What’s the hottest ticket in town? No, it’s not along the Avenue of the Arts! It’s the ticket for tonight’s presentation at the Historical Society of Frankford, 1507 Orthodox St. See you there! The most fun for $5 you can have anywhere!!!!
Author: Pat Smiley
Sylvester Stallone Started as an Extra! You Can, Too!
Did you know that a film is being made right here in Frankford and Kensington? Did you know the name is of the film is Voiceless? It is a pro-life movie and the producers and casting director as asking if you just might be the right person to be an extra in this movie. Before you decide, there are some things you need to know. There are no speaking parts available. There will be a meal and snacks provided. You will not be paid as an extra – just a chance to make a good movie and maybe even save some lives. Please read everything through carefully and if you’re interested, please email or call. Be sure to have the information ready, the extra casting director needs – Name/Age/Phone/Photo/Available Dates. The most people will be needed September 10th and 11th!
Good luck! Tell them Keep the Faith in Frankford sent you! Remember, if you’re chosen, I’ll be expecting free tickets!!!!
PRELIMINARY DETAILS/GUIDELINES FOR BACKGROUND ACTING IN ‘VOICELESS’
All background roles are non-speaking. Some roles are ‘featured extra roles’, which means you are seen more front and center in the scene.
Shoot days are very long and can range any where from 5-12 hours depending on the scenes being shot. We ask that background talent please bring something to do in the down time. Although they are long days, they are fun!
Official call times for each day are not decided until the night before each shoot date. Sometimes call time can be as early as 5am, but rarely is so. Sometimes call time can be late afternoon between 12pm-4pm. Timing is always determined by the previous day, the time we have each location, among many other factors.
Once I get a confirmation that an individual can join us for a day of shooting, I take their name and number and put them on a list to receive the official details via phone call the night before that date. The official details include call time, location to report to, wardrobe specifications, and any/all details they will need to know for the day. Locations will always be in Philadelphia, and mostly around the Frankford/Kensington area.
This is a volunteer gig. Snacks and drinks are provided on set, and a meal is served for cast, crew, and background talent after eight hours of work.
We will ask that background talent provide their own wardrobe, and we will provide wardrobe guidelines to follow the night before the shoot. This film is modern day and takes place in North Philly, therefore wardrobe will be easy to manage and not over the top.
We will ask that upon arrival background talent fill out a release form and have their photograph taken with that form. The form simply states that the individual has given us consent to use their image in the film.
When background talent arrives on set, they will ask for Julianna, the Associate Producer and Extras Casting Coordinator. She is assisted by three interns, Dennis, Tessa, and Teyquil, who will help background also with anything they might need.
Below are the following shoot dates that we are need of background talent, and specifically what types of people we are seeking for each day:
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 10 – CHURCH SCENE – KENSINGTON (Cumberland St.)
– Seeking upwards of 75 people – diverse group of ages and nationalities
– Families are welcome with young children, teenagers, adults, and elders
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11 – CHURCH SCENE – KENSINGTON (Cumberland St.)
WE WOULD LIKE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO CAME FOR SEP. 1O TO COME FOR THIS SHOOT TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY AND THE FEEL OF A COMMUNITY CHURCH
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12 – OUTREACH CENTER/STREET SCENE – FRANKFORD
– Seeking 4 people to place ‘Locals’ and 6 people to play ‘Street People’
– Ages 18 and older, all nationalities
– The 4 pedestrians we would like to come back for another day of shooting on Sep. 16
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13 – CITY HALL/COURTROOM SCENE – CENTER CITY (PENDING)
– Seeking people to play ‘City Hall People’ (Pedestrians, Business Men/Women), ‘Petty Criminals Waiting in the Courtroom’ (Traffic Violators, etc.), ‘Detectives’, ‘City Employees’, ‘Courtroom Workers’
– Ages 18 and up, all nationalities
– If a specific role appeals, please specify
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15 – CLINIC SCENE – FRANKFORD
– Seeking 10 extras, 3 of them women who are either inside the clinic or outside of it – ages 18 and up, diverse nationalities – the other 7 can be male or female, any age, any nationality
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 – OUTREACH CENTER/BOXING GYM – FRANKFORD
– Seeking teenage boys and girls as well as young boys and girls – ages 3-21, all nationalities
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18 – PROTEST SCENE – FRANKFORD
-Seeking 30 PEOPLE FROM THE CHURCH SCENES ON SEP. 10 AND 11 to represent a pro-life group, and 30 people to represent pro-choice protestors
– Ages 18 and up, all nationalities
– In addition seeking 4 women waiting inside or nearby the clinic
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19 – CLINIC SCENE – FRANKFORD
– Seeking 6 ‘Waiting Clinic Women’
– Ages 16-30 – all nationalities
Celebrate With Us Saturday at St. Joachim Church!
Please join us as we celebrate the Feast Day of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Patrons of Families! Every family needs a St. Joachim and a St. Anne!!!!
All Are Welcome – Frankford Community Spirit Day Honoring Al Stark, Jr.
RAIN or SHINE! This Saturday afternoon, Keep the Faith in Frankford is sponsoring a Frankford Community Spirit Day Honoring Al Stark, Jr. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 4442 Frankford Avenue., 19124 from 2 PM until 4:30 PM. Al Stark, Jr. was an active and vital member of St. Joachim Church and of our nonprofit, Keep the Faith in Frankford, who passed away recently. A very good man who worked tirelessly for God, his church and his community. We miss him dearly and felt that naming this event in his honor was a perfect tribute. Keep the Faith in Frankford started after St. Joachim Church was closed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia last June. Here’s a link if you would like to volunteer. We have many jobs for many of you! See you on Saturday! Come out and see some old friends and make some new ones.
Building Bridges For Learning!
A Virginia Beach school reaches out to Frankford
Across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel lies Virginia Beach, VA. I have a friend who is a Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and she is a Digital Learning Resource teacher at St. Gregory the Great Catholic School in VA Beach. My friend knows that I will take items people are giving away and find them a good home. One of the fourth grade teachers knew that I had taken materials before and asked me if I would like a classroom set of Reading textbooks as they were updating their books. I said, “Sure”. She decided it would be a good time to clean out her closet as well. Soon, the Assistant Principal learned about this and offered all of the old Reading textbooks, manuals, testing materials and supplementary materials from Kindergarten through Grade 4 – over 400 books. Hmm, what to do? Who would want them?
My husband, Bob, you also know him as the Editor of the Frankford Gazette, told me about Nashid Edwards, the co-founder of Concerned Citizens for a Better Frankford. Nashid and his organization have partnered with Stearne School, to help and support them teaching our neighborhood children. I contacted Nashid to see if he would be interested, he contacted the Principal of Stearne and “Yes” was the answer. These books, posters, big books, flashcards, testing materials, etc., could be used as supplementary materials in school and home.
The next step was figuring out how to bring these materials here. Bob and I would drive our RV down to Virginia Beach, load up the RV and bring them home – to Nashid and Stearne. Little did we know, that St. Gregory staff had heard about our coming for these materials and they decided to “pay it forward” by donating more surplus they no longer needed or used that might help other students. By the time Bob and I arrived in Virginia Beach, I think this picture tell the story. Make sure you look down the hallway on the right. There were even boxes behind those yellow doors.
Bob and I could only bring one-half of all of these materials back in our RV. There were 2 tons by the time these generous souls had gathered and boxed up everything. The joy each felt that these materials would be used and would continue to encourage students’ learning was something to see and something never to forget. We packed up our RV and headed home. (At some point we must return to bring up the rest of the “goodies”.)
When we returned, Nashid and his organization were ready to unload, sort and put everything to good use. But every good story has a “back story”. On the way down to Virginia
(l-r) Nashid Edwards, Richard Cook, Pete Specos and Wayne Sledge
Beach, Bob slipped and fell on some oil at a gas station and injured his neck damaging some nerves that affect his eating, drinking and speech. As I write this story, he’s in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for diagnosis and treatment. We are confident of a full recovery and are grateful for all the prayers and support of family and friends.
Richard Cook, member of the 1st graduating class in 1968
As Bob didn’t feel well, Pete Specos, was kind enough to drive the RV (I could drive through the Bay Bridge Tunnel but I wasn’t confident of some of our very narrow Frankford streets) down to Stearne to make the final delivery.
When St. Joachim RC Church closed last summer, many of the parishioners stayed together because of our sense of community. We organized and titled a new nonprofit organization, Keep the Faith in Frankford. This was not just about our church but about ourselves and believing that we can mkae a difference right where we are. We believe that and Concerned Citizens for A Better Frankford believe that, too. I titled this story to show that from start to finish, this was an effort and collaboration between organizations and people who did not know each other but who are in the business of building strong minds. This can only happen if we work together for the good of all of our children.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel photo: VABound.com
