Open Call Auditions in Washington State

Open Call Auditions for Actors, Singers & Dancers

Join the cast of the locally-shot show that’s making

superheroes for the kids who need them most.

In “Ghost Sniffers,” an original dramedy in its first season, nine-year-old Faith Forge is the fierce and feisty owner of Ghost Sniffers, Inc., a paranormal investigation firm. Forge employs a bevy of wacky fellow ghost hunters to help her sniff out the truth behind outrageous reports from bizarre clients.

On January 24, 2012, from 1PM to 7PM at the Port Orchard branch of the Kitsap Regional Library, actors, singers and dancers over the age of nine can audition for 29 available roles. Roles are available for children, teens and adults with audition scripts and more information available for free from the “Ghost Sniffers” website.

Though there is no charge to audition, all participants will be seen on a first-come, first-auditioned basis and auditions will end promptly at 7PM.

Episodes 1 through 5 of the show will screen in select theaters in February, featuring talent from the January 24 auditions!

We look forward to seeing you at the Port Orchard branch of the library at 87 Sydney Avenue. All Washington talent are welcome.

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Watch episodes or find out more at www.GhostSniffers.com

Shooting Day 8: Episode 2

Inventory of Important Links (by request)

KickStarter Campaign
http://kck.st/sFWkbW

"Tom Tita, Come Home" Season 1 Pilot, Episode 1
http://youtu.be/TtlCFSt04Z8

Type 1 Diabetes Public Service Announcement
http://youtu.be/Lv15NrqViV4

Episode 1 Trailer
http://youtu.be/np1tKpDniug

Official Blog
http://ghostsniffers.blogspot.com/

Official Website
http://www.ghostsniffers.com

Maxwell looked like a snowman all bundled up and being driven hither and yon today (along with his nebulizer) while his sister, dressed in Forge's bumblebee ensemble, shot scenes in downtown Seattle and in a park (30 degrees -- eek!) with Cris as Agent Skully ;)

We came home to a wonderful surprise: Three new supporters at KickStarter! With just seven days to go until the campaign ends, we're only $985 short of our goal for Episode 3. Every $5 donation really does make a difference.

So... what happens in Episode 3? Well, Forge is called in by the military to investigate Fort Worden in Washington State. We get to see a different side of little Forge -- a serious, introspective side. We also get our first glimpse of the season's Big Bad! Of course, humor still abounds in Episode 3 but "Grandmother's House" (titled this in honor of Forge's real-life and on-screen Army grandmother) gets to show off the golden heart of "Ghost Sniffers."

How's our scorecard today? 16 shots in 20 takes. So our new average for Episode 2 is 1.25:1. We're proud of our focus :) Just *one* more shooting day and Episode 2 is off to editing!

The Show Goes On

Maxwell is under strict orders to rest and be calm. Can he act? Only if he's acting calm! Done!

Today we shot on the home property, shaking our fists (calmly) at the continuing rain but sneaking in 10 shots in 15 takes between cloud bursts. Maxwell was not allowed in any room that wasn't heated and without drafts, and wasn't allowed outside at all. We creatively shot him through doorways and windows, earning us huge smiles from Maxwell as he ceased to worry that the show would leave him behind (never Maxo!).

After a dinner of chicken three ways and much honeyed, hot tea, we dove into the over voice recording. Faith had 91 lines as two characters. Cris had 18 lines as three character. Maxwell (calmly) recorded 20 lines as three characters and Brianne recorded 14 lines as two. Even me, usually exclusively behind the scenes, helped out by taping 7 lines with three characters -- a monster plant, a chipmunk, and a raven. It was a very productive day broken up with nebulizer breaks very four hours and herbal tea at the ready.

We're in the 11th hour for Episode 2 and going strong despite the weather. As a matter of fact, Episode 2 will post online (at www.GhostSniffers.com) the same day that our KickStarter campaign for Episode 3 ends -- just in time to start work on Episode 3 if the KickStarter campaign is successful. The "trick," of course, is that unless we meet our goal (one of the lowest in our category at KickStarter) then we don't see a penny of the pledges (the sponsors aren't actually charged unless the entire goal is promises). Are we hopeful? Eight days to go. We're at $355 now. Yes, we're always hopeful.

Welcome a New EP

Despite the fact that Cris K.A. DiMarco has more fan mail for playing Crazy Cat Lady than any other actor, and despite the fact that she is the only composer for all the original music in the series, Cris has decided she wants more "Ghost Sniffers."

Cris has stepped up as sole Executive Producer and she's out of the gate like a bolt of lightning (how's that for a cool mixed metaphor?).

Here's a peek at her "scorecard" of tasks completed:

Task 1: Secure an audition space for the January 24 open call auditions. Budget $100. Space secured in 24 hours. Cost: FREE

Task 2: Compose and produce 150 audition packets to walk into the schools and drama clubs. COMPLETE.

Task 3: Write and post the audition call at Seattle Actor and in fourteen Kitsap newspapers, on- and off-line. COMPLETE.

Task 4: Manage the Twitter account for "Ghost Sniffers." Begun work yesterday.

Task 5: Renegotiate and secure our big screen venue. Budget: $500. Twice the time secured for $300.

Task 6: Outreach about the KickStarter campaign. Begun. First new pledge received!

Welcome aboard, Cris. We *love* your acting, but we adore you as our EP. Your first two days has rocked socks!

Our First ER Visit

Just past midnight on December 28, we wound up in the ER with Maxwell having an acute asthma attack. He wasn't scared about not being able to catch his breath (!!!) but he was upset about not being well enough to shoot the following day. As Maxwell's director, I suppose I should have been pleased his his priorities, but as his *mom* I tired to impress upon him that him being *alive* was more important to me. He finally admitted that breathing was vital to being able to act.

Turns out, according to the ER staff at St. Anthony's Hospital, that they'd seen quite a few individuals that night for asthma related conditions so something must have been going on (the rain after weeks of dry, cold winter?) and by 5a.m. we were on our way home equipped with new medications and an appointment with his primary care doctor for the following day. Maxwell had indeed been in need of oxygen and several breathing treatments, so I was glad we took him in, but he was also exhausted by the end of it all.

The 28th was spent scrubbing the heck out of every set (indoor and out) to make absolutely sure there wasn't a speck of dust, mold, mildew -- even though the doctor didn't pull that out. I guess that might have been the mom in me. We didn't miss any shooting, after all, because the rain did continue. Our final 40 shots await us! We may actually begin editing before all the shots are in. 

Shooting Episode 2: Day 7

Cobra are hard to work with. Seriously.

Today's shooting was all in manufactured sets -- a conservatory, a basement FB(Paranormal)I office, an office hallway. It reminded me of all the things I love about theater -- the suspension of disbelief, embracing the quarter walls and impressionistic set pieces.

Shooting today involved 94 shots captured in 112 takes (1.19:1) and the realization that rain into every (Pacific Northwest) life must fall. It has been a startlingly dry winter but the skies opened up for us today... most likely because we were schedule to shoot two pivotal scenes outside. One of these scenes involved an expensive, borrowed stringed instrument and the other scene involved two principles on their bellies on the ground. Err... yeah. Both scenes were rescheduled to be shot "the very first day without rain."

Challenges followed us inside, though, as Maxwell was in half the scenes today but was really struggling with his asthma. I know that weather changes sometime trigger his asthma but it was hard because he loves acting so much and was really struggling to catch his breath and not cough. There were breaks for honeyed tea and Vicks rubs aplenty but I always expect there to be special considerations for both kids' conditions. In many ways, Diabetes, Autism and Maxwell's asthma and allergies are a wild card contingency -- not unlike the weather; it's certainly worth it to work with Maxwell and Faith.

Two more days of shooting are left. Tomorrow, in the "Big City of Seattle," and then those tricky "no rain required" scenes. Post-production is going to be a 24/7 bear for three or four days... but again, well worth it.

Oh right! The cobra. So today we had to work a cobra into ten shots. Why? Because we're "Ghost Sniffers" and the outrageous is our every day :) How did it work out? Well, no one was bitten but the cobra was a diva (divo?) or the highest order and I will absolutely *not* be working with him again ;)

Sneak Peak! "Ghost Sniffers" Ep1 Comic Book

The rumors are true :) Character design has already begun on the comic book adaptation of Episode 1, "Tom Tita, Come Home." Here's our intrepid hero, Faith Forge, in her classic "monster ensemble" as envisioned by the comic's designer/illustrator Brianne DiMarco.

As the owner of the "Ghost Sniffers" brand and an all-around control freak, the key elements I was looking for were Forge's pale green eyes, her still face, and her slight build. In terms of costuming, and, in specific, the monster ensemble, I wanted it all -- the monster hat, the black shirt with dusting of color, the matching skirt, and, of course, Forge's always-present insulin pump. Brianne delivered on all counts.