In the heart of the Cal Poly campus, student filmmakers enrolled in Media Arts and Technologies: Cinematic Process (ISLA 341) are opening casting auditions for their own written, produced and directed short films. Auditions will be held Tuesday in the Graphic Arts Building, Room 110, from 1 to 4 p.m. No previous talent is required; just a headshot, resume and a one-minute monologue.
The students are actively collaborating in multiple teams, which consist of casting, posting, web, news and tech, according to professor Randi Barros. They brainstorm short film ideas individually, vote on a consensual top three, work to get the casting off the ground and follow up with filming.
Anyone in the community interested can audition for as many roles as they want. There are no limitations, and all identities are welcome, according to Barros.
“We have had babies in the past, people in their 80s, and everywhere in between,” Barros said.
Each script and plot of the film are distinctly unique. One film explores the theme of a queer coming-of-age story. Another film highlights a cowboy experimenting with peyote, a hallucinogenic plant. And the third is a film noir about someone who uses illegal means to get ahead.
The class meets twice a week and functions with a lecture on film production, storyboarding, lighting, sound recording and editing, according to the Cal Poly course catalog. Students then meet in their designated teams to work on their assigned roles in constructing the film.
The casting team posts on the “SLO Auditions” Facebook acting community page. The department also contacts acting coaches at Cuesta College and has connections with the Pacific Conservatory Theatre. They are expecting to see 15 – 25 auditionees this year, according to Barros. The three short films will be showcased at the Palm Theatre in June.