Short Film

Sitting Bird

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Details

Union:

Union or Non union

Area of media:

Short Film

Network:

Paid?:

Yes

Rates:

LEAD (MING) 300/Day, Other supporting roles 200/day

Deadline:

June 14, 2023

Callbacks:

July 15, 2023

Shooting starts:

Aug 19, 2023

Shooting finishes:

Aug 23, 2023

Shooting locations:

Vancouver

Cities for response:

Vancouver

Storyline

Synopsis: Inspired by a real immigrant father, Sitting Bird is a 20-minute film that centers around a Taiwanese immigrant stay-home-father who struggles with feelings of inadequacy within the family. One day he sees a lost flamingo and feels the need to rescue it.

Roles

Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Lead	MING	Male 45 - 55 Years old
Description Ming is a quiet and family-oriented Taiwanese father who immigrated to Canada with his two kids, Anthony and Rita, while his wife Fei stayed in Taiwan to pursue her dream career as a pilot. He speaks native Mandarin with English as a second language. Due to the language barrier, his introverted personality, and his age, he hasn't been lucky in finding a stable job. Additionally, with his kids' activities taking up much of his time, he has since become a full-time stay-at-home father. Although he is not the type of father who initiates conversations with his kids, he is observant and spends time taking them out to play badminton or watching movies at home. Without a strong career ambition, Ming is content with focusing on taking care of the kids and the house. However, society doesn't see it that way, and he is looked down upon by his wealthier immigrant friends. Now that Anthony and Rita have grown more independent, Ming starts questioning his own purpose.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	FEI	Female 45 - 55 Years old
Description Fei is a domestic pilot for Xing Xing Airline in Taiwan. She speaks native Mandarin and self-taught English. Her lifelong dream has been to become a pilot, aiming to eventually fly for a larger airline. When Fei and Ming decided to pursue immigration, she struggled with the dilemma of leaving her job. Fortunately, Ming took on the responsibility of caring for the kids, allowing her to focus on her career. Other immigrant mothers have advised Fei to prioritize spending time with her children rather than work. Fei feels guilty for her frequent absences, so when she visits them, she ensures she cooks every meal and maximizes their time together. However, as the kids grow older, she begins to feel disconnected from her eldest daughter, Rita. Fei finds herself torn once again between dedicating more time to her children or striving to advance her career.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	RITA	Female 16 - 18 Years old
Description Rita is in senior high, she speaks native Mandarin with English as a second language. She experiences the challenges of adolescence while also adjusting to a new language and environment. During this time, her mother, Fei, is not consistently present in her life. As she grows older, she starts to feel a sense of detachment from her mother. Rita has always idolized Fei and aspired to become a pilot like her, but witnessing her mother's frequent absences makes her reluctant to follow the same path. Nonetheless, her fascination with airplanes remains deep inside. To divert her focus from aviation, Rita has developed a strong interest in hip-hop dance and swimming, even considering a part-time job as a lifeguard. While Rita doesn't share much with her father, Ming, she enjoys spending time with him and values their close relationship. She never looks down on him but sees him as a loving and caring parent. However, having a stay-at-home father serves as a constant reminder of her mother's frequent absence in her life.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	ANTHONY	Male 11 - 12 Years old
Description Anthony is a grade 5/6 student who frequently uses English rather than Mandarin since immigrating to Canada at a young age. He enjoys playing soccer, and he is part of a local soccer club, attending practices almost every other day after school. Similar to Rita, he has always viewed his mother as a role model, taking pride in her profession as a pilot and eagerly sharing it with others. Anthony deeply loves his father and enjoys playing card games together. However, at times, he finds himself wishing for more gaming consoles and cool cars like his immigrant friends have.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	Daniel	Male 50 - 55 Years old
Description Daniel is fluent in Mandarin and has some knowledge of English, and is not shy of using it. He owns a successful company specializing in manufacturing auto parts and divides his time between Taiwan and occasional visits to his family in Canada. With an extroverted nature, a strong ego, and an ambitious drive, Daniel has overcome numerous challenges and developed into a proud individual with a touch of narcissism. He openly shares his achievements and holds a deep passion for design and art, particularly admiring figures like Arthur Erickson. He also likes collecting artwork and luxury cars. Daniel became acquainted with Ming and Fei through May, Fei's sister. While he admires Fei's pursuit of her dream career, he harbors secret disdain for Ming's perceived inability to provide for the family. He firmly believes that men should be the primary caretakers and providers, rather than the other way around.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	Alice	40 - 55 Years old
Description Alice is fluent in Mandarin and has a basic understanding of English. She attends English classes together with May, which is how they initially met. Like May, Alice is a stay-at-home mother of two children, although she frequently hires assistance for household tasks. While she is kind and resourceful, Alice remains quite submissive to her husband. Since meeting Daniel in her early 20s, she has not pursued any professional career. Similar to Daniel, Alice has a keen interest in architecture and design, with a particular passion for collecting luxury handbags. Alice shares a closer bond with May than with Fei. Although she is not as familiar with Fei and her family, she intuitively recognizes the differences in their values and lifestyles.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	May	50 - 55 Years old
Description May is Fei's elder sister who immigrated to Canada a few years prior with her three children. She is a devoted stay-at-home mother, taking care of her kids and their mansion, while her husband Lee works and lives overseas. May is a patient and nurturing individual who enjoys experimenting with various cooking recipes. Occasionally, she prepares new dishes and shares them with Rita and Anthony. Despite their wealth, May prefers to find ways to save money. Rather than hiring gardeners, she chooses to work diligently to maintain their two-acre garden herself. May is known for her compassionate nature, yet she is also submissive and obedient to her husband. She never voices complaints or shares differing opinions if they contradict Lee's views.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Supporting	Lee	50 - 55 Years old
Description Lee is the owner of a textile company in Taiwan, with factories in both Taiwan and Vietnam. He speaks native Mandarin with a bit of English. He is a self-made man driven by his career ambitions, and he flies back and forth between Canada and Taiwan. While he may appear amiable, Lee is also highly calculating and possesses a sense of pride. He regards Ming and Fei as family, but internally maintains a certain level of distance from them. Lee perceives Ming as weak and Fei as excessively opinionated.

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