Leverage Camp Update

So, last week I told you all about an acting camp that was going on down here in Portland for the show Leverage. That camp was this past weekend and all we are hearing is glowing reports about how well it went! In fact even the Oregonian paper was reporting about the action!

Leverage Boot Camp was a weekend long event that held classes teaching people about acting and how to get parts. There were specific camps focusing on the different acting parts, there was a Thug camp, a kids camp, teen camp, a behind the scenes camp, and a beginner camp. Each of these camps featured classes that were specific to the group. These classes included lessons, improv, Q and A’s, and so much more. It was truly an experience for anyone interested in acting. The biggest advantage to it was that it was actual movie makers and actors teaching these classes, so they knew what they were talking about and when they gave direction, you listened.

The camp was not just about having fun acting though, it was chance to grow more actors in our community. Lana Veenker, local casting director and organizer for the camp expressed her concerns in this quote from the Oregonian

“My worst fear,” Veenker says, “is that one day we find we’ve used up all the good actors in Portland.”

So they spend the weekend training acting hopefuls, and pushing them to there limit. I loved this story from a camper, Joe Chouinard 34 from Forest Grove, OR

In a Saturday afternoon session, acting coach Robert Blanche worked on a brief scene with Chouinard playing a detective who’s visiting a psychic.

The line was, “I’m embarrassed to be here,” and Chouinard sounded self-conscious saying it. Blanche asked whether the line felt authentic to him.

“I am embarrassed to be here,” Chouinard said. He’s nervous getting up in front of crowds, he said. “I thought I was going to be a thug, so I could come in and mug somebody.”

The others in the room laughed.

“You can use that,” Blanche said. “Use the fact you’re embarrassed about being here.”

Afterward, Chouinard said, “I did not expect to be acting at all. I just thought you had to come and be big and mean-looking.” A competitive bodybuilder, Chouinard is plenty big. But his large brown eyes are gentle, not mean.

“I have no delusions of grandeur,” he said. “I’m not going to replace Tim Hutton. But I could stand in the background, looking menacing.”

There are many more stories just like this one, but they all have the same conclusion, Leverage Boot Camp was more then successful, it was an experience they will never forget.

Leverage Boot Camp

Twilight isn’t the only fun that we have down here in Portland!! In fact lots of TV shows and movies are making their way to Oregon for filming. One of are biggest show is Leverage and it is one of my favorites!! Lana Veenker, one of the principal casting directors for Twilight, also casts this show and she is giving hopeful actors a chance to land key roles in this show, it is called Leverage Boot Camp, here are the details.

This weekend (Feb. 6th-7th) Lana Veenker’s is hosting Leverage Boot Camp through her educational division, Tools 4 Actors. Basically casting is going on for season 3 and many of the actors who played thugs and stuntmen are no longer eligible for roles in the show. So Lana and TNT have several different camps that are workshops that train potential actors on how to be stuntmen and thugs. Here are the camps:

*Thug Camp - 12 hours of instruction, plus 2 lunchtime Q&As

*Beginner Camp - 10 hours of instruction, plus 2 lunchtime Q&As ( + optional stunt class)

*Kid Camp - 6 hours of instruction, plus 1 lunchtime Q&A ( + optional parent class)

*Teen Camp - 6 hours of instruction, plus 1 lunchtime Q&A ( + optional parent class)

*Behind-the-Scenes Camp - 2 hours of instruction, plus 1 lunchtime Q&A ( + optional stunt class and/or additional lunchtime Q&A)

This is just a workshop to teach the skills and not an audition so participating does not guarantee a spot on the show, but it is still an amazing opportunity! for more information go to Lana’s Website or to the Boot Camp registration page. Good Luck!

Are you going to go to boot camp? Share the experience with us!!

Forks Reality Show Update

Hey Twilighters!! Ok so a few days ago I gave you some info about a reality show starting in Forks, Wa, the hometown of Bella and the Cullens. Well, now I have a bit more info for you, including pictures courtesy of Chris Cook at the Forks Forum!!

The casting call took place today and will be continuing on until tomorrow. Tons of Forks locals, Twilight fans and not Twilight fans arrived at the Vagabond restaurant for their chance to be on this show and they all seem to be very excited. Forks Highschoolers: Heather Nelson, Taylor Pearson, and Lauren Henry are all show in the picture below filling out the questionnaires that will be used to determine who makes it in to the show.

Like I mentioned before this a reality show but there is no more information about the actual details of the show beyond that is a show “based on local residents life in Twilight’s hometown” What we do know is that television producer Zig Gauthier is getting some help from Dazzled by Twilight store owner, Annette Root.

I can’t wait to hear all the specifics of the show and see who made it in, We have a few friends down in Forks and it would be cool to see some familiar faces, plus I can’t wait to see how Twilight related it is, I mean how could it not be!! Stay tuned for more details!!

Got any details of your own? Did you go to the casting call? Share your stories with us!!

Forks Reality Show?

We definitely live in the era of reality TV. TV is more reality shows than anything else it seems. With everyone jumping on the Twilight bandwagon, I guess we shouldn’t be so surprised to hear about a Forks Reality show. That’s right, Los Angeles-based television producer Zig Gauthier has issued a casting call for Forks locals. What the show is about specifically has not been announced yet but here is what we do know.

Zig Gauthier is proposing to film a reality show in Forks that will star local residents. My guess is that it will be something along the lines of how there town has changed since Twilight and the Twilight craze. A post to the Forks Forum posted the casting call to their locals, giving them all a chance to be a part of this experience. Before you sell your house and move to Forks, Zig Gauthier is looking for permanent residents of Forks to be in this show.

In a phone interview with Zig Gauthier Forks Forum got us a little more information. Apparently Zig Gauthier has been working with Dazzled by Twilight owner Annette Root, and he stated that she was very helpful with the interviews. He also gave some more details about the casting call and what was going to be expected. Apparently Forks locals will be asked to fill out a one-to-two page questionnaire and will have their photo taken.

It will be interesting to see what come from this, what kind of show they make. We will keep you posted on all the little details, so stay tuned!

Do you live in Forks? What kind of Reality show do you expect? Join in the discussion!

Breaking Dawn Casting Scams

Hey Twilighters!! I know how excited you all are about casting for Breaking dawn, I get your questions by the Hundreds!! And although I have NO news about Breaking Dawn casting, it was for this very reason that I wanted to alert you guys about a current scam going on.

Hopeful twilighters everywhere are being trapped by a scam advertising casting for Breaking Dawn and it has gone far beyond the simple ads in the sidebar of webpages. Recently I received a question about casting because someone had the scam texted to their phone!! it is getting so bad that Lana Veenker, the local Oregon casting director of Twilight, is posting about it on her blog. Here is what Lana has to say and what tips she has about avoiding these scams:

ALL CURRENTLY ADVERTISED CASTING CALLS FOR BREAKING DAWN ARE FALSE.

Breaking Dawn is not yet in production. When it does go into production, professional casting directors will be hired to cast it.

Any website or company claiming that they can get you an audition for “Breaking Dawn” and then asks for ANY money whatsoever is not a real casting company.

Real casting directors don’t have websites where people are required to pay money to submit themselves for jobs.

They will never see the supposed audition tapes that the “casting scouts” on these websites are promising to forward on to them.

Real casting directors in the US are usually members of CSA

The CDs that Summit hires will work with professional talent agencies to hire the principal roles.

Real talent agencies do not charge their talent any money to be represented. They only make commissions when their actors book jobs.

Real agents represent established, professional actors who were either referred to them by other professionals or whom they have previously seen perform on stage or film.

They do not scout for talent in shopping malls, on Craigslist, in banner ads or in spam emails.

Real agents do not run acting or modeling schools, especially ones that charge thousands of dollars.

In the US, they are usually franchised by SAG

They will not seek to hire extras who live outside the shooting area. They are not interested in dealing with travel complications that could arise from hiring an out-of-town extra. And they certainly won’t hire someone who doesn’t already have working papers.

If you want to be an extra on a film, the harsh reality is that you need to live in the area where it is shooting and there’s no guarantee you’ll even be chosen to work.

These are some really great, very clear tips about avoiding the scams. The most common element I see over and over again in this post, casting agencies will NEVER charge money. If a company asks you to give them your credit card information in order for you to get a part in Breaking Dawn, it is a scam.

Hope that helps!! Got to keep my fellow twi-hards safe!!