Casting Call/ Auditions

BY WAY OF A PUBLIC SERVICE, I AM PUBLISHING THE FOLLOWING NOTICE:


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Dear Friends,

Here is a copy of the casting call (attached below) to keep you up to date on the project and a short list of some things we need at the present time:

1. A call has gone out for an experienced DOP. With no budget, I don't know how far we'll get of this front but we are asking Salt and Light and the Toronto Film School.

2. Ideally I'd love to have a 24p capable dvcam behind "da man" with a 35mm DOF adapter for "filmic" shallow focus. What we have is a vx2000, knowledge of good lighting, and some in-post trickery. If we get picked up, we'll go to 16mm but you can't fix bad photography in post (or bad scripting or acting, for that matter).

3. Scrub crew. I'm attaching some photos of the interior of the house; great mood, those raccoons have been busy for the past 47 years :-) We need to get shoveling, do an assessment of the saftey factor (the "parlour" floor is sagging -- covered in 6 inches of fecal matter), some very basic cleaning, stage set-up (old tattered couch, sofa chair, old haggard white curtains, old stringless guitar needed) and light/camera tests. I'll be going back and forth to the house regularly. Please let me know if you have a couple hours, anytime, weekday or weekend.

4. Audition dates are set. Rehearsal dates are flexible. There will be a "production crew" meeting this Wednesday evening May 14th either at my place or at St. Hedwigs. Come out if you'd just like more information and can help sponsor this film, either through prayers or contributions. We have no budget but the economy of prayer. More on this later.

5. Wardrobe/makeup person needed: not much here just to help ensure character culture-time (60's and present)

6. Audio person needed, to sync time-code audio, hold boom (where required), supervise music -- there may be a live band/performer for the "dry rain" scene and opportunity for short "dub-over" vocal when John sings a dylan-esque diddly.

7. Late 60's vintage car in good working order. There was a 68 Ford Galaxy 500 (dark green) hardtop in Barry's Bay for the past several years but I no longer see it. We will need to "float" the car on a trailer down Highway 60 (in front of the house)

8. Last but certainly not least, we need more actors.

All I can concretely provide is transportation to and from BBay to the day's location (3 days in Renfrew, half day in Ottawa), peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and for those traveling from out-of-town for for the 4 day shoot, accommodation in a noisy kinder-dictatorship of a house :-)


Thank you for any and all support you can extend to this project -- for the glory of God, eh!

pax

Anton

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CASTING CALL - STUDENT FILM - NO PAY

Actors and Production Crew wanted for hazardous journey.
Short film, no wages, bitter conditions, constant danger, safe return doubtful.
Honour and recognition in case of success.

"The Threshold" is being shot in late May in Renfrew, Ottawa, and in Barry's Bay, Ontario.
Principle photography is scheduled from May 28 - May 31. Backup rain date, June 4th to 7th.
Rehearsal will be arranged around cast and director’s schedules.

This is a short film of 30 minutes in length and will be submitted to festivals.
No pay, sorry -- but copy of final material, on location food, accommodation in Barry's Bay and transportation to the film site from Barry's Bay can be provided.
A copy of the script and shooting schedule is available upon request.
Apply to Anton Casta | 613-756-6410 | arc2@stmaxmedia.com | www.stmaxmedia.com/threshold/

Actor auditions accepted via YouTube, MySpace, or equivalent, until May 16th, by appointment, and in person at St. Hedwig Church Hall in Barry's Bay on May 16th from 11:00 to 1:00
Crew positions available: DOP, audio, grips, and some general help -- your own equipment is an asset by not essential. Must agree to on-site safety waiver.
Musicians: please see below.

Description

The Threshold -- Two Couples, Four People, One Life -- Revisited.


It is a typical day in the country. After a long winter, a lazy spring has finally arrived. The ground has softened enough to be tilled and to receive seed. Two couples with "history" take the opportunity, a sunny reprieve, to get together and spend the day.

John and Emily have lived in the "old farm house" forever, or so it seems. They are attached to the place. But Shane and Katie's youthful arrival brings with it a sharp challenge that exposes the older couple's bare security and unravel their deep-most mystery -- why MIT's star professor of physics and the campus "rainbow girl" live a dark hidden life in the squalor of an abandoned house?

Every story has two sides. Both sides of this story are an accident.


Casting


Male / John / appearing to be 40's-50's.


Academic Hippie: A dissilutioned intellectual, John carries his rock and roll past with him wherever he goes. He loves Emily deeply but sometimes looses perspective. He holds faith in material science above all. This character requires the ability to convincingly portray a seeming dual nature -- both scientist and, triggered by "mood", a village beatnik. He struggles to move beyond his pride and past attachments. He wears an old broad-rimmed hat, always.


Female / Emily / appearing to be 40's - 50's.


Emily is John's caring wife. She was the proverbial "flower child" on campus. A social activist she first began to see that opposition to the "establishment" must eventually build positive structures. She is vivacious but lets John spout when he gets into moods. Up close, she seems slightly "off kilter". Her common sense humanitarianism is askew and she functions locked within her own world, within the house, unaware of its crumbling foundation and dilapidated interior.

Male / Shane / appearing to be 18-26 yrs.

Shane represents the younger innocence of John, his holy doppelganger. He is intelligent, articulate, and mystical. He has playful moments when he appears childlike but never simplistic. In a positive way, he challenges John to open his eyes and live the fullness of reality that surrounds him. That means moving beyond the past. Shane doesn't waste words or actions. He always lives on many levels. He dresses in neo-60-ish style, casual and more colourful than John.


Female / Katie / appearing to be 18-26 yrs.

Katie behaves like Emily's daughter. She is comfortable with Katie and sees the house's faults but remains charitable and kind in her promptings to lead Emily outside for some fresh air. She is a sister to Shane, completing many of the poetic verses he initiates. She has a mysterious angelic and feminine quality without being aloof or "sci-fi". She wear sandals or flip-flops and is very comfortable with herself. She has a daisy in her hair.


Male / Gardener / appearing to be 50-60-ish

The gardener works around the house to cultivate the flower beds and first appears rather suddenly when the word "love" is first used. He is a hardy man with a pleasant peaceful face and enjoys humming as he works. He must be able to roll down a slight hill for a scene where his root pulling results in a tumble and be willing to be happily mauled by two dozen young children.


Roll:
It would be ideal, but not essential, if both couples resembled each other in basic physical appearance -- hair colour, height, etc. The older couple "could" be portrayed by younger actors with strong ability to carry "character".

Wardrobe:

Very simple summer flower tops for the girls with jean bottoms. Casual jean clothing for guys with neutral earth tones (not bright, not black) t-shirts and denim for John. The gardener wears simple tidy work clothes.

Auditions: Musicians

Since music is a crucial aspect of this story's telling, musicians and bands are also welcome to audition or submit a track. The audio track won't be finalized until post so I can't be more specific right now but there are two places within the film where a musician/group plays on the floor above the two couples -- knocking dust ("dry rain") through the floorboards as the music breathes life into the material shell of their existence. Ideally, I would cut to a real act playing in this dusty, dirty, and dilapidated space and then offer them the footage for their own music video. But I don't think I'll have the resources nor the time to go that big. All I can concretely offer, if we use the music, is rolling credit and teaser credit should we include a portion in the official release teaser.




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The person to contact with all enquiries is: Anton Casta, arc2@stmaxmedia.com

(Barry's Bay is north of Ottawa, about 2 hrs.)