Casting Call! Dramatic role for documentary

We are producing a short film on a very sensitive and stigmatized topic.

The focus is on an invisible population that is part of the collateral damage surrounding sexual offences: the partners of the offender and their decision to stay with their partner who has offended sexually.

Due to the sensitivities of the subject matter, we cannot reveal the identity of the subject (based on a true story) and therefore will be filming abstract dramatizations. The scenes will reflect themes of:

- family
- isolation
- loneliness
- fear & anxiety
- love and hope

Lead Roles:
Woman - around 30 - 40 yrs, any ethnicity (2 days, paid)
Man - around 30 -40 yrs, any ethnicity (1/2 day, honorarium)
Boy - around 7 - 10yrs, any ethnicity (1/2 day, honorarium)
Girl - around 10 - 14 yrs, any ethnicity (1/2 day, honorarium)

Background Actors:

3 adults, any age, ethnicity (1/4 day, honorarium)

Please send photos/reel to casting [at] roscofilms [dot] com.

We will be filming in middle of November in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Own transportation a must!

Promo video: Casting Call! *Updated*

We are producing a promotional video for a Christian charitable foundation that wants to "help people recognize abundance and live generously."

The scenes we will be filming are similar to what you see in the image above, essentially, people enjoying life with people they love with an emphasis on gathering around a table for a meal.

The roles do not have any speaking lines.

We need a cast that has diversity of age, gender, and ethnicity:

Female, 50s-60s, any ethnicity
Male, 50s-60s, any ethnicity

Female, 30s - 40s, any ethnicity
Male, 30s-40s, any ethnicity

Female, 5 - 12 yrs, any ethnicity
Male, 5 - 12 yrs, any ethnicity

Families with kids are ideal since you all know each other already! If you know us already, even better!

Depending on the applicants we get, we will update the call to fill any gaps we might have.

Remuneration: $100/day for one day, probably not more than 3 hours.

UPDATE: Shooting in Stratford park by the lake on Tuesday July 26th and Thursday July 28th.

Please send any questions as well as photos/reels to casting [at] roscofilms[dot] com.

Promo video: Casting Call!

We are producing a promotional video for a Christian charitable foundation that wants to "help people recognize abundance and live generously."

The scenes we will be filming are similar to what you see in the image above, essentially, people enjoying life with people they love with an emphasis on gathering around a table for a meal.

The roles do not have any 'speaking lines' per se, but anyone who can speak authentically about their faith and how it has played a role in how they view generosity is an asset for voiceover.

We need a cast that has diversity of age, gender, and ethnicity:

Female, 50s-60s, any ethnicity
Male, 50s-60s, any ethnicity

Female, 30s - 40s, any ethnicity
Male, 30s-40s, any ethnicity

Female, 10 - 16 yrs, any ethnicity
Male, 10 - 16 yrs, any ethnicity

Depending on the applicants we get, we will update the call to fill any gaps we might have.

Remuneration: $100/day for up to 2 days (or 1 day and 2 half days, we appreciate your flexibility!).

Shooting in Waterloo Region sometime end of July or early August.

Please send any questions as well as photos/reels to casting [at] roscofilms[dot] com.

CASTING CALL: Women in prison - Volunteers!

We're looking for a group of 6-8 women, preferably 35 yrs + of any ethnicity to act as our "Volunteers" for STRIDE night, a program that brings the community into women's prisons across Canada through games, crafts, and other social activities.

The main scene would be a simulated STRIDE night with volunteers being paired with actors portraying the women in prison. Activities would include making hand-made cards, writing letters, drawing pictures.

A select few volunteers (1 or 2) with flexible schedules are needed to be featured volunteers few extra scenes interacting with one of the women.

Time commitment: 1/2 day for STRIDE night scene; + 1 day total (but possibly broken up over a number of days) for featured volunteers.

Renumeration: Minimal honorarium (Gift card).


If you are interested, pls email us some photos of yourself and any comments/questions to: casting [at] roscofilms [dot] com.

Location Scout: PRISON (... or school).

Knowing that finding a school available to shoot in June is very difficult to find, we're looking at early July if possible! One full day (8 - 12 hrs if possible). Holla at ken[at]roscofilms[dot]com.  Thanks!

Location Scout: Beautiful natural lighting, indoors.

We're looking for a space to conduct some interviews! Do you know of any places?

We need:

- natural lighting
- big windows, if possible
- quiet space (for audio recording)
- not too fancy or high-end, a place with character
- I know this is getting very specific...

The location in these screen grabs are in a church. We can't use a church for a number of reasons, but if any of you have any leads, let us know! THANK YOU.

Contact: ken[at]roscofilms[dot]com.

CASTING CALL: Women in prison

We are producing a story about a powerful program that invites community members and women in prisons to spend time together, build relationships, and then grow these relationships when the women are released so that they have the emotional and practical support they need to succeed.

For reasons of confidentiality, we will not be showing these women's faces on screen and thus, we are looking to cast 3 or 4 women for re-enactment/dramatization non-speaking roles.

These dramatizations do not focus on the crime that landed them in prison; rather, the focus will mostly be on their re-integration into the community and the challenges they face.

1 woman, any ethnicity, age: 20s

1 woman, any ethnicity, age: 40s

1 woman, any ethnicity, age: 60s

Time commitment: 2-3 days shooting in Waterloo Region, looking to shoot in May.

Remuneration: Small honorarium or gift card.

Please send any photos/reels to casting[at]roscofilms[dot]com .

To read more about the program, visit the STRIDE website.

Power of Partnership - THIS is how refugee resettlement is done!

Six months ago, we were approached by Mennonite Central Committee Ontario to produce a short documentary following a private sponsorship group who were preparing to welcome a Syrian family to Waterloo Region.

We said yes without really knowing how we would do this - logistically, everything was still up in the air. Housing, furnishings, how many family members - and the timeline was nebulous. But the sponsoring group, led by Dan Herman, was resourceful and resilient and by the time they got the call to pick up their family on January 1st, the apartment was secured, furnished, and everything was in place.

On that day, and on every occasion since then, the Salkini family have been gracious, generous, and lovely people. I can't imagine the stress and anxiety they must have been feeling coming to a new country that is both geographically and culturally a world away from their home in Syria. Combining that with the open hearts of the sponsoring group have created a nourishing environment that will set up the Salkini family for success in their new home in Canada.

While this story of this particular group of people may seem like a best-case scenario (which it is!), from the stories we've heard from other sponsor groups, this is not a unique story. Time and again, we've heard from sponsors whose lives have been impacted powerfully and new relationships created.

Despite the sensationalized negativity in the media and especially in the comment sections on refugee-related media, seeing this story unfold gives us hope that Canadians are compassionate, generous people who are willing to step up to help those in need.

The Elmira Case - SOLD OUT!

1. Huge "thank you" to all of you who came out to see THE ELMIRA CASE Canadian premiere at the Grand River Film Festival on Wednesday, Nov. 4th! There was a great showing and made extra special with the reunion of Russell Kelly and Mark Yantzi, two of the stars of the film.

Ken and Jon introduce the film at GRFF at the splendid Apollo Cinema.

2. Our second screening at the epic Apollo Cinema hosted by our production partners Community Justice Initiatives on Thursday November 19th, 7pm is SOLD OUT!! That's over 300 tickets sold and a waiting list of at least 50 people. Thank you for your support! 

Fortunately, if you haven't got your tickets yet, there are two more FREE screenings set up with special guests and "co-stars" of the film, Mark Yantzi and Russ Kelly:

- Friday, November 20th

4pm - 6pm.

St. Jerome's University, University of Waterloo

Siegfried Hall, Room 302

- Thursday, November 26th

10am - 11am

Conestoga College Doon Campus, Blue Room

(Go in through Door 4 at "B" Wing and follow through to cafeteria)

The Elmira Case - Canadian Premiere at Grand River Film Festival!

We're thrilled to announce that our short documentary THE ELMIRA CASE is making it's Canadian premiere at Grand River Film Festival!  We love that this local story which still making waves internationally years later, is premiering within the community that started it all.

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THE ELMIRA CASE will be screening on Wednesday, November 4th at 7:00pm together with the winner of the Best Canadian Feature Documentary at HotDocs, Haida Gwaii: On The Edge Of The World (dir. Charles Wilkinson)

World Premiere: PIT at Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival!

Every once in a while, we get lucky with a story. PIT was written, shot, and screened within two months and it's one of our strongest creative efforts yet.

In September, PIT premiered at Cinéfest - the second consecutive year in which one of our films premiered at this festival! Cinéfest being one of the top festivals in Canada and the envy of every city trying to establish a film scene, we are honoured that they took a chance on us again.

Lindsay Stewart as the intrepid romantic, Harvey.

Jennifer Gough co-stars as the bewildered and beautiful Wanda.

Fantastic cast doing weird things.

Casting Call: Commercial!

Four engaging people of various ages for a short commercial spot for a non-profit. You will each have one, possibly two short lines. Must be comfortable with live animals (not a lot, but a chicken is featured)! You are helping to make the world a better place and you’re excited about it!

One-day shoot in late May, early June. Location TBA in Kitchener-Waterloo area. Local talent with own transportation is an asset. Small flat fee will be paid to each actor.

Female, aged 50 - 75 yrs, any ethnicity.

Female, aged 15 - 25 yrs, any ethnicity.

Male, aged 50 - 75 yrs, any ethnicity.

Male, aged 15 - 75 yrs, any ethnicity.

Please send in your photos and/or reel to: casting[at]roscofilms.com by Saturday May 30th.

THE ELMIRA CASE Premiere at Peace On Earth Film Festival!

The Elmira Case - Official Trailer from Jonathan Steckley on Vimeo.

Film Festivals are awesome. Especially when they're screening our film! Last weekend, Jonathan and I drove down to Chicago for a short weekend to screen our short doc, The Elmira Case. We shot it last year and finished it late 2014 (more or less, with a few tweaks to do). We produced it in partnership with Community Justice Initiatives, a local restorative justice organization that was created in the aftermath of the Elmira Case in 1974.

It's been a very rewarding experience producing this short and seeing how this small case in a small town started a revolution that is changing the world, one case at a time.

Stay tuned on our facebook page for the Canadian premiere this summer/fall!

Casting call - MONTRÉAL: Supporting Cast

A few more important parts for our short film MONTRÉAL, shooting end of February/early March in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario. Email us at casting@roscofilms.com with a picture of yourself!

Lady In Line, any ethnicity (40-60 yrs) - A few speaking lines.  Gently but persistently reminds the two bickering gentlemen in front of her in line that they can move up a bit. (Small, but important comedic role!)

Granddaughters (3), any race, age 17-25yrs. Granddaughters of STANLEY, showing happy times with Grandpa. We'll need you for a photoshoot with STANLEY (See inspiration below).

Brian (1), any race, age 17-25yrs. Grandson of STANLEY. We'll also need you for a photo shoot with Grandpa. Own hockey gear/uniform a plus (for photo shoot).

BACKGROUND:
2 men, 2 women, any ethnicity, (30 + years). Waiting in line at the Post Office. (If you ever wanted to be in a film but not wanting the harsh spotlight on you, this is the role for you!)

Casting Call: MONTRÉAL - UPDATED!

We're in pre-production of our next short film, MONTRÉAL! If you or anybody you know fits any of these descriptions, please send in a couple photos of yourself and if possible, a reel/clips of your work to casting [at] roscofilms [dot] com. 

We're looking to shoot in late February or early March in Kitchener,ON, Canada, with some rehearsal beforehand; especially with our lead, Stanley. Thanks for your help!

Synopsis

When Stanley receives a call from someone claiming to be his grandson, he doesn’t hesitate to send him $2000 to free him from a Montreal prison.

STANLEY (65 – 80 yrs), any ethnicity– An endearing mix of eccentricity and naiveté. Nothing is more important to him than his family and his grandchildren in particular. Ideally, not taller than 5'6" or so (location has height limitations!).

ROGER (65-80 yrs), any ethnicity - Wealthy, successful, and arrogant. He brags about how generous he is to his family. Shows little respect to people in general.

ELIZABETH ("LIZZY") (35 – 45 yrs), any ethnicity (same ethnicity as STANLEY), VOICE ONLY– Loves her father STANLEY, proud of her 16-20yr-old son, BRIAN.

"BRIAN" (17 - 25 yrs), any ethnicity, VOICE ONLY - Calls STANLEY to ask for money to bail him out of jail. A fraudster, but not a very good one.

The Volunteer "...is like a good Bruce Springsteen song."

"The Volunteer" was a cinematic version of a good Bruce Springsteen song: it draws you into
the bleak, barren circumstances of characters living out their lives of
broken promises and dwindling dreams.  No happy endings can be assumed
or guaranteed. But that's okay, because the story is an honest one.”
-Frank Chen Music

THE VOLUNTEER - EXTENDED RUN + Reviews!

Back by popular demand - THE VOLUNTEER has an extended run for those of you missed it our opening weekend! The key info:

Sunday, November 30th, 3pm  4pm - Princess Twin, 46 King St. N, Waterloo, ON

Thursday, December 11th, 7pm - Bookshelf Cinema, 41 Quebec St., Guelph, ON

Tickets are $10 cash at the door. People loved the Q&A from our opening night so for both of the above shows, there will be a Q&A with the filmmakers!

Here's a great review from Heather Riemersma, CKWR New Art Radio:

I was not at all expecting the magnitude of emotion felt during the viewing of Rosco Films, The Volunteer. The entire movie had the audience engaged in the relationships unfolding before us. The superb acting was very reminiscent of Neil Armfield's Australian masterpiece, Candy. In a surprising turn of events, it was made clear after the showing that with the exception of Myra Segal (Becky) and Theodore Bouloukos (Rick), professional actors were not involved. Director Jonathan Steckley and the cast and crew deserve more than a round of applause for this spectacular creation!

THE VOLUNTEER Comes Home!

Opening night at the Princess Twin! [Photo: Tom Emptage]

We're a little late to the game updating here but we want to blog for the record that the local premiere for THE VOLUNTEER was AWESOME!!

We had our official world premiere at Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival which is so cool. Cinéfest is legitimately a powerhouse festival in Canada and for a small film by no-names like us to make it in was an incredible blessing.

But the event we were always looking forward to was showing the film to our hometown crowd - all of you who supported us in so many ways in making this uber indie film come to life! And y'all didn't disappoint - we packed our opening night at the Princess Twin to the rafters; the weekend overall was a huge success and made us feel like it was worth all the work and wait! THANK YOU!

**UPDATE**
Due to the success of our opening run, we're so excited to announce an extended run!

Sunday, November 30th, 3pm - Princess Twin, 46 King St. N, Waterloo, ON

Thursday, December 11th, 7pm - Bookshelf Cinema, 41 Quebec St., Guelph, ON

THE VOLUNTEER - KW Premiere!!

AT LONG LAST, you, our faithful and patient local supporters have a chance to watch The Volunteer on the big screen! We have a weekend run scheduled at the fantastic Princess Cinemas in Uptown Waterloo, so mark your calendars:

Friday Nov. 7th, 7pm - Princess TWIN followed by Q&A with filmmakers!
Saturday, Nov. 8th, 3pm - ORIGINAL Princess
Sunday, Nov. 9th, 3pm - ORIGINAL Princess

Tickets are $10, cash only. For all of you who helped us make this film either by acting/working, or donating, you will get a free HD download of the film, hopefully before Christmas!

Best of Cinéfest (that we saw)

It's been a busy week since coming back from Cinéfest but we didn't want to sign off on that before sharing with you some of our favourites that we saw there!

First of all, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the filmgoers at Sudbury Cinéfest are hardcore cinephiles who see upwards of 30+ films in the eight-day span of the festival. We saw maybe half of that number but were fortunate with the ones we did see. We gave a brief review of two others of o ur favourites, RED ARMY and MOMMY earlier. So without further adieu, in no particular order, our favourite films of Cinéfest Sudbury 2014:

WHIPLASH
Fantastic music, mesmerizing performances from J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller, and hands down one of the most thrilling final acts of a film I've seen in a long time. As Jon said, "We just saw a classic."



'71



Outstanding thriller. Taut, tense, with moments of tragic humour. Jack O'Connell stars as a soldier caught behind enemy lines during The Troubles in Ireland. It's hard to know which side is which - and I think that's partly the point of the film. O'Connell has maybe 20 lines in the whole movie but carries it powerfully.

CAMP X-RAY



Our friend Peter Sattler (Jonathan's classmate from North Carolina School of the Arts) wrote and directed this slow-burn of a psychological thriller starring Kristen Stewart as a fresh army recruit at Guantanamo Bay and Peyman Moaadi as a detainee who tries to befriend her. More from a favourable review from The Hollywood Reporter:
[It] balances a powerfully internalized performance from Kristen Stewart, delivering perhaps her best screen work to date as an inexperienced military guard, against an equally compelling characterization from Peyman Moaadi as the long-term detainee who pierces her shell. Its psychological complexity and rich emotional rewards should ensure this expertly crafted if overlong film a significant audience.


CAST NO SHADOW


CAST NO SHADOW - Festival Trailer from The Screen Asylum on Vimeo.
This film cleaned up at Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, scoring trophies including those for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Shot entirely on the wild shores of Newfoundland, this film is dark and beautiful. Definitely one of Canada's best films this year. I ran into producers Chris Agoston, Allison White, and Chris Hatcher at one of the galas and they were super supportive of THE VOLUNTEER - it gave us inspiration to see what the next step looks like!


GOD HELP THE GIRL


This film was of particular interest to us as our ridiculously talented camera operator on THE VOLUNTEER, Ben Barber, had worked with Olly Alexander and Emily Brown on Alexander's music video for his band Years and Years. This film is an absolute joy to watch as both Brown and Alexander are mesmerizing from beginning to end - check it out!