Casting call brings excitement
- Neil Pasqua | April 29, 2015
The Saskatchewan film industry is alive... and well, sort of.
In a province without a Film Tax Credit, HBO has offered Extra work on the Lewis and Clark six-hour miniseries in southern Alberta. An open casting call in Saskatoon was the last stop for the production's casting crew of a nationwide campaign in the United States and Canada.
"They asked me if I felt comfortable playing different tribe," said Farrah Sugar, who travelled in from the Piapot First Nation along with her daughters, Ariel, 11, and Athena, 12.
"They said 'Lewis and Clark' were basically from the United states territory and me being Cree, I don't know if a lot of Cree were down there."
As southern Alberta is the site for principle shooting, those cast will be required to travel to Alberta sometime during the June 15 to September 15 production schedule.
When the Saskatchewan Film Tax Credit was axed in 2012, the film industry was left barren, many leaving for greener pastures, whether it be film students, casting directors, producers or production companies. Extras are the only beneficiaries from out-of-province productions, like 'Corner Gas' or independent films like 'Wolfcop.'
Elvie Stonechild, former Saskatchewan resident, returned to attend the Saskatoon casting call.
"We heard this was the last one, and so we hoofed it down. We left 3:30 this morning from Lethbridge, Alberta to make it to Saskatoon to make sure we didn't miss the last casting call," said Stonechild.
Stonechild was in the 1998 CBC's six-hour miniseries, 'Big Bear', shot mostly on the Pasqua First Nation.
"Because the last movie I did was 'Big Bear', I wanted to get back into acting, doing 'extra' work or whatever. I wanted to get back into it so we headed out. I could feel the excitement."
And despite a spring snowstorm, the initial turnout was lined up around the casting room. As the storm blew in, the numbers dropped by the noon hour.
Then there were those fortunate to be picked out of the line-up and moved to the audition area to await further consideration. Long-haired men were selected favorably but women and children were waiting their audition.
"It was good. They just wanted to know how we sounded on video so they asked us to say our names and contact number," says Sugar.
Joey Reynolds, of The Pas band living in Regina, brought his resume along.
"They asked to see my resume... of all the different stuff I did. I did theatre, all the training experience, the acting experience, the language... some skills are natural skills. Some skills are from the movies I did. At least they took a look at it." says Reynolds.
Reynolds experienced the Saskatchewan Tax Credit era, cast in another CBC six-hour miniseries, 'The Englishman's Boy'.
"Regina was the perfect place to be for all this stuff at the time." says Reynolds. "For that ten year period we were surrounded by films, by different independent films, and different background performance shows that we did. I felt those ten years were the perfect moment to throw myself into all this and learn background and what movie acting and directing was all about. The making of a movie and what it was all about."
Extra talent have their opportunities with Saskatchewan independent project that have garnered success.
Candy Fox's documentary 'Backroads' chronicles the story of Camilla Stonechild's journey through family abuse.
Opportunities arose from 'Wolfcop' which was the last project to receive the Saskatchewan Tax Credit.
Tax credits are the price for doing Hollywood business and gives life to an industry and to those making a living from it. Where there is no tax credit, there is no industry.
While the casting process ends for Saskatchewan residents in Saskatoon, successful applicants may want to read the book "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen E. Ambrose from which the Lewis and Clark miniseries is based.
Unfortunately, no casting call is scheduled for Regina.
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