The Warner Bros. Pictures supernatural drama feature film “Winter’s Tale” is set to begin filming on October 29, 2012 in New York. Principal actor casting is taking place in New York, as well as all extra casting. The film is based on the bestselling 1983 novel of the same name by Mark Helprin. It is a fantasy story set in 19th Century and present-day Manhattan that revolves around a thief, a dying girl, and a flying white horse. The film originally had a $75 million budget, however the studio dropped the budget to $46 million. Shooting runs from October 29, 2012 through January 30, 2013.
The talented and bankable cast includes Golden Globe Award winner Colin Farrell as Peter Lake, a man who changes the world by sacrificing his life for a child; British Independent Film Award nominee Jessica Brown Findlay as Beverly Penn, a young girl dying from pulmonary tuberculosis; Academy Award winner William Hurt plays Beverly’s extremely protective and wealthy father Isaac Penn; Academy Award winner Russell Crowe portrays the notorious gangster Pearly Soames; and two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith plays a supporting role of a Judge.
“Winter’s Tale” is being directed by Academy Award winning writer Akiva Goldsman, who also wrote the adapted screenplay. It has taken Goldsman seven years to finally get this film made, and was able to sign Russell Crowe and Will Smith to smaller roles in the film in order to make the project more appealing to the studio. The two actors have previously worked with Goldsman three times each. Some of the writing credits for Goldsman are “The Client,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Cinderella Man,” “I Am Legend,” “The Da Vinci Code,” and “Angels & Demons”. This will be Goldsman’s feature film directorial debut.
Producing “Winter’s Tale” will be Primetime Emmy Award nominee Marc Platt of Marc Platt Productions. Prior to opening his own production company, Platt served as president of production for three movie studios – Orion, Tristar, and Universal. In addition to writing and directing “Winter’s Tale,” Akiva Goldsman in also producing under the banner of his company Weed Road Pictures. Kerry Foster, President of Production at Weed Road, had also been producing this film but recently left to sign on as executive at Chernin Entertainment. Michael Tadross will oversee production for Warner Bros. Pictures.
Minors and foreign talent must be legally eligible to work in the state of New York and in the United States.
The New York Actors Resource Guide eBook includes the following information and documents for adults, minors, and foreign talent who would like to work as an actor or extra on film and television productions in New York and the United States:
• New York Child Performer Information Sheet
• New York Child Performer Permit Combined Application
• New York Child Performer Trust Accounts Information
• New York Verification of Satisfactory Academic Performance
• New York Child Performer Employer Certificate Combined Application
• USA Child Actor Work Permit Requirements – State Statues
• USA Immigration Work Permits and Visas
• USA Non-Immigrant Visa Application
In addition to the following New York Actors Resources:
• Audition Tips
• How To Make an Audition Video
• New York Casting Directors List
• New York Extras Casting Directors List
• New York Talent Agents List
• General Talent Agent Information
• New York Acting Classes List
• New York Headshot Photographers List
• Actors Unions
• Sample Actors Resume
• Sample Beginning Actors Resume
• Sample Cover Letters
• Entertainment Industry Terminology
• Miscellaneous New York Resources
• PDF Users Guides
The Actors Resource Guide eBooks are available here.
Principal Actor Casting
See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.
Submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.
New York:
Cindy Tolan
Lora Kennedy
27 W. 20th Street
Street 606
New York, NY 10011
Extras Casting
New York:
Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting
420 West End Avenue
New York, NY 10024
Extras Registration Page
Note: Extras casting will not begin until sometime in October, 2012.
Production Companies:
Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.
“Winter’s Tale”
Production Office
34-12 36th Street
Third Floor
Astoria, NY 11106
Weed Road Pictures
4000 Warner Blvd.
Building 81
Suite 115
Burbank, CA 91522
Marc Platt Productions
100 Universal City Plaza
Bungalow 5163
Universal City, CA 91608
Warner Bros. Pictures
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
Producers: Akiva Goldsman, Marc Platt, Michael Tadross
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Starring:
Colin Farrell – Peter Lake
Jessica Brown Findlay – Beverly Penn
Russell Crowe – Pearly Soames
William Hurt – Isaac Penn
Will Smith – Judge
Story:
New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake (Colin Farrell), orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter, a middle-aged Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn (Jessica Brown Findlay), a young girl, who is dying.