Native American Actors
Feature Film Casting Opportunity

Casting Director Rene Haynes (SKINS, INTO THE WEST, TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON) will be conducting OPEN CASTING for the upcoming feature film:

The story of a contemporary Native high school lacrosse team.
crookedarrowsmovie.com

Sunday, September 12, 2010
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center (ARCC)
Civic Theater Room
212 2nd Ave SE, Aberdeen, SD

SEEKING: for Principal Lead speaking roles
Native American Teens & Young Adults Male and Female, Age 16 – 23
(Must be athletic and be able to play High School age students)

•    No acting experience necessary. Anyone under the age of 18 must attend with a
XXXparent, guardian, or have written consent to audition.
•    Bring a recent photo if you have one.
•    No arrivals after 3:00pm will be seen, so please plan to be there before 3:00pm.
•    Open Casting Calls can take time. Please be prepared to wait if necessary.

AUDITION MATERIAL
Download the audition scene in advance so that you can be prepared, which is highly recommended.

• Male Scene
• Female Scene

This casting call is open to everyone matching the criteria and there is no fee to participate.

The SDFF is pleased and honored to host a very unique event as part of this years film festival. A distinguished team of industry professionals will present an interactive program at this year’s festival designed to develop the business and acting skills of new actors. Sponsored by SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity department and SAG President’s National Task Force for American Indians, the workshop will highlight the critical tools actors need to promote and sustain careers in film and television.

Don’t wait! Get your Festival passes online today. Seating is limited. Tickets.

A Business of Acting segment will discuss practical issues such as resumes, headshots, reels, representation, making an audition tape and the performing unions.

Several participants will perform short scenes on-stage before the audience in the second segment of the workshop. A panel – including a director, casting director and actor – will provide the participants hands-on guidance, advice and support to apply new skills in a simulated audition setting.

The SAG Diversity Acting Workshop is open to all Full-Festival and VIP pass holders. Available seating will be offered to the public, at the door, for a SD Film Festival donation of $10/$5 student.

Adults and children 12 years and older are invited to attend.

Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Capitol Theatre stage.

Don’t miss the casting call with Rene on Sunday at the Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center, 10-3 pm.

________________________________________________________________________________
The Screen Actors Guild Panelists

Rene Haynes, CSA –  Rene is a two time Emmy Nominee casting director;  In 2006 for the TNT/DreamWorks mini-series INTO THE WEST and in 2007 for the HBO feature BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, for which she also won a CSA Artios Award for “Outstanding Casting”. In addition to being recognized in the entertainment industry as one of the foremost experts in Native American and First Nations casting, Rene specializes in conducting international talent searches and enjoys taking on projects with very specific and challenging casting needs.  Her world wide search for the female lead in the Terrence Malick feature THE NEW WORLD, being just one successful example.  (The film’s young lead went on to be named “Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress” in 2005 by the National Board of Review.) In 2009 Rene became part of the casting team on the widely popular “Twilight Saga: New Moon” and “Twilight Saga: Eclipse”.  Having now seen (almost) every young actor in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada gives Rene a strong perspective on the “who’s who” amongst the established and emerging youth talent pool. Currently, Rene is consulting on the Native casting for the feature “Cowboys and Aliens” and will be casting the upcoming independent features “Winter In The Blood”, “Deerslayer” and “Monkey Beach”. As a producer, she was on the team of the award winning, independent film, BUTTERFLY DREAMING.  She has created and is attached as a producer on one original television series and is on the producing team of several other feature films which are currently in development.

Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho) – Chris’ first feature Smoke Signals (1998, Miramax) starring Adam Beach, Irene Bedard and Gary Farmer, was the first Native American-directed movie with a national theatrical release. Last year, Chris directed We Shall Remain, a five-part PBS mini-series which was the highest-rated Native American series ever on television. Other film and television credits: Skins, Skinwalkers, A Thief Of Time, Edge Of America (Directors Guild of America & Peabody awards); A Thousand Roads, and episodes of Law And Order-SVU and Friday Night Lights. Recently, Chris directed and produced the independent feature-film, A Year In Moorin, with Josh Lucas and James Cromwell. Previous producer credits include, The Doe Boy and Imprint.

________________________________________________________________________________
Workshop Facilitators

DeLanna Studi (Cherokee) – Chair of Screen Actors Guild President’s National Task Force for American Indians. DeLanna starred in the Hallmark/ABC mini-series Dreamkeeper, Chris Eyre’s Edge of America (winner of the WGA, DGA and Peabody Awards) and The Only Good Indian. She performs the Encompass “Compassion Play” KICK, a one-woman show, which explores the power of images, stereotypes, and Native American Mascots. She received rave reviews for originating the roles in Cornerstone’s A Long Bridge Over Deep Waters, the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Interpreting William, Marc Anthony Rolo’s one-person show What’s an Indian Woman To Do, Leon Martell’s Bea[u]tiful in the Extreme, Drew Hayden Taylor’s The Berlin Blues, and JudyLee Oliva’s Te Ata, which opened the Oklahoma Centennial Celebration. She has received numerous awards from the LA Native Film and Television Review, International Cherokee Film Festival, First Americans in the Arts, and the American Indian Film Festival. DeLanna just returned from the First National Broadway Tour of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play Steppenwolf’s August: Osage County. She is passionate about her community and believes her greatest achievements have been the honor of mentoring Native youth throughout the United States.  She also currently serves as Chair of the Screen Actors Guild President’s National Task Force for American Indians. She is represented by AKA Talent.

Brían Wescott (Athabascan/Yup’ik) – Member of SAG President’s National Task Force for American Indians. Brian was born and raised in Alaska. He studied acting there with the inspirational Gene Dewild and Molly Smith (he from The Pasadena Playhouse and she founder of the Perseverance Theatre and now artistic director of the Arena Stage).  Subsequent teachers include Barbara Rosenblatt, Bill Dufris, Marssie Mencotti, and Charles Carroll. He appears in the groundbreaking film Christmas in the Clouds, the first comedy feature set in Indian country, in Liminality and He Can’t Be Caught for the Southern California Indian Center, in the educational film Cancer in the Great Land for the Alaska Native Health Board, and in the biopic We Are Still Here alongside DeLanna Studi. Though based now in L.A., he does everything he can to generate acting work at home and is very happy to be making his first trip to the South Dakota Film Festival.

________________________________________________________________________________
Screen Actors Guild Leadership

Adam Moore – Since 2005, Adam Moore has served as Associate National Director of Affirmative Action & Diversity for Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and leads the department’s New York office. In this position, he is responsible for developing and implementing a national diversity plan of action to achieve accurate representation of those groups historically excluded from the entertainment media. Such efforts include the creation of educational programs, conferences, and workshops; development of public relations strategies; and the enforcement of diversity initiatives as outlined in Guild collective bargaining agreements. In 2010, Adam was also made responsible for Member Outreach efforts for the New York Division. In addition to facilitation and moderation of dozens of panel discussions and guest lecturing at colleges and high schools throughout New York State, Adam serves as liaison to the New York City Task Force on Diversity in Film, Television and Commercial Production and is proud to have served on President Obama’s Disability Policy Committee during the 2008 Presidential Election. Born in Ames, Iowa, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Adam has spent the past nine years in New York City and currently lives with his wife and dog in Brooklyn.

Kyle is known not only for working on such scores as Gran Torino, Invictus, Million Dollar Baby and many more, but he is also an accomplished jazz musician. Mr. Eastwood will talk about scoring films and hopefully jam with area jazz nuts. Get your tickets online NOW. Seating is limited. Tickets.

Kyle Eastwood grew up in Carmel, California as the eldest son of actor Clint Eastwood. While doing his homework Kyle remembers listening to records of jazz stars such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Miles Davis playing in the house. His father had been attending the Monterey Jazz Festival since it began in 1958 and when his children were born it became a yearly family outing. Kyle’s childhood had jazz as its soundtrack and he credits his father with introducing him to the joys of the bass line. Kyle’s first memory of playing music was when Clint taught him how to play the left hand bass line of “Boogie Woogie” while he played the right hand solo over the top.

Initially studying film, Kyle soon realized that jazz was his true passion. After years of paying his dues gigging around Los Angeles and New York, his debut album From Here to There was released on Sony in 1998.

Showing his ability as an accomplished composer, Kyle began working in film with a contribution to the score for Mystic River. The film later won two Academy Awards.

In 2004, Kyle signed to Candid Records, one of the leading independent jazz labels in the UK, and released his second album Paris Blue. It resonates with swing, groove, and funk overtones. Kyle says, “My roots remain in jazz but I like adding all kinds of different flavors.” The album climbed to No. 1 on the French Jazz charts.

Not satisfied with just a critically acclaimed record, Kyle expanded his film work , composing three pieces of music for the 2004 blockbuster Million Dollar Baby. The film won four Academy Awards.

In 2007 and 2008, Kyle delivered Now to live audiences on 3 continents. His performances with his live band have sold out venues and received the highest critical acclaim. Kyle has also managed to fit in composing soundtracks for a number of Clint Eastwood films including Flags Of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima Gran Torino and Invictus.

In the first part of 2010 Kyle and the Band have been touring Europe with concerts in France, UK, Turkey, Tunisia, Spain, Germany and appearances opening for Marcus Miller, Diana Krall, Jamie Cullum. TV show appearances include Manu Kache’s French Show “One Shot Not”.

Fall of 2010 places Kyle and the Band on a Far East Tour of Korea, Japan and Taiwan including the Blue Note Club Tokyo followed by a US Tour within Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Paso Robles, Boston, Washington and many other US Cities.

The Kyle Eastwood Band will record its 4th CD for Candid Records in France in September for release in the spring of 2011.

Rene Haynes, CSA

While in Aberdeen, Ms. Haynes will be auditioning for a new film called, Crooked Arrows. Click here for more information. Plan to attend the SAG workshop on Saturday, then take part in the audition on Sunday if you fit the roles required.

Best of Festival – Reel Injun

Best Short Documentary – Dive!

Best Feature Documentary – Monica and David

Best Short Narrative – Fig Season

Best Feature Narrative – Earthwork

Best Comedy Short – Gordon Evolution

Best Foreign Film – Lebensader

Best Family Film – The Librarian’s Assistant

Best Animated Film – Swing

Best Student Film – The Sasquatch and the Girl

Jury Award for South Dakota Significance – Cangleska Wakan

Jury Award for South Dakota Significance – Mato Paha

Jury Award for South Dakota Significance – Dreaming in Stone

Jury Award for Social Significance – Out in the Silence

Jury Award – The Disinherited

Jury Award – First Date

Jury Award – Seasons

Jury Award – Things You Lose in the Ocean

Jury Award – Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns

Jury Award – The Headliners

Jury Award – Blowout Sale

WINNER – BEST OF FESTIVAL

Hollywood has made over 4000 films about Native people; over 100 years of movies defining how Indians are seen by the world.

Reel Injun takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through the history of cinema.

Traveling through the heartland of America, Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the world’s understanding – and misunderstanding – of Natives.

With candid interviews with directors, writers, actors and activists, including Clint Eastwood, Jim Jarmusch, Robbie Robertson, Sacheen Littlefeather, John Trudell and Russell Means, clips from hundreds of classic and recent films, including Stagecoach, Little Big Man, The Outlaw Josey Wales, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Atanarjuat the Fast Runner, Reel Injun traces the evolution of cinema’s depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today. (Taken from http://www.reelinjunthemovie.com)

Reel Injun will be shown Friday night during Film Session 4 which begins at 7 pm. After the screening, we will engage a panel of industry professionals in a discussion about the film’s topic. Panelists include Rene Haynes, DeLanna Studi, Brian Wescott, Chris Eyre and moderator Adam Moore.