Details
Union:
Union
Area of media:
TV Series
Network:
Bell, Crave
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
Actra ipa
Deadline:
May 25, 2023
Shooting starts:
July 6, 2023 Dartmouth July 6-Aug.11 and Hamilton, Aug 16-25
Shooting finishes:
Aug 25, 2023
Shooting locations:
Dartmouth, NS July 6-Aug.11 and Hamilton, Ont. Aug.16-25 (and surrounding areas)
Cities for response:
Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Sudbury
Storyline
The Trades is an exciting, hilarious new half-hour comedy series set in a working-class town where the stress and high risks of working in a refinery are balanced by the comedic, high-wire and outrageous antics of its plant workers.
Similar shows/tone: Shameless, Eastbound and Down, It’s Always Sunny, Workaholics, Fargo (in a refinery)
THE TRADES - FIRST SEASON OVERVIEW
The giant flare stack of the Conch Industries refinery burns over Imperial Valley, Nova Scotia, like a beacon of economy, ingenuity, and incendiary personalities.
Here is where we find Todd Stool, proud pipefitter for Union 519, who for over 20 years has worked his way up from apprentice to (almost) site manager – a job that he fully expects to be his when current site manager, Bennett, falls into a drug induced coma in the pilot. But unfortunately for Todd, Conch corporate office sends Chelsea – an aspiring hotshot executive – to Imperial Valley to clean shop, and unbeknownst to everyone (including Chelsea), shut down its operations.
The cast of hilarious tradespeople and refinery workers create a community of pranksters, labourers, friends and enemies. Enter Todd’s sister, Audrey, who finds the motivation to leave her tedious life in retail for a career path in the trades. She applies to Imperial Valley as an apprentice carpenter, which stresses Todd out and disrupts the flow of his crew.
It only gets more complicated when Audrey strikes up a special friendship with Chelsea, and tensions rise between the tradespeople and management. But what started out as rivalry between Todd and Chelsea slowly becomes common ground as Todd realizes he might be the only pipefitter in town who can stop an extinction event which threatens every citizen in Imperial Valley.
Similar shows/tone: Shameless, Eastbound and Down, It’s Always Sunny, Workaholics, Fargo (in a refinery)
THE TRADES - FIRST SEASON OVERVIEW
The giant flare stack of the Conch Industries refinery burns over Imperial Valley, Nova Scotia, like a beacon of economy, ingenuity, and incendiary personalities.
Here is where we find Todd Stool, proud pipefitter for Union 519, who for over 20 years has worked his way up from apprentice to (almost) site manager – a job that he fully expects to be his when current site manager, Bennett, falls into a drug induced coma in the pilot. But unfortunately for Todd, Conch corporate office sends Chelsea – an aspiring hotshot executive – to Imperial Valley to clean shop, and unbeknownst to everyone (including Chelsea), shut down its operations.
The cast of hilarious tradespeople and refinery workers create a community of pranksters, labourers, friends and enemies. Enter Todd’s sister, Audrey, who finds the motivation to leave her tedious life in retail for a career path in the trades. She applies to Imperial Valley as an apprentice carpenter, which stresses Todd out and disrupts the flow of his crew.
It only gets more complicated when Audrey strikes up a special friendship with Chelsea, and tensions rise between the tradespeople and management. But what started out as rivalry between Todd and Chelsea slowly becomes common ground as Todd realizes he might be the only pipefitter in town who can stop an extinction event which threatens every citizen in Imperial Valley.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | Homer | Male 38 - 48 Years old |
Description Open EthnicityONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS conspiracy theory type, erratic, impulsive, worked up Occupation: Pipefitter (Todd’s main crew) Homer is a tightly wound, conspiracy theory type with deeply troubled, hilarious opinions on almost everything. For Homer, to say he gets lost in rabbit holes is an understatement perpetuated by fake news, and you should put your tin foil hat back on and listen to him. He loves his energy drinks and will probably die of a heart attack from them. Homer is a journeyman favourite as he gets shit done and fast and isn’t afraid to work overtime. While in OT, he endlessly spins his theories and soaks in hot gossip while making welds. He married a woman that is out of his league and his children are hyperactive and prone to misbehaving. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | Roach | Male 21 - 36 Years old |
Description Open Ethnicity -ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS6-8 Episodes , stoner, laid back, competent when he wants to be Occupation: Pipefitter (Todd’s main crew) Roach is a chronic wake-and-bake type and the first guy that will fail a drug test but first one picked for a foosball tourney. His nickname comes from the copious amounts of pot he ingests, inhales or absorbs through his body, although he’d argue it’s self-medication. He’s a good tradesman when he applies himself but enjoys pulling pranks and the social side of work mostly. His calm, stoner demeanor sometimes hides his mischievous, sneaky behaviour – but it is all eclipsed by his sometimes child-like wonder at the world’s most simplest things. And that’s the chronic talking. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | Dewey | Male |
Description Open Ethnicity-ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS6-8 Episodes , Quirky, awkward, oddball, foul-mouthed, clingy Occupation: Apprentice Pipefitter (Todd’s main crew) Dewey is the ultimate “yes man” even though he worries about everything and over-compensates his awkwardness by talking too much and throwing in oddly placed expletives. His jokes are poorly timed, and he hasn’t mastered the art of sarcasm which makes many situations with Dewey just extremely, humourously, difficult. His nickname comes from his multiple DUIs. He has been known to write fanfiction (mostly vampire-erotica) and attends comic cons when not trying to figure out where the black mold in the water fountain came from. He can be annoying. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | Steph | Female 23 - 48 Years old |
Description Open Ethnicity ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS6-8 Episodes witty, tough, charismatic, focused on safety Occupation: Safety Rep It takes a special breed of person to tolerate a male-dominated workplace, but Steph is so laser-focused on safety, she sometimes isn’t aware of things that don’t relate to protocols and mandates. It helped that she grew up with six brothers. Steph is always the first one the guys fall for but she’s quick witted and untouchable. She is passionate about keeping the gang out of the emergency room and Imperial Valley’s safety record clean; which is no small feat with all the shenanigans abounding under her watch. Her backstory is unknown and often the hot topic of conversation at the lunch table. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | Taser | Male 30 - 46 Years old |
Description Open Ethnicity ,ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS6-8 episodes physically large, intimidating, big heart, introspective at times Occupation: Pipefitter (Todd’s main crew) NOTE: Partial nudity, actor will be pressing their buttock up against the side of a truck to leave an imprint in the dirt. Taser is a giant man with a heart of gold, that got his nickname from a story where he was tasered at a concert by police and never went down. He is an always-present, hard-working grunt tradesman for the crew. He is notorious for showing up to work hungover but willing to grind through it and sometimes shows his introspective side when he opines “the best movie name to describe your poo” in the literary vault known as the washroom stalls. He is shocked when some of his antics gets him terminated from the job and seeks to win over the corporate Sensitivity Trainer (what could go wrong there?). He often eats a full rotisserie chicken in one sitting at lunchtime and most of the coveralls and hardhats don’t fit him, or his heart | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Series Regular | James “Jimi” Deluca | Male 50 - 68 Years old |
Description Italian male,ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS6-8 Episodes Ornery, stubborn, old school, by-the-book perfectionist Occupation: Former Laborer but now runs the tool crib Jimi is an old-school guy that’s been working in the trades since his teens. Dirt is so worked into his skin that it defines the wrinkles of his face. Jimi runs the tool crib where all trades congregate to rent out their equipment. It’s a gig that requires a bad cop, and Jimi is perfect for the role as he knows the rules, when to break them and who’s getting around them. He takes pride in his work and can’t take it when some of his colleagues don’t take tasks as seriously as he does. On weekends he can be found picking weeds from his lawn and watering his driveway. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Recurring | Marcus Wright | Male 30 - 48 Years old |
Description Black,ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS4-5 Episodes RS looks intimidating but jovial, compassionate on the inside Occupation: Security Guard (Former CFL player) Marcus is an imposing, confident man with a resting angry face, but he is the kindest person you will encounter at the refinery. He hangs out inside the security booth at the entrance and is in charge of safekeeping the site, something that is seldom breached until a rogue environmental activist unleashes a wild flock of birds on the refinery. Marcus knows everyone by name, nickname, and small details about everyone’s personal lives but sometimes forgets to do rudimentary guard duties like check the vehicles entering and leaving. He genuinely loves his job and will always take the high road, unless you break the rules, then he will be your worst nightmare. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Recurring | Robert Black | Male 22 - 55 Years old |
Description Black -ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERSCaribbean, 2-3 episodes measured, restrained, voice of reason, moral compass Occupation: Carpenter A likable carpenter with an interesting yet truthful nickname, Black Bob doesn’t take himself or life too seriously. Known for his hard work and cool demeanor, Black Bob is one of the boys through and through. Although he is not one to pull pranks out of respect for the job and Imperial Valley, he has no problem talking shit and slinging verbal jabs every once in a while. Most times, he’s the voice of calm and reason and the smartest person in the room, not named Medhi. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Recurring | Leonard | Male 25 - 38 Years old |
Description Asian ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERSOPEN TO TRANS, CIS AND NON-BINARY intellectual, astute professional, enamored of Medhi Occupation: Junior Engineer A junior engineer at conch industries and a direct subordinate of Medhi. Leonard loves the career he has chosen and feels fortunate to be able to work with a genius like Medhi. He loves all things mechanical and his fascination with mathematical equations, complex machinery and machinery means he is always at home within the refinery. Fully aware of the demons Medhi is fighting, Leonard wants to help him but is fearful of overstepping. At the end of the day he is in awe of Medhi and wants to learn as much as he can from him. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Large Principal | Janet Fransen | Female 30 - 48 Years old |
Description Open Ethnicity ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS1 episode Open to cis and trans females (cis is whatever gender you are now is the same as presumed at your birth) , wants calm but is high strung, driven, wants to elevate others Occupation: Sensitivity Trainer – 1 Episode Janet is a contract worker brought in by Chelsea to help control inappropriate behavior and pranks at the refinery, in hopes of increasing workplace inclusivity, camaraderie and productivity. She’s a wound-up type who knows what she does is sometimes a performative, fruitless gesture, which makes her an easy target. But Janet will absolutely lay down consequences if anyone steps over the line. She’d rather call-in than call-out, but her work at Imperial Valley will take her calm, empathetic, patient best to help bend the arc of sensitivity toward all the tradespeople and staff there. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Charles Conch | Male 65 - 78 Years old |
Description Caucasian pls suggest ONTARIO residents as this is only shooting in Ont.2 episodes driven, merciless, egotistical, oil baron, business tycoon Occupation: Owner and Ceo of Conch Industries The ruling patriarch of Conch Industries, East Texan Charles Conch has only one thing on his mind: "Money". An abrupt and direct type of person, Charles doesn't waste time on small talk or pleasantries. Charles inherited Conch Industries from his father Otis Conch who brought the company to prominence during WWII making synthetic rubber for the war effort. Through ruthless and shrewd business practices, Charles grew and transformed Conch Industries into a petro-chemical powerhouse, expanding its operations into multiple countries around the world. Now he has his sights on finally dealing with Imperial Valley and sends his rising star Chelsea there to do his dirty work. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Barb Forvath | Female 35 - 42 Years old |
Description Open Ethnicity ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS2-3 episodes hilarious, quick-witted, former girlfriend of Todd Occupation: Conch Industries Accountant Barb is one part of the overworked, underpaid “Bum & Bummer” accounting team at Conch Industries. She is best friends with Beverly aka Bummer, who has worked with her as a team as long as anyone in Imperial Valley remembers. There is pretty much no activity or event that these two do not do together and these lifelong friends that have each other's back no matter what. Barb was a former love interest of Todd, and they dated for several months – which is the focus of many hot gossip takes around the refinery. The couple parted ways after a hilarious misunderstanding involving body modifications, and Todd’s unwillingness to get a certain matching tattoo. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Beverly Phillips | Female 35 - 42 Years old |
Description open ethnicity, ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS2-3 Episodes firebrand, fast with numbers, loyal friend Occupation: Conch Industries Accountant Beverly is an accountant at Conch Industries and is best friends with Barb, who both make up the overworked, underpaid “Bum & Bummer” accounting team, Beverly aka “Bummer” is an outspoken and fiery personality. She puts most people before herself and will defend those important to her without question, namely her bestie, Barb. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Felipe Rosarios | Male 21 - 26 Years old |
Description Latino male - open to trans or cis males or non-binaryONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS 2-3 Episodes Occupation: Labourer/Custodial Staff , compassionate, competitive, goes the extra mile A newly landed immigrant, Felipe has called the Conch home for the last 2 years. His compassion for others is only outclassed by his work ethic. Always friendly and rarely down, Felipe is still learning English which leads to misunderstandings in the workplace, but his bright energy and warmth is a welcome addition to the refinery’s team members.. He has family back home in Chile that he talks about often. Felipe is proud to call Canada his new home and is determined to build a prosperous life here. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Khabir | Male 14 - 18 Years old |
Description South East Asian - open to cis or trans males, or non binaryONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS/Residents 1 episode Rude, obnoxious, gamer type and teen entrepreneur Occupation: Internet Accountant Contractor Khabir’s involvement in Conch Industries was the direct result of site manager Bennett’s bad decision making. As Bennett’s professionalism and mental stability deteriorated, he outsourced various elements of his job to the lowest bidder from around the world. Khabir was selected from an internet database with zero vetting and no credentials. His poor and arguably fraudulent accounting work is a chief reason why Chelsea is so alarmed in the aftermath of Bennett’s coma-induced firing. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | Rod Stool | Male 60 - 70 Years old |
Description Caucasian ONLY OPEN TO ONTARIO OR NOVA SCOTIA TAX PAYERS2 episodes Todd and Audrey’s father, veteran union man, salt-of-the-earth Occupation: Retired Carpenter Rod is a retired Carpenter with a passion for the unions, stuff to put in his garage, and golf. Seven years widowed, Rod is still trying to adjust to the bachelor lifestyle and is only mildly winning at it. Now retired, his concerns usually pertain to his kids: Todd and Audrey. Rod isn’t the most emotionally available father, but when Audrey joins the Carpenters Union and follows in his footsteps, he beams with pride and she becomes his favorite child, much to the frustration of Todd, who’s already been a tradesman for over 20 years. | ||