I need actors!

Quick Update and Tip:

Two weeks off soda and counting! But my skin is beginning to itch with the desire to pound a Dr. Pepper. Hanging in there tough.

Also, this weekend I was able to convince three really close friends and my wife to help me read aloud the latest draft of the script. This was a huge help as it did many things. For one, it allowed me to find a lot of the typos I failed to catch. But more importantly, it allowed me to hear how well or poor the dialogue is. Hearing your script aloud really helps you to see what's working and what's not. Therefore, I highly recommend if you have a script (even a short one) get together with friends and do an actual table read. You'll be amazed how much it'll improve your perception of the work.

Hello, readers! This week's article is all about casting! Therefore the most appropriate place to start is with the one lead role I've already cast. Allow me to introduce everyone to Angelina Leon who will be playing the character of Melinda, the lead love interest.

Angelina is yet another former student whom I met the very first week I began teaching at St. Mary's. I was fortunate to have been assigned her as an assistant to make my life and the department's lives all easier. Little did Angelina know that she'd actually work as my assistant, as I quickly forced her to help me clean and reorganize the labyrinth mess that was the equipment closet. She quickly proved to me she was a hard worker and completely reliable.

But it wasn't until I needed a last minute actor to do a mock audition for one of my classes that I learned just how valuable Angelina's talents are. Since I knew she had an interest to act I begged her to be my fill in, otherwise I'd have to cancel the lecture topic for that day. She accepted and the rest is history. I was completely blown away at how well she performed, and most importantly how well she took direction. A light bulb went off in my head and a voice within also told me I had just found my lead for my feature.

The next step was to "test" Angelina to see if she was just as amazing a performer on camera as she was in person. Hence, I wrote a six page script that became Marta's Last Exit, my recent short movie. I wrote it to not only test Angelina, but other variables which would affect the feature such as the camera, the crew, the locations, etc. All of which passed with flying colors. But from the reaction people have given the rough cut of the short, Angelina is the feather in my cap.

She's currently living in Los Angeles (or Hell-A as I call it ;) pursuing her acting passion, but has agreed to play the lead and I couldn't be more happy or relieved to have such an important part cast with such an exceptionally talented young actress.

Moving on, lets talk about the many other parts I have. Here's another aspect I could use peoples help with. I have 21 small speaking parts I need filled and six small non-speaking parts. Not to mention the nine leads and supporting roles! What I could use help with is finding people who either have acting experience or have always wanted to act and would take these small parts serious. So here's a list of the various parts and their age range:

1. Ms. Sing the Speech Teacher (30's - 50's)

2. Mrs. Sanchez the Spanish Teacher (30's - 40's),

3. Coach Klien (40's - 50's)

4. JV Coach (40's - 50's),

5. Mindy's Brother (18 - 20's)

6. Brother's Friend (18 -20's)

7. Vice Principal Nathan (40's - 50's)

8. Waitress (20's - 30's)

9. College Counselor (30's - 50's)

10. Mindy's Friend (teens - 20's)

11. Jerk #1 (teens - 20's)

12. Juan the Dishwasher (30's - 50's)

13. Woman Asking Question (40's - 50's)

14. College Tour Guide #1 (18 -20's)

15. College Tour Guide #2 (18 -20's)

16. College Tour Guide #3 (18 -20's)

17. Old Music Professor (50's - 60's)

18. Yearbook Teacher (30's - 50's)

19. Tuxedo Salesman (40's - 50's)

20. and 21. Mariachi Band (any age)

Non Speaking Parts:

1. Movie Theater Employee (teens - 20's)

2. Defeated Student (teens - 20's)

3. Jerk #2 (teens - 20's)

4. Angry Basketball Player (18 - 20's)

5. Referee #1 (30's - 40's)

6. Referee #2 (30's - 40's)

There you go. Those are all the parts I could use help casting. The main leads and supporting roles I'll be holding audtions for. Which may allow me to find some people to fill these parts, but again any help now would be great. That's it for this week, next week I plan to write about the first fundraiser which I hope to hold at the end of this month. So pencil in your calendars!

Forward!

-Gustavo