Details
Union:
Union
Area of media:
Feature Film
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
UBCP/ACTRA Ultra Low Budget Program
Deadline:
Oct 18, 2023
Shooting starts:
Nov 20, 2023 Rehearsals start o/a November 6-20, 2023 (TBD)
Shooting finishes:
Dec 15, 2023
Shooting locations:
Vancouver, BC
Cities for response:
Vancouver
Comments
“We are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. Submissions for nondescript roles will be accepted for all performers, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, disability, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity or any other basis prohibited by law, subject to legitimate casting objectives.”
Storyline
The Chinatown Diner is a Coming of Age, Crime Drama with a sprinkle of HipHopera and Horror. When aspiring beatmaker Riki Meng is forced to handle her father’s real estate business, she falls in love with the doomed to be demolished greasy spoon diner by day / Asian hip hop club by night, Chinatown Diner, and sets out to save what her father is trying to destroy while avoiding gangsters and the ghost in her basement. The Immortals, a hip hop troupe from the future, tells this story on their virtual podcast for the gods and ghosts. This story is a modern retelling of the origin story of Buddha.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | RIKKI MENG | |
Description Character uses she/her pronouns. Mid - Late 20s. Chinese. Beatmaker [witchy lofi vibes in all black overalls and bucket hat]. A rich kid who has left her family home in China seeking independence, and to find herself and her voice in Vancouver Canada. Lonely and depressed, Rikki finds community, home and family in the Chinatown Diner and its menagerie of colourful characters. She is at odds with her ruthless real estate mogul father who forces her to conduct his business putting her in grave danger. A gender-reverse reference to Prince Siddhartha, the first Buddha...LEAD. (Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin is an asset but not required.) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | OLDER RICKIE MENG | |
Description Character uses she/her pronouns. 50s-early 70s. Chinese. Narrator. Storyteller. [An elder lady with smile wrinkles etched]. Rikki Meng grew up to be a secret philanthropist to help Chinatown continue to grow and thrive, and she tells the story of when she first fell in love with Chinatown...SUPPORTING LEAD | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | MULA | |
Description Character uses she/her and/or they/them pronouns. Early 20 - 30s, East Asian. The Gen-Z number 2 and right-hand to the head, Uncle Chan of an organized crime syndicate. She has been attempting to slowly change the crime syndicate into a progressive and reformed organization...SUPPORTING. (Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Taiwanese are an asset but not required.) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | HYPE G | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Late 20s - Late 30s, Asian, Black or Biracial (Black/Asian). Rapper/MC/Slam Poet [MC Jin X Monkey King in the year 3000 silk-punk x cyber-punk x Jet Set Radio x Bomb Rush Cyberfunk fashion]. A member of The Immortals, a hip-hop troupe who uses their virtual podcast for the gods and ghosts to tell the story of someone very important to them who recently passed...SUPPORTING (Rap and/or Singing abilities are an asset, please note any experience). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | KIM-CHI | |
Description Character uses they/them or she/her pronouns. Early to Late 20s, Filipinx or Southeast Asian. Rapper/Slam Poet and keyboardist [in colourful clown makeup and overall almost like a character from Blue Clues]. A member of The Immortals, a hip-hop troupe who uses their virtual podcast for the gods and ghosts to tell the story of someone very important to them who recently passed...SUPPORTING. (Rap, Singing and/or Piano abilities are an asset, please note any experience). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | BEATBOX MONK | |
Description Any Gender. Early 20s-Late 30s. Asian. Beatboxer and guided meditation livestreamer [Androgynous femme or ENBY in traditional buddhist monk garb with big fat headphones]. A member of The Immortals, a hip-hop troupe who uses their virtual podcast for the gods and ghosts to tell the story of someone very important to them who recently passed...SUPPORTING. (Shaved head not required but an asset, also seeking those with long hair or alternative hairstyles) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | DJ WITCH | |
Description Character uses she/her and/or they/them pronouns. Early to Late 20s. South Asian or East Asian. DJ [Quan Yin meets Dominatrix]. A member of The Immortals, a hip-hop troupe who uses their virtual podcast for the gods and ghosts to tell the story of someone very important to them who recently passed...SUPPORTING (DJ Skills an asset, please note any DJ experience). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | UNCLE CHAN | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. 50s-early 70s, Chinese The head of an organized crime syndicate, an unmerciful man who will stop at nothing to protect his enterprise and seek revenge against those who caused harm to his family. He is the dragon, the head of the family, and the personification of Guan Yu, god of war...SUPPORTING (ability to sing an asset but not a requirement). Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Taiwanese are an asset but not required. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | MR. MENG | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. 50s-early 70s, Chinese. Riki’s stern and over-controlling father [tired and wrinkled, couldn't tell if he was wealthy because he's wearing frumpy athleisure but has a nice looking watch and gold ring]. While he resides in China he forces his daughter to handle his shady real estate business dealings. Growing up in deep poverty in China in the 60s, he vowed to never allow his family to feel the same hunger, but this drive has pushed them away. He is haunted by a deep past regret and guilt from the collapse of a school he built...SUPPORTING. (Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin is an asset but not required). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | GHOST CHILD/LITTLE STAR | |
Description Any Gender. 11-13 years old. Chinese. A benevolent young ghost child living in Riki’s basement who keeps her company...SUPPORTING (please note any singing or dancing experience, Mandarin is also an asset but not required). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | CONNIE | |
Description Character uses she/they pronouns. Mid 20s-Early 30s. Chinese or Biracial Chinese. The embodiment of Quan Yin [Wears a jade pendant of Quan Yin, fashionable, colour knit-core with flowy fabric]. They aim to help as many people as they can. Their warmth and generous kindness is somehow apparent just from looking at them. Adored by the community, the hopeful and level headed Connie leads the fight against gentrification and saving the Chinatown Diner from being demolished...SUPPORTING (Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Taiwanese are an asset but not required). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | AUNT LISA | |
Description Character uses she/her pronouns. Mid 40s-Early 60s, Chinese. Spunky, funky, sassy, fashionable, warm, and always caring for others. Aunt Lisa makes you feel at home when you come to the Chinatown Diner. She works with the community to save the building...PRINCIPAL (Please note any additional language abilities, Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Taiwanese are an asset but not required.) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | JILL WANG | |
Description Character uses she/her pronouns. Early 40s-Mid 60s. East Asian. A bubbly and cheery realtor who expresses the upsides of gentrification...PRINCIPAL | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | GONG GONG YOUNG | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Late 50s-70s. Chinese or Biracial Chinese. The man who can sing or play any song / legendary guitarist from Chinatown's 60s nightlight who used to tour with Nina Simone...PRINCIPAL (Seeking strong singers and guitar players) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | LOU | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Mid 20s-Mid 30s. Open ethnicity. [The mad producer who never takes off his headphones] Lou is a local legendary music producer whose goal is to create the mythical healing sound and is known for his eccentric personality and saying controversial things for the sake of saying them. He's also a recovering addict and getting treatment for his schizophrenia. Lou doesn't come across as a "crazy" person as traditionally portrayed in media. He know what he has, and because of his caring friends, he's getting better. Lou claims that Spicy is his rapper and is jealous that Riki is collaborating with Spicy, he confronts Riki in the diner on a day he hasn’t taken his medication...PRINCIPAL | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | ELDER JO | |
Description Character uses he/him or she/her pronouns. Late 60s-Early 80s, Indigenous. A staple in the Chinatown Diner, Elder Jo is not having a good day and is comforted by an old friend...ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | MERCEDEZ | |
Description Character uses she/her and/or they/them pronouns. Mid 20s-Mid 30s. Open ethnicity. The intimidating and silent type. This buff bodyguard assists their crime boss with a large duffel bag...ACTOR (3 scenes). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | WILL WANG | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Early 50s-Early 60s. Asian. The grumpy and tired husband of a successful, breadwinning, realtor matriarch...ACTOR (non-speaking). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | ALEX | |
Description Character uses he/him and/or they/them pronouns. Mid 20s-Mid 30s. BIPOC. Queer. Alex questions Spicy on why he doesn’t have any female platonic friends...ACTOR | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | GANGSTER 1/MIKE | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Mid 20s-Mid 30s. East Asian, Filipinx or Southeast Asian. This gangster breaks into a house with their crime boss and pulls their gun on the homeowner…ACTOR (please note any stunt/fight experience). | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | YOUNG HENRY YOUNG | |
Description Character uses he/him pronouns. Late 20s, Chinese or Biracial Chinese, 60s stylin hair pompadoured in a broad-shoulder suit, playing guitar and singing for his girlfriend...ACTOR (Seeking strong singers, guitar skills an asset) | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | YOUNG ESTHER | |
Description Character uses she/her pronouns, Mid 20s, Chinese, [like Maggie Woo in In The Mood For Love, elegance in a colourful cheongsam dress]. Deeply in love while listening to her boyfriend play guitar...ACTOR (non-speaking) | ||