Secrets in Stirling Scotland

I'm looking forward to speaking about Secrets from the Casting Couch in beautiful Stirling, Scotland. Please join me if you're in the area. Thursday, 3 Sept at 7.30PM

Click here for details: "An Evening with Nancy Bishop"

A List Actors reveal Painful Audition moments

In The Screening Room

Please join me in London for a seminar, and a glass of wine to celebrate Secrets from the Casting Couch.

Secrets from the Casting Couch

Seminar: Directors and Casting Directors

In this seminar casting director and author Nancy Bishop shares information from her new book, Secrets from the Casting Couch. She is joined by Michael Bassett, director of the upcoming blockbuster Solomon Kane, (released in UK cinemas in Dec 09) starring James Purefoy, Max von Sydow and Pete Postlethwaite. Discussion will focus on how directors and casting directors work together to cast a project. Clips will be shown from Solomon Kane, on which Michael and Nancy collaborated. Topics covered will include, how actors can best forge a relationship with industry professionals, strategies for success at castings, and how casting decisions are made. The seminar will be followed by a question and answer session, book signing, and then please join us for a wine reception. Secrets from the Casting Couch will be available at a discounted price.

Michael J. Basset, is a writer and director, his former projects include Deathwatch (Jamie Bell, Kris Marshall, Andy Serkis) and Wilderness (Sean Pertwee).

Nancy Bishop (C.S.A.) is an Emmy nominated American Casting Director who has cast supporting talent in Europe for over 60 films, including the recently released G.I. Joe, and Prince Caspian. She is chair of the Prague Film School Acting Department. www.nancybishopcasting.com

Where: The Actors Centre, London, 1a Tower St,London, WC2H 9NP

When: Monday, 7 September, 09

Time: 3pm- 5pm, followed by a wine reception.

Tickets: £12 bookclass@actorscentre.co.uk

Edinburgh Symposium: From Fringe to Silver Screen

Thanks to everyone who attended the Casting Symposium at the Edinburgh Fringe sponsored by Spotlight. I think it was very interesting and informative. I had hoped to get a transcript up on line but unfortunately it's looking like the tapes may have been wiped when I went through security on the plane. I'm sending them back to Scotland to see if they'll play there...

-NB

Anila Gajevic and I in Sarajevo

I also got to hang out with Anila, a talent agent who knows every actors in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia.

Book Signings, Secrets from the Casting Couch

Thanks to everyone who came to my book signing in Edinburgh. I have to say that I really have to work on my technique. I mean I look like I'm about to eat my potential readers in this photo... though my colleague Helen Raw is looking a bit friendlier but in a drugged out sort of way.

Please, readers, if you like the Secrets from the Casting Couch, write a review on Amazon. If you don't like it, please just keep quiet. And speaking of Amazon-- those scurvy swines-- they listed the wrong price for my book and the publisher is working on correcting it. But what it means for readers is that if you want to order it for super cheap you can order it now on Amazon before they put the price back up!

There is some kind of scam they have going there making it look like they have different vendors. They can somehow afford to sell it for cheaper than I can! Sorry for the loyal fans who came to my book signing and bought it for higher than the Amazon price... but at least you got free wine.

-NB

More notes on Sarajevo

I'm back in Prague and now that I'm here I need to go to the circus since it's that time of year... but life is a circus for me right now.

Sarajevo was absolutely fascinating. A village like city, full of old Ottoman architecture, mosques, bullet holes, churches, bullet holes, creviced into the mountains where the 1984 Olympics played out. The people of Sarajevo are eager to be hosts and showcase their town and their culture, attracting visitors to the region in a positive way; to show case their culture and humanity.

I saw three films about the Yugo war. Storm; fantastic. A must see with Kerry Fox and Anna Maria Manica among other very talented cast members, about the war crimes trails in the Hague.

Back to back I saw films about the war; first from the Serbians: Ordinary People (no not the 1980 film with Tim Hutton). It's a brutal self indictment from the Serbs about their conduct in the war. How could an "ordinary person" stoop to killing children? the film asks. This film won all the awards and it's painful to watch with overly long shots.

Then I saw The Blacks by Croatians with an equally self scathing examination of war-time behavior. The Croats don't let themselves off easily either.

I also had the opportunity to work with a great group of actors from several Balkan countries for two days on the talent campus so many thanks to them.

Still tickets left for Edinburgh Casting Symposium

CASTING SYMPOSIUM

FROM FRINGE TO THE SILVER SCREEN;

Superstars Jude Law, Gerard Butler, Hugh Grant, Ricky Gervais and Rachel Weisz all started their careers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Spotlight, the UK’s leading casting service, sponsors this casting symposium; a panel of theatre and film professionals will discuss how actors can use the Fringe to launch a career.

Listen to leading casting directors, agents and promoters discuss the differences between casting in Film and Theatre, and how can actors branch out from theatre to screen work. This two-hour symposium will begin with a moderated discussion followed by a question and answer session from the audience.

Moderator: Pippa Harrison, Spotlight.

Panelists:

Nancy Bishop,C.S. A, Casting Director(US/Europe); credits include Prince Caspian, and author of “Secrets from the Casting Couch”

Sam Jones, Casting Director (UK); formerly Head of Casting at the RSC, recent TV credits include Occupation for BBC1 and Above Suspicion for ITV.

Tim Hawkins, Manager of Press Office, and formerly acting Chief Executive of the Fringe.

Kate Staddon,Talent Agent at the Curtis Brown Agency, London.

Lucinda Syson, Casting Director (UK). Credits include, Children of Men and Batman Begins.

Place: Festival Theatre, 13-29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT.

Date: Wed, 19 August, 2009.

Time: 11AM- 1PM

Tickets: £10, Seats are limited. To order tickets ahead, http://www.edfringe.com/ticketing/detail.php?id=17029

Fraud on hotmail!

Louise and I are canceling the castingworkshops@hotmail.com address. Someone has hijacked it so please ignore any emails you get from that address. The legitimate addresses from me end in nancybishopcasting.com, or if you're trying to book the London class: louisebolton@gmail.com

Nancy