UPCOMING AUDITIONS

FILM
Director Benjamin Yackshaw is currently casting a short film. Our shoot is tentatively scheduled for the end of April/beginning of May. You'll find a synopsis and list of characters below. The project is a science fiction/action movie. The aesthetic and general setting are very similar to the one presented in my last sci-fi/action short: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1foA2TVI8S4


Our shoots are non-union. Typically, we pay actors $100 a day. The locations we're planning to use are scattered across Ohio (but still commutable from Columbus). We will cover travel expenses for anything non-local. Ultimately, this movie will end up on our youtube channel. We may also submit it to a few short film festivals.

We're looking for good actors, but it's equally important we find people we get along with exceptionally well. To this end, I recommend the interested talent check out some of the work we've done in the past. I have completed around fifty projects (ranging from a minute to a feature), most of which are viewable on my youtube channel: youtube.com/sventhebold. 


"Prototype" Synopsis:


A pair of espionage agents are sent to investigate the headquarters of ProtoGeni, a rival tech corporation. There they encounter a highly advanced AI construct. Here's a list of the characters we're looking to cast:


1. Agent Bran - Think Han Solo, but subtract the wookiee. That’s Bran. The man is a handsome, suave, capable intelligence agent in his mid-to-late twenties. A smooth talker, Bran is quick with a quip and generally has something clever to say. Where the ladies are concerned, Bran has a sizable appetite. Since he looks at romantic pursuits as essentially a numbers game, no one is off-limits and no time is inappropriate. Bran is a shameless flirt.
Unlike most of his coworkers, Bran relies on cunning, diplomacy, and charisma to resolve conflicts/deliver results. This has earned him a somewhat dubious reputation at The Agency (most there tend to sport more violent dispositions). By the same token, Bran’s loyalty is somewhat flimsy. His involvement with The Agency is primarily attributable to their regular delegation of interesting/engaging assignments. Simply put, they sate his thirst for adventure.


2. Agent Andra - Andra is an intelligent, tough, confident, capable, smoking-hot intelligence agent. What’s more, she knows it. When working, Andra is a focused, no-BS, down-to-business perfectionist. She delivers results by any means and totally believes in what she does. Career military, Andra’s loyalty to The Agency is absolutely unwavering.


3. Lyra - Codename: LYRA is an incredibly advanced prototype AI. Physically, Lyra is an organic/synthetic hybrid. Most of her external, visible components are human. Internally, Lyra processes and stores information more like a computer. She could, for instance, read the text in a book faster than she could physically turn the pages. Physically, Lyra resembles a human female in her early twenties. Since her creators were unbound by typical human limitations, Lyra is able to perform athletic feats far beyond the capacity of any organic (though some of these take a toll on her roughly-human durability).
Lyra’s existence has been nearly bereft of social interaction. As such, she is often perplexed by human behavior. Still, she exhibits limited emotional responses to many situations. Lyra is capable of frustration, fear, and even pleasure (among many other things). Because this facet of her being is so underdeveloped, it is her greatest source of curiosity. Lyra was created more for the sake of experiment than application. Her processing (thought) is completely unshackled. She has no hardwired loyalty to The Company, nor does she have any intrinsic objectives. Lyra would call this lack of programmed direction “free will.”


4. Kali - Kali is an outgoing, friendly, flirty secretary/receptionist (between the age of 20-30) at a big-time research and development firm. Her position may sound ordinary, but the sheer fact that she works for so illustrious a company means that she is (by definition) among the best/brightest the workforce has to offer. Though capable, the nature of Kali’s job demands a base level of attractiveness (that she easily exceeds). 


5. Dispatch - Dispatch is an upper-echelon officer at The Agency. Older, grayed, grizzled, Dispatch is himself a former field agent. Years of combat experience have forged Dispatch into a tough, wizened, no-nonsense leader.


I would prefer if actors contact me directly via e-mail:  bluedragonfilms@gmail.com. Send your reels/headshots/resumes and it will help me prepare myself for a potential audition.

-Benjamin Yackshaw
bluedragonfilms@gmail.com
_____________________________________________________________


Jeffrey Moore from Axtravaganza Films currently casting for another music videos in the Southern, Ohio region. The video is for Christian Hardcore Rock Group Righteous Vendetta from Colorado.


This is a NON-paid gig. I am casting for a male 18-30 in good physical shape to play the lead role in this music video. I can compensate for travel and food will be provided the day of the shoot.


If interested email Jeffrey Moore Jeffrey@axtravaganza.com and I can get you more information http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q89Yd_OyQzg


Thanks
Jeffrey Moore
Axtravaganza Films
Producer/Director
407.883.1143 

ACTING IN COLUMBUS presents...To Stand Alone

On Sunday March 4, 2012 at 6pm ACTING IN COLUMBUS screened this short film 'TO STAND ALONE' featuring the students from the Acting for Teens: Acting in a Movie class at the GATEWAY FILM CENTER (gatewayfilmcenter.com/). This film is based on 12 Angry Men, the 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose. Click on the video player below to view this production in it entirety:

ACTING FOR TEENS: Acting in a MOVIE!

Sunday, Jun 17, 2012 - August 5, 2012 2:00pm to 4:00pm

at the Ohio Theatre $250

Here is your chance to see yourself on the big screen! An eight-week on-camera workshop to prepare the teen actor for working on a film or television set.


Our modern adaptation of '12 Angry Men' will allow each actor/actress to be cast in a substantial role. This class will guide the student, step by step, from the audition process, through preparation and rehearsal to actually filming on a set.


The screening of the film will be held at the Gateway Film Center. Students will also receive a DVD.

Acting for Film for Beginners Class - Winter 2012 - Final Scenes.

ACTING IN COLUMBUS Presents the Acting for Film for Beginners Class - Winter 2012 - Final Scenes. Visit our website: http://actingincolumbus.net

ACTING FOR FILM EIGHT-WEEK SCENE STUDY Acting Fundamentals for beginners


Wednesdays, beginning June 13 - August 8, 2012 7:00pm-9:30pm. $200


This class offers a focused introduction to the acting process. Beginning actors work, stage, and shoot several film scenes during the eight-week session. We work in depth on concepts central to the actor's role development for film. We use Shurtleff's 12 Guideposts as our basic text to help students make strong choices with a wide variety of scenes and monologues. Your ability to make active, personal choices is essential for dynamic auditions and performances for stage and film.


This class is limited to 12 students.

ACTING FOR TEENS: TV, FILM and COMMERCIALS Eight-Week Intensive Final Scenes (Ages 12-16)

Acting in Columbus Presents the Acting for Teens Eight-Week Intensive - Acting for TV Commercials, TV and Film Class - Winter 2012. Here is a sampling of their best work:




ACTING FOR TEENS: TV, FILM and COMMERCIALS Eight-Week Intensive (Ages 11-17)


Saturdays, beginning April 13 - June 2, 2012 10:00am -12:00pm $175 at the OHIO THEATRE


This on-camera intensive is designed to enable the actor to handle commercial auditions, film and TV sides, scenes, and monologues for film. Working with the camera, actors will break down scenes to discover the humor, emotional moments, pacing, beats and more. The class will also explore the fundamentals of film and commercial auditioning, including slating and how to interview effectively, while exploring the entire audition scenario. The class will focus on strengthening performances and working with confidence in front of the camera during cold readings as well as prepared sides.


All exercises and scenes are video-taped with playback critiques an essential part of class time. All students will receive a DVD DEMO REEL of their work at the conclusion of this workshop.


Friends and family members are invited to attend the WRAP PARTY on Saturday June 2, 2012 12:00pm for the screening of Student's DEMO REELS.

Making It Look Easy By Christopher Smith

Ever watch a film and think to yourself: "Where did they find these people? How did they get these town folks to act?" Then, as the credits roll, you see the cast weren't, in fact, just plucked off the street but are a roster of professional actors.


These admirable performances are the work of performers who so captured their characters they made us believe they were really the residents of that small town or blue-collar workers on the late shift. 


And they made it look easy. Isn't that what every actor is striving for?


There are shelves of texts on acting stretching back 90 years or so, many of which make acting sound very difficult to do. Page after page, the authors wend through the process of creating a believable character with complexity only an actor desperate to perfect his or her craft would delve into. Leaf through even the best-known titles, and you'll find treatises detailing how to delve into one's psyche to wrench out a character or the technique of reliving personal trauma to bring forth the emotion of your character.


But the question remains: How do you bring that complexity to the real world of film and television production? With tight production schedules, actors don't have the luxury of time to "discover" a character. And what does one do with all that technique when the director asks at the audition or callback, "Can you make him silly instead of sinister?"


Let's get back to where we began. Acting is making the audience believe you are someone else. That's the simplicity of it. How do you do it quickly and believably? 


Here's the first step: Simply look at the world as the character. 


Think about it. When you grabbed your double latte this morning you may have been worried about the fact that you had 20 minutes to get to your audition, or stressing about what you were going to get your mother for her birthday, or wondering if that barista noticed you. And your viewpoint influenced your reaction to the packed parking lot, how long the line was, and everything else about the experience. The point is that even getting a cup of coffee is colored and shaped by your thoughts. 


Now, how would another character react to the same situation? To find out, you only look at the world from a character's point of view. Do that and his or her world will come alive to you. 
Sound simple? It is. That's not to say it doesn't take a lot of practice to create rich, full, and believable characters, but it isn't complicated. Master it and you'll be one of those actors we all admire for making it look so easy.

Christopher Smith is an actor, improviser, writer, and co-founder of The Acting Center-an acting and improv school whose curriculum produces confident actors who can create rich characters in any emotion, in any situation, instantly. For more information, visit www.theactingcenterla.com.

Breaking into the business 101: NEVER PAY TO AUDITION

Always be careful in working with talent and casting agencies that require fees and/or up-front money. Don't give money or credit card numbers up-front. Do not pay to meet, read, or audition.  If you  believe that you have been the victim of a scam, you can file a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission. The State Attorney General should also be notified. Mastercard has free information on Scams and Flim-Flams at 1-800-999-5156. Watchdog groups also keep track of illegal money-making schemes.

The Better Business Bureau advises caution when dealing with talent/modeling agencies. If you come across something like this, the odds are likely 100% that it's a scam.  Here's their "pitch." You will have instant access to amazing casting calls with parts that are right for you - parts you can apply to right away so you can get started immediately. You will get your own unique Talent Profile, including photo, so I can find parts that are right for you, and others can spot your star potential.  You will be eligible to participate in our Superstar Talent Search, where you can win incredible prizes like a personal consultation with a Casting Director.  You can access this all on the Web any time you like or you can even choose to have parts sent to you! If you are ready to be discovered, there is simply no easier way to get started. And it is absolutely free. A credit card is required to ascertain your interest, and will never be charged unless you choose to continue the service beyond the Absolutely Free period. You have my Iron-Clad 100% Guarantee. As your virtual casting agent, I am in a fantastic position to help you launch a career in show business. What's better, I can do it right now, Absolutely Free, if you respond immediately by accepting my invitation here.

Agents and casting directors are paid from work they arrange for talent. Talent does not pay up-front fees. However, talent has responsibility to represent their agencies well with updated headshots and appropriate resumes (onsite and online), to continue training, to use appropriate etiquette (onsite and online)…

It is unethical and even illegal in some states for a talent agencies to provide other services for which they require their talent to pay fees.

CRAFT NOTES by Ed Hooks

“Acting With A Howl”


Listen to a wolf howls in a clear nighttime wilderness, and you know instantly that the sound is heartfelt. It rings pure and true and evokes chills. That wolf, of course, is not capable of being self-conscious about the sound he is making. He is at one with nature – and his howl provides a valuable object lesson for actors.


Fred H. Harrington, Professor of Ethology at Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia, observes: “ The center of a wolf's universe is its pack, and howling is the glue that keeps the pack together. Some have speculated that howling strengthens the social bonds between pack-mates; the pack that howls together, stays together.” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/wolves/howl.html)


So, too, is it with the human pack, or tribe. The tribe that howls together stays together. The roots of acting are primitive and shamanistic. Shamans spoke with their heart. It was that way seven thousand years ago, and the best acting is still like that today. When you act, you are stepping into a circle in the dirt and calling the tribe together. They gather around you for a specific purpose – to celebrate life. This is why Artonin Artaud famously observed: “Actors are athletes of the heart.”


We humans are at the top of the food chain by virtue of our thinking brain. We are the only animal that can know something is bad for him and still do it. Lower forms of animal life operate purely on instinct. But our brain is a mixed blessing. It cannot only calculate the distance to the moon, it can actually block what we feel. It can cause us to distrust ourselves. If an actor needs to howl and connect with the pack on a primal level, her brain can say, in effect, “No! That howl will sound foolish.” This is why acting is an art and a craft. We must act with our heart while maintaining control of the theatrical form. An audience member empathizes only with emotion. He will literally put up with thinking in order to get to the emotion – the howl.


When we were primitives, roaming the savannahs and worrying about saber-toothed tigers, our very survival was dependent upon acting upon impulse. You would, like a wolf, put your nose to the air and detect perhaps too much stillness – and then flee to the cave. No thought involved, just a “feeling”, a “hunch”. In today’s world, we no longer have to act on such hunches and, indeed, are counseled against doing so. “Don’t leap to conclusions”, we are taught as children. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We are urged to stop and consider things, to avoid impatience. If a person is considered too emotional, that is often considered to be a social failing. “Get a hold on yourself!” is the advice.


Actors are special people, in my view. It is our obligation and job to retain the ability to howl, to speak with our heart. Theatre is not a discussion group, and actors are not professors. We are one with the tribe, joined in our humanity and ability to empathize. We are still trying to learn how to use our brains, how to balance feelings with thinking. Acting is a hug, not a debate. And celebrity and stardom have nothing whatever to do with it.


The next time you take on a role, remember the howl of the wolf. The feeling and impetus for acting is not centered in your brain, but in your heart.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Getting the part - Thirty-Three Professional Casting Directors Tell You How to Get Work in Theater, Films, and TV by JUDITH SERLE


This is the inside story of how theater, film, television, and commercials casting really works. In interviews with top casting directors in both Los Angeles and New York, the author comes upon the answers to such key questions as: What suggestions can be most helpful to an actor starting out? What kinds of pictures and resumes are most successful? What is the best way to get a casting director's attention? What are the biggest - and most common - mistakes actors make in auditions? How necessary is it to have an agent - in New York? in Los Angeles? The experts who field these and scores of other questions include the casting directors of Broadway shows and television series. Their professional experience and practical advice make Getting the Part an invaluable source for both professional actors and newcomers trying to break into performing in any (or all) of the various media.


"At last, an in-depth book about the casting process that tells actors what it is like to be on the other side of the desk, and a must read for the aspiring casting director!" -Marilyn Henry, coauthor, How to Be a Working Actor