Details
Union:
Non union
Area of media:
Short Film
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
SAG ultra-low budget rate: $249/day USD
Deadline:
Apr 17, 2026
Callbacks:
Apr 20, 2026
Shooting starts:
Apr 24, 2026
Shooting finishes:
Apr 25, 2026
Shooting locations:
East Gwillimbury, ON
Cities for response:
Toronto
Comments
The lead role of Chris is already cast, and his actions are irrelevant to the scene playing out between Marion and Anne. The prelude is: Anne is upstairs, reading in bed. Marion is passed out in the living room with the TV on. She hears the dog barking and comes downstairs to see what's wrong.
What I look for are actors with interesting faces who can deliver memorable performances without coming across theatrical. Real-looking people who are naturally expressive, with the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them compelling, unique, and relatable. Performance wise, we should never feel like we’re watching “acting”. Body language and mannerisms need to feel honest, and line delivery and facial expressions need to read sincere. So when Marion appears in the doorway, swaying slightly from being drunk, it’s not a cartoonish slapstick pantomime. A) he’s a professional drunk and tonight is not one of the nights he’s decided to floor it, and B) like many drunks, he takes pains to conceal it — from both his wife and himself. And when Anne gives him stick about the dog treat, it doesn’t come off sounding like an old sitcom. Despite her annoyance and lingering resentment, she’s got an innate sense of where the line is and will occasionally flirt with it, forever wary of his temper.
What I look for are actors with interesting faces who can deliver memorable performances without coming across theatrical. Real-looking people who are naturally expressive, with the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them compelling, unique, and relatable. Performance wise, we should never feel like we’re watching “acting”. Body language and mannerisms need to feel honest, and line delivery and facial expressions need to read sincere. So when Marion appears in the doorway, swaying slightly from being drunk, it’s not a cartoonish slapstick pantomime. A) he’s a professional drunk and tonight is not one of the nights he’s decided to floor it, and B) like many drunks, he takes pains to conceal it — from both his wife and himself. And when Anne gives him stick about the dog treat, it doesn’t come off sounding like an old sitcom. Despite her annoyance and lingering resentment, she’s got an innate sense of where the line is and will occasionally flirt with it, forever wary of his temper.
Storyline
A desperate son races against time, armed with a detailed plan to commit an untraceable murder, in order to free his mother from her abusive husband.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | Anne | Female 60 - 65 Years old |
Description Anne is the mother of Chris, our lead. She's a youthful 60-65, and maintains an upbeat spirit despite the fading bruises from the recent abuse she’s suffered at the hands of her alcoholic husband. She works as a nurse, not yet ready for retirement, both because she loves it and because it keeps her out of the house and away from him 5 days a week. She’s an optimist with a tender heart, but it’s her own mental illness — co-dependency — that keeps her bound to this toxic relationship. She lives much of her life in fear, of her spouse but even more the idea of being alone. Denial is a powerful drug, but bitterness has a way of creeping in. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | Marion | Male 65 - 70 Years old |
Description Marion is Chris’s step-father, though he’s never come close to earning that moniker. He’s a chronic alcoholic, who doesn’t believe he has a problem even though his drinking directly led to his early retirement from local law enforcement over a decade ago. His oft-ruddy face wears each one of his 65 years and then some. His hobbies include woodworking, fly fishing, and yelling at his television — forever tuned to either MSNBC or CNN — but it’s mostly the latter, along with drinking, that occupies his days. And when he really ties one on, his perpetual verbal abuse turns physical. It’s a pattern that goes way back, and shows no signs of stopping. Somewhere inside is a sad, frustrated little boy. But the only glimpses he ever lets Anne see of that child are in his deeply remorseful apologies following these violent episodes. | ||