I'M MOVING MY BLOG TO MY WEBSITE

My brilliant tech advisor, Michal Pavlik, moved my blog directly to my website. Now doesn't that make sense? From now on, please see: http://www.nancybishopcasting.com/blog/
for my blog.

Currently casting Czech and Slovakian Actresses.

SELF CASTING HINTS for SPARTACUS

Since I'm asking actors to self tape for SPARTACUS, I'll re-post an article that I wrote about this recently in the Actor's Voice: http://more.showfax.com/plus/pov/2010/08/

Also here is an excerpt from my book, Secrets from the Casting Couch.
SELF CASTING DOS and DONTs

SHOOTING:

DO	DON’T
Start with a wide shot that shows your entire body, both profiles, and then zoom in for the introduction. Introduce yourself breifly, saying your name, height and agent.	Announce your age
Keep your shots simple. Face camera and expose at least three quarters of your face most of the time.	Get fancy with editing or shooting.
Have your scene partner read off screen and close to the camera lens	Focus the camera on any actor other than yourself. Unless you want to audition your scene partner as well, the camera should always be on you
Use a simple background	Shoot on a location, use elaborate sets, costumes and props
Sit close to the mic, or get a professional seperate mic	Stand far from the mic, so that your scene partner is louder on the tape then you are
Practise with several takes, but just choose two,	Send in many takes
Choose a variety of takes so that the director can see your range	Send in takes that are exactly the same (there is no point in seeing it twice unless we get more information)
Send in one medium shot (from the waste up) and one close up (just face)	Show a lot of blank wall space over the head of the actor
Upload your file onto a site like yousendit.com, or savefiles.com or send it via Vimeo or You Tube link

CASTING STARRING ROLE IN SPARTACUS

SPARTACUS BREAKDOWN

Project: Spartacus, Episodic TV Series

Network: Starz, US

Producer: Chloe Smith

Casting Director: Nancy Bishop, Europe

Start Date: January, 2011

Location: New Zealand

Casting for Lead Title Role: Spartacus

Age Range: 25- 38

Physical Type: Muscular, athletic, leader of men, smart, intense, passionate.

Spartacus is a hero with a deep inner intensity. He is a champion gladiator. The actor for this role should have experience with stage combat and be comfortable with showing his body, (there is backside but not frontside nudity). He needs to speak fluent English, preferably with a British accent. The actor must be willing to re-locate to New Zealand for part of the year and sign a three year overall option.

SPARTACUS BLOOD AND SAND is a very popular action/drama series in the US. It dramatizes the lives of gladiators in ancient Rome. The second season continues as Spartacus and his men plot to seek revenge against Rome.

For more information about the role and the series, please see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8kJ3KlPKjE&feature=related

http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus

Please send photo and CV to

Casting@nancybishopcasting.com

Please put ‘SPARTACUS’ in the subject heading

AUDITIONS FOR PRAGUE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

Prague Shakespeare Festival 2011 Season Artistic Company Auditions

WHERE: Prague Film School, Pstrossova 19, P1
WHEN:Sunday October 10th 2010 (Attic Studio in main building) from 13:00 - 16:30 +
Monday October 11th 2010at the (Acting classroom in annex building) from 17:00 - 20:00 
PRODUCTIONS: As You Like It and King Lear  
PRODUCTION DATES: April 14 - May 1, 2011 in Houston, TX USA and May 11 - 29, 2011 in the Czech Republic.
(Czech actors will be travelled to Texas for rehearsals starting 7 March)
FOR INFORMATION: contact Artistic Director Guy Roberts, 
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz


All actors should bring a photo and resume and present one memorized
Shakespeare monologue, performed in English, not exceeding 2 minutes. Actors
should be prepared to stay immediately following their audition in the event
they are called back for Rehearsals for the production will begin March 7,
2011 in Houston, TX. This project is an international collaboration between
the Prague Shakespeare Festival, located in Prague, Czech Republic and the
Classical Theatre Company, located in Houston, TX.

Callback sides from As You Like It and King Lear will be provided for all
actors who are called back. All auditions will be videotaped. Actors who
have previously worked with PSF or Guy Roberts and who are interested in
casting opportunities may contact Guy Roberts directly, bypassing the
general audition and schedule a callback. All others must come to the
general audition and then be invited to callbacks.

All artists selected for participation in the production will be paid
minimum of 4.000cz per week for a total of ten weeks of work (40.000cz).
Individual artists may be offered higher weekly salary commiserate with
experience and scope of work performed. All housing and transportation
expenses to Houston, TX will be paid for by the producers.

All actors will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Designers and
Stage Managers may also come to the open call to submit resumes and
portfolios. Designers and Stage Managers must submit a portfolio and/or
resume that can be taken to Houston for consideration by the producers.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Prague Shakespeare Festival presents professional theatre productions,
workshops, classes, lectures and other theatrical events, of the highest
quality, conducted primarily in English by a multinational ensemble of
professional theatre artists, with an emphasis on the plays of William
Shakespeare, bringing to the Czech Republic, European and World audiences
performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking, and
eminently accessible, connecting the truths of the past with the challenges
and possibilities of today.

VISION STATEMENT

Presenting high-caliber, classic yet cutting-edge English-language
performances of Shakespeare's timeless, cross-culturally relevant work by a
dedicated ensemble of multinational theatre artists is the core of our
artistic mission. The Prague Shakespeare Festival is dedicated to presenting
to the Czech, European and World community a vibrant professional
Shakespeare theatre, essential in shaping Prague's global culturally dynamic
landscape.

SECRETS FROM THE CASTING COUCH AT DRAMA BOOKSTORE IN NYC

Please come to a special Casting Symposium in NYC and buy a copy of Secrets from the Casting Couch on Sept 30th:
http://dramabookshop.blogspot.com/2010/09/thurs-sept-30-430-pm-free-casting.html

Boy Actors needed

Looking for 8 yr old boy actors for feature film shooting in Prague in oct. BOYS MUST LIVE IN PRAGUE. Please send photos to casting@nancybishopcasting.com no later than 16 Sept, 2010.

FINAL AUDITION BLOOPER WITH CHIP PERSONS- the accent problem

Another bad casting. What's wrong with the picture?

THE DIALECT PROBLEM. I see a lot of resumes with several accents listed. I'm always suspicious of actors who have mastered so many dialects (although of course, some have.) The point is, only list the accents that are native to you or that you really have learned, under the direction of a coach. Accents are specific. When you come to the audition, you'll be expected to know the specified accent on that day.