An open casting call for background talent is often needed on big films, such as this scene from "Star Trek V."


Open Call for New "Star Trek" Movie!


There is (was) an open casting call on Saturday, November 10 in Burbank, Calif., for a feature film project called "Corporate Headquarters," which appears to be a code name for the now-in-production "Star Trek" movie.
HeadquartersCasting.com has posted a notice seeking background talent for "the way Cool Sci-Fi Feature Film titled 'Corporate Headquarters'" which originally included descriptions for characters whose eyebrows will be "shaved from the arch outward to portray a 'Vulcan type' eyebrow shape." However, as of this morning the website changed the "Vulcan" reference to say instead, "'science fiction type' eyebrow shape." (With a bad guy named Nero you have to wonder if it really is a set of Romulan eyebrows)

But it's out there, so the important point is that the casting agency is looking for a few good men, women, and just about anyone with "interesting and unique facial features."

Besides "Vulcan" or "science fiction type" looks, the film is also looking for "military type" extras.

They are looking for a pretty broad range of people with interesting features, all ethnicities, hair lengths, ages 18-90 and more.

The HeadquartersCasting site has all the details for the call, with specific photographic requests. We recommend you read the descriptions carefully to simplify the process and to increase your chances of being picked for the film, should you decide to stop by Burbank this Saturday.

Good luck!

Address:
Headquarters Casting
3108 W. Magnolia
Burbank, CA 91505

The call takes place between 2:30 - 5:00 p.m.



HeadquartersCasting.com

I was on-call that weekend and could not make the six hour drive out.

11.14.2007
Kirk's Father, New Villain Cast


Variety.com is reporting two more confirmed cast members of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" movie. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth will play James T. Kirk's father, George Kirk. At 24, Hemsworth is three years younger than Chris Pine, who is set to play Jim Kirk, so the father role is likely to be portrayed in flashback.
In addition, a Latino actor who has played several vicious parts — including a gangbanger in "187," a hitman in "Traffic" and real-life killer Perry Smith in "Capote" — will join the Trek universe in the villain's camp. Clifton Collins Jr. will be "Ayel," the cohort and general to Nero, played by Eric Bana. Collins, 37, has a lengthy resume that includes a recurring role on Abrams' Alias.

Filming on the eleventh "Star Trek" film began last Wednesday, and will continue through March.

According to Variety, Hemsworth just wrapped the independent feature film "The Cache," opposite Sean Bean. Collins' credits include the upcoming indie features "The Perfect Game," "Horsemen," "Sunshine Cleaning" and "Still Waters." He just booked a supporting role in "Brothers" opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire.




11.09.2007
Winona Ryder Cast as Spock's Mother (UPDATE)


Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice ... The human half of Spock appears to have a new face. Daily Variety has reported that Oscar-nominated actress Winona Ryder has been cast as "Amanda Grayson," the first human wife of Sarek, in the new "Star Trek XI" movie now in production under the direction of J.J. Abrams.
UPDATE: Variety.com originally stated that Ryder will play "the Vulcan mother of Spock," which was in error — unfortunately, one that has been replicated by many other news outlets around the world. The print version of Daily Variety Friday morning correctly identified the character as "the human mother of a young Spock," and the online story has since been corrected.

"Amanda" was originally introduced in "Journey to Babel," performed by the late Jane Wyatt, who reprised the role in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." Amanda was also portrayed in the animated episode "Yesteryear," where she was voiced by Majel Barrett (it is in that episode where the last name "Grayson" was established).

Winona Ryder is one of Hollywood's golden girls of the last two decades, first stealing hearts as a goth teen in her breakout role in Tim Burton's "Beetle Juice." She continued to establish herself as a movie star in "Heathers," "Edward Scissorhands," "Mermaids" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula." She earned an Academy Award nomination two years in a row, 1994 and 1995, first as a supporting actress in "The Age of Innocence" and then as a lead in "Little Women." She went on to play an android in "Alien: Resurrection," and co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in "Girl, Interrupted."

Her career experienced a bit of a lull after a touch of legal trouble in 2001-02, but she began making an upswing again with several film roles including "A Scanner Darkly." She recently wrapped filming on a crime drama called "The Informers," and a comedy called "The Last Word." Other upcoming film roles include the dramas "Alpha Numeric" and "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee."

There is no information on how large the role of Amanda will be in the "Trek" movie. Given that Ryder, 36, is only six years older than Zachary Quinto, who plays her son, suggests that either she will be made up to appear older, or perhaps she will be seen in a flashback.

They still have this listed if you want to sign up (? for the Romulan Honor Guard????)

Corporate Headquarters
Feature Film: SAG
Currently Seeking:
Young, Fit, Fresh Faced 20-somethings with ROTC or Marching Band experience.
Email Address for Submissions: CHQcasting@gmail.com
Info: For the Feature Film titled "Corporate Headquarters" we are seeking the following SAG and Non-Union Background Talent:

http://headquarterscasting.com/

11.13.2007
Hundreds Turn Out for Open Casting Call


Despite operating under the code name "Corporate Headquarters," there was no mistaking on anybody's part that the open casting call for extras that took place Saturday in Burbank was for the "Star Trek" movie now in production.
In fact, the local CBS affiliate Channel 2 had a cameraman out there getting footage for a news report that evening (see the video at this CBS2.com link). And the Los Angeles Times certainly wasn't fooled either.

There were at least 500 people who stood in line outside the small office of the Hollywood OS casting agency, winding around the corner through a parking lot and down the alley for more than two blocks. The hopefuls were a combination of Star Trek fans who found out about the open casting call through this and various other sites, and other frequent background performers who normally respond to such calls.

An employee of the casting firm told us that the turnout for this call was "larger than normal," but "not unprecedented." After all, they've done casting for the "Indiana Jones" films and other popular blockbusters.

The call was for "military types" — apparently for Starfleet officers or cadets — and those whose eyebrows can be shaped into a "Vulcan"-like fashion. They were also seeking extras with "interesting and unique facial features," apparently for a variety of aliens. But for the most part, those who showed up were pretty much regular-looking people.

Despite the buzz among fans about this casting call, the crowd that turned out did not exactly look like a Star Trek convention. No Starfleet uniforms, pointy ears or other costumes or makeup designed to convince the casting people that they'd be perfect for the part ... well, except for one guy who came in a Starfleet redshirt... (See photo gallery.)

One person in line who caught our attention was David Lilly of Inglewood, California, who looked like he was vying for the part of a Klingon — very tall, sporting dreadlocks, and wearing a bulky leather outfit ... he's a motorcyclist, but he thought it would be cool to show up that way regardless. "I dream about being on Star Trek," Lilly said, explaining that he's a fan of the Original Series and that he heard about the call from his acting coach. But he wasn't looking to be a Klingon: "I do have something in mind. I think it's the Ferengi character, the big guy with the massive headache that he always has?" Actually, perhaps he's thinking of a Talosian... "Maybe with the dreads they can see something in me," he concluded hopefully before he went inside.

Though people waited in line for hours — the first showed up at 9:30 a.m. for the 2:30 call — the process, once they got inside, was very quick: basically, filling out a form and getting a photo taken.

Trek fan Justin Greenway of Sacramento has provided a first-hand account of the whole experience, from driving to L.A. to standing in line and meeting other applicants, to chatting with the casting people. Share the adventure vicariously on Page 2.

From Casting:


OPEN CALL: 11/10/07
Project: The SAG feature film "Corporate Headquarters" is seeking background talent.

Dates: Shoot starts early November.

Seeking the following types, ages 18-70, any ethnicity:

Cadets: young, fresh-faced, 18 -30, physically fit

Military types: ideally with ROTC or Marching Band experience

Thin, regal talent with BROWN or BLACK hair.

Talent with interesting and unique facial features such as: long necks, small heads, extremely large heads, wide-set eyes, bug eyes, close-set eyes, large forehead, short upper lip, pronounced cheekbones, over- or undersized ears and/or nose, facial deformities, ultra plain-looking people, ultra perfect-looking people, pure wholesome looks, twins, triplets, emaciated talent, regally poised and postured talent, or other visually unique characteristics

Everyone must be thin, athletic, fit; wardrobe will be form-fitting. All hair lengths on males and females welcome.

Open Call: Saturday, November 10, 2007.


Hours: 2:30-5 p.m.

Address: 3108 W. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
(across from Pinocchio's Restaurant)

Bring: Close-up full facial NON-SMILING snapshot AND a waist-up body shot in Fitted Clothing. Ladies with long hair, PLEASE pull your hair back in a severe ponytail. Do not wear heavy makeup in your photograph. If your hair is long, let the ponytail length show over your shoulder. If you do not have these photos, we will take them of you for free. Wear fitted clothing for the photo.

You may e-mail photos (as described) with contact info and stats to chqcasting@gmail.com , but we prefer to meet you at the open call and get you digitally on file for this project. For information, (310) 556-2626.

If you have previously attended a daily open call for this, you do not have to come in again. Thanks!

Interesting news, did anyone go and try their luck at the casting then? Thanks for telling me that Winona Ryder is gonna be in the latest Star Trek movie she's one of my favorite actresses.

I was busy and did not see the call. I did submit online at the site but it was likely too late. They take what they need. I looks like they needed a lot of people that look like Star Fleet Academy cadets. I am not a teen to 20 something. Only my ugly alien face could have gotten me in. Now we know for the next time. That is if they have need of a large extras cast in the film after this. It is about a six hour drive for me but now we know how to see it coming for the next film.....Live long and keep trying.

11.18.2007
Ben Cross to Play "Sarek" in Upcoming Film


Ben Cross has been cast as Sarek, the Vulcan father of Spock in the upcoming "Star Trek" feature film.
Cross, a graduate of London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, rose to international stardom with his breakout role as runner Harold Abrahams in the Academy Award-winning 1981 film "Chariots of Fire." He will be seen in the upcoming "Hero Wanted" with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ray Liotta.

He will be paired with Winona Ryder (related story), portraying Spock's human mother Amanda Grayson. The young Spock will be played by Zachary Quinto.

The film, currently in production under the direction of J.J. Abrams, is scheduled for release on Christmas Day 2008. For related casting news, bookmark this Star Trek Movie News page.

Anyone worried about the fact that J.J. Abrams will be directing it?

It could be a very expensive bust but for now it is our best hope.

Nope. Abrams has made some good stuff, and I think he'll do a good job.

Yeah he has made some good stuff, I know that he made and directed Alias and Lost, but I don't recall him doing any movies before. Now I don't know much about directing, but I reckon there are differences in directing a series and a movie. We'll see.

He did Mission Impossible III, which I hear wasn't half bad.

Oh, I didn't know that cool... my confidence is restored, partly.

Welcome!
Headquarters Casting


The next Casting Director Meet & Greet will be Sunday, December 2nd, at 3108 W. Magnolia in Burbank, CA, from 1 P.M.- 3 P.M. We'd love to meet you in person for optimal consideration.

However, because of the scope of our projects, we are also holding a Daily Open Call @...

3108 W. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
Monday - Friday, 11am-5pm


Please spread the word that the staff at Headquarters Casting is still looking for new talent. We've seen 1000's of great faces in the past few months for our various projects and we still (literally) need to see thousands more. If you have not met the staff in person, and wish to work on our cool projects, you should come asap to say "HI."

Again, our next meet and greet is 12/02 from 1-3 PM. Please realize, the more featured spots are most readily cast to those we are most familiar with - so make it easy for us to cast YOU.

http://headquarterscasting.com/index.ph ... e&Itemid=1

- sounds like this is a big project

It has been interesting monitoring Paramount Pictures call for actors and extras. They refer to this film as The Unnamed Paramount Project in casting calls. There was a call for a new born. I take that to be the birth of Kirk with his young parents already cast. There was a call for 20 something lean women that could march. They seam to have gotten all the guys they needed from things like Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) in southern California colleges and Universities. So do you think the marching is Star Fleet Academy or the war like Romulans? They did say that many would have eyebrows shaved for Vulcan like eyebrows. They also needed a number of actors with experience wearing head prosthetics and masks. To apply you needed experience acting with prosthetics on your head and specific head measurements were to be submitted with the application. There are a lot of actors involved and a message board for ride shareing to get to the studio each day.

New born will be Spock surely, can't see any reason to show kirk as one

Regards Wolfe

Variety.com is reporting two more confirmed cast members of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" movie. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth will play James T. Kirk's father, George Kirk. At 24, Hemsworth is three years younger than Chris Pine, who is set to play Jim Kirk, so the father role is likely to be portrayed in flashback.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice ... The human half of Spock appears to have a new face. Daily Variety has reported that Oscar-nominated actress Winona Ryder has been cast as "Amanda Grayson," the first human wife of Sarek, in the new "Star Trek XI" movie now in production under the direction of J.J. Abrams.

Good point. It could go eather way.

They certainly seem to be pulling out all of the stops for this. If they are putting this much into just the casting for the movie to find the actors... Just imagine what kind of special effects we might have to look forward to if they put the same amount into them as they seem to be everything else.

A rush re-call for the CAD (code name for Cadets) on the "unnamed Paramount project" went out from Paramount for a AM shot corresponding in time to this story on StarTrek.com.

12.11.2007
New Movie Filming in Long Beach?


The new J.J. Abrams-directed "Star Trek" film has been shooting at the Long Beach City Hall, as reported by Tim Grobaty in the local Press-Telegram. In keeping with the strict confidentiality surrounding the movie's production, Grobaty was hard pressed to get anyone official to comment on the shoot, evoking only one-syllable responses from local authorities.
According to the article one Long Beach Police Department officer at the shooting location said, "It's some kind of space thing."



We may see this or it's interior or some cg alteration of it as part of Star Fleet Academy. This building has been used as location for a number of films and has nice and modern looking exterior grounds.

I was sending PMs back and forth with one guy on the casting web site. He was called for a costume fitting on the Paramount project. He was among ten called in for what sounded like the role of an instructor at the Academy. He filled out the paper work including the no disclosure agreement. It turned out only eight characters were needed. They took his measurements and he never heard from them again. Ugh, I do not think I could get that close to a role in the film and recover from the disappointment.

Sorry you missed your chance to be in the film. Rachel Nichols will be an Orian in the new film. She should look good in green.

This city council chambers at the Long Beach City Hall got dressed up after this photo. This was used as an interior shot at Starfleet Academy for the new film.

"Star Trek" movie bosses are so desperate to keep the new film's set under wraps, they've banned cigarette breaks.

Winona Ryder is among the stars who are reportedly upset that they have to spend all day shut away in a no-smoking compound on the remote California desert location, unable to satisfy her nicotine habit.

But director J.J Abrams is determined costumes and set designs aren't leaked to the press.

A source reveals, "Winona's a heavy smoker and she was furious when the producers told her she's not allowed to take a smoke break anywhere near the set because of a confidentiality agreement she signed.

"The film's brass is hellbent on stopping photographers or details of the movie set or its stars getting out to the public.

"Winona and the rest of the cast are being toted around in covered golf carts -- to hide them from rabid Trekkies and photographers.

"J.J. tried to make Winona understand how devastating a leak or photos of a key character or scene would be. He stressed they relied more on secrecy for the sake of box office buzz than other films.

"Winona said she understood but she's crawling the walls."



This just goes to prove my point. If alien planets do not look like a sound stage they look like the Southern California deserts.

nice news stories, ken.

Reported to be a spy photo of costume in use for the new film.

looks a bit Star Wars - imperial to me..

Yes. I noted that as well. You have a better look these days.


from trekmovie.com

by Leonard Nimoy , Filed under: Nimoy, Star Trek (2008 film) , trackback
The following is our second guest blog from Leonard Nimoy as he returns to the role of Spock for the new Star Trek movie.

I have now spent several shooting days on the various sets of the new film. Security has been held tight.


Because of strong interest there has been an effort on the part of some to get unauthorized photos of actors going to and from their trailers, etc.

The size of the production impresses me. It’s a big picture. An imaginative and ambitious project. The director JJ Abrams is able to work on a very large scale while also paying close attention to the intimate work of the actors. The cast members are uniformly talented and enthusiastic. It’s a pleasure to be around them and to work with them.

My hopes for this film continue to be very positive.

(also from Karl Urban - the new Dr. McCoy)

Urban tells TVGuide.com: “The movie is very, very faithful to the spirit of the original series and the characters that were created in the ’60s.” For example, Urban’s Bones “is the lovable, irascible humanist that he has always been [and] a good friend of Jim Kirk.” That said, he believes “J.J. is going to reinvigorate this franchise in a fresh and exciting way.”

"And I think the fact that Leonard Nimoy has chosen to reprise his role as Spock for the first time in 15 years is an incredible endorsement and he wouldn’t be involved if he didn’t believe in J.J. [Abrams] and the authenticity of the project. I’m just really excited about this film and it’s amazing [how] every day someone new comes in and turns up on set, like we had Stephen Spielberg pop in yesterday. Everybody is thoroughly intrigued to see this one and it’s going to be phenomenal. I think the teaser trailer comes out on the front of Cloverfield in January, so people will get their first kind of taste of the look and feel. And I think after Indiana Jones opens in May, this film is going to be the most highly anticipated film of 2008."

Matt Reeves is the director for the JJ Abrams produced monster movie Cloverfield…and one of the few people who has seen the teaser trailer for Star Trek (which debuts with Cloverfield). He certainly is the only one talking about it on the record, saying “it’s a teaser trailer. But still, I was like ‘Wow!’ Just the scope of it, the scale of it, you just look at it and it’s so elegantly done.”

Reeves tells MTV:

I think what [he and his producers] are doing with the trailer is fantastic; this is a great way to reboot the franchise, and get people excited about something new….That’s what excited me about seeing the trailer, was that I thought ‘Well, this does look completely different and new, but while having all the stuff that will make fans of ‘Star Trek’ still feel fulfilled.’

Cloverfield, 2008.1.18 in the US

UGO is reporting that actor/writer/director Tyler Perry will appear in JJ Abrams new Star Trek film and TrekMovie.com can confirm this report. According to the UGO report Perry will be portraying the head of Starfleet Academy and he has already shot his scenes. Perry is probably best known for his series of ‘Madea’ films starting with the 2005 hit Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

According to the UGO report Perry’s big scene is overseeing an assembly at Starfleet Academy where Kirk (Chris Pine) is facing expulsion for cheating on the Kobayashi Maru. Apparently Pine delivers a stirring Kirk-esque speech and then discovers that the person who ratted him out was none other than Spock himself (Zachary Quinto). More at UGO

TrekMovie.com can confirm + more details
Back in September TrekMovie.com first reported that Kirk’s famed solution to the Kobayashi Maru ‘no win-scenario simulation’ would be seen in the new Star Trek. Just this week TrekMovie was tipped off about a role for Perry as well as the post-Kobayashi Academy scene. But UGO beat us to the punch while we awaited confirmation and more details (which is now moot). The only things to add are that this scene was probably shot in the Long Beach City Council chamber and that there is also some kind of student protest over Kirk not being expelled and actually being ‘promoted.’ The protest might be part of the same scene described at UGO or a different scene shot in the LB Council Chamber (standing in for a hall at Starfleet Academy). In Star Trek II Kirk noted that after being caught for cheating he got a commendation for original thinking. It is possible the source was talking about a commendation instead of a promotion, or maybe Kirk was also promoted.

Kirk talks about Kobayashi Maru in Star Trek II
http://www.veoh.com/videodetails2.swf?player=videodetailsembedded&type=v&permalinkId=v1812765c5AQTX92&id=anonymous"%20allowFullScreen="true"%20width="540"%20height="438"%20type="application/x-shockwave-flash"%20pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br/><a%20href="http://www.veoh.com/">Online%20Videos%20by%20Veoh.com</a>



This will be the first time Perry will appear in a film project that he did not write or direct. TrekMovie.com has also learned that Perry is a bit of a Trek fan and that this may have been how he got involved. It is also worth noting that, although it may not be the reason Perry was cast, having such a high profile African-American celebrity can help the new Star Trek film (which can use a bit more diversity in its cast).

About Perry
Tyler Perry is a popular, highly-successful playwright, actor and director known for his comic morality plays. His most memorable character is that of Mabel “Madea” Simmons. Ticket and DVD sales for his plays have grossed over $75 million. Film adaptations have also turned out to be hits grossing over $200 million combined in domestic box office. In addition the 38-year old native of New Orleans stars in his own hit television series called House of Payne, currently airing on TBS (it is worth noting that Perry has written and directed every episode).