News

Tuesday, Jan. 5 Casting

MTV’s “Awkward” alum Monty Geer is set as the lead opposite Lili Simmons in the feature “Clive Boomer’s Success,” a comedic thriller from Leader Media and written by Charles Lawrence.

“Success” tells the story of intrigue, murder and a five million dollar heist. Geer will play Clive Boomer, a cherubic budding stand-up comedian and bank teller who owes a small fortune to the mob. In a cruel twist of fate, he is forced to turn to murder to pay off his debts.

Directed by Carlo Liconti and cast by Donald Paul Pemrick, “Clive Boomer’s Success” is filming near Toronto.

Geer is repped by Connie Tavel at Forward Entertainment and Mavrick Artists Agency.

Monday, Jan. 4 Animation Acquisition

Animated feature Oscar contender “My Favorite War” has been sold to Spain and France for European distribution. Based on director’s Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen’s childhood memories, “My Favorite War...

Casting directors came out from behind the curtain to be honored by their peers last night at the 25th Annual Artios Awards. The bi-coastal awards, which were held simultaneously at the new Times Center in New York City and the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, are presented yearly for outstanding achievement in casting in theater, film, and television categories on the criteria of originality, creativity, and contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project.Celebrity awards presenters in New York were Patrick Wilson ("Little Children," "Angels in America"), Carrie Preston ("True Blood"), Michael Shannon ("Revolutionary Road"), Jennifer Morrison ("House"), Bill Pullman ("Oleanna"), Christine Ebersole ("Grey Gardens"), Vincent Kartheiser ("Mad Men"), and Elizabeth Reaser ("Twilight"). Stanley Tucci and producer Daryl Roth presented the New York Big Apple Award to Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, whose "Love, Loss and What I Wore" recently opened Off-Broadway to rave reviews.

Producer Laura Ziskin, writer-director Nora Ephron, writer Delia Ephron and casting director John Frank Levey will be honored at the Casting Society of America's 24th annual Artios Awards.

Simultaneous awards ceremonies will be held in at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles and the New York Times Building in New York on Nov. 2.

Ziskin is set to receive the group's Career Achievement Award. The New York Apple Award will be presented to Nora and Delia Ephron. Levy is this year's recipient of the Hoyt Bowers Award.

Representing 425 members in the United States, Canada, England and Australia, Cas also announced its nominees in film TV and theater on Thursday.

In the category of big budget feature drama, Ellen Chenoweth scored two noms for "Changeling" and "Duplicity." The category nominees are John Papsidera for "The Dark Knight"; April Webster and Alyssa Weisberg for "Star Trek" and Avy Kaufman for "State of Play.

Check out the poster, images and the trailer from Samuel Goldwyn Films' "Free Style," starring Corbin Bleu, Penelope Ann Miller, Madison Pettis, Scott Patey, Tegan Moss, John Shaw, Tyler McClendon, Hannah R. Lay and Wall Levy. William Dear directs from the writing by Joshua Leibner and Jeffrey Nicholson. Produced by Jim O'Grady, Donald Paul Pemrick, David Reivers, Dean E. Fronk, Corbin Bleu and Rob Cowan. An inspirational and uplifting story for the entire family about a young man’s determination to win a coveted spot on the Grand National motocross racing team. With the support of his loving mother (Penelope Ann Miller, Kindergarten Cop)...