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No Luck Needed
Sarah Cooper is harnessing viral fame and turning it into full-fledged staying power 6 Pages OF CASTING NOTICES
The Futurists Issue:
12 performers and creators who are finding new ways to keep us entertained
Is TikTok your ticket to signing with a major agency? An inside look at the Triller
Compound
Hollywood influencers’ latest trend
Everything You Know About Voice Acting Is About To Expand.
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Contents The Green Room 4 Announcing the winners of Backstage’s Sound Stories
6 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom
7 Brennan Clost lands his dream
role on “Tiny Pretty Things”
Advice 9 CRAFT
Healthy social media habits
10 #IGOTCAST
Stephen Stallone Thomas
10 SECRET AGENT MAN
In it together
Features
vol. 61, no. 28 | 11.26.20
Cover Story Cover Story Doing Prospecting Just Fine for Gold Sarah Cooper took over TikTok with her viral impression of Donald Trump—and helped take the president down along the way. Her Netflix special “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine” is her bid for comedy royalty
Your official guide to the 2020 Oscar nominations page 16
6 Broadway’s audience boom 8 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom
10 Annie Murphy reflects on “Schitt’s Creek”
Advice 13 CRAFT Survive and thrive
13 #IGOTCAST Mark Beauchamp
14 SECRET AGENT MAN
page 12
The power of intention
Features
3 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... Tayler Holder
4 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH...
8 MEET THE MAKER
David Alan Grier
Netflix’s Carla Engelbrecht and Andy Weil
12 MEET THE MAKER
Cathy Yan, “Birds of Prey” director
9 THE ESSENTIALISTS
Annie Chang, vice president of creative technologies
14 THE ESSENTIALISTS
Jeremy Woodhead, hair and makeup designer
11 IN THE ROOM WITH Victor Vazquez
15 IN THE ROOM WITH
17 TIKTOK BOOM: FROM
Victoria Thomas
ONLINE TO SIGNED Reps from UTA and A3 Artists Agency weigh in on the trend
21 OUR DREAM BALLOT
And the 2020 Oscar SHOULD have gone to…
24 ASK AN EXPERT Heidi Dean on why actors should have websites
32 ASK AN EXPERT
Amy Russ on principal and background work
Casting
Casting
18 New York Tristate
22 New York Tristate
19 California
27 California
21 National/Regional
28 National/Regional
Sarah Cooper photographed by Emily Assiran on Oct. 21 at the Turk’s Inn in Brooklyn, NY. Styling by Madison Guest. Makeup by Miguel Lledo. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.
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The Green Room
Cover illustration by John Jay Cabuay. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.
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Backstage 5 With...
Tayler Holder By Allie Volpe
Tayler Holder found success in the digital space (and 24 million followers across his channels, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and more) thanks to his penchant for collaboration and his tireless work ethic. The Texas-born, Los Angeles–based multihyphenate recently formed his own content house in partnership with short-form video platform Triller. Here, he discusses the Triller Compound and paving new avenues into the entertainment industry.
ILLUSTRATION: NATHAN ARIZONA/PHOTO: BRIAN DOHERTY
Tell us about forming the Triller Compound. What goes into curating a network of like-minded creators? I originally started with the content house stuff about a year and a half ago, when me and my friend Bryce Hall and [other creators] lived in my house in Glendale. Then Hype House started, [then] Sway House. I joined Hype House for a few months. I had this dream of having a whole compound at a big house with a lot of property. I’d been doing social media this whole time with two of my best friends, Nate [Wyatt] and Kelianne [Stankus], and I brought them with me. We got together and scouted a few others who we thought would be a good fit for it and have a good work ethic and great mindset.
own. There’s no better feeling than creating with your family and [working with] great people. It’s good for genuine reactions. The best way for organic growth is collabing with your friends. Tell me a little more about your strategy for building an audience across all the platforms you’re on. A lot of the stuff on YouTube is honestly everyday stuff that happens in our lives. We’re kind of wild as it is, and we get a lot of organic stuff as it happens. We also sit down and plot a lot of ideas together. The main thing with growth is consistency and [originality]. If you’re doing the same thing that everyone’s doing, eventually, that’s going to get old, and everyone’s going to be like, “OK, I’m going on to someone else.” You’ve got to always be evolving.
What did you take from your experiences at Hype House and Sway House when embarking on making your own content house? Overall, both of them were great environments, and I love the people there. I took from it just being a family. There were some spots that lacked that family bonding or work ethic sometimes. That’s one thing I was very strong on here: We have to be on top of our work, and we have to be working every day. I feel that’s what some of these houses lack: doing stuff as a family and having a connection with each other.
How did you find your voice as a creator? I’m going to be real: I don’t think it was one thing specifically. On TikTok, I started gaining pretty rapidly. I’ve been in the game five years now, and slowly developing over the five years got me to where I am. Over the years, [I was] just finding myself. I’m a big Jesus guy, so having a relationship with God helped me find the direction I wanted to go in life.
Why is that collaborative mindset helpful to you? For me, especially [with] the content I create, it’s hard to do [it] on my
“I definitely did not plan on 2020 being like this. You have to learn to evolve and change and work with what you’ve got.”
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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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Voiceover
Backstage’s Sound Stories Contest Announces Winners The grand prize recipient and two runners-up submitted five-minute audio narrative projects By Gillian Russo
BACKSTAGE 11.26.20
58 submissions. Teams were tasked with creating and submitting five-minute audio narrative projects inspired by one of three categories: “The Show Must Go On,” “A Sign of the Times,” and “What Really Matters.” The winning entry was “For Whatever You’re Running From,” directed by Natalie Myrick and submitted in the “A Sign of the Times” category.
The production follows a “directionless college graduate” who meets a barista in her small Southern community in the fall of 2016 and finds her brain has been turned into “a microcosm” of the moment’s chaos. Brett Schlagel was awarded the first runner-up prize for his piece “Trinity Falls,” submitted in the “Show Must Go On” category. In his audio story, which is set in the mid-1930s,
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BACKSTAGE’S SOUND Stories contest, presented in partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance Co//ab, Tongal, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS), and Musicbed, has chosen its grand prize recipient, as well as a first and second runner-up. Representatives from several partnership organizations served as judges, selecting the winning projects from
three gangsters pull off their last bank robbery and escape in a hail of bullets. But Jon, the group’s leader, “is determined to see the job to its completion.” The second runner-up prize was awarded to “DIY Destinations,” directed by Monisha Dadlani and edited and co-produced by Matthew Keibler. They selected the theme “The Show Must Go On,” and their narrative centers on an overworked customer service representative who helps people “design the afterlife of their dreams.” But she finds herself inundated with requests as customers’ concern about their own mortality grows at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Myrick’s team will receive a prize package that includes a 20th anniversary Tribeca Film Festival access package, an annual membership to Sundance Co//ab, a SOVAS Gold membership, and a business subscription to Musicbed. From Backstage, the team will win a free casting code for creators, a free annual membership to Backstage for performers, and a package of audio gear. Overall, with an average cast and crew size of five people per project, approximately 400 people participated in Sound Stories. The contest also prompted over 1,800 auditions. To see the winning submissions in their entirety, head over to backstage.com. Congratulations to the winners and all who participated.
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a scary story society at the Rotterdam Home, a place for terminally ill teens to spend their final months. Trying to make peace with their prognoses, the teens make a pact that the first of them to die must return and make contact with the living members of the club. Created by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong, who recently collaborated on “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” the Netflix horror series has brought on Engine Casting to assemble the cast. Production is set for March 2021 in Vancouver.
executive produced by Ryan Reynolds. Though no additional actors have been added to the mix yet, 5th House Casting is officially on the project to build out the ensemble. Production is slated to begin in February 2021 in the Dominican Republic.
Get Away With J.Lo and Armie Hammer The duo will play a couple tying the knot in “Shotgun Wedding”
“The Midnight Club” Based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Pike, this book-to-TV adaptation follows a group of residents who establish
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!
“Shotgun Wedding” Jennifer Lopez is teaming with
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THEATER
Broadway Came Back (for a Day) By Casey Mink
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WELL, HERE’S ONE REASON TO GIVE thanks: Though every Broadway show has been shuttered since mid-March, a lucky few performed as part of this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The NBC broadcast on Nov. 26 featured numbers by the casts of “Hamilton,” “Mean Girls,” “Jagged Little Pill,” and “Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations.” Of course, given pandemic restrictions, protocol this year was markedly different; in this case, the performances were pre-taped from inside the shows’ respective theaters. We suggest you relive the magic on YouTube!
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MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON
Please note that shoot dates are subject to state and county restrictions and may change. Refer to Call Sheet for updates, and keep checking Backstage for the latest news on project development during this time.
Armie Hammer for a comedic foray into marriage. While at a resort on a beautiful island for their lavish destination wedding, a couple develops cold feet as the big day approaches. To make matters worse, the two find themselves and their wedding party held hostage. Only when they set out to save their families and friends do they remember why they wanted to get married in the first place. Directed by Jason Moore and written by Mark Hammer and Liz Meriwether, the film is
For the latest news, check out backstage.com/resources to find thousands of production listings, casting directors, acting classes, agents, and more!
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What’s Casting
“Acts of Crime” ABC is looking to shake up the tried-and-true crime procedural format with a new pilot. Normally, the audience is taken on the detective’s journey through the investigation when a crime is committed, but “Acts of Crime” will take a less linear approach. Sam Esmail, the mind behind “Mr. Robot” and “Homecoming,” is set to write and direct the series, whose plot details are being kept under wraps. Susie Farris Casting has been tapped to bring in actors, but no one has been attached yet. Pilot production is anticipated to begin in March 2021 in Toronto.
years, have really shifted from high-level professional dance into acting.” With “Tiny Pretty Things,” he’s landed his dream role. “I was chatting with friends that were outside the show, catching up with them when we were, I think, three months into filming, just telling them about the experience. And they were like, ‘You sound like you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.’ And I was like, ‘You’re right.’ I’ve never felt that feeling before of just being exactly right where I’m supposed to be.”
Brennan Clost and Casimere Jollette on “Tiny Pretty Things”
The Slate
school. Ahead of its Dec. 14 premiere, Brennan Clost, who plays Shane, spoke with Backstage about his own career (which is, luckily, a much less vicious one). Though the Juilliard-trained dancer, actor, and budding producer has the dedication and work ethic to rival the show’s ballet students, he differs in a crucial way: He believes in embracing imperfection.
Staying on Pointe
“Tiny Pretty Things” star Brennan Clost on producing his own web series and more By Gillian Russo
The following interview for Backstage’s on-camera series The Slate was compiled in part 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 your questions.
TELEVISION
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MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON
‘The Gilded Age’ Hires All Your Favorite Actors By Casey Mink
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DESCRIBED AS “BUNHEADS” and “Center Stage” meet “Pretty Little Liars,” Netflix’s devious new drama “Tiny Pretty Things” follows dancers who will shed any amount of blood, sweat, and tears—though not necessarily their own—to get ahead at their prestigious ballet
Being a double threat was essential to Clost’s success in the role. “This [audition] tape that I sent in was close to 15 minutes; they had us prepare and learn an entire ballet class, plus improvising solos and a dance reel if you had one, and then 10 pages of sides. So they were really looking for people who could do both, that they didn’t have to dance-double for the series…. They really were looking for—the producers called us ‘unicorns.’ The lead cast [members are] these people that had reached a height in their dance career, but then across the board, within the last five
HBO’S FORTHCOMING PERIOD drama “The Gilded Age” is doing its best to become your favorite show before ever airing an episode, having announced that Audra McDonald has joined its cast. The six-time Tony Award winner has joined a roster that also includes Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Kelli O’Hara, Donna Murphy, and Celia Keenan-Bolger, to name just a few. Hailing from “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes, the series is expected to premiere at some point next year.
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He’s used his time during the pandemic to launch popular web series “Australianaire$.” “It really, honestly, started as a joke, and then the first episode did really well, so then we structured it a little bit more. The first episode was very improv-based, and it just stemmed from this outrageous premise. And then some of the executives that worked on ‘Tiny Pretty Things’ ended up watching it and are now getting behind it. And so now we’re properly developing it— putting together scripts [and a] pitch package.” He hopes to continue creating his own content. “I’m really enjoying producing my own work right now. Actually, earlier today, I optioned the rights to a book that I’d read years ago, and so I think the next big accomplishment for myself: I want to get that book made into [a] feature film. It’s this teenage spy LGBT story, and I would love to act in it as well.” Want to hear more from Clost? Watch our full interview at backstage.com/ magazine, and follow us on Instagram: @backstagecast.
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Meet the Maker
Netflix’s Carla Engelbrecht and Andy Weil Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend”
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it possible. Since joining Netflix in 2014, Engelbrecht has been in charge of creating original content that encourages users to interact directly with what they’re watching. She started with kids’ programming, such as “Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale” and “Minecraft: Story Mode.” The success of those offerings led her team to transition to making interactive stories for adults, first with “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” and then with “Kimmy.” Both were successful; “Bandersnatch” won two Emmy Awards, and “Kimmy vs. the Reverend” received two Emmy nominations. “When we launched ‘Bandersnatch,’ we didn’t know if adults were going to engage with it,” Engelbrecht recalls. “We saw 94% of viewers make
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an active choice, and then stick with it and lean into it.” Engelbrecht used to be a game designer, and she compares interactive films to works like “Sliding Doors” and “Memento,” which feature differing timelines. But in the case of interactive content, the audience can choose which timeline they prefer, and creators have room to imagine the story possibilities for each. “It’s opened up a tool set for creators to be able to tell stories in complicated ways,” she says. “I think, inherently, most storytellers are also puzzle-solvers. And this presents a fun challenge—a way to up their game and tell an even more interesting and different story.” For Netflix’s vice president of original series, Andy Weil, interactive content is also a
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COURTESY NETFLIX
IN “UNBREAKABLE KIMMY Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend,” Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) comes face-to-face again with her tormentor, Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm). Holding a gun, Kimmy needs to decide whether to shoot the Reverend, stomp him, spare him, or “ ’splode him.” In any other film, the audience would watch as Kimmy makes her choice. But this time, the viewer gets to decide for her, and every option ends the story in a different way (the ’splode option features a bazooka). The movie was written by Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Sam Means, and Meredith Scardino; but it was technology developed by Netflix’s Product Innovation department, headed by Carla Engelbrecht, that made
way to draw viewers deeper into the work in front of them and keep them coming back multiple times. “Seeing the audience make those choices and talk about the versions they saw is so gratifying,” he says. “Because it is magical: You see the result of making choices. And it totally invests the viewer.” But when you have one movie that can have a dozen different endings, how do you keep things straight for production? Weil explains that the script supervisor is crucial, as they’re in charge of remembering all of the different story branches and telling actors what they need to know in order to be the correct version of their character for a scene. “It took a bit of time on ‘Bandersnatch,’ ” he says. “We needed a really good script supervisor to talk to the actors to say, ‘OK, so in this scene, this is what’s happened before. And it’s different from what you just did, which is the same setup in the same scene, but none of this has happened.’ It definitely took coaching from the director and the script supervisor, and an actor who was game.” Netflix plans to create more interactive works, though Engelbrecht can’t talk about them yet. She does, however, tease that her department is currently asking themselves, “What does [interactive content] look like for horror? What does it look like for young adults? What does it look like for romance? All these different kinds of genres and how we can play with those formats is really where we’re looking now.”
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By Diep Tran
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Craft
Healthy Social Media Habits
THE ESSENTIALISTS
ANNIE CHANG
vice president of creative technologies
By Lenka Silhanova
DO YOU FEEL BAD AFTER using social media? Luckily, there are a few things you can do to develop the right mindset and habits to make you a happier, healthier social media user. Moderate your use. Social media is an excellent tool not just for connecting to the world, but also for giving creators freedom to express themselves and build a community around their work. But these platforms also have a dark side: They’re designed to be addictive, to use our brain chemistry against us, and to get users to spend more and more time on them. Do you feel a burning desire to check your posts to see if you got any likes? Does it feel good to get those likes? You get a hit of dopamine from each interaction, and if you don’t moderate your use, you can get addicted to that feeling.
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The phrase “moderate your use” is key here. Don’t get too dramatic and close all your social media accounts in fear. That’s not a solution. Teaching yourself to use these tools mindfully, however, is. Don’t play the comparison game. What people share on social media are the highlights of their lives. No matter how authentic they want to be, their image is still crafted and doesn’t reflect reality in all its detail. Do you envy an actor who seems to book job after job? Little do you know that she went years without booking anything, works three jobs just to get by, and earned this streak of luck the hard way. Celebrate these highlights, and don’t forget there is a story behind every post. We all have our ups and downs. Nobody is actually living their Instagram life.
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“Genius” isn’t in ANNIE CHANG’s official title, but it might as well be. As Universal Pictures’ vice president of creative technologies, she is working to develop an industry-wide program to improve the film production process for all.
production for the last hundred years. Even with the advent of digital, we’re still working in a lot of the old ways of doing things. But it’s 2020; it’s time to actually start injecting new technology and innovation into the production process.”
She sits at the intersection of creativity and tech. “Nowadays, even with this pandemic, everyone needed to get a little bit more techsavvy, right? There’s a lot of technology that’s helping us out here. It’s the same thing in our film production: We’ve been doing film
The future of film is democratized. “What I see for the future—I didn’t come up with this term—is it’s going to be like a marketplace. Looking at the dailies process, for example, there are a few different vendors out there right now. Let’s say you’re using PIX, but you’re like,
Have a purpose. The key is to have an intention behind your actions. Just checking what’s going on is not an intention. That’s how you lose hours of your time without actually achieving anything, followed by feeling bad about it. On the other hand, going online to make meaningful connections by supporting your friends, actively networking, or posting a piece of content to engage your community are all purposeful activities that lead to good feelings. Never start or end your day by scrolling through social media. Checking social media in the morning sets the tone of your day with a reactive activity. Instead, dedicate your morning to yourself by planning your day over breakfast, going for a run,
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By Casey Mink
‘Time came out with something very cool. I just want to plug into their system and see how it works—if it’s a better solution for me.’ Instead of having to rejigger everything and build a connector into Time, you’ll just be able to swap them out and try it.”
practicing yoga, etc. If you end your day by scrolling through social media, your brain is still actively processing what you saw. Blue light from your screen suppresses the secretion of melatonin in your brain, which affects your sleep. Both activities are unhealthy, and yet we all do them mindlessly, not realizing the long-term negative impact they have on our health and well-being. This is why it’s important to work on building healthy habits. Silhanova is a social media strategist and a Backstage Expert.
Want more?
All our Backstage Experts can be found at backstage.com/magazine
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In It Together
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issues he was dealing with, and I shouldn’t worry. I accepted that. Then we received some good news. Chuck had booked a major guest star role on a hit sitcom. He was thrilled. His résumé was mostly drama, so this would be an especially fun job and the perfect way to end the year. When you work on a sitcom, they buy you for a week. The first day is a table read, then there are three days of rehearsing, and the last day is a live taping in front of a studio audience. It’s one of the sweetest gigs in town. Two days in, my assistant told me the show’s casting director was on the
When I picked up, all I heard was screaming. “Your client is drunk! He can barely walk!”
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Stephen Stallone Thomas By Jalen Michael For actor STEPHEN STALLONE THOMAS, the key to success is twofold: Keep a finger on the pulse, and stay determined.
There are no small roles (if you know what to do with them). “Series regular roles are hard to come by, but I’ve looked for and applied for leads in short indies. It’s always great to book these types of roles, especially when the role is challenging and requires you to really dig deep in order to bring the character to life.” Backstage keeps you in the know. “I find Backstage is really useful for keeping me in the loop with casting calls on a daily basis. It’s also a great platform and industry resource for actors.” Perseverance beats perfection every time. “The audition [for a recent project] was very nerve-wracking. I actually thought I had messed up the audition, as I missed one of the lines. But I powered through and found out that I had booked the role two days later.”
TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS story in print, tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast, or email us at igotcast@ backstage.com.
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ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; THOMAS: MICHAEL SPRING
IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSgiving, I’d like to share a story that gives me hope about the entertainment industry and the people in it. This happened a few years ago right before the Christmas break, and thinking about this tale of joy eases me into the holiday spirit. I hope you enjoy it, too. At the time, I was representing a character actor in his 50s named Chuck. He had an extensive résumé, and everyone in casting knew him. Clients like this are worth their weight in gold, because they work all the time. As you can imagine, Chuck was professional and super reliable. That’s why I was surprised when he started missing auditions. When I asked what was going on, he explained there were some personal
#IGOTCAST.
RAQUEL APARICIO
Secret Agent Man
line, and he sounded pissed. When I picked up, all I heard was screaming. “Your client is drunk! He can barely walk! You need to get down here now!” I broke the land speed record as I raced from Century City to Burbank; the stunt community would be proud. When I finally reached the stage, the casting director was there waiting. He wanted to yell at me in person. I let him. Then the producer joined us, and we made our way down to my client’s dressing room. There was no doubt about it: Chuck was drunk. The poor guy looked embarrassed and miserable. At this point, the screaming stopped, and the tone softened. Chuck was fired. They wanted him to pack up and leave. That was when I noticed the star of the show had been standing by the door the whole time. “No one is firing anyone.” I can’t share his name, but this is a man of stature. When he speaks, everyone listens. The star told the producer to reassign most of Chuck’s lines to the other characters so the story would still work. He also explained that he would be responsible for Chuck’s presence on set. And then he asked us to step outside so he could speak to my client privately. The rest of the week went well. Chuck had fewer lines, but he did all of his scenes, and they paid him in full. I later learned the star used to have a substance abuse problem, so he was especially sympathetic to my client’s condition. The fact that a major star with his own show took the time to help a fellow actor in need still touches my heart. So let’s follow his example. Let’s look out for each other. Remember, we’re all in this together. Happy Thanksgiving!
culture +
Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know
In the Room With
Victor Vazquez
The founding CD behind X Casting proves that the future of talent isn’t just young actors—it’s a new approach to casting By Elyse Roth
RAQUEL APARICIO
ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; THOMAS: MICHAEL SPRING
IF YOU LOOK AT VICTOR VAZQUEZ’S RÉSUMÉ, YOU’LL SEE THAT he’s a casting director who has worked on theater productions around the world. But if you look a little closer, you’ll see that he’s not quite like other theater CDs. He started his own company, X Casting, in 2019, with a mission to create opportunities for underrepresented talent across the entertainment industry. To do so, he runs every aspect of his work with that mission in mind: the projects he works on, the creatives he collaborates with, the casting professionals he hires, and the talent he sees. It’s a bold way to approach casting in an industry that’s been increasingly forced to reckon with hard data that shows the inequities in representation across mediums; but he believes he’s just doing his part. What changes have you seen happening in the entertainment industry? Casting professionals all across this country are having conversations. There are committees working to imagine what an anti-racist future looks like in our industry. Actors of color are
backstage.com
still underrepresented on stage and screen. Representation is not some do-good task that needs to be checked off. This is the bias of employment practices in casting, and these choices have real impact, like deciding who gets health insurance and who gets to sustain
themselves. Changing what’s in front of the table starts with changing who is behind the table and what power they yield. Projects need to hire BIPOC casting directors, not just assistants and associates. You have to learn from someone, so it’s really about who holds the door open for you; you can’t study it. Broadway for Racial Justice just started their training program for BIPOC folks to [become] casting professionals. Training for future CDs is starting to show up, but that’s not the only solution. Where do you look for talent? As a casting director, my time and focus are investments in
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other people’s careers. I find projects I’m super excited about because I know the artists; I know that they’re centering their own identities, and therefore their gravitational force is inviting other artists like them to be actors in their projects. That’s art that I’m interested in, beyond Broadway and OffBroadway, in the small pockets. Being a casting director is also like being a poet. We have to have the language to talk about other individuals who are not like us. That allows me to communicate and advocate for an actor to a director or writer when the opportunity comes. What advice do you have for actors? It’s all about authenticity. Begin with who you are. I’m most excited about talents that are sure of themselves. The projects that match the person they are will find them. I think that’s the opposite of what we’ve trained actors to be for a long time, which is this blank slate that’s able to mold into anything. I don’t think that’s helpful. Do you want to be a neutral blank palette, or do you want to be an added value, where we know exactly the tools that you come with to a project? That’s what’s exciting for me about talent that is emerging. Don’t worry about all those credits or that your résumé is not fully fleshed [out]. It’s all about who you are. Let’s start there and lean into that and find you characters that match that, or characters that might be the opposite of that, but that only you can play in an interesting way. Be authentic, and center everything you do around that.
Want more?
Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine
11.26.20 BACKSTAGE
Doing Just Fıne Sarah Cooper took over TikTok with her viral impression of Donald Trump—and helped take the president down along the way. Her Netflix special “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine” is her bid for comedy royalty By Casey Mink - Photographed by Emily Assiran
IN A YEAR THAT WILL CERTAINLY GO DOWN as one of the worst in modern history, things have actually been working out pretty nicely for Sarah Cooper. “It’s not just that things are going well,” Cooper says. “Things are going the best they’ve literally gone in my life, ever. I’m getting a billboard in Times Square. And I started by making TikToks in my living room.” Cooper’s success isn’t just occurring simultaneously with the coronavirus pandemic or the ceaseless chaos and abdication of leadership in the White House—it is a product of both of these things. If you’ve spent any time online during these difficult eight months, you’re likely familiar with the writer-performer’s lip-syncs of President Donald Trump. They’re impressions with just a touch of pantomime, though she does not put on a wig or costume.
Instead, she matches his intonation and pronunciation from real interviews and speeches, and lets his words, at last, speak for themselves. “Somebody said it was the antidote to gaslighting, which I felt was really accurate,” Cooper says of the videos. “We’ve been told this is the greatest president we’ve ever had; we’ve been told this president has done more for Black people than anyone since Abraham Lincoln. This guy’s a con man, and for some reason, seeing his voice come out of my mouth made it so clear how ridiculous the words were.” Like many during those first fearful weeks of the pandemic, Cooper had been tuning into the daily coronavirus task force press conferences, and she watched as Trump was “just standing there saying absolute nonsense.” Still, she wasn’t immediately compelled to impersonate him. Then, on April 23, the president floated
NETFLIX
This guy’s a con man, and for some reason, seeing his voice come out of my mouth made it so clear how ridiculous the words were.
NETFLIX
the idea of injecting disinfectant and using UV light as possible treatments for the virus. Cooper grabbed her household bottle of cleaning spray, and the resulting video, “How to Medical,” caught fire. Suddenly, she was appearing on the latenight circuit, she landed an agent, and she was eventually given a comedy special on Netflix, which is now streaming. All this after decades of trying to break through in comedy—though it was during a period inextricably linked with sorrow. Speaking via Zoom from Brooklyn on an October afternoon, smack dab between Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and Election Day, Cooper still struggles to wrap her head around that particular dissonance. “There [are] so many people suffering and there’s so much that needs to be done, and hopefully those things will get done and people will get the help that they need,” she reflects. “And at the same time, yeah, I mean, I’ve been trying to break into Hollywood my whole life. And it happened this year.” Beyond the boost that the Trump impression has given her career, with it, Cooper has also achieved something that many other comedians have long said could not be done: She successfully parodied this president. “One thing that makes me feel a little bit better is the few times I get recognized, people come up to me and they say, ‘Thank you. You got me through this quarantine,’ ” she says. “People were able to laugh at something that’s not been funny for a long time. They were able to finally laugh at this monster, which has been hard to do because he is such a monster. That makes me feel like I wasn’t just doing something completely unrelated—that I’m part of something that maybe, hopefully, will help us get out of [this situation].” Unlike most sensations, Cooper is clear about her intent with the videos: “I was trying to go viral,” she says matter-of-factly. But she wasn’t just aiming to be a one-off lightning rod to be retweeted by a few celebrities and then dissipate as the next meme or calamity swept the news cycle. She wanted to make something that could be serialized, that could evolve, and, yes, was something that she actually enjoyed doing. “I was playing around with TikTok because, even as a 42-year-old woman, I was like, Well, maybe I can figure this out,” she says with a laugh. “I am definitely not the target for TikTok; didn’t really think I’d be a TikTok star, tried to do one of the dances, [and] that did not work. “It’s such an easy tool,” she adds. “I mean, I’m not that big on TikTok—that’s the other thing. People say I’m a TikTok star, but the thing is, I’m more on Twitter than anywhere else. I really was using TikTok to make the videos, and then taking those videos and posting them on Twitter; and that’s really where they went viral.” Despite her seemingly sudden success, it didn’t happen overnight. At 30, she quit her day job and moved back in with her parents in an attempt to focus on her acting career. backstage.com
Between commercial gigs and “really bad independent films,” she was auditioning for tiny roles on sitcoms and procedurals. But wins were elusive, and the despair was taking a toll on her self-worth. “I was so obsessed with losing weight and maybe having to get a nose job and maybe my teeth needed to get fixed,” she remembers. “Because that was the thing that was going to make me a good actress: how I look.” It was during that time, in an attempt to become a more singular actor, that she found comedy. It didn’t change her circumstances in the tangible sense right away (“I obviously went broke, because you don’t make any money doing standup comedy”), but she did gain something that would become the bedrock of her career: her own voice and, even
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better, her calling card. “If the four lines I had on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ or the two episodes I did of ‘Army Wives’ had made me, that would have sucked, because those were things I didn’t really care that much about,” she says. “I’m happy that this is what did it, because this is the stuff I’ve been talking about forever. To ‘make it’ doing what you want to do and what you actually care about is so important, and it took me so long to realize that I need to stop doing what I think other people want me to do, and I need to do what I want to do. And calling men out on their bullshit has been my thing.” That Cooper can in some ways credit her expert bullshit meter for bringing her to this moment brings her career full circle. She wrote a book in 2016, “100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings,” that was based on real lessons she learned during the four years she worked at Google. That’s right: Cooper worked at the tech giant, and earlier this year, she was preparing to look into getting that job back if she wasn’t able to book a late-night set. Her initial inspiration for the Trump impression even came from the insight she gleaned there. “I saw him say something like, ‘I’m going to form a committee, I’m going to call it a committee, and we’re going to make decisions, and they’re going to be the right decisions.’ And I was like, Do you think you invented the concept of committees? Because you didn’t. That’s been around for a while,” she says. “It just reminded me of these 11.26.20 BACKSTAGE
guys in meetings when I was at Google who would come in and just bullshit.” For a long time, Cooper was cagey about her days in the corporate world, for the obvious reason that it wasn’t “cool” among comedy folk. But it eventually dawned on her that it was a unique experience, one that most of her industry peers likely hadn’t had. She learned to use it to her advantage. “Yeah, I worked in a fucking office for a
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while, and I met my husband there; I married a software engineer because I like tech, I like Google, I like being on Twitter, I like looking at analytics, [and] I built my own website. I’m a kind of nerd, and I just accepted that,” she says. “I wrote that book as I was sitting in meetings and I would notice somebody doing something, and I would just write it down. And for a long time, I thought, Whatever, I just write these things down. But then I was
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like, Oh, I’ve written down hundreds of these things, and that’s a book.” But Cooper’s purview isn’t only about acknowledging your narrative—it’s taking ownership. In addition to another workplace-inspired book she wrote in 2018, “How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings,” she is currently at work on two sitcoms, both of which are set in offices. Denying your inherent interests, she argues, is only going to curb your creativity, or worse, make you miserable. “It’s not a coincidence, what you like. You don’t remember everything that happened to you as a kid; you remember specific things, and those specific things, they mean something. Put them in something,” she insists. “I do notice now, the moments when I’m writing something and it makes me laugh. I look for those moments a lot more because, I mean, there’s a good chance that if you’re enjoying writing what you’re writing, other people will enjoy it. Give your ideas a chance; don’t just throw them away and tell yourself they’re not good enough. “But if you start doing something and you’re not enjoying it, and it doesn’t come naturally and you’re not addicted to it and it’s not something you are obsessed with, move on.” She pauses, adding a caveat: “Unless you need to do it for money.” Writing from a place of joy was certainly the approach she took for her Netflix special, “Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine,” executive produced by Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne (who also directed). The idea was to include the Trump impression but not base the special on it. It was a conscious choice, she adds, to take this thing people know and adore her for and then build on it. “[This way,] people can see that I can do other things and there are other stories I want to tell,” she says. “That was an early idea I had, to have an entire special that was just me lip-syncing Trump. Working with my agents, we realized, Well, if I wanted a career 10 years from now lip-syncing people, that would be a good thing to make—but I don’t want that. I want more than that. I didn’t really have that thought until my agents— who I got through this thing—were like, ‘We don’t want you to be boxed into this thing.’ ” Speaking to both the distant and notso-distant future, before signing off, it had to be asked: How will Cooper feel if, by the time this story runs, we have a new president-elect? Without hesitation, she responds with an exhale: “I will feel so good. I will feel like I helped expose a con man. And maybe I got a few more people to be like, ‘OK, we really do need to do something about this because this person should not be our president.’ People are like, ‘Oh, aren’t you sad he won’t be president anymore? He won’t give you any material!’ He doesn’t give me any material now. He’s been saying the same thing for four years. I’ll be very, very happy. And I’ll feel good about these videos.” backstage.com
TikTok Boom: From Online to Signed Reps from UTA and A3 Artists Agency weigh in on the trend
BONDART PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
By Abigail Cain
GOING VIRAL INITIALLY COST Brittany Tomlinson her job. A recent college grad working at a Texas bank, she’d started posting videos to TikTok in July 2019; a month later, she put out a 21-second clip of herself trying kombucha for the first time. Her reaction, seesawing rapidly between disgust and hesitant approval, became an instant meme. Other popular TikToks followed, and the bank decided her growing online celebrity was a liability—an opinion that was decidedly not shared by United Talent Agency, which signed Tomlinson a few months later. She was the first person to be represented by UTA based specifically on her TikToks. She was joined in January by dancer Charli D’Amelio, who, with 98.6 million followers, is the most
backstage.com
popular creator on the platform. “My life completely turned upside down because of what I was doing online,” Tomlinson says. “I know what it’s like to work at a bullshit job that you hate. And then, to be doing what I love now, making the money that I do—I literally could never have predicted that this is where I’d be.” UTA’s growing interest in TikTok stars is not unique. Increasingly, talent agencies are signing actors and other creators straight from the wildly popular video-sharing platform. Sometimes, it leads to more traditional projects: Addison Rae Easterling, a TikTok star with 69 million followers, signed with WME early this year and is now set to star in a gender-swapped remake of the 1999 movie “She’s
All That”; dancer Casey Frey, whose early success on Vine has been replicated on TikTok, appeared in this year’s Gia Coppola movie, “Mainstream.” Tomlinson herself is looking to transition to voice acting. But TikTokers are also forging new career paths—with their agents’ help. For instance, Greg Goodfried, the co-head of UTA’s digital division, left the agency in October to represent the entire D’Amelio family, who seem to be positioning themselves to step in where the Kardashians left off. Others are using their online influence to establish brand partnerships, podcasts, coffee companies, and more. TikTok certainly isn’t the first social media platform to impact the path to representation. Jade Sherman, a partner at A3 Artists
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Agency, recalls an influx of talent to social media platforms in 2008 and 2009, when a global recession decimated the job market. But at that time, she says, creators were making online content as a creative outlet or to connect with casting directors, “not in any anticipation of a full-time job or any sort of monetization.” A decade later, that could not be further from the case. The influencer business is thriving, up from $8 billion in 2019 to an estimated $15 billion by 2022, according to Business Insider Intelligence. Having lots of followers—on TikTok or elsewhere—can be a lucrative career all on its own. “In general, I would say talent are probably less interested in being an actor or an actress” than they were in 2009, Sherman notes. “Now the endgame is, ‘I want to be an influencer.’ ” But even for aspiring actors, TikTok has changed the rules of the game—and fast. With some 100 million monthly users in the U.S. as of August (up from 27 million at the beginning of 2020), the platform’s rise, as Sherman notes, has been “pretty frickin’ quick.” The platform’s built-in video editing tools have made it significantly easier for anyone with a good idea to become a one-person production company. Actor and comedian Alyssa Limperis, whose path to representation involved a 2017 viral video in which she impersonates her mom, has seen her characters resonate with a new audience on TikTok. “Social media is removing the gatekeeper,” says Limperis, who this year is appearing in a new Netflix sketch series and starring in an indie feature alongside Fred Armisen. “If you’re on here doing your thing and you’re showing the world who you are and the world is responding, then the industry will respond.”
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Plays Musicals Film TV & Video Commercial Modeling Variety Voiceover Gigs Events
Submit a Notice |
New York Tristate Student Films ‘The Cave On The Island’
• Casting “The Cave On The Island,” a
horror film that centers around Milton, who, after finding himself in the afterlife, attempts to find out how he died with the help of a guide. Note: This film involves mild violence, cursing, fake blood, and prop cigarettes. • Company: Hofstra University. Staff:
Kevin Ontaneda, dir.; Tianna Vanrossum, prod.
• Shoots Dec. 15-18 in Hempstead, NY. • Seeking—Milton: male, 25-45, all
ethnicities, a slightly nerdy and average nuclear husband who distinguishes himself as a rather good person; however, he’s clouded by ignorance and fear which plays into his fate in the afterlife. Rosemary: female, 25-45, all ethnicities, a loving housewife who seems distant from her husband but loves him nonetheless; however, her mental health mixed with infidelity pushes her to the edge of the relationship. Daughter: 6-14, all ethnicities, nonspeaking role; role involves actions, such as sitting, running, laughing, and hiding; fake blood will be used in one or two scenes.
• Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Auditions will be virtual due to Covid-19
precautions. Include photo’s of you in your submissions. Videos in submissions are encouraged but not required. • Food and transportation provided.
Professional digital downloadable copy of work provided as well.
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. • Shoots Dec. 4-7 in New Jersey. Note:
Casting picks of the week
Some roles needed for only one day, or a half day. • Seeking—Lamont: male, 18-26, Black
/ African Descent, athletic build; short dark hair; facial hair, beard and mustache, trimmed; tattoos a plus; victim; Lamont is an all-star basket ball player and passionate about ending violence; charismatic, friendly, he is adored by all who come to know him; must be comfortable portraying recreational drug use; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission. Franklin: male, 18-35, Black / African Descent, late 20s; short (5’3”); medium build; actor must have dreadlocks; perpetrator; Franklin executes Lamont out of jealousy; must be comfortable portraying violence/domestic abuse; must be comfortable handling a prop hand gun; must be able to drive; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission. Kenya: female, 18-30, Black / African Descent, slim build; shoulder length- long dark hair; perpetrator’s ex-girlfriend; must be comfortable portraying domestic abuse; must be comfortable with intimacy (flirtatious touching, kissing, ect.) with male actor; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission. Darlene: female, 18+, Black / African Descent, mid-late 60s. medium to heavy build; maternal; victim’s mother; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission. Urania: female, 18+, African American, mid 40s; medium build; victims older sister; ability to portray strong emotions a plus; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission; submit any performance reels/clips! OJ/Thomas: 18+, male, African American, mid 20s; medium build aids Franklin in Lamont’s murder; must be able to drive; note if you are able to self report to Jersey in submission; also submit any relevant performance reels/clips.
BY LISA HAMIL
stage
‘Ordinary Days’ In extraordinary times, Equity actors zoom from home
tv
‘Holiday Kids - All About Chinese New Year’ Explore the holidays in Hermosa Beach, CA
music video
‘My Pain’ Fight your addictions for this shoot in TN and GA
reality & documentary ‘Evil Lives Here’ Recreate famous crimes in Washington, CT for the ID network
tv
‘Succession’ Clash with the Roy family in NY for this HBO series
• Seeking—Alyssiah: female, 18-28, Black
/ African Descent, early 20s; slim build, long dark straight hair; victim; Alyssiah is a hard-working student and is heavily involved in various clubs and social activities at school; she has secretly been dating Jermaine for two years, but when she realizes the new demands of being a college freshman, she decides to end things; must be comfortable portraying domestic abuse/ violence; must be comfortable with intimacy with male actor; ability to portray strong emotions a plus; note if you are able to self report to New Jersey in submission. Jermaine: male, 18-35, Black / African Descent, medium build; short dark hair, neat trimmed facial hair; perpetrator; Jermaine has been secretly dating
• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to allison.pittel@itv.
com.
• Casting will be based on headshot and
Scripted TV & Video ‘Final Moments,’ EP 101
video submission. Note if you are able to self report to New Jersey. • TBD.
‘Final Moments,’ EP 102
• Casting “Final Moments,” a true crime
• Casting recreations talent for “Final
recreations documentary series for Oxygen.
• Company: ITV. Staff: Bill Kerr, dir.
only one day, or part of a day.).
Moments,” a new crime documentary series.
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• Company: ITV. Staff: Bill Kerr, dir. • Shoots Dec. 4-7 (some roles will shoot
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Alyssiah for two years; when he feels his girlfriend start to pull away, he becomes increasingly more controlling; must be comfortable portraying violence/ domestic abuse; must be able to drive; note if you are able to self report to New Jersey in submission. Corrina: female, 18-55, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, African American, mid 40s/ early 50s; medium build; short blond hair; victim’s mother; Corrina is a single mother of four daughters, and has always instilled in them a strong work ethic; when her daughter goes missing and later confirmed deceased, she dedicates her time to teaching others about the danger of domestic violence; ability to portray strong emotions a plus; note if you are able to self report to New Jersey in submission. Sade: female, 18-30, Black / African Descent, early 20s; slim build, long dark straight hair. Victim’s close friend; also a university student, Sade and Alyssiah are both very active on campus; Sade becomes concerned when Alyssiah fails to show up to meet her one afternoon, and she assumes the worst; note if you are able to self report to New Jersey in submission. Police/Detective: male, 18+, White / European Descent, all ages to portray cops/ crime scene detectives; must be comfortable handling prop firearms; no visible tattoos or piercings; clean cut hair preferred, no/minimal facial hair; note if you own detective (suit and tie) or cop attire; note if you are able to self report to New Jersey in submission. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to allisonpittel@
gmail.com.
• Talent may be required to provide their
own wardrobe. Comment in submission if you are able to self report to New Jersey. • Pay TBD.
HBO’s ‘Succession’ Season 3, Bosnian Government Official
• Casting background actors for season 3
of the HBO series “Succession.”
• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:
Faith GWC, casting assoc.
• COVID test Dec. 14; tentatively shoots
Dec. 16.
• Seeking—Bosnian Government Official:
male, 30-69, White / European Descent, SAG-AFTRA to portray a Bosnian government official. COVID test on Dec. 14 and tentative work on Dec. 16. Must have smart business attire. Would be interacting with principal characters. Must be comfortable with COVID tests and wearing masks when not on camera. backstage.com
California casting
• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit your name,
phone number, union status, availability for Dec. 14 and Dec. 16; what IDs you can bring to fill out I-9; if you worked season 1 or 2 and if so, note what role; if you are comfortable with COVID tests and wearing masks when not on camera; confirm you have smart business attire; and send current selfies (no filters, no headshots; production will be submitting photos to the director) to succession@gwcnyc.com with the subject line titled “Backstage: Bosnia.” • Pays $178/8 hrs. for work date, $100
COVID test stipend. SAG-AFTRA.
Reality TV & Documentary ‘Evil Lives Here,’ Ep 607
• Casting episode 607 of “Evil Lives Here”
for the ID network.
• Company: Red Marble Media. Staff: S.
Jeanty, casting dir.
• Shoots Dec. 1-4 in Washington, CT. • Seeking—Child Derek: male, 10-12,
White / European Descent, he thought it was funny to prank and bully his siblings growing up. He was would always jump from out of closets and hide behind doors to give his brothers and sisters a fright. To him, all his pranks were innocent little jokes, nothing that should be taken too seriously. Derek’s sister Linda never found them to be funny and considered his pranks to be odd and cruel. She hated his “rough house” behavior because she was often Derek’s main target since they were closer in age. His parents believed he would grow out of his prank-ish / bullyish ways but he never did. As Derek got older his “playful ways” started to become borderline dangerous. Which eventually would lead to him getting in trouble with the law in his late adolescent /teenage years.Lead role.Brown eyes and short brown hair, average height and build.Implied violence: Shirt pulling (a staged rehearsal will happen on set) - child actor will act as annoying older brother / “pull” back of little sister’s t-shirt while she watches tv. Child Linda: female, 7-10, loved growing up in a big family. As a kid, she enjoyed playing with her 8 brothers and sisters. But she would often have a hard time playing with Derek, her old brother. Derek always seemed to play a little “too rough” with Linda than he did with his other siblings. She didn’t mind have a pesky older brother, she just hated that it felt like he was doing it to torture her. No matter how much Linda tried to tell her parents that her brother’s behavior was troubling. They constantly would tell her that boys will be boys and that Derek was only going through a phase. Linda knew better, the way Derek use to smile after pulling a prank or the way he would get a kick out of pulling her hair. There was a certain evil behind it, and she was the only one who could see it. Brown eyes and medium-long brown hair, average height and build.Note: backstage.com
Shirt pulling (a staged rehearsal will happen on set) -child actor will be watching tv while older brother actor “pulls” back of sister’s t-shirt. Simulated Drowning Scene in which the child actor will be standing up and will partially submerge their face in a smallmedium size water-filled glass container (“fish tank”). They will then proceed to blow water bubbles into the tank. The action is similar to bobbing for apples. Production states: “A staged rehearsal will happen on set/safety meeting will happen prior to filming.The child actor must be comfortable wearing a 1-piece swimsuit with a pool towel wrapped around their body. Comfortable holding breath/strong or trained swimmers preferred.” Adult Derek: male, 18-21, White / European Descent, smart, charming, and cunning. His family would describe him as being a handful. He was a bit of a rambunctious kid, but his parents thought he would outgrow this behavior. As Derek got older, he continued to break the rules at home and at school. When he was a teenager he started getting in trouble with the law and that would carry on throughout his early adult years. Just when his family thought he was getting on the path of the straight and narrow. Derek went out and committed an act of murder. Now, he once again is making his sister clean up his mess. But what he doesn’t know is that Linda, his sister is done doing his dirty work. Brown short hair, brown eyes, clean-shaven but willing to wear a fake mustache, average height, and build. Adult Linda: female, 18-21, she was faced with the toughest decision of her lifetime. She had to choose between helping an innocent victim get justice or helping the police put her brother behind bars forever. As long as Linda can remember she always felt like something evil was lurking inside of her older brother, Derek. There was something frightening about the way he would smile after he would “playfully” pull her hair. When they were kids, he would oftentimes play rough with her and pulled dangerous pranks on Linda and her other siblings. No matter how much she tried to tell her parents about Derek’s aggressive and manipulative behavior, no one would believe her. It was then that Linda thought it would be best to start to distance herself from Derek but always keeping a close eye on her brother’s whereabouts. It was clear to Linda that her brother enjoyed playing cat and mouse mind games with her. Derek, however, underestimated the hold he had on Linda, she was tougher than he thought, and she no longer would let him play her like a pawn.Brown short - medium long hair, brown eyes, average height and build. Mom: female, 40-45, White / European Descent, helpless, hopeful, and has lots of patience. She always had her hands full raising her 8 kids. She had an even harder time trying to manage her son Derek. Mom has always tried her best to be a good mom and role model for her children. But somehow her son Derek always found ways to get himself into trouble. When he was a child, she and her husband would tell themselves that
he would grow out of his rebellious behavior. Instead, Derek’s behavioral issues got worse when he became an adult. For years, she would watch her son go in and out of jail. But it would be her own daughter that put him behind bars forever. Medium length light brown hair, brown eyes, average height and build. Sue - Teen Sister: female, 18-20, grew up in a big family with 8 brothers and sisters. As a kid, she used to love spending time outdoors playing with them. Just like any sibling relationship they would oftentimes fight and trick each other. But there was something different about her little brother Derek. He took pride in inflicting pain on them. Especially, on their little sister Linda. Sue didn’t like how Derek would always pick on and bothered Linda. She like the rest of her family thought he would grow out of his childish ways, but she would later learn that Derek was not only a danger to their family but to society as well (looking for talent that can play 16-18 range). Long brown hair, brown eyes, average height and build.
• Seeking submissions from NY and CT. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Currently looking for local hires in NYC,
NJ, and CT.
• Production states: “To help stop the
spread of COVID. We will be filming in a nearby isolated location in Washington, CT. COVID safety precautions will be in full effect during filming. Production will also have a COVID compliance officer on set. Must be a local to the areas listed. Must self report.” • Pays $210/day plus $105 for COVID
testing.
Music Videos ‘Steak & Lobster’
• Casting “Steak & Lobster,” a music
video.
ideally a Caucasian woman in her 50s “revamping her French bakery” and visiting a showroom to purchase something. Customer 2: male, 27-37, Black / African Descent, young and energetic in his mid-30s. Customer 3: male, 34-51, White / European Descent, Caucasian executive in his 40s. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $100 flat rate per day.
Print & Digital Modeling Prestige Makeup Brand Model Shoot
• Seeking models for a Prestige Makeup
Brand Shoot. Seeking women with imperfect skin to appear in makeup application videos. Must reside in NYC, be makeup savvy (comfortable creating a full-glam makeup look). Casting states: “You could apply your foundation flawlessly with your eyes closed. You’ll be applying foundation and concealer. Model/acting experience preferred.” • Company: Andrew Hecht Media. Staff:
Andrew Hecht, casting dir.
• Shoots Dec. 1 (one day shoot) in NYC. • Seeking—Talent # 1: Caucasian: female,
20-30, White / European Descent, imperfect skin is a must (looking for big transformations). Looking for lighter skin toned models with visible acne, dark spots, redness, hyperpigmentation etc. Makeup savvy – you’re super comfortable creating a full-glam makeup look. You could apply your foundation flawlessly with your eyes closed. This project involves applying foundation on camera. Modeling/acting experience.
• Company: 72 Madison Design Group.
• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to ahecht1@gmail.
• Shoots Dec. 21 at an office space in
• For consideration, submit a cover letter
Staff: Marquan Gary, videographer. Paterson, NJ.
• Seeking—Lead: female, 20-29, Black /
African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Latino / Hispanic, White / European Descent, actress needed for simple shoot.
• Seeking submissions from NJ and NY. • Send submissions to qentstudio@gmail.
com.
• Pay provided.
Online Commercials & Promos Kitchen Supplier Showroom Clip • Casting a promo for a commercial
kitchen supplier.
• Company: Mint Media. Staff: Moshe
Shindler, dir. of productions.
• Shoots Nov. 30 (a few hours) in Spring
Valley, NY.
19
• Seeking—Customer 1: female, 40-55,
com.
with your name, age, contact info (phone and email), location, one barefaced selfie, one selfie wearing a full face of makeup and your IG handle. • Pays $1K-$1.5K/model.
Southern California Student Films ‘American Nightmare’
• Casting “American Nightmare,” a stu-
dent horror film based on the 50s’ American Dream but taking place in a modern-day time. A Latino family moves into a new neighborhood without realizing that their house is haunted by the 50s’ American Dream and will not stop until their lives are terrorized by this “Nightmare.”
11.26.20 BACKSTAGE
casting California • Company: Asuza Pacific University.
• Company: UCLA Film. Staff: Elliot
• Shoot dates and location TBA due to
• One individual rehearsal and one-two
Staff: Brianna Bermudez, dir.
university policy for COVID-19. January and February are scheduled for possible weekend day shoots. • Seeking—Maggie Sanchez: female,
15-29, Latino / Hispanic, a 17-year-old girl who’s drowning from the pressures of society to apply to college due to the American Dream. She is the critical factor for the house that will try to control her but once realizing the house’s plans, she will fight back to break free from this social construct. She starts off being submissive towards people’s orders, but her character arc will soon reveal that she’s the one who is in control. Toni Sanchez: male, 18-25, Latino / Hispanic, a 15 year-old boy who is invisible towards his family. He fights to be noticed but all of the attention is focused on his sister Maggie. He’s first to realize of the house’s evil plans, but the house gets rid of him before he decides to act. He truly loves his sister and family and is willing to go the extra mile to help. His character’s arc will go from being forgotten to now being recognized and accepted in his family. Justina Sanchez: 30-60, Latino / Hispanic, the mother of the house. A hard-working lawyer, however, the house’s ideals turn her into the perfect housewife due to the 50’s social standards. Her pressure to become a 50’s housewife is influenced to an extreme enable control of her daughter’s life. Antonio Sanchez: male, 30-60, Latino / Hispanic, a family man and is willing to do anything for his family. He feels like a failure only because he went to trade school compared to his wife who went to law school. He owns his business that he’s afraid of, however his working habits ends up killing him from stress. The house turns him anxious and afraid to reveal to the society who he is, so opposite from his son, he’s trying to go unnoticed. 50s’ Commentator: male, 18+, an important figure for this house to communicate its truths. The 50’s Commentator will be heard on radio and voiceover throughout archive footage. Their position is to broadcast and try to sell the story in a chirpy, happy, Trans-Atlantic accent until the story becomes sinister. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to bbermudez17@
apu.edu.
• For consideration, include a video
with your submission and note your availability for January and February. Note: Must be flexible with shoot days in those possible months. Must also include the answer in the video to “What is your idea of the American Dream?” Note: Make sure to include the video audition in your submission. • Meals, copy of the film, reel footage,
and credit provided.
‘Angels in America’ Scene
• Casting a new take on scene 8 from the
series “Angels in America,” in which Harper confronts Joe about his sexuality in a last big conflict between the couple.
BACKSTAGE 11.26.20
Rhodes, student filmmaker.
group rehearsals; performs Dec. 8 (performance time TBD between 9-11:30 a.m. PST) via Zoom.
• Seeking—Joe: male, 24-37, supporting
character.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to joshuarhodes@
ucla.edu. • No pay.
‘Forlorn’
• Casting “Forlorn,” a Chapman
University thesis production intended for festival entry.
• Company: Chapman University. Staff: • Rehearses mid January-Mar. 1, 2021;
shoots Mar. 5-14, 2021 in California.
• Seeking—Asif Siddiqui: male, 22-32,
study of an original screenplay scene. Synopsis: Bella is a trans woman who is on a quest to finally change her gender to female on her driver’s license. She has to visit her sister and confront the life that she could’ve had. dir.
• Rehearsals will be over Zoom, dates are
flexible; performs Dec. 8 (10:55-11:25 a.m. PST) on Zoom. The scene will be performed one to three times as part of a class. • Seeking—Bella: transgender female,
18-25, all ethnicities, a hard-working waitress in her 20s, decides to finally get her name and sex changed on her driver’s license. To do that, she goes to get her birth certificate from her wealthy sister who abandoned her many years ago. Summer: female, 18-28, all ethnicities, a rich interior designer in her late 20s, is having a party at her late parents’ beach house when she gets an untimely visit from her estranged sister. Even though they used to be close, Summer never helped her sister when their parents abandoned her, so her visit brings up many uncomfortable memories. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to emmayounan@
• Pay provided.
Computer,” a student film that follows the new hire of an upstart tractor sales company in the 1990s and traces his relationship with the new computer in the office. Production states: “A fun, energetic, but emotional story in the style of a Pixar short.”
VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING for full character breakdowns, script sides, and more casting notices
• Casting ‘Holiday Kids - All About
Chinese New Year,” for a Chinese American Host to speak on camera from a script on teleprompter. • Company: Wonderscape
Entertainment, LLC. Staff: Jeff Yonis, managing partner. • Shoots Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. in Hermosa
Beach, CA.
• Seeking—Host: female, 18-28, Asian,
Chinese American host with upbeat personality to teach about Chinese New Year. of you reading the sides while looking directly into lens. Be excited about the subject matter and imagine you are a teacher speaking to a student. Selftape links should be sent to jeff. yonis@wonderscape.net. • Pays $125 for what is typically a two
hour shoot.
Multimedia Digital Series, Kamala Harris Episode • Casting girls who are inspired by the
election of Kamala Harris as VicePresident for one or two episodes of an unscripted, digital series. Production states: “The girls will watch clips of Kamala speaking and be interviewed about their opinions of her. In addition to this episode, we might film another light and fun episode about food. If so, we’d tell you more about it before you were booked.” • Company: Freelance. Staff: Maria
Skeels, casting dir.
• Shoots next week in L.A. • Seeking—Kamala Harris fan: female,
8-16, Asian, Black / African Descent, South Asian / Indian.
gmail.com.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to mmscasting@
mance time cannot be changed.
• Pays $104 to film up to two episodes of
• Note your availability, as the perfor-
‘New Computer’
college graduate; awkward, fumbling, and innocent. Highly skilled at data analysis and stats. Knows more about computing than socializing. Kelly:
‘Holiday Kids - All About Chinese New Year’
• Company: UCLA. Staff: Emma Younan,
com.
• Records remotely. • Seeking—Ethan: male, 18-30, an early
• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit a self-tape
• Casting “Sisterhood,” a student scene
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to shayon08@gmail.
Arts. Staff: Ben Michael, job scout.
Student Film Agreement.
‘Sisterhood’ Student Scene Study
Indigenous Peoples, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, a youngster without any education qualification in the US, migrates from job to job to carry himself and make a living because of a very estranged relationship with his family; from a wealthy Indian Muslim family living in the states and that has made a name for themselves; extremely shy and someone who has difficulty, relating to people and lives in a world of his own, gets hired to take care of an old paralyzed war veteran as a full-time help. Dave Lambert: male, 60-90, White / European Descent, a Vietnam War veteran; his right shoulder to his right toe is paralyzed; lives in a amall apartment with whoever is hired as a caretaker for him; extremely dependent but unfortunately his only son is more invested in his business and family rather than giving him some attention. Farooq Siddiqui: male, 55-65, Indigenous Peoples, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, a millionaire with an established business in the States; has two sons, one of which is our protagonist, who he isn’t proud of; doesn’t have any form of contact with that son until a day after 15 odd years when they meet at a cafe.
• Company: USC School of Cinematic
Scripted TV & Video
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Copy and credit provided. SAG-AFTRA
Shayon Bhattacharya, dir.-writer.
• Casting voiceover talent for “New
female, 18-40, peppy, fresh-faced, kind, and down-to-earth. Recently graduated from university and eager to climb the office ranks. Mr. Mayfield: male, 20+, a washed-up, mid-tier office manager who dislikes coming to work. Flat-voiced, flatfaced, and flat-footed; wants to retire but can’t. Corporate Man: male, 18+, a tall and menacing upper echelon boss with a smooth Southern drawl; unintentionally patronizing. Male News Anchor: male, 18+, smart, stately and matter-of-fact. Enunciates words well. Female Anchor: female, 18+, smart, stately, and matter-of-fact; enunciates words well.
• No pay.
‘Touch’
• Casting “Touch.” Synopsis: During the
COVID pandemic, a young woman with an autoimmune disease falls in love with a boy in the apartment across the street. • Company: New York University. Staff:
Andrew Brame, graduate film student.
• Shoots late January or early February
2021 in Oceanside, CA.
• Seeking—Claire: female, 18-24, White /
European Descent. Aaron: male, 18-26, White / European Descent. Susan: female, 40-59, White / European Descent.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to acb808@nyu.edu. • No pay.
20
gmail.com.
digital series. Production states: “Depending on whether we shoot one or two episodes, filming should only require about 2 hours maximum.”
Online Commercials & Promos Popular Meal Delivery Service Promo
• Casting greater Los Angeles area
individuals and couples for meal delivery service in studio and work-from-home. • Staff: E. Kennedy, casting.
backstage.com
National/Regional casting
• Shoots TBD date and location may be in
Downtown LA studio, or in your own home with help from a remote director. • Seeking—Women for Meal Delivery
Service: female, 18-60, all ethnicities, attractive, to demonstrate and express thoughts on a meal delivery service. Some meals contain meat, so you must be comfortable with that. Men for Meal Delivery Service: male, 18-60, all ethnicities, attractive, to demonstrate and express thoughts on a meal delivery service. Some meals contain meat, so you must be comfortable with that. Lead Person in a Couple for Meal Delivery Service: 18-60, all ethnicities, attractive couples, to demonstrate and express thoughts on a meal delivery service. Some meals contain meat, so you must be comfortable with that. Lead person in the couple should apply. Check with your mate first, though. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to casting@
tubescience.com.
• Pays $250 per person per project. Non-
union, all media buyouts.
Print & Digital Modeling Eyewear Brand Photo and Video Shoot
• Eyewear company casting photo and
video content for website.
• Company: South James. Staff: Colin
Olsen, prod.
• Shoots Dec. 9 in Los Angeles, CA. • Seeking—Male Model: male, 18-50, all
ethnicities. Female Model: 18-50, all ethnicities.
• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to colin@southjames.
com.
• Submit a photo with you wearing
glasses if you have it. • Pay provided.
Humira Advertisement • Casting models for a Humira
advertisement.
• Company: Cast Partner. • Covid test Nov. 30; fitting Dec. 3;
shoots Dec. 8 or 9 in Los Angeles, CA. • Seeking—Hero: Waist 38”-44” Male:
male, 25-35, all ethnicities, cool casual oufits like an urban millennial; show your personal style; if you wear glasses or hats please bring them - we will do some shots with and without those on; no oversized clothing - we do need to be able to see your form; note this casting will be shot outdoors and the temp forecast for Monday ranges from 60 to 85 degrees so it might be good to wear layers that can be removed. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to apply@castpart-
ner.com.
• Hero Talent: Compensation: Model
agrees to accept the following fee for services: $600+20 session fee, inclusive of fitting, COVID-19 and 10 hour shoot day for all images captured on shoot date. Usage: $3,600+ 20%. Term, Territory and Media: Two years in North America, in all media, whether now backstage.com
known or hereinafter created, excluding broadcast media. Media may include, but is not limited to all print, collateral (direct mail, promotions, POS, retail) , OOH, trade, events, PR, and Internet (worldwide)/Electronic Media. Excluding moving image. Exclusivity in the Dermatology category. Option for 3rd year of usage (same as above): $2,160 + 20% to Supplier.
rehearsals will take place via Zoom. Creative team will support performers in the creation of all audio and video recordings. • Seeking—Jason: male, 18+, all ethnici-
ties, male-identified, late 20’s/early 30’s. Pop tenor. Jason is a romantic who wants to move full steam ahead in his relationship with Claire. He has great energy and a good sense of humor, but life in New York City wears him down at times. Claire: female, 18+, female-identified, late 20’s/early 30’s. Soprano with mix/belt. Claire is Jason’s girlfriend who has been keeping a very big secret from him. She loves Jason, but her past is weighing on her more and more as their relationship develops. Warren: male, 18+, male-identified, early 20’s. Baritenor. Warren has a very optimistic outlook and the soul of an artist. He is the heart of the show and has a comedic sensibility. Warren sees the magic in everyday life. Deb: female, 18+, femaleidentified, early 20’s. Mezzo with belt. Deb is a stressed out grad student who is new to New York City. She has a very dry sense of humor and is slow to trust people.
• Secondary Talent: Compensation:
Model agrees to accept the following fee for services: $600+20 session fee, inclusive of fitting, COVID- 19 and 10 hour shoot day for all images captured on shoot date. Usage: Adults $1,750+20% / Kids $750+20. • Term, Territory and Media: Two ( 2)
years in North America, in all media, whether now known or hereinafter created, excluding broadcast media. Media may include, but is not limited to all print, collateral (direct mail, promotions, POS, retail), OOH, trade, events, PR, and Internet (worldwide)/ Electronic Media. Excluding moving image. Exclusivity: none. Option for 3rd year of usage (same as above) : Adults $1,500+20% /Kids $500+20. COVID- 19 Cancellation: In the event that a production must be canceled or pushed for any COVID- 19 related reason the model contract will be considered void and any payment will be canceled. This includes if a production is canceled or if a model must cancel due to experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Seeking submissions from IN. • For consideration, submit a video
submission of a contemporary musical theater song of your choice (3 min. max). Actors submitting for Deb or Warren should prepare a comedic song. Actors submitting for Jason or Claire should prepare a serious song. Submit a letter of interest and link to unlisted video audition. Submissions deadline is Dec. 1, 2020.
• Compensation: Model agrees to
accept the following fee for services: $600+20 session fee, inclusive of fitting, COVID- 19 and 10 hour shoot day for all images captured on shoot date. Usage: $3,600+ 20%. Term, Territory and Media: Two years in North America, in all media, whether now known or hereinafter created, excluding broadcast media. Media may include, but is not limited to all print, collateral (direct mail, promotions, POS, retail), OOH, trade, events, PR, and Internet (worldwide) / Electronic Media. Excluding moving image. Exclusivity in the Dermatology category. Option for 3rd year of usage (same as above): $2,160 + 20.
• Cardinal Stage is committed to an
inclusive approach to casting. Actors of all types and abilities are encouraged to submit for the role with which they identify. • Pays $404/wk. Equity SPT 4 Contract.
Playwrights’ Center Season, Equity Zoom Auditions
eral-auditions. You will read one side of your choosing. When you join the Zoom call, you will be in a Waiting Room until the actor before you has finished. If you are not available for auditions, feel free to send a video of one side to casting@ pwcenter.org. Zoom audition dates: Dec. 8: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. CST; Dec. 9: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CST; Dec. 10: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CST. • Pays $15.50/hr. Equity Special
Agreement.
‘Watching & Listening’
• Casting Equity actors for a zoom
reading of “Watching & Listening.” Synopsis: Sid is a lifetime New York Metropolitan baseball fan. His wife, Myrna hates baseball and the effect that it has on her husband. Desperate for support and understanding, Syd begins a conversation with the host of a New York Sports Radio station. What happens next is a magical adventure that takes Sid from his modest apartment in Queens to the NY Mets broadcast booth in LA. His life will never be the same. • Staff: Del Fidanque, writer-dir. • Rehearses Jan. 12, 2021 from 1-3:30
p.m. and Tuesday Jan. 19, 2021 from 1-3:30 p.m.; AEA Zoom reading Thursday Jan. 21. (Call time 12:30 p.m.; performance 1-2:30 p.m.). • Seeking—Francesca: female, 40-49,
Sports Radio host; has no patience for callers who don’t get to the point immediately; sees herself as an authority on baseball; this is a gruff and ready gal who was born and bred in Brooklyn or the Bronx. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • For consideration, email photo and
resume to subm@optimum.net. Submissions deadline is Dec. 8.
• Pays $100 stipend; paid after reading
performance. Equity Staged Reading Code.
• Casting Equity actors for the
Playwrights’ Center 2020-2021 Season for a variety of new play workshops and readings. The Center develops 70+ plays each year with different creative teams. • Company: Playwrights’ Center. Staff:
Hayley Finn, artistic dir.; Julia Brown, artistic programs mgr.
National/ Regional
• Season runs in Minneapolis, MN. Note:
The Center holds workshops yearround, ranging from 3-40 hour calls. Actors who audition will be considered for projects beginning in January 2021 and will be added to our database of actors going forward. • Seeking—Equity Actors: all genders,
Plays
18+, all ethnicities.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • For consideration, email casting@
‘Ordinary Days’
Staff: Adam Gwon, book-music-lyrics; Kate Galvin (will view submissions), dir.; Ray Fellman, musical dir.
pwcenter.org with your availability, headshot, and resume. We will email you back to confirm an audition time. Associate Artistic Director Hayley Finn and Artistic Programs Manager Julia Brown will be holding the auditions. For audition sides, visit pwcenter.org/gen-
scheduled Jan. 4-17, 2021. Note: All actors will record audio and video from the safety of their homes, producer will edit for digital distribution. All
VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING for full character breakdowns, script sides, and more casting notices
• Seeking Equity video submissions for
“Ordinary Days.”
• Company: Cardinal Stage Company.
• Rehearsals and recording sessions are
21
Student Films ‘Get Out’ Scene
• Casting actors for a short two-page
scene from Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” for a directing class on Dec. 1. Synopsis: Chris and Dean tour the house. • Company: UCLA. Staff: Melvin
Makasini, student.
• Rehearsals will be held TBD through
Zoom; performance and rehearsal date will be held on Dec. 1. • Seeking—Chris: male, 21-30, Black /
African Descent. Dean: male, 35-65, White / European Descent. Georgina: female, 18-65, Black / African Descent, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For consideration, include a cover
letter with your availability for the dates and times listed. • No pay.
‘The Hours’ Student Scene Study
• Casting two roles in a romantic horror
interpretation of “The Hours” for a student scene study project.
11.26.20 BACKSTAGE
casting National/Regional • Company: UCLA. Staff: Caroline Chou,
directing student.
• Rehearsals TBD on Zoom; presents Dec.
1 (9:10-9:40 a.m. PST) on Zoom.
• Seeking—Laura: female, 23-33, all
ethnicities, mid 20s to mid 30s, closeted lesbian haunted by the ghost of her abusive ex-husband. Kitty: female, 23-33, all ethnicities, mid 20s to mid 30s; closeted lesbian stuck in an unhappy marriage with husband; Laura’s lover. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to caroline.chou.t@
gmail.com.
• No cover letter necessary. Audition will
consist of a cold read over Zoom.
stop her from living life to the fullest... “ Note: Ability to roller skate is a plus. Gigi: 13-17, Black / African Descent, a black plus-sized girl. She has great style and a great attitude. She always brings her “can’t keep me down” energy to everything she does. Her body positivity is inspiring.
• Talent will be compensated as lead tal-
using the sides below to zdselftaperequest@gmail.com. Note: Auditions may not be posted on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or any other public site, even if password protected.
‘My Pain’
ent. All travel/accommodations will be provided. Additionally, there is a large cash prize.
Music Videos
• Seeking submissions worldwide. • For consideration, email self-tapes
• Casting “My Pain,” a music video about
a man that suffers from his addictions. Synopsis: His addictions appear to him as a beautiful, yet devious and deceitful woman.
• Pay provided.
• Company: BlueHoroscope
Entertainment. Staff: De’Armond Toney, actor-prod.; Sam Vance, photographer; Randy, videographer.
• No pay.
‘Waiting on Host’
• Casting “Waiting on Host,” a student
short film about a dancer’s life during COVID-19.
• Company: UCSB. Staff: Jon Lewis, dir. • Shoots remotely, dates TBD. • Seeking—Mom: female, 30-50, all
ethnicities, the mother of Jessica, the lead; Mom keeps Jessica updated with the family during COVID. Mom is kind, compassionate and empathetic. She feels for her daughter who is all alone in Los Angeles and must hear about family strife through virtual communication. Nana: female, 50-70, all ethnicities, the strong willed, independent grandmother of Jessica. She catches COVID-19 and her life and Jessica’s life is forever changed. Her communication is limited through virtual correspondence with her granddaughter. Ms. Yahontov: female, 50-70, White / European Descent, a stern Russian dance teacher for Jessica. She is stern, has strong facials, and must be able to expressively convey emotion. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to productionwoh@
gmail.com. • No pay.
Scripted TV & Video Network TV Comedy Pilot • Casting young female actors for a
Network TV Comedy pilot.
• Company: Zora DeHorter Casting.
Staff: Zora DeHorter, casting dir.; Chloe Curran, casting assist. • Shoots January/February 2021 in Los
Angeles, CA.
• Seeking—Paris: female, 10-14, Black /
African Descent, smart, enthusiastic, confident, and adorable girl. She is a very special person - a force of nature. A girl who loves to roller skate- and she’s really good. Nothing makes her happier than spending time with her besties skating. Even though life is tough at times, she’s passionate and strong. She’s not going to let anything VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING for full character breakdowns, script sides, and more casting notices
BACKSTAGE 11.26.20
Reality TV & Documentary
• Shoots Dec. 12. • Seeking—Goddess Apate: female,
21-30, all ethnicities, the goddess of trickery and deceit; she consistently tries to tempt Mr. Ito into succumbing to his addictions; she has beauty and a high level of sex appeal; she taunts him by using and playing with objects related to his obsessive addictions.
‘Ladies First’
• Casting “Ladies First.” A major
streaming platform and the Emmywinning Creative Content Group are searching nationwide for confident, sophisticated and beautiful single women for the lead roles in a new dating show where the women are in charge. Casting asks: “Are you an empowered woman who has it all – besides love? Tired of the playboys and dating scene? Ready to meet a group of quality men who were handselected just for you? Want to be whisked away to an exotic location where you can focus on making a real connection? We need confident, charismatic women to help us flip the traditional dating show concept on its head in a truly groundbreaking new series, all while having the time of their lives. Must be a legal us resident and over 18 to apply.”
• Seeking submissions from TN and GA. • For consideration, submit a cover letter
noting your availability and an updated headshot and body photo of you to bluehoroscopeproductions@gmail. com. • Pays $500 a day. Plus travel and meals
are provided.
Multimedia 30-Second Video Messages, Santa Actor(s) • Casting Santa actor(s) to record video
messages to be sent out to customers of our holiday website. All recording done virtually with your own computer or mobile device. You must own Santa costume or have similar outfit. The video messages will be between around 30 seconds each, mostly scripted, and involve Santa sending holiday greetings to a specific customer in each video. Opportunity for multiple Santa actors depending on number of video messages needed.
• Company: Emmy-winning Creative
Content Group. Staff: Cherish Hamutoff, casting dir. • Shoots in Spring 2021 at an
international, tropical location. Note: Talent must have a valid passport or be able to get one by mid-Feb. • Seeking—Leading Ladies: female,
18-30, all ethnicities, confident, sophisticated and beautiful single women who are tired of the playboys and dating scene and ready to meet quality single men hand-selected just for them; they will be the leads of this new series, where the women are in charge; charming, charismatic, fun, outgoing - she’s the woman who turns heads when she walks into a room; she’s the dream girlfriend that boys fight for; maybe she’s picked the wrong boy(s) and been burned a few too many times and wants to finally try picking the right man; note: shoots in a tropical location - must be confident in a bikini/ bathing suit.
• Company: Holiday Card Company.
Staff: Shaan F, casting dir.
• Shoot begins Nov. 30-Dec. 24 virtually
(all actors nationwide encouraged to apply and record video messages virtually from home).
• Seeking—Christmas Santa: male, 30+. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For your submission include between
costume for their virtual recording and record with own computer or mobile device.
Online Pre-School Math and Science Series, Fun/ Energetic Personalities
• Seeking fun personalities for online
pre-school math and science series.
• Production states: “Seeking people
with high energy for small children. This includes singing, dancing, movement, etc. A content creator with filming equipment at home: camera, microphone, great lighting, quiet space at home to record. We will provide the scripts in advance of the recording session. Each script is approximately 7 to 10-minutes long. Once you finish recording you upload your episode to Dropbox. We do not expect you to edit the content. Having access to props like numbers, blocks, letters, stuffed animals, etc. is a plus. Having a YouTube, Instagram and or TikTok following is a plus as well. Note that in your application. We will provide a pull up green screen for your backdrop, but if you already have one, that’s a plus. • Here are pieces of content as a source
of inspiration: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=e0uKpU5GQdo, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO6fAGztD5Q, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=em5MUG3W3Ek, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcEESJ8t4Y
• Production states: “We are also looking
to build a long-term relationship with a content creator for ongoing work, so nailing the first episode would mean the world to us! You will be recording from the convenience of your own home, so you should have the proper equipment at home as well as space/ time to meet the recording deadlines for content. We do not expect you to edit the content, just upload the content to a designated Dropbox folder.” • Company: Blue Studios.io. Staff: K.
Cambry, coord.
• Talent works remotely. • Seeking—Pre-School Time Instructor /
Personality: all genders, 18-35, all ethnicities, see overall description.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For consideration, provide a link to your
YouTube, Instagram and/or TikTok profile. Include a description of the recording, lighting, sound equipment that your have at home. Include an unlisted YouTube link to your video audition in submission (see audition directions below)
• Audition Instructions: Record a video
creativecontenttv.com.
1-3 video messages of 30-40 seconds each in Santa costume that involve wishing a customer Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Feel free to also send any relevant information highlighting if you have experience working as a Santa actor.
audition of the attached script below (see additional materials). Send a link to an unlisted YouTube video (Directions: https://support.google.com/youtube/ answer/157177?co=GENIE. Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en). Singing is required in the audition (see script). Also, don’t forget to have fun and let your personality shine through.
tenttv.com/ladiesfirst are strongly preferred. If you submit directly through Backstage, include your phone number, email, age, height, city/state, IG handle, and how long you’ve been single.
on the amount of video messages given, but you will be expected to record between 20-30 total video messages (at 30 seconds each) per hour paid. Actor must provide own Santa
Production states: “We’ll work with you to determine the recording schedule, but we’re flexible. No travel required. Content creator records content at home.”
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to team@
• Submissions to https://creativecon-
• Pays between $50-100/hr. depending
22
• Pays $250 per video uploaded.
backstage.com
National/Regional casting
Seventeen Magazine, High School Sweethearts (Grandparents)
• Seeking older couples based in the
United States who were high school sweethearts to be in an upcoming video for Seventeen Magazine. We are specifically looking to cast couples who have met in and have been together since high school. • Staff: Sabrina, CD. • Shoot date TBD remotely. • Seeking—Grandparent: 55+. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to Sabrina.safran@
hearst.com. • No pay.
National Commercials Dinner With a Toddler, Industrial Video and Photo Shoot • Casting an 18-month to 3-year-old
Hispanic toddler for a commercial shoot in Atlanta, GA. There is no budget for travel. Production states: “The baby will be shot on set with COVID-19 tested actors who will portray the parents. But we are open to casting the real parents with their own toddler. You must post a family photo if you are submitting with your toddler.” • Company: Donna Grossman Casting.
Staff: Paul Bernstein, mgr.
• Shoot Dec. 9-11 (date is TBD) in Atlanta,
GA.
• Seeking—Toddler, Hispanic Child 18
Months-3 Years: all genders, 1-3, Latino / Hispanic, eating its first meal of spaghetti and meatballs. The parents are so proud and they are taking a photo. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to paul@donnagross-
mancasting.com.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Pays $100 flat.
Austin Welch, dir.
Contacts Commercial, Couples
• Seeking—Mom/Spokeswoman: female,
• Staff: E. Kennedy, casting. • Shoots remotely from home with the
help of a remote director on date TBD (flexible).
• Seeking—Lead Person in a Real Couple:
18-55, all ethnicities.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $250 per person per project.
Product B-Roll Models
• Seeking talent for a brand commercial
about saving money and finding the best prices. Talent must own a PS5 and be able to film with it to promote the brand. • Company: Narrative Ads. • Works remotely from home. • Seeking—PS5 Owner: all genders,
20-40, all ethnicities, charismatic and enthusiastic personalities who own a PS5 to promote a money-saving brand. Must be willing to promote brand on camera. This is an at-home shoot. backstage.com
dropbox.com/t/pv12QRfKJCCt3D5n. Read the script (below) to this video. This is a simple guide track to show general pacing of where the script falls on picture. Submit video to stephen@sawart.com with the subject: At Home: Sleigh the Season - VO.
• Casting models in the Florida area for a
variety of product B-roll productions. President states: “We are a video production company that shoots commercials, B-rolls, social media assets, and more. We work closely with QVC, HSN, and the Shopping Network.”
• For reference visit www.sawphoto.com/
directing-reels/directing-reel/6 It sounds a bit rushed, and the enthusiasm feels a little forced (lacks sincerity.)
• Company: Bright Lights Media LLC.
Staff: Justin Sochovka, president.
• Shoots between Jan. 17-23, 2021 in Saint
Augustine, FL.
• Note: This is a passion piece to build our
directing reel, and yours. At Home is a store that sells home goods and seasonal decor: www.athome.com.
• Seeking—B-Roll Model: 18+, all ethnici-
ties, individuals for a multitude of product B-roll video shoots. Seeking individuals who are flexible and take direction well.
• Script: “‘Tis time to sleigh the season by
finding that just right christmas tree. Ah, that’s the one. Perfect! Jingle all the way to At Home for all the holly jolly must haves that you will fa-la-la-love. Save some serious green on greenery with christmas trees up to 50% off.* Shop the biggest selection of holiday style at the best prices, here, At Home. * = alternate line delivery: With Christmas trees up to 50% off, come save some serious green on greenery.
• Seeking submissions from FL. • Send submissions to Justin@
Brightlightsmediallc.com.
• Pays between $25-$50/hr. depending on
experience and flexibility.
Quick Loan App
• Casting all kinds of people for a Financial
App specializing in quick loans.
• Staff: E. Kennedy. casting dir. • Shoots TBD date and location depends
• Pays $100 flat fee for selected VO Talent.
on shoot details (can be either in studio, or work-from-home).
Voiceover, AI Security Video
• Seeking—People 18+ for Small Loan
science.com.
App Commercial, PS5 Owners
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For consideration, download www.
Nonunion, all media buyout.
years trade advertising in print and video. Note: Open to union and non union.
Online Commercials & Promos
35-55, female voice; needs to sound 30 to 50 years old - Mom-ish / advocate of the store; happy, confident, friendly and genuine. Need to feel a true connection, which will draw us to the onscreen little girl’s magnetic personality; enthusiastic - without being over the top; we do *not* want the viewer to feel like they are being shouted at; there is only 20 seconds, so delivery needs to be quick - but not rushed. Note: If I need shorten the script, I will.
tacts for a remote shoot for a contacts delivery service.
App: all genders, 18-65, all ethnicities, appealing, expressive, to demonstrate and explain a new loan app. Must be expressive, with a natural smile.
• Professional pay provided. Usage: Three
over Zoom.
• Casting real couples who both wear con-
no travel budget do not submit if you and your toddler can not self report. Casting is self submission today.
• Note: This shoots in Atlanta, GA. There is
• Actual recording session will happen
• Seeking—Narrator: male, 30-50. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to annie@goldfront.
com.
• Will need to have a setup for a remote
directed session. To be considered, send scratch of the following voiceover script: “They’re out there. Working day and night to enter your network... and take what’s yours. It’s kind of scary, if you think about it. Or you could not think about it at all. Introducing the world’s first autonomous cybersecurity solution built for endpoint, IoT and cloud. SentinelOne. New World. New Cybersecurity.”
‘Sleigh the Season,’ :20 Retail Spot, Director’s Cut • Casting a VO artist for “Sleigh the
Season” a :20 retail spot - Director’s Cut. Casting states: “This is for our personal Directing Reel. It is our director’s cut of an At Home store Christmas tree holiday tv spot we directed. This is not for the client. It is to build our reel and yours. We will give you a copy of the final piece for your VO Reel.”
• Pays $2000. Usage Duration: 18-months.
Geography: US & Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain), Japan, Singapore, Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand. Mediums: Digital, Web, Out-of-Home, Trade Shows.
• Company: KN+SAW. Staff: Stephen
23
children’s video game.
• Company: Curious Media. Staff: Tara
Krick, sr. digital prod.
• Records week of Dec 7. Must have pro-
fessional-quality home studio or free studio to record in.
• Seeking—Clifford: male, 16-50, sound-
alike. Narrator: female, 25-50, pleasant female narrator sound-alike.
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com • Note: Looking for sound-alikes. For con-
sideration, submit an .MP3 labeled “FLast_character.mp3” where F=first initial, Last=last name, character=character you are auditioning for. Samples of who to match can be found here: https:// pbskids.org/clifford/. • All digital rights, in perpetuity.
Audiobooks & Podcasts Experienced Female Audiobook Narrators for an Inspirational Novel
• Seeking female narrators for an audio-
wide, or in studio London or Somerset, United Kingdom.
• Directed remote session. One :30-sec-
Commercials (Voiceover)
• Casting voiceover for “A Dog’s Life,” a
ond spot with one :15-second cutdown and one five-second intro spot.
• Company: Gold Front. Staff: Annie
in studio in Los Angeles, some shoots will be work from home with a remote director.
‘A Dog’s Life,’ Voiceover
Leung, prod.
AI security company commercial. Synopsis: Three hackers try to unsuccessfully hack into a company database protected by AI security software.
• Pays $150/project. Some shoots will be
Animation & Video Games (Voiceover)
book of an inspirational novel. Ideally, the actresses will be native Southerneastern American. The character voice styles are aged 20’s (playing age, not a younger tone, as her character ages) and 30’s. The home town of the characters are Montgomery, AL in the 1950’s and Atlanta, GA present day.
• Casting one male voiceover talent in an
• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to casting@tube-
Duration: 1-year. Geography: US & Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain). Medium: Broadcast TV (Cable Networks and Streaming Services).
• Remote recording, home studio world-
• Seeking—Narrator, Voice Artist: female,
20+.
• Seeking submissions worldwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • For consideration, submit a link to an
audio sample of fiction audiobook narration or documentary voice over and profile information. An advantageous format of sample and email delivery would be minimal and very simply like this: “Actor Name - Character, Postive Experience Relevant to the Production.” For example: softly spoken, captivating voice, natural tone and pace, professional voice artist. She has experience with documentary narration, some multi-narration audiobook experience and advertising for a number of channels. She is known to be very well prepared. Include voice sample links. • Pays £70 per finished hour.
11.26.20 BACKSTAGE
Ask An Expert Agents Auditions Film Headshots Marketing Theater Unions Voiceover
Q:
Between social media, IMDb, and casting websites, are actors’ websites now obsolete? How are they still relevant and beneficial? —@TheRachelMcVay
Our Expert Heidi Dean is a social media expert.
Although social media, casting websites, and IMDb are important, a website serves a different purpose. Here are the three main reasons an actor might invest in a website.
1
2
Having a website makes referrals easy. If you want to work as an actor, make it easy for people to find you! Someone casting for a specific type of actor will often ask friends and colleagues for suggestions. If they get four actors’ names and only one website comes up in their search, who do you think will book the job? You must be searchable on the web. A website helps you control your Google search results, and it gives people a direct way to contact you.
3
You control your website. Social media platforms aren’t like websites. Facebook is always changing, and pages can be
hacked and deleted (it happens). No one knows what Instagram or Twitter will look like in two years. On the other hand, you will always control what we see on your website. So who should have a website? Most actors can benefit from a professional-looking website, but the ones who especially need one are voice actors, musical theater actors, comedians, and content creators. Who shouldn’t have a website? Beginning actors may not be ready for one. Great photos are the key to a professional-looking site, so don’t try creating one without them. The world’s best web designer can’t fix low-quality photos. Your website is your first impression. Throwing one together just because someone said you should isn’t wise. An unprofessional site signals an unprofessional actor. Want to create a website? Watch my YouTube Live about websites for Backstage’s The Slate to help you avoid the six biggest mistakes actors make with their sites. *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.
BACKSTAGE 11.26.20
24
backstage.com
ILLUSTRATION: MARGARET RULING/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; DEAN: COURTESY HEIDI DEAN
It’s a hub for your marketing. A professional working actor’s website is home to all of their marketing materials (links to their social media accounts and IMDb page, casting profiles, and their résumé, reel, and headshots). A website is also a place to show off all your talents in one organized location. You can share media on your YouTube channel, but the platform will suggest other creators’ work for viewers to watch after your reel. On your website, that won’t happen.
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