Safehouse – A Feature Film written by Samuel Jurisic – Directed by John Tasker
Synopsis
Safehouse is a feature film that follows 6 high school seniors as they spend one last night in their sacred party house. Joined by Party Girl, a personified hallucination of the house itself, these teens stand on the precipice of the rest of their lives. They reminisce in solidarity about the good times they’ve had, console each other about the unknowns of the future, all while hoping they can hold on to their memories.
Audition Information:
Auditions will take place at Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P 2C4) – we are also accepting self-tapes for those who prefer.
Submit by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/VStxba9zsXLRn4iq7 and successful applicants will be contacted with audition sides. Deadline to submit is Friday, July 18.
Characters:
Thomas 17 – he/him – any ethnicity
A skaterboy who likes putting mushrooms in his tea. Thomas is technically homeless, as he lives in the Safehouse. He feels very deeply, including how much he cares about his friends, and is torn with saying goodbye to his home, while also being happy it’ll be gone. He also hallucinates Party Girl, who only he can see.
Max 17 – he/him – any ethnicity
Loud, unapologetic, and prone to drinking an entire two-six in one night. While he also cares deeply about those around him, Max prefers to mask his emotions with humour, and is the last person who wants to talk about the finality of the evening.
Jacob 17 – he/him – any ethnicity
Anxious when sober, and different but still anxious when drunk. Joey is known for taking his shirt off at some point in the night, enjoys asking weird hypotheticals, and worries about whether the group will stay together after they graduate. Has a secret, not-so-secret, thing for Cass.
Cass 17 – she/her – any ethnicity
The unofficial “Mom” of the group. Cass cares what people think about her, but also knows her worth and her true friends. As an avid people pleaser, she tends to avoid conflict and keep a level head – that is until she’s ever brought to a boiling point. Has a secret, not-so-secret thing for Jacob.
Ollie 17 – he/him – any ethnicity
A cool, calm, and collected hippie that smokes cigarettes and enjoys craft beers. As the quieter one in the group, Ollie is easygoing and finds no difficulty in getting along with everyone. He has a very sensitive nature, and is incredibly honest with his friends – all he wants is for the same thing in return.
Molly 17 – she/her – any ethnicity
Steadfast, assured, and doesn’t take any shit. Molly has her whole life planned out, which conveniently acts as a facade for the fact that she’s scared to death about the future. This is Molly’s first and last night in the Safehouse, and is eager if not apprehensive to make some last-minute memories.
Party Girl – she/her – any age – any ethnicity
The personification of Safehouse itself. Party Girl holds every single memory and event that has taken place in the house, and bears the weight of the world that all these young people inhabit. She is the embodiment of life, and fully aware that she’s dying tomorrow. While merely a manifestation of Thomas’ shroom-infused tea, Party Girl also breaks the fourth wall and acts as the audience’s “in” with the group.
Dates:
Safehouse will be filmed in one shot, and so we’ll be rehearsing and staging the film akin to a play. Rehearsals will take place between August 11 – August 29 (specific dates & times TBD) and filming will take place over the course of a few days between August 22 – September 3. We will be creating a rehearsal & shooting schedule based on the availability of the cast.
Compensation:
We are in the midst of raising money for the film through fundraisers and donations. Participation in this project should be assumed to be on a voluntary basis, with the understanding that compensation will depend on how much we receive from donors.
Notes on Casting:
We welcome and encourage submissions from all anyone regardless of gender, age, or race, and encourage applications from artists who are Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour, as well as those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, Disabled/People with Disabilities, and/or Neuro-Divergent.
