Although once film-active Wisconsin lost its healthy film incentives a few years ago, “There’s still a good sized talent and theatre group between Milwaukee and Madison that I want to serve with expert instruction and insight,” says Milwaukee film and TV show producer Rex Sikes.
Towards that end, Sikes is hosting Hollywood casting director Paul Weber CSA, an “Art of the Audition” workshop, Saturday, June 23, in association with The Art Institute of Wisconsin and the Southeastern Wisconsin Arts Guild in Milwaukee.
He is extending an invitation to Chicago area actors, casting directors and directors to attend Weber’s workshop to help talent effectively learn how to move up and get better roles in films, TV shows and commercials by improving their audition techniques.
Weber knows whereof he speaks. He has been a casting director on 67 TV series and films over the past 20 years and is currently also a producer. He is probably best known for casting TV series like the current Spartacus series for Starz, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis, Dead Like Me, Poltergeist: The Legacy and many movies for MGM Home Entertainment.
The workshop’s first half will deal with what casting professionals expect from actors, what makes certain actors successful, how to use branding and marketing to advance your career, how not to get an agency and the importance of headshots and resumes and how to get them noticed by the right people.
The second part deals with what actually happens at the audition cold reading techniques and script analysis, making sure you read your best the first time and why actors fail.
The audition workshop will be held Saturday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 320 E. Buffalo St., third floor, Milwaukee. Space is limited. Special tuition rate of $150 for RealChicago readers until Thursday, June 21, when it is $175. To register, contact Rex Sikes or call 262/790-1993.
