CASTING 26 ACTORS—Richmond and Vicinity ONLY
Sonja BERTUCCI, Filmmaker/Assistant Professor in Film Studies at the University of Richmond & “FILM PRODUCTION 302” are seeking 26 ACTORS for 10 non-union SHORT FILMS (around 5-10 minutes).
Audition Schedule: between 03/02 and 03/17
Project Specifications: These are short films (5-10 min) produced in the Film Studies Program at the University of Richmond. They will be shot with a Blackmagic pocket camera (4k or 6K, color) or a Sony A7(S1/S2/A73) Camera (HD or 4K). These are non-union projects, so there won’t be any compensation, but food, a link to the film, and credit will be provided. The project will shoot one day (max 2) of principal photography between 03/17/23 and 04/22/23
Compensation: Food, credit, and access to film
FILM 1 Title: I Have to Go Far
Story: A young vampire tries to find her place in the world and ends up making a radical decision.
Genre: Vampire
Director: Cade Quillen;
Email: cade.quillen@richmond.edu
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on zoom or at the University of Richmond. If you are interested, please submit your headshots/reel to Cade at Cade Quillen (cade.quillen@richmond.edu). If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Cade.
Character Breakdowns: 2
Ashiah: late teens/early twenties, female, Caucasian, petite and skinny; a fierce mind hidden in a quiet shell.
Kenric – early to mid-twenties, male, Caucasian, large and skinny, protective but firm.
FILM 2 All You Need For a Movie is a Boy and a Gun
Story: Life imitates art when a film about guns turns into reality.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots to xiwei.gu@richmond.edu for an appointment or with questions.
Director: Xiwei Gu (Frank)
Email: xiwei.gu@richmond.edu
Phone: 804-539-6973
Character Breakdowns:
Bob: 18-22, Asian male, thin and short, lacking self-confidence, constantly bullied, questioning the gun culture and the American dream.
Jason: 18-22, White male, harboring a fetish toward guns and an instigator for revengeful behaviors.
Jack: 18-22, American (no specified ethnicity), Film student against gun culture.
John: 18-22, American (no specified ethnicity), a Film student who is pro-gun culture.
Arthur: 18-22, White male, tall, intimidates others and becomes the target of revenge.
Project Specifications: I have made several other films, but this is my largest project.
FILM 3: Paper Rose
Story: A depressed young woman tries to turn a special day into a path for healing.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots/reel to Jane (jane.guo@richmond.edu). If you have any difficulty or questions, don’t hesitate to email Jane.
Director: Jane Guo
Email: jane.guo@richmond.edu
Character Breakdowns:
Flora: 20s, female. She has shiny nails and likes to wear makeup; she is very popular, extroverted, and friendly. Unfortunately, she sometimes suffers from sudden depressive episodes and cannot remain present in a joyful environment, so she stays at home in the dark.
Christine: 20s, female, Flora’s friend; caring.
Angeline: 20s, female, Flora’s friend; outgoing.
FILM 4 Title: Everything New Under the Sun
Director: Megan Maybee
Email: megan.salters@richmond.edu
Story: Histories of past lives rise to the surface as two maids clean a motel room together.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots/reel to Megan Maybee at megan.salters@richmond.edu. If you have any difficulty or questions, don’t hesitate to call Megan at 859-619-3919.
Character Breakdowns:
Annaise: (50+) female, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color) OR 1st generation immigrant to the U.S. She has been working at the motel for decades and is wise, stern but caring, and has a unique sense of humor.
Mariana: (17-32) female, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color). This is her first week working at the motel; she is confident, curious, graceful, and poetic.
FILM 5 Title: Three Friends
Director: Miles Goldman
Email: miles.goldman1@richmond.edu
Phone: 216-860-9775
Story: When a young man’s first date goes wrong, he comes to understand what friendship truly means.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots/reel to miles.goldman1@richmond.edu. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email miles.goldman1@richmond.edu or call 216-860-9775.
Character Breakdowns:
Andrew: 14-22 years old, able to play a 15-year-old; male; Caucasian; low self-confidence; short-tempered; guarding his emotions but caring on the inside; obsessed and stressed about his first experience with a girl.
Steve: 14-22 years old, playing a 16-year-old; male; any ethnicity; slender; laidback and chill; constantly teases his friends but caring
FILM 6 Title: The Drive
Director: Soliday Yon
Email: soliday.yon@richmond.edu
Phone: 804-610-0659
Story: A young woman in crisis has to make a choice when she catches a glimpse of a different way of life.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots/reel to Soliday Yon at soliday.yon@richmond.edu. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call (804-610-0659) or email.
Character Breakdowns:
Anna: Young adult, female, Latin-American, slim figure, obedient and beautiful
Jackson: Late 40s, male, American, large and tall, talkative and carefree
Boyfriend: Young adult, male, American, tall, very aggressive and rude
FILM 7 Title: Create
Director: Zahkee Williams
For reference to my aesthetic, see @vznry.media on Instagram. As for the projected style of the film, it will be a combination of Atlanta by Donald Glover and Get Out by Jordan Peele.
Story: An artist struggling with the creative process uses their art to express their struggle.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots / reel to Zahkee Williams at Zahkee.williams@richmond.edu. If you have any difficulty or questions, don’t hesitate to email.
Character Breakdowns:
Artist: late teens-early 20s, any gender, preferably African-American. Striving artist with big dreams and has been struggling to get out of a deep creative rut. A person’s worst enemy can be their mind sometimes. The struggle for the need to make art mixed with a desire for perfection is at this person’s core and what they must overcome. Must be able to play two different personas: quiet-reserved and expressive-outgoing.
Email: Zahkee.Williams@richmond.edu
FILM 8 Title: Olvido’s Last Memory
Director: César Cruz
Email: cesar.cruzrequejo@richmond.edu
Phone: 804-933-1479
Story: A young girl overcomes her grandmother’s death from Alzheimer’s through a glimpse of memory.
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If interested, please submit your headshots/reel to César Cruz at cesar.cruzrequejo@richmond.edu. If you have any difficulty or questions, don’t hesitate to call or email.
Character Breakdowns:
Faith (anyone 18-29), They visit her grandmother every weekend and like to spend time with her. She wears some of her grandmother’s jewelry to remember her. She struggles with her facial expressions but learns to be independent.
Olvido (any female actor +60), uplifting mood and very smiley. She is suffering from Alzheimer’s, often in a trance-like state. Before that, she used to collect jewelry, so she still has a sense of style.
FILM 9 Title: No Skip Days
Director: Jayden Alsheskie
Email: jayden.alsheskie@richmond.edu
Story: A meticulously organized young man becomes annoyed when roadblocks prevent him from getting to the gym.
Character Breakdowns:
Jack: (18-21) white male with, a thin yet muscular frame. He is very organized and specific. He is very passionate about going to the gym and considers it necessary. He is quick to anger, but his desire to stay on schedule refocuses him.
Stranger 1- Standoffish Stranger that has a unique posture and gait.
Stranger 2- Friendly and law-abiding individual. They take pride in a friendly community. Minor role.
Police Officer- Tall and authoritative individual who takes pride in wearing a tidy uniform. Minor role.
Individual asking for money- Messily Dressed individual. Minor role.
FILM 10 Title: Nocturnes
Director: Grant Calendrille
Email: grant.calendrille@richmond.edu
Phone: 631-413-8190
Story: A young girl and a janitor bond over a piece of classical music
CASTING: Auditions will be held by appointment on Zoom or at the University of Richmond. If you are interested, please submit your headshots/reel to Grant at grant.calendrille@richmond.edu. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email or call Grant at 631-413-8190.
Character Breakdowns:
Gary: (50+) male, white, scruffy facial hair, average height, kind and nostalgic.
Analise: (17-26) female, any ethnicity, average height, disciplined musician, and hard worker.