Company: The Los Angeles Film School.
Film School in L.A.
having talent remain safely at home on the shoot day, with Zoom and other technology allowing our Video Production Company and its director, location scout, stylist, etc. to do remotely exactly that which they would normally do in person on set. It’s actually a very efficient new strategy for the moment … and its been working well.”
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to mcolston@inside.
First American Home Warranty Commercial (Must Be Authentic First American Home Warranty Policy Owner)
Staff: Leo Rassool, dir.-prod.
Student Films
a person she doesn’t recognize. She wishes she could makes things simpler. She wishes she could go home. No nudity but you will be in lingerie briefly.
19
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Audition Techniques Break down the character & script Adjust your mindset and perspective On-camera technique Prep for upcoming auditions and/or jobs
No prior acting and auditioning experience. I work with children of all ages.
CONNECT TO THE ARTIST WITHIN YOU $135 PER HOUR (REGULARLY $150) BUY A PACKAGE OF 6 SESSIONS AND GET 20% OFF BUY A PACKAGE OF 3 SESSIONS AND GET 10% OFF For appointments contact
MARCILIROFFCOACHING@GMAIL.COM
Submit your picture/resume & demo reel (if available) when making appointment
For more information visit http://www.marciliroff.com/coaching Coaching is a learning experience. It is not an audition or employment opportunity. Bond #CA 92 EJ W7628 State Farm and Casualty Company, Fidelity & Surety Bond Department
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
casting National/Regional note in your submission verifying that you are a Southern California homeowner who lives in that home and who has/has used their First American Homeowner Warranty for repairs and services with that home. I’ll be requesting proof.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to vicki@vickigoggin.
com.
• Casting will be done via self-tapes week
of June 8.
• Make sure you add a note to the sub-
mission verifying that talent (or if a kid, talent’s parents) do indeed have a First American Home Warranty policy and have used it with the home they both own in Southern California and currently reside in. I’ll be requesting proof for client. It’s a narrow category: Southern California Homeowners who live in that home and who, as First American Home Warranty policy holders, have had repair work/services calls done by First American in that same home. • Pays $500 (session); $75 (fitting); (add
+20% talent agent if applicable)
• Use Buyout: $1000/1 yr. Buyout
includes edits, versions, alternates, lifts, lengths. • VO sessions/ADR (if needed): $250/2
hrs.
• Use: All motion media inclusive of/not
limited to digital (internet, new media, social media, streaming, etc), theatrical, paid advertising + TV (broadcast, cable, OTT, etc). Talent buyout + licenses to last for 1 yr from 1st use/launch date *; however usage on FAHW’s websites + its social media platforms will not be subject to cutoff (talent release will allow perpetuity for these). Talent, Agents, Production + I may use without time limit for own self promotion. • Auto-Renewals*: 1 yr buyouts above are
subject to auto-renewals at client’s discretion for up to 3 additional 1 yr terms @ a 15% increase over previous yr’s buy-out.
• Again, add +20% talent agent if applica-
ble to and only to the above.
• Additional flat compensation per
household for such (no + 20% agent fee on top) includes an adult in actual safeat-home mode with talent and who will thus be the one helping her/him set up and operate the mini camera kit we use for these shoots (delivered sanitized via “no contact” method prior). Those onetimes fees add up to $1250 as follows: Virtual scout and equipment training: $250; Equipment set-up: $500; Location in home: $500 .
‘How To Sign With A Top Commercial Agent & Start Booking! Also Energize Your TV/Film Career’ • Casting participants for a free class,
“How To Sign With A Top Commercial Agent & Start Booking! Also Energize Your TV/Film Career.”
• Company: Hey, I Saw Your Commercial!
Staff: Mike Pointer, career coach.
• Pick one: Class runs June 8 (5 p.m.),
June 9 (2 or 5 p.m.), June 10 (2 or 5 p.m.), and June 11 (2 or 5 p.m.); July 26 (3:45 p.m.), July 27 (6:45 p.m.), and July 28-29 (2:45 p.m.) at Hey, I Saw Your Commercial! Studios, 5511 West Pico
BACKSTAGE 06.11.20
Blvd., LA, CA (Near Hauser, East of Fairfax Blvd.).
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to dvilly.casting@
private link. Submissions deadline is June 12.
ethnicities.
• If you are interested, submit name, age,
tion. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
gmail.com.
• Seeking—Actors: all genders, 18-65, all
location, and why you should be cast. Also must fill out an application at: https://sonicdriveincommercial.castingcrane.com
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to mike@heyisawy-
ourcommercial.com.
• Actors must RSVP with the day and
time they are attending. For more info, visit:
• Note: All talent will be asked to eat
meat and/or dairy products during the shoot. Applicants may not have current or previously running campaigns, TV shows, or commercials.
• www.heyisawyourcommercial.com. • Pays $640/day plus residuals.
Sonic Drive-In Commercial, Bilingual Spanish/English Family
• Pays $5,000 buyout per person plus
$350 per person/per shoot day.
Radio Broadcast use, 1 year for internet, new media, industrial use, and print stills use. 20% agent fee (applicable only if the talent has an agent)
face of Sonic Drive-In. Synopsis: Sonic Drive-In is looking for a real life bilingual family to be the new face of its commercials. Must be real life family members who are currently living together and speak both English and Spanish fluently. Looking for funny, talkative and engaging groups. No current or previously running commercials, campaigns or TV shows. There is pay per person for day of filming and a buyout per person. Note: Must have a car (may appear on camera) and at least one driver. Must be able to eat meat and dairy products. Must live within an hour of Los Angeles, CA.
National/ Regional Plays Portland Stage Company 2020-21 Season
• Company: City Media Ent. Staff: Amber
Wines, casting dir.
• Shoots TBD in Los Angeles, CA. Note:
• Seeking video submissions from Equity
Must live within one hour of Los Angeles.
• Dates subject to change, but need to
have availability June 26-July 3.
• Seeking—Bilingual Family: all genders,
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • There will be a day rate of $350 per per-
son and a $5,000 buyout per person selected for commercial. Initial Media Term: 6 months for TV/Radio Broadcast Use, 1 Year for Internet, New Media, Industrial Use, and Print Stills Use.
Sonic Drive-In Fast Food Commercial
• Seeking dynamic and engaging real
people to be the new friendly faces of America’s favorite Drive-In! Seeking couples (married or unmarried) between the ages of 18-40. Couples should have a natural reaction, and ideally, the couples are in a long-term relationship. Must be a Southern California local with your own vehicle. • Company: City Media Entertainment.
Staff: Dimitri Villanueva, casting prod.
• Shoots June 29-30 and July 1-2 (subject
to change) in the greater L.A. area.
• Seeking—Real Couples: 18-40, all eth-
nicities, English speaking couples (Married or Unmarried). Each person should ideally be between 18 and 40 years of age. Couples should have a natural connection. Ideally, the couples are in a long-term relationship.
• Pays $717/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep
Contract.
• Initial Media Term: 6 months for TV/
• Casting a bilingual family to be the new
11-50, Latino / Hispanic, looking for a real life family who are fluent in both English and Spanish; must be out-going and talkative; one member must own car and be able to drive; must be willing and able to eat meat and dairy products; helps if you are familiar with Sonic Drive-In and their products, but not a requirement.
• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-
Members for the Portland Stage Company’s upcoming 20-21 Season. Season includes: “Perseverance,” a world premier new work (Callie Kimball, writer; Jade King Carroll, dir. Rehearsals begin Sept. 8; runs Oct. 2-18); “Senior Living,” a world premier new work (Tor Hyams and Lisa St. Lou, writers. Rehearsals begin Jan. 5, 2021; runs Jan. 29-Feb. 21); “The Cake” (Bekah Brunstetter, writer. Rehearsals begin Feb. 9, 2021; runs Mar. 5-28); “Talley’s Folly” (Lanford Wilson, writer. Rehearsals begin Mar. 16, 2021; runs Apr. 9-25); and “Sabina,” a world premier new work (Willy Holtzman, book; Louis Beach, music; Darrah Cloud, lyrics; Jackson Gay, dir. Rehearsals begin Apr. 13, 2021; runs May 7-23). • Company: Portland Stage Company.
Staff: Anita Stewart, exec. and artistic dir. • Season rehearses and performs in
Portland, ME.
• Seeking—Equity Actors: all genders,
18+, all ethnicities.
• Seeking submissions from ME and NY. • For consideration, submit video audi-
tion materials to auditions@portlandstage.org. The body of the email must include your name, AEA status, any relevant agent information, a link to the video submission, and if there are any particular characters in our season that you are interested in. Attached to the email should be a PDF of your resume and a headshot (not to exceed 2MB). The video should not exceed three minutes in its entirety and should include (in order): your name, AEA status, the title of the work you are about to perform, and a monologue of your choice not to exceed two minutes. We recommend uploading the video to YouTube as a private video and sending us the
20
Feature Films ‘Chronicles of the Steam’
• Casting “Chronicles of the Steam,” an
independent feature film. Project description: “A rock musical set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk environment where a deadly contamination threatens to destroy all of humanity. A rag-tag group of survivors must find the answers they are looking for to save their world or die trying.” • Company: Last Stop Pictures &
EveretteOrtizGryphons Egg Productions. Staff: Everette Scott Ortiz, writer/dir.; David Busse, Alexandra Andrews & Everette Scott Ortiz, prods. • Shoot is TBD in Albuquerque/Rio
Rancho, NM areas.
• Seeking—Anya: female, 18-25, Black /
African Descent, alto to soprano, a young woman who leads only out of necessity and isn’t afraid to show the people around her how she really feels. Finley: male, 35-45, White / European Descent, baritone to tenor, a sheriff of his town, Finley’s no-nonsense attitude is softened when he encounters two young survivors who need his help. Leona: female, 30-40, all ethnicities, alto to soprano, a cowardly warrior lost in her own world and sees her new acquaintances as added baggage. • Seeking submissions from NM. • Send submissions to last_stop_pic-
tures@yahoo.com.
• To apply, submit pix, résumés, reels (if
available), and a recording or sample of yourself singing (if available). Casting is on-going and will be set up by appt. only in the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho areas. People from all over the state are encouraged to submit. • Some pay, plus travel, lodging & food
will also be provided during production.
‘Praise This’
• Casting “Praise This,” a feature film.
Synopsis: Talented, ambitious young singer/songwriter Sam is furious at her father for making her spend the summer with her cousin, Jess, in Atlanta. Sam has been ditching her schoolwork in favor of trying to find a foothold in the music business in her hometown of Los Angeles. Dismissive of Jess’ enthusiastic involvement with the Valley of Elah’s less than stellar Gospel Praise Team, Sam initially thinks her own involvement in the high profile world of Gospel Praise Team competitions will get her musical career the boost she needs; instead, she discovers so much more... backstage.com
National/Regional casting
• Company: Universal Pictures Feature
Film. Staff: Will Packer, James Lopez, & Tim Story, prods.; Tina Gordon, dir.; Kim Coleman Casting. • Dates and locations TBD. • Seeking—Sam: female, 16-23, Black /
African Descent, an actor to present as an African American female, 16-23 years old. Sam is a hugely talented singer/ songwriter with a compelling voice and a real gift for making music on the spot. She is talented, rebellious, fearless, ambitious, and carries herself with a confident Cali vibe (she’s from L.A.)... LEAD. Aaron: male, 16-23, Black / African Descent, Seeking an actor to present as an African American male, 16 - 23 years old. Aaron is a Preacher’s kid. He is handsome, charismatic, warm and friendly with a great sense of humor. Humble, he’s oblivious that he’s the crush of Sam and plenty of others…LEAD. Jess: female, 16-23, Black / African Descent, Seeking an actor to present as an African American female, 16 - 23 years old. Jess isan adorably awkward, irrepressible, quirky young lady who’s devoted to Jesus and herchurch. She is high energy, whip smart, and a very Southern good girl. Jess is our comedicrelief...LEAD. Rah: male, 16-23, Black / African Descent, Seeking an actor to present as an African American male, 16 - 23 years old. Rah is askinny/cut Jamaican hype man with a deep patois accent. A talented beatboxer andrapper...LEAD.
Short Films ‘Artistic’
• Casting “Artistic,” a short film that fol-
lows a special-needs teenage girl, Billie, who finds an unusual friendship in a drug-dealing artist. • Company: Hillman Grad. Staff: Nina S.,
writer-dir.; Nate Edwards, prod.; Lemicah Levert. prod., Six Degrees; Lena Waithe, exec. prod.
• Rehearses throughout July; scheduled
to shoot Aug. 13-16 in Atlanta, GA.
• Seeking—Billie: female, 16-27, Black /
African Descent, 14 years old. Has down syndrome. A brilliant, reticent math wiz who can have a bad temper and whose only friend is her sister. Looking to cast an actor who has down syndrome. Carlos (“Los”): male, 18-29, Black / African Descent, a good-natured, compassionate drug dealer. A great artist who a develops an even deeper conscience after meeting Billie. Guy: male, 18-29, Black / African Descent, more odd than funny. Wants to impress. Laidback but gullible. Unreliable. Sean: male, 18-29, Black / African Descent, loyal, hilarious, and serious about his money. • Seeking submissions from GA. • Send submissions to Artisticfilm2020@
gmail.com.
• Include headshots along with a work
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to praisethis.cast-
sample, actor reel, or monologue that best fits the role for which you are applying.
• The self-tape should include the
once selected.
ing2020@gmail.com.
following: Who you are, where you are from, your height (include a full body shot), tell about your singing history/ story, tell about yourself and why you love singing. You should also sing one verse and one hook of a Gospel song and one verse and one hook of a contemporary song. • Pay provided.
‘What About Molly?’
• Casting the independent feature film
“What About Molly?”
• Staff: Sean LaFollette, casting dir. • Shooting TBD in Austin, TX. • Seeking—Kyle: male, 30-39, good
looking and charismatic man, Molly’s ex boyfriend, innocently unaware, yet confident. Charlene: female, 30-39, a plus size, over the top, woman, Molly’s best friend, overly confident and very in your face, a wild card. Bob: male, 30-39, a bigger man with a beard, Charlene’s husband, she’s in-your-face and he’s very timid, they compliment each other well. Bernard: male, 18+, an over the top gay man, Charlene’s neighbor who gives Molly unsolicited advice. Sarah: female, 30-39, a smart and beautiful woman, Kyle’s new girlfriend, who Molly somewhat obsesses over. Emily: female, 30-39, a beautiful woman who suffers from a mild case of agoraphobia, somewhat afraid to step outside of her life at home, Molly helps her to overcome the fear. • Seeking submissions from TX. • Send submissions to thefailedfilm-
maker@gmail.com.
• Auditions will be held online. • Pay is $150/day.
backstage.com
severe persecution complex. He’s also plagued by guilt and remorse for an undisclosed crime but doesn’t know how to fix it. He’s also sure that everyone’s already figured out what he did and that it’s only a matter of time until everyone turns against him for his mistake. John: male, 18+, a teenager wise far beyond his years. When he speaks, it’s almost as if you’re hearing the wisdom of a millennium and it commands attention. However, due to his age, most of his friends don’t take him too seriously except Peter and Simon. John’s also been known for his fierce, unshakable faith but he struggles to cling to in light of recent horrific events. Pete: male, 18+, passionate and impulsive. Pete wears his heart on his sleeve and displays it loudly. He loves passionately and has held steadfast to his faith. However, recent events have shattered him to the core and filled himwith self doubt and enormous guilt which begins to take its toll on him and makes him feel as if he is being crushed under the weight of it all. Andy: male, 18+, an emotional volcano with a Napoleonic complex. The shortest man with the shortest temper. He’s always been self conscious about his height and has tried to over compensate in aggression. However, his temper has worsened in the hours since Black Friday as he struggles to control both his fear and a situation beyond his control. Jim: male, 18+, the leader led astray. A natural leader who tends to let his emotions cloud his judgment. The events of Black Friday left him utterly shattered and disillusioned and he has dealt with these feelings the same as Andy… through aggression, hoping that the others won’t catch onto his feelings of insecurity. Simon: male, 18+, lost innocence. Has the innocence of a child which has led many to be endeared to him while others have taken advantage of this. The events of Black Friday absolutely destroyed him to the core and he has dealt with it by retreating inward; almost afraid to let anyone else in for fear of getting hurt again. Matt: male, 18+, the gentle giant. He is easily the tallest and most intimidating of all the men and he uses his menacing and intimidating stature as a way of maintaining the peace. He has stuffed down his own feelings over the recent tragedies so that he can hold everyone else together. Still, a touch of how he is really feeling manages to escape him every now and again. Jameson: male, 18+, the faith of a sailor. When the seas are calm and weather is good, his faith is strong. However, the moment the seas get choppy or times get rough, his faith gets lost in the storm. Thus has been the case since Black Friday. He has lost the only thing that held him together… his faith and he desperately seeks to get it back. Nate: male, 18+, the peacemaker. He hates confrontation to a fault and does everything in his power to either avoid it all together or get a resolution as soon as possible. However, it is this
• Contract details will be worked out
Improv Video
• Casting an independent production of
an improv style shoot. Project notes: “This project and team will be following all state guidelines and practicing CDC guidelines for safety.” • Company: Alessi Hartigan Casting New
Mexico.
• Shoots June 17 in NM. • Seeking—70’s Female: female, 20-30,
White / European Descent, semi long blonde/brunette hair, 70s vibe. • Seeking submissions from NM. • Send submissions to ShayneCasts@
gmail.com.
• Include current photos, improv/acting
experience & contact cell. • Pays $200/day.
‘Out Of Darkness’
• Casting “Out of Darkness,” a dramatic
film with some musical elements.
• Synopsis: The following legend appears
over black: Long ago, a group of men arose to challenge the political leaders and social norms of their day. For a time, the people embraced their movement and they were loved and adored everywhere they went. But in time, the demons of the land turned the people against them, killing their leader and turning those that survived into fugitives. This is the story of what happened in the dark days that followed. • Company: Sheila Thompson Casting.
Staff: Sheila Thompson, casting dir. • Shoot is TBD potentially in Israel. • Seeking—Jude: male, 18-35, a
paranoid tightly wound ball of nerves. He’s arrogant and sneaky with a
21
tendency is put to the ultimate test when he is accidentally stabbed and his friends ability to resolve conflict will put his own life on the line. Alf: male, 18+, the Cowardly Lion. He’s been a courageous speaker and protector up until now. However, the capture and slaughter of his friend have him questioning his new found faith and if it will lead to his own downfall as well and it does. The demons see his weakened faith and use that time to attack. It will only be the faith and prayers of his friends that will give him any kind of hope at all. Phil: male, 18+, the logical innocence. Like Simon, Phil too has a childlike innocence. However, unlike Simon, Phil relies less on his emotions and more on logic and practicality. He’s much more of a scientific mind and after recent events, is considering abandoning all faiths. He feels betrayed and humiliated because he feels that the person he trusted the most lied to him. Tom: male, 18+, practicality Tom. “If I don’t see it with my own two eyes, it is nothing more than a fairy tale.” This is the one thing that his friends both love and hate about him. They love that he wants everything proven but there are some things that you just have to reply on faith for. However, everything he knows, or thinks he knows, is about to be tested and what he learns will change the world forever. Mary: female, 18+, “Scary Mary.” So named by Andy because of her ability to see the unseeable and know the unknowable. She has had a harsh and shady past but has completely turned her life around. She is tough as nails and is able to match or beat any verbal insults thrown her way. However, she still has the heart and compassion of a woman. • Seeking submissions worldwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For consideration, submit links to your
acting, singing, and/or rapping. If you do not have any of these, create a video using the descriptions below. • Pay is TBD. Travel and lodging will be
provided.
Student Films ‘American Saints’
• Casting “American Saints.” Synopsis:
Two brothers, Michael and Ben, reconnect while searching for cigarettes for their dying uncle.
• Company: American Saints Thesis Film.
Staff: Kate Manning, casting dir.
• Rehearsals: Aug. 8-9; shoot Aug. 10-15
in Ithaca, New York.
• Seeking—Michael: male, 19-26, all eth-
nicities, burnout, but smarter than people give him credit for, a stoner; outgoing and somewhat charismatic; lost in life; looking for change; wants for him and his brother to reconnect. Ben: male, 16-24, all ethnicities, average high school student, planned to go to college; quiet and more introverted; recovering from a suicide attempt; wanted to escape suburbia, but not recognizes he
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
casting National/Regional probably won’t; wants to reconnect with his brother.
• Seeking submissions from NJ, NY and
ON.
• Send submissions to kmanning1@
ithaca.edu.
• Seeking—Autistic Female Lead:
• Provide us with a head shot, cover let-
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to rosalie@
• Pay provided.
• Pay TBD
ter, and contact information.
‘Cultura’
student project. Synopsis: In 1990s China, a working-class single mother prepares dinner for her daughter, who has just finished the college entrance exam. However, an unwelcome visiter interrupts the celebration and brings back the painful memories of the family.
pilot. Project description: “About how the lowrider community which has evolved from a thuggish gangster lifestyle to a community that has matured and learned tough lessons. There is still a good vs evil.”
• Company: New York Film Academy.
Staff: A. Du, casting.
• Three-hour directing workshop will
be conducted via Zoom.
• Seeking—Mrs. Chen: female, 32-72,
Asian, a working-class single mother from 1990s China. A typical Chinese mother. A highly educated and strong woman. Raised her only daughter, Ming, alone with very strict rules. She has big expectations for Ming until an accident happens. Ming is hit by a car right before the college entrance examination and suffers head trauma. Her life changes after the accident, and after two years, Mrs. Chen has to decide what is right for Ming. Ming: female, 18-24, Asian, Ming was the top student from her high school before she got into a tragic accident. She was in the hospital for 4 month under a coma. After the incident, she suffers a severe head trauma, struggles to get back to the life she used to have. Zhao Xiaoxiao: female, 18-30, Asian, Zhao is the mayor’s daughter of the local town. She grew up in a rich and powerful household, a living example of hedonism. However, her life turned upside town after she accidentally hit Ming while drunk driving. She has guilt for ruining Ming’s life, but she is more worried about her own future. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to anna.du@nyfa.
edu.
• SAG-AFTRA Student Film Agreement.
Scripted TV & Video Autistic Actress Lead for BBC TV show
• Seeking a UK based Autistic actress to
play the lead in a BBC TV drama shooting in 2021. She is a woman in her 20s who has yet to being diagnosed as Autistic and is having to negotiate the world around her. • Production states: “Show is being
produced by Two Brother’s Pictures (‘Fleabag,’ ‘Back to Life,’ ‘Liar,’ ‘The Missing’). No previous acting experience necessary.”
• Company: Rosalie Clayton CDG. Staff:
Rosalie Clayton, casting dir.
• Shoot dates TBD in 2021 in the UK.
BACKSTAGE 06.11.20
photos (face & full body), height and weight. • Pays $150/day.
Reality TV & Documentary
rosalieclayton.com.
‘Ming’
• Casting “Ming,” a directing workshop
• Include name, location, current
female, 18-28, a woman in her 20s who has yet to be diagnosed as Autistic and is having to negotiate the world around her.
• Casting “Cultura,” an independent TV
HBO Max, ‘Karma’
• Seeking kids and teens ages 12-15 for an
epic adventure series for HBO Max.
• • Casting director states: “Is your child
outgoing, smart, and competitive? Do they love to push themselves outside of their comfort zone? Are they ready for the adventure of a lifetime? In this series, they’ll spend three weeks in an amazing destination putting their mental and physical skills to the test for a chance to win a major grand prize.Will they make friends or challenge their competitors? How will they play the game in a battle of strength, heart, and skill? Whether they are a tough competitor or simply ready to go on an amazing journey this summer, apply today. If selected, parent or legal guardian will accompany contestant to the destination. Must be between the ages of 12-15 to apply. Must be available for a three-week adventure in August 2020.”
• Company: DeeDee Garcia Blase
Productions. Staff: DeeDee Blase, writer/dir.
• Rehearsals and shoot are TBD in AZ. • Seeking—Latina Mom: female, 25-50,
Latino / Hispanic, a mom who is mistaken for being undocumented and is ripped away from her children by ICE agents. Mom needs to be able to get emotional and panicky. Latino Teen or Latina Teen: all genders, 13-18, Latino / Hispanic, needs to express being in a state of panic while crying as her mom is ripped away from the family (house setting) by ICE Agents. • Seeking submissions from AZ. • Send submissions to deedeeblase@
gmail.com.
• Submit a 30-second “tell me about
yourself” video. Producer will email script if you are chosen to auction. In-person auditions TBD depending on Coranvirus situation. Producer is monitoring closely where it will be safe to audition.
• Company: GoodStory Entertainment.
Staff: Carter Palmer, casting dir.
• Shoots in August in California. • Seeking—Female Teens: female, 14-15,
all ethnicities, girl-next-door types.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to carter.palmer@
• Pays $75 for 4 hours (half day). Teen
role will go into another day at another filming set and time.
gmail.com.
• To apply, visit karma.castingcrane.com. • Participants selected for the show will
‘Fatal Attraction’
be provided a stipend; winner may be eligible for a cash prize.
• Casting the TV One true crime TV
series “Fatal Attraction.” Project description: “The series features nonfiction narratives of crimes committed by a partner in a passionate relationship.” Casting dir. states: “ In light of the current climate in our nation, we are taking extra precautions to abide by the 10 or less gathering suggestion, and will limit people on set. Social distancing will be practiced and the crew will take extra precautions for sanitation. Do not submit if you are not comfortable wearing a mask on set -you may be asked to leave if you do not follow mask wearing protocol, and therefore won’t be paid. In addition to local talent only, all talent must be prepared to do their own hair/makeup and wardrobe styling for this shoot.”
• Shoots in Washington, D.C. area. • Seeking—Bob: male, 40-60,
beleaguered curmudgeon who runs “Bob’s Factory,” yet underneath that grumpiness and closed-mindedness is a tender heart, think Ron Swanson from “Parks and Rec,” Bob plays opposite Sam an affable guy with the confident aloofness to turn the head of any middle-aged divorcee.
• Seeking—Danelle: male, 20-39, Black
/ African Descent. Tameshia: female, 20-39, Black / African Descent. • Seeking submissions from TN. • Send submissions to CANDICE.
LIVELY@thehivetv.com.
• Casting “Zoom Conference Call
Chaos.” Synopsis: This three-four minute long “zoom call” style production will highlight the modern nature of object storage in a humorous way as four people hold their final project planning call before making a recommendation to the company’s board. • Company: Perlow Productions, LLC.
Staff: Mike Perlow, president.
• Production date (s) likely mid-June
2020; all scenes will be captured remotely via Zoom or a similar video platform.
• Seeking—Patricia “The Boss”: female,
40-55, all ethnicities, the Boss; she’s dressed professionally in a suit and has a true persona of authority and a bit of corporate attitude; not a bitch but she knows how to lead a team. Technology Guru: all genders, 30-45, middle aged, advocating for object storage; open to male and female actor options for this role. Snarky Millennial: male, 20-30, snarky millennial, always challenges others ideas…. Goofy Coworker: male, 27-38, 30’s goofy co-worker, used for comic effect, comes around to the ideas suggested by the team. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to mike@
perlowproductions.com.
• In order to be considered for any of
the four roles you must include a link to your video demo with recent (2020) examples of your acting and/or record a short demo of yourself reading the script lines associated with the role you’re applying for. Also include your preferred day rate for the project. • Project will likely involve one day of
production. Two at most.
adopted a baby/toddler (between 0-4 years old) for a parenting advice series for the Pampers app.
Jordan Eberlein, creative dir.
Talent must reside within a 30 mile radius of Knoxville.
‘Zoom Conference Call Chaos’
Kaeser Compressors, Industrial Video
• Company: The RUN Agency. Staff:
• Shoots June 18-19 in Knoxville, TN.
• Pays $700/day.
Multimedia
Kaeser Compressors. Project description: “We’re casting for an industrial video we’re producing for our client, Kaeser Compressors, in the motif of the Mac vs. PC ads.”
Jupiter Entertainment.
therunagency.co.
Demo & Instructional Videos • Casting an instructional video for
• Company: The Hive Casting, TV One,
• Send submissions to jordan@
Pampers App, Diverse Parents Who Have Adopted Baby/Toddler • Seeking diverse parents who have
• Company: Spacestation. Staff: Marni
Ellis, exec. prod.
• Shoots remotely from home during
the month of June via Zoom.
• Seeking—Diverse, Real Parent(s) Who
Have Adopted Baby/Toddler: all genders, 18+, diverse, real parent(s) who have adopted baby/toddler between 0-4 years old. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to marni@
ilovespacestation.com.
• For consideration, submit photo,
email, and Instagram handle. • No pay.
• Seeking submissions from VA and DC.
22
backstage.com
National/Regional casting
Local Commercials Remote Promo
• Casting for a promo. Casting dir. notes:
“You will be able to film everything needed at your house with no contact with any crew, as needed we can provide equipment for the right people.”
• Company: Extras Casting Atlanta. • Shooting remote, dates TBA. • Seeking—Older Caribbean Latino Man:
male, 80-85, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Latino / Hispanic, must have 3 children, 2 boys and a girl or at least some older photos that would represent that. Young People: all genders, 18-25, three people who currently live together and can dance, don’t have to be a great dancer, just fun good energy and it is important, can be all guys, all girls or a mix, roommates, siblings, etc. • Seeking submissions from GA. • Send submissions to ECApromos@
gmail.com.
• Include recent photo and contact info. • Some pay.
Untitled Project, Shoe Brand • Casting an untitled project. Project
description: “We are looking for nonunion men who work as educators, healthcare providers, writers, and journalists for an upcoming project. No acting experience necessary.” • Company: Slate Casting. • Shooting in Boston, MA, area. • Seeking—Males: 18+, educators, health
in for a long night shift. Going through her rounds, conversing with coworkers, and working through a long shift. College Student: male, 20-25, all ethnicities, a college student checking out books, working on computer, and studying through the night. Boot Camp Workout Participant: female, 21-40, all ethnicities, a woman going through a morning boot camp workout in the park.
Online Commercials & Promos Energy Drink Digital Ad
• Casting a series of 15-second online
ads for an energy drink company. Each ad will feature a main character as they go through their day drinking the product. • Company: Fluxtown Productions.
Staff: Jimmy Samis, creative dir.
• Shoots late June, likely June 25, 26, or
29 (exact date TBD; approx. 3-6 hrs. depending on role) in the Austin, TX area. • Seeking—Esports Gamer: male,
18-35, all ethnicities, a gamer setting up and engaging in a long night of playing and streaming. Construction Worker: male, 25-40, all ethnicities, a construction worker getting ready for the day, arriving at the construction site at the crack of dawn, and preparing for a hard day’s work. Nurse: female, 25-40, a nurse coming backstage.com
details about your experience. • Pays $200.
Security Products, Men
• Casting men for a group of security
products. Note: Work from home prosition.
• Staff: E. Kennedy, coord. • No rehearsal; shoots from your home
with a remote director.
• Seeking—Men 18-60: male, 18-60, all
ethnicities, 18-60, able to speak to the need for reliable home security products; bonus points for being handy and/or being a dad.
great hair to capture user-generated photos for a hair health brand. Synopsis: We will provide you with our product to shoot some social content modeling and using the products designed to help with female hair care. They must have experience shooting social content around their home. We want the images to feel authentic, like you are just posting to their own feed. We are looking for women of all backgrounds with all types of hair. We specialize in helping women look and feel their best.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to casting@
tubescience.com.
• Pays $150/project. Non-union, all
media buy-out.
Skincare Oil Social Media Ad
• Casting talent for a work-from-home
opportunity for a high-end skincare oil brand’s social media ad that will run on Instagram and Facebook.
• Company: Scale. Staff: Sean Elayda,
• Staff: TJ, casting asst. • Work-from-home opportunity. • Seeking—Female Who Uses All
prod.-prod. mgr.
• Shoots TBD. Note: We will be
Natural Skin Care Products: female, 25-50, all ethnicities, the brand’s facial oils uses all organic and natural ingredients. Looking for a female who cares about, and uses, all-natural ingredients for her skincare products and all aspects of her life. Talent with an Instagram following around 1K preferred but not mandatory. Talent will talk about her skin, do an unboxing, review the packaging and bottle, apply the product, and review the results. Footage can be captured using smartphone.
conducting a callback interview. Once the casting has been approved by our team, we will schedule the shoot day. • Seeking—Hair Models: female, 35-65,
scale.tech.
• Pays $2,000 for one day.
• To apply, submit a headshot and
• Casting cool, confident women with
age, city of residence, shoe size, and occupation.
• To apply, send a photo, contact info,
thebookbutler.com.
Hair Models for Hair Care Project
casting@gmail.com.
• Seeking submissions from MA. • Send submissions to slaterealpeople-
• Seeking submissions from MD and DC. • Send submissions to info@
• Seeking submissions from TX. • Apply on Backstage.com • Pay provided.
all ethnicities, we are looking for beautiful, confident, and expressive hair models who are able to take images of themselves with our products.
care providers, journalists, and writers.
are superheroes who always save the day.
• Seeking submissions worldwide. • Send submissions to sean.elayda@
• Provide us with any beauty content
you have shot before. Share any social media links as well.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to tj@narrativeads.
• Pays $450 for 24 images. It should
only take one day to shoot all of these images.
com.
• In your cover letter, link your
Instagram.
‘Paige Saves the Day,’ Book Trailer
• Pays $70 flat rate. All-media buyout.
Nonunion.
• Casting the lead character in the book
trailer for “Paige Saves the Day,” the new children’s from BookButler Publishing Company.
Testimonial Style Project, Men Willing To Color Hair And/Or Beard
Company. Staff: Aaron Butler, prod.
coloring at home for a testimonial style project. Synopsis: Work from home with the help of a remote director.
• Company: Book Butler Publishing
• Casting men who want to try hair
• The role includes a half-day of filming
on location. A voiceover recording to take place sometime and the end of June or July (depending on restrictions), at various locations in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.
• Staff: E. Kennedy, coord. • No rehearsal. Dates are TBD and
flexible. Shoots from your home with the help of a remote director.
• Seeking—Paige: female, 7-9,
• Seeking—Men 35+: male, 35-65, all
Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, mixed race (African American/Latina or African American/Caucasian), a happy kid with a unique fashion sense and creative imagination, despite being bullied because of the things that make her different, she enjoys using her creativity to entertain her family and friends with stories in which she and her dog, Peppermint,
ethnicities, men, 35+, who are willing to use a high quality hair-coloring product at home on their heads and beards (if they have them) to cover grays or get a richer shade. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to casting@
tubescience.com.
• Pays $250 plus product. Non-union,
all media buy-out.
23
Singers ‘Soldiers’ Chorus’
• Casting “The Soldiers’ Chorus,” the
mixed choral ensemble of The United States Army Field Band. Synopsis: The Soldiers’ Chorus travels with The Army Field Band’s Concert Band performing nationally and internationally as directed by the Department of the Army. Formal public concerts, school assemblies, clinics, music festivals, guest performances with major orchestras, and radio and television appearances are all part of the annual schedule of the chorus. The most competitive candidates will demonstrate authentic communication skills in a pop or other commercial idiom, and the ability to sing in a variety of styles in an ensemble. • Company: US Army Field Band. Staff:
Betsy Garcia, audition coord.
• Performs TBD. Note: Perform in the
Soldiers’ Chorus of The United States Army Field Band in Ft Meade , Maryland. Tour 100-120 days per year in the U.S. and abroad. Work with Educational Outreach Program in schools across the nation. Perform as needed in small ensembles. Position requires a minimum four-year enlistment, the candidate will be informed of acceptance prior to enlistment. Other duties as required in service to the organization. • Seeking—Alto/Tenor: 17-34, all
ethnicities, the mixed choral ensemble of The United States Army Field Band; The Soldiers’ Chorus travels with The Army Field Band’s Concert Band performing nationally and internationally as directed by the Department of the Army; formal public concerts, school assemblies, clinics, music festivals, guest performances with major orchestras, and radio and television appearances are all part of the annual schedule of the chorus. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • For consideration, submit recent
resumé with physical address, phone, and email in PDF format, as well as a recent photo. Audio files should be recorded at a high sampling rate and saved in a format with minimum compression, preferably MP3. Save each excerpt as a separate file. Upload high quality audio files to a folder on Google Drive or Dropbox and share the link in your application with usarmyfieldbandauditions@mail.mil. Two selections demonstrating commercial styles, to be selected from the Billboard Hot 100, R&B/Hip-Hop, Country, Latin, Rock or Pop (minimum of twenty weeks’ time on the charts). An a cappella performance of the National Anthem in one of the following keys: Alto: Any Key; Tenor: Eb. Candidates may also submit one selection either from musical theatre or an art song. • Pays $60,000-$67,000 (Army rank of
Staff Sergeant). 30 days paid vacation annually. Medical and Dental care, plus medical care for immediate family members. Post Exchange and Commissary privileges. Educational benefits such as the Montgomery G.I. Bill and tuition assistance.
06.11.20 BACKSTAGE
Ask An Expert Agents Auditions Film Kids Television Theater Unions Voiceover
Q: Our Expert Denise Simon is an acting coach and a Backstage Expert.
How can my child get cast in an indie film? —Jane S.
*Submit questions for our Experts on Backstage’s Facebook or Twitter accounts or via our forums page at backstage.com/forums! The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.
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ILLUSTRATION: MARGARET RULING/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; SIMON: COURTESY DENISE SIMON
Independent films can be a great launching pad for an actor’s career. That being said, getting cast in an indie film is not much different from getting cast in any other medium. The first things to consider are your child actor’s talent, readiness, marketability, and type. Actors get cast if they fit the role and have the skill level needed to play the character. If your child does not have representation, such as an agent or manager, to submit them for roles being cast, there are many online resources you can turn to in order to find out about casting opportunities in indie films. Backstage is the first place to go to look for open calls, opportunities to which anyone can apply. Make sure your child has a good picture representing their current age and type, and a résumé to go with it. If there is any video footage you can upload of them acting on-camera, this is also helpful for casting directors, so they can see how your child looks and acts on film. Beyond casting sites, read the trade papers to find out about upcoming projects. Follow indie directors on social media so you know what may be coming up, and follow sites like Women in Film and IFP, as well as Facebook groups for independent filmmakers, to get a heads up on upcoming projects. Casting directors look for a well-rounded, authentic child who can bring their acting chops to the table and give a compelling performance. That means training is key. Through classes and workshops, your child may also have a chance to show their work to casting directors who cast indie films. Recently, I moderated an online forum with casting directors to speak about the changes in the industry today. One of my guests casts specifically for indie films, and she said she looks to social media when casting, so having an Instagram account or YouTube channel with videos and photos can be helpful. By exploring these avenues, you can find opportunities for your child actor to get cast in an indie film.
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