Chicago Casting Update

I am in Chicago casting a $500,000 budget film. I arrived two weeks ago and it has been 14-hour days, every day and I am exhausted. I have no assistant and I have had to quickly learn the talent pool that I have to choose from in Chicago.

The film is “Polish Bar,” and while I would love to tell you who is in the cast, I am a bit superstitious and feel that if I put it in writing, the stars won’t show up or the deals won’t close. I want the actors in front of the camera filming, and then I will tell you.

Needless to say, I am very happy with the cast. Working on this job has been a labor of love. Scheduling the actors, flying them in from LA and NYC, making sure the deals are closed, coordinating all of the information, scheduling auditions (with no assistant – we can’t afford it), working out of the production office which is 20 minutes from the audition space, navigating the closed roads due to construction, taking the bus from my apartment to anywhere I need to go (no car rental – we can’t afford it), ordering in and eating Chinese 3 nights in a row (I feel ill), not shaving for 5 days and sleeping badly, but ultimately – and I truly mean this – ultimately loving the people I am working with and making the best film that we can make.

I have been working on this film since October, and seeing the Director’s eyes light up at the camera test because he was so excited about his actors, let’s me know that I am doing my job. I got a late night text last night from him, thanking me for my work and letting me know that he appreciated the work put into the film. It means a lot to me when someone does this, I don’t need a big pay day (although that would be nice) I think the respect and camaraderie has always been more valuable to me and when it works, it really can be an experience that bonds you to your director and hopefully keeps him coming back to you for more films.

I am booked on a 6:15am flight from O’Hare tomorrow. When I arrive, I have auditions for another film and then I will go home, pass out and sleep for 2 days…I can’t wait, but I will miss the gang and think of them a lot. Oh yeah, I forgot, I still have to cast a few of the roles, but they don’t start in week 1, so maybe I’ll be back…