CASTING NOTICE
Production title: Gravity is Only A Suggestion
Union / Non-Union: Non-Union
Production Type: Independent
Project length: Short Film (18 minutes)
Project format: 16:9 HD
Posted on: Sunday, April 26, 2015
Production location: Philadelphia, PA
Production Company: Fractal Features
Company website: website under reconstruction
Director: John Terry Calhoun
Executive Producer: Stephanie Matthews, https://www.stephaniematthews.us
Cinematographer: https://www.vimeo.com/bobweeney
Audition Location: Miss Tootsie’s, 1312 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Shooting Location: Philadelphia
Email: [email protected]
Compensation: No
KEY DATES
Auditions:
Saturday, May 2, 20115 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Sunday, May 3, 2015 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Call Backs: May 15, 2015
Shooting Starts: Mid-June 2015
Shooting Ends: Mid-June 2015
SYNOPSIS
GRAVITY IS ONLY A SUGGESTION is a mock-umentary film with elements of street drama, comedy and magical realism, set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It features a parallel narrative structure with a mix of quirky and oddball interviews from the past, mixed with a more traditional narrative structure in the present.
GRAVITY IS ONLY A SUGGESTION reveals the mystery of Octavius Walker, 39, a former high school All American basketball prodigy who was once considered the number one player in the country and a “can’t miss” pro prospect until after some personal and athletic problems, quits basketball and ultimately disappears never to be heard from again.
That is, until nearly 20 years later when troubled Olympic boxing team reject, Damien Jacobs, 21, is about to be shot by a group of young thugs. A strange and bizarrely dressed man walks into this harsh ghetto neighborhood and to the shock of everyone around begins levitating in an empty lot, the shock of which literally saves Damien from his attackers. A crowd forms and people from different walks of life come to observe “the man who can float on air.” He doesn’t talk. He doesn’t eat. He doesn’t sleep. He smiles calmly, but coyly. Scientists bring equipment and try to determine scientific reasons for his strange abilities, while a range of people from psychics, ministers, and atheists each try to speculate how this “mystery man” is able to do this impossible thing.
The controversy virtually suffocates the community, when a person from the neighborhood recognizes that the mystery man is not at all mysterious, he is, in fact, the legendary basketball superstar, who disappeared so many years ago. This realization shakes the community to its core as through interviews with the people who knew him, a group of individuals with ideas every bit as strange and quirky as Octavius’ peculiar talent, we quickly start to understand the “real story” as to why Octavius quit basketball to walk away from literal millions.
What happened during those nearly18 years that gave him this incredible ability? A set of interviews unravels the story of a young man who developed a near mythic level of physical and mental prowess; a man who embarked upon a spiritual quest to understand the true limits of what his mind and body can achieve, and ultimately, an interview with Amos LaGrange, the retired janitor, who despite barely having graduated from college, read hundreds of books about every topic imaginable, and who became Octavius’ teacher and spiritual mentor.
And finally, we learn the reason for Octavius’ unexpected return and how it relates to the danger Damian is facing in his life…
GRAVITY IS ONLY A SUGGESTION is a story of a man’s journey towards self-realization, and possible redemption, and it is an comedic examination of the powerful role which athletics plays in lives of people in underdeveloped urban communities.
CHARACTER BIOS
[DAMIEN JACOBS] [GENDER: MALE] [AGE: 20-25] [ATHLETIC-ABILITY] [BLACK/AFRICAN/BI-RACIAL] -Damien Jacobs, the troubled son of Octavius Spencer is a compelling and thoughtful young man who struggles to control his intensity.
[OCTAVIUS BUTLER] [GENDER: MALE] [AGE: LATE 30’s – EARLY 40’s] [BLACK/AFRICAN/BI-RACIAL] – Octavius Butler, the father of Damien Jacobs is also known as “The Man Who Can Levitate”. Octavius is the strong/silent type. A man of few words, his body language speaks volumes. Athletic and earthy-looking, there’s an apparent ruggedness about him, from years of experience.
[THE MOTHER] [GENDER: FEMALE] [AGE: LATE 30’s – EARLY 40’s] [BLACK/AFRICAN/BI-RACIAL] – The mother of Damien Jacobs is a strong, proud, no-nonsense, working-class single mom. She is dedicated to her son and works tirelessly to keep him on a positive track in life.
[STREET PUNK #1] [GENDER: MALE] [AGE: 20’s] [ANY ETHNICITY] – A young man has a lot of swag, and a lot of mouth. He knows the mean-streets of life.
[AMOS LEGRANGE] [GENDER: MALE] [AGE: 60-70] [ANY ETHNICITY] – Amos LeGrange is the mentor to Octavius. A sort of spiritual guru, he is the perfect blend of Morgan Freeman+James Earl Jones+Yoda.
[ANY ETHNICITY] In addition we will be casting (12) dynamic, spontaneous, gregarious, everyday looking people for the street-corner/news-style INTERVIEWS. Actors for the interview segments should have some acting experience. Age range 20-50.
If you are not local and/or do not fit the description, do not apply
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