Casting Call: Seeking middle school students to host a new video series about civics produced by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture

Who: Current middle school students in Virginia – actors and non-actors alike! – who are passionate about civics, constitutional history, and civic participation. We’ll hire five young people who reflect the diversity of Virginia’s students.

What: The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) is developing new and robust civics educational resources and lessons for middle school students. The resulting videos will be a component of a suite of digital resources rolling out in 2024 and 2025, designed to support middle school students and teachers across Virginia.

Scope of work: Five students will be hired; each student will appear in two short videos (3-5 minutes) in which they seek out the expertise of archivists, legislators, researchers, and journalists to answer key questions about civics, constitutional history, and democratic principles. There will be some scripted elements, but the videos will be driven by the students’ interviews and reflections. No acting experience necessary!

When: Filming will take place in late April, early to mid-August, and early January. Each student will work over one or two days, likely on weekends.

Where: Institutions in Richmond, DC, and Williamsburg that are active sites of civic engagement and constitutional history.

Compensation: $500 per production day (likely to be broken into two half-days of approximately five hours each)

To apply: Send an email to Hannah Ayers, Producer, at hannah@fieldstudiofilms.com with the following:
– Name
– Age and grade level
– Middle school you attend
– A 30-second video (attached or a link) of yourself posing a civics-related question you’d love to ask an expert

The deadline is April 3rd. Virtual auditions will take place April 4 – 8.

Questions? Email Hannah Ayers, Producer, at hannah@fieldstudiofilms.com