Talent search underway for Star Wars characters 'Mara' and 'Caro'

Casting directors are now setting up auditions for lead and supporting roles in "Star Wars: Episode IX." The film is using the working title "Black Diamond." There is currently a talent search underway for an actress between 40-50 years of age to play a character named "Mara," and also an ethnically diverse actress between 18-26 years of age to play a character named "Caro." Caro has a captivating naturalness, is a leader and problem solver, and also sports a sense of humor along with a strong will.

Numerous additional roles are also being cast, both males and females. Filming will be taking place beginning in July, 2018 at the Pinewood Studios in London, England and surrounding areas. Talent can be considered from all areas from video auditions and live Skype readings. Anyone interested in being considered for these new roles in "Star Wars: Episode IX" can sign up to be submitted, details are posted at the following - www.moviecastingcall.org/star-wars-episode-ix-auditions/.

J.J. Abrams will direct, and also produce along with eight-time Academy Award nominee Kathleen Kennedy and Michelle Rejwan. Film Independent Spirit Award nominee Callum Greene is executive producer. 1st AD is BAFTA Awards winner Tommy Gormley. Academy Award nominee John Schwartzman is DP. "Star Wars: Episode IX" will hit theaters on Dec 20, 2019 with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures handling domestic and international distribution.

"Solo: A Star Wars Story" is set to begin filming in January, 2018. Lucasfilm will also start production on Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars spinoff in January, 2019. This will be Star Wars Anthology movie based upon the venerable Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the studio reportedly tapping Stephen Daldry ("Billy Elliot," "The Hours") to develop the project with a view to directing.

Star Wars: Episode IX Casting Calls

Submission Information for Speaking Roles

Click here for details on signing up to be submitted to casting directors for Star Wars: Episode IX.

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Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions (see above).

Star Wars: Episode IX Production Office
PLT Productions (UK) LTD
Pinewood Studios
Main Admin Building
Pinewood Road
Iver Heath, Bucks SLO ONH
United Kingdom

Carbonado Industries (UK) Ltd
3 Queen Caroline Street
Hammersmith, London
United Kingdom, W6 9PE

Lucasfilm, LTD
1110 Gorgas Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94129

The Walt Disney Studios
3 Queen Caroline Street
London W6 9PE
United Kingdom

Executive Producer:

Callum Greene

Producers:

J.J. Abrams
Kathleen Kennedy
Michelle Rejwan

Production Manager:

D.J. Carson

Writers:

J.J. Abrams
Jack Thorne

Director:

J.J. Abrams

Cinematographer:

John Schwartzman

Starring:

Daisy Ridley - Rey
Mark Hamill - Luke Skywalker
Andy Serkis - Supreme Leader Snoke
John Boyega - Finn
Oscar Isaac - Poe Dameron
Lupita Nyong'o - Maz Kanata

Story:

The upcoming ninth film in the Star Wars saga and the final film in the sequel trilogy.

Backstage now offering free casting director and talent agency submission labels

Are you serious about your acting career? Do you send postcards to casting directors to announce performances or to invite them to plays? Are you signed with a reputable talent agency? The majority of lead roles in films and starring roles on television shows are cast through talent agents. I can provide you with a completely free set of casting director and talent agent mailing labels, along with a free subscription to Backstage Daily. The labels have current addresses for casting directors and talent agencies, and are updated constantly. Backstage Daily lists casting calls, auditions information, and talent searches for feature films and television series, for all areas. If there is one good piece of advice I can give to actors, it is to take advantage of this opportunity. You can get the free mailing labels and free subscription exclusively by signing up with the following link - http://goo.gl/nX8qDn

If you have any questions, you can contact me at my Verified Facebook Profile - https://www.facebook.com/alanbaltes

You can also follow me at my Verified Twitter Page - https://twitter.com/alanbaltes

Still no 'Best Casting By' award at the Academy Awards

Why don't casting directors have a category for "Best Casting By" at the Academy Awards?

To comprehend this issue, you have to have a deep understanding of how the casting process works.

Casting directors are contracted by production companies and/or studios to cast specific projects. The casting directors (and their associate casting directors and assistants) filter through massive amounts of submissions for specific roles, mainly through talent agents.

The casting directors then audition actors for the specific roles being cast. They then choose what actors that they personally deem "right for the role", at their discretion, and they subsequently advance those actors to a "call back", to audition for the director, writer(s), producers, and for major roles.. the studio executives.

Eventually, the right actor for the role is hired. The actor is not hired directly by the casting director, but rather the director/production company/studio.

Other than for small speaking roles on TV series, the casting director does not have the ability to hire actors, they simply select a certain group of actors to advance in the casting process. I am not talking about extras. Extras are cast directly by Extras Casting Directors/Companies.

For there to be an Academy Award category for principal actor casting directors, the voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences would have to be able to see all of the hundreds (and even thousands) of actor's auditions for each role by the "Best Casting By" nominee, to be able to judge whether or not each casting director nominee did the best job.

And just to narrow down the casting nominees, there would have to be a massive amount of that material available to the Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences nominating committee. That is a logistical impossibility.

Directors, producers, writers, and studio executives have the final say in who is cast in specific roles, not casting directors. The best casting directors do a great job, and they have a great collaboration with those who do hire the actors, however there is no definitive way to establish a criteria for an Academy Award category for "Best Casting By".

I can elaborate much more about the casting process, however that would require much more than I can post here, it would be a complete eBook. I do want to elaborate about why casting directors are never credited in films as a Casting "Director", but rather credited as "Casting By".

The Directors Guild of America does not allow, by contract, any other persons on a film being credited with the word "Director", unless they are actually a "director" i.e. 1st AD (First Assistant Director, etc). That includes the Cinematographer (widely called "DP" or "Director of Photography" on the set).

Casting directors are some of the hardest working people in the entertainment industry, but there you go, that is why there is no Oscar Award category for "Best Casting By".

Chicago casting call for feature film 'Captive State'

Focus Features and Amblin Partners are set to begin shooting the feature film "Captive State" in Chicago, IL beginning in early March, 2017. Casting needs for extras and actors are posted below.

"Captive State" is a sci-fi thriller set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after it has been occupied by an extraterrestrial force. Captive State uses a grounded sci-fi setting to shine light on the modern surveillance state and the threats to civil liberties and the role of dissent within an authoritarian society.

Starring in "Captive State" is Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga, Golden Globe Award winner John Goodman, also Ashton Sanders and Machine Gun Kelly. Saturn Award nominee Rupert Wyatt is directing from an original screenplay that he wrote with Erica Beeney. Wyatt will also produce with David Crockett. Executive producers are two-time Christopher Awards winner Jonathan King, Primetime Emmy Award winner Ron Schmidt, and Primetime Emmy Award winner Jeff Skoll. 1st AD is Jonas Spaccarotelli.

"Captive State" Chicago Casting Call Details

All talent must be legally eligible to work in the entertainment industry in Chicago, Illinois. You can find eligibility and work permit information in the Chicago Actors Resource Guide eBook.

The feature film "Captive State" is now casting in Chicago, Illinois. Background actors are now being hired to work on the project. Producers are looking for background extras to work on a HUGE stadium scene filming in April, 2017. They are shooting an outdoor, night shoot in a stadium venue in Chicago on or around Monday, April 3rd to Thursday, April 6th. They will start later morning and shoot until sunrise the next day. They are searching for approx 500 paid extras for the first day and then about 300 the next three days. If you can work all 4 days send a recent color photograph with your height, weight, age, phone number, city and state, clothing size and shoe size to the following:

xtracstate@gmail.com

Put "500" in the subject line.

Principal Actor Casting Directors

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

Los Angeles:

Sheila Jaffe Casting
6671 Sunset Blvd.
Building 1509, Suite 104
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Chicago:

Christal Karge
Marisa Ross
Karge + Ross Casting
1501 N Kingsbury Street
Chicago, IL 60642

NOTE:

Starring and supporting roles are mainly being cast through talent agents. You can find comprehensive listings and submission addresses for talent agents here. However, if you are not signed with an agent and wish to self-submit, I highly recommend that your 8x10 color headshot and resume along with the cover letter be sent in a 9 x 12 Clear Full Face Window Envelope with the photo visible in the window.

Click Here to purchase 9 x 12 Clear Full Face Window Envelopes.

Click Here to purchase the best resume and cover letter paper.

Crew Members

Experienced film crew members available to work in Chicago can submit resumes only to the following:

captivestatefilmchicago@gmail.com

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Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions (see above).

Executive Producers:

Jeff Skoll
Jonathan King
Ron Schmidt

Producers:

Rupert Wyatt
David Crockett

Writers:

Rupert Wyatt
Erica Beeney

Director:

Rupert Wyatt

Starring:

Vera Farmiga
John Goodman
Ashton Sanders
Machine Gun Kelly
Kevin Dunn

Story:

Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, Captive State explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.