Those of you who have been following this blog for a while know how we feel around here about casting scams, especially those that target kids.


Most recently, we took issue with the unscrupulous companies that advertise casting calls for Breaking Dawn (the final installment of the Twilight saga) on the Internet or via email.


After luring victims to create a web profile on a so-called “casting website,” they inform them that they can only find out about Breaking Dawn auditions if they upgrade to a paid subscription. Of course, the auditions are bogus, as no casting director has been hired yet to cast the film, and if she were, she wouldn’t advertise auditions on a paid website. Instead, she would find established, experienced actors through bona fide SAG-franchised talent agencies.


Apparently, the problem is widespread, as our blog post got picked up by websites such as Access Hollywood and MSNBC.

THE LATEST TWILIGHT SCAM

Well, a new Breaking Dawn casting scam was recently brought to our attention and we wanted to warn others, so they will recognize the difference between a real casting call and an attempt to fleece fans of their cash.


I received the following message from a Twilight fan:

Sorry to bother you as I am sure that you are busy. We had an ad on the a radio here in Calgary saying that if you text this number at this certain time, you would get a call to audition for the next Breaking Dawn movie at [nameless acting & modeling school]. Today they called and booked an audition time for my daughter on Saturday. I was just wondering if you knew anything about this or if it is just a scam to have people join [nameless acting & modeling school]? They said there was a casting director coming.

Without even gathering any more information about this supposed casting call, I can tell you that this is nothing but a ploy to get people through the door. Once they have arrived, victims will have to sit through a sales pitch and be pressured to sign up for acting and modeling classes that are expensive and of dubious quality. Likely, victims will also be pressured to purchase spendy (and useless) photo portfolios or attend a costly “talent showcase” in LA or New York, where, they’re told, they just might be “discovered.”

RED FLAGS GALORE

Here are the red flags I spotted in this message:


Breaking Dawn is not casting yet.


The film doesn’t go into production until the fall. No casting director has even been hired.


Auditions for Breaking Dawn will not take place anywhere where classes are offered, nor will they take place in Calgary.


The film is likely shooting in Vancouver, BC. A real casting company, not an acting and modeling school located in a shopping mall, will be hired to cast the actors.


NOTE: Anytime a company that offers classes or photo portfolios also promotes itself as a talent agency or talent management company: Beware. Real industry professionals know that it is a conflict of interest to do both.


Auditions for any real roles in the film will not be advertised on the radio.


Actors will be hired through bona fide SAG-franchised talent agencies.


(The extras casting company MAY hold an open casting call, but this won’t happen until the film goes into production this fall and actually hires an extras company.


Moreover, it will only be advertised in the Vancouver area or wherever the film is shooting. They do not want to truck extras in from remote locations. There are plenty of people on hand who live nearby.)


The qualification to audition for a film this huge is not one’s ability to send a text message.


The casting directors want educated, established, experienced, professional actors. They don’t have time to waste on these kinds of games. Film is a high-pressure, fast-paced business and producers want only the crème de la crème.


If you want to break into acting, get into the best acting class you can find and train, train, train. Don’t look around for silly shortcuts. Acting is hard work and very competitive.


Who in the Forks is this casting director?


This acting/modeling school claims that a casting director will be there, but since it can’t possibly be the CD of Breaking Dawn, who is it?


And why are they claiming it’s an audition for Breaking Dawn? The film is not yet in production and no crew has been hired.


Period.

@OLTV tweeted,

@delaneyg84, Not bird poop on Rob’s jacket, It looks like he was painting, like doing arts and crafts or painting a canvas. about 19 hours ago via web in reply to delaneyg84

Rob Pattinson always a gentleman,accidentally bumped into manager at restaurant yesterday, excused himself, beamed a smile said hello. about 9 hours ago via web

All I can say, Bella has a temper, there was some smacking and some moron in a helicopter kept ruining shots so it took longer.#Eclipse 1 minute ago via web

I am wondering if they will hear more? I honestly hope the last tweet doesn’t happen too often because as we all know in Hollywood – time is money!

UPDATED: Added a few more tweets!

@PUNKD_Images tweeted,

Right Now Taylor is working in studio with Rob & Kris… All here… RT @MrsJesseStarr: stupid q any idea where taylor lautner is today… about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck

RPatz is all cleaned up and working right now… RT @Eclipse_Movie1: @PUNKD_Images where’s rob patz, plz get some pic’s soon lol.. about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck

I am by Studio where it’s next to impossible to get close.. 3 RCMP cars guarding the Fort… LOL RT @thanstew: are you at the eclipse set about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck

Just saw the big top put up for the first time today and it was amazing. Nothing like an authentic canvas tent glowing under the sun. about 1 hour ago via Twitterrific

News on casting coming soon… Waiting for deals to be locked. 44 minutes ago via Twitterrific

Are you following @Hibbits?

Thank you to maeberry12 for sending this in!

Under the cut due to autoplay!

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I bought this Edition on Mixup. A boxset that included a backpack (or hat or shirt), collection cards, original certificate, and 2 disc movie, 2 bracelets and a tshirt

Greetings Twihards, Twifans, Twilight Moms, Team Edward, Team Jacob and Team Switzerland,


I just want to say hello to all of you and let you know that I’m stoked to be getting underway on the adventure of making BREAKING DAWN. As you’ve probably heard, I’ve been given a very warm welcome by Stephenie and Team Summit – who are super-focused, as you know, on getting these movies right.


I’m pretty busy bringing myself up to speed on what you already know by heart: I’ve read BREAKING DAWN twice, rewatched Catherine’s and Chris’s movies 2-3 times each, have all four CDs playing in my car, and have Catherine’s notebook, Mark Cotta Vaz’s companion books, and even Volume 1 of the graphic novel here on my desk – a corner of my office is starting to look like Hot Topic. I realize that this barely qualifies me for “newborn” status in the universe you’ve been living inside for a few years now, but a guy’s gotta start somewhere.


Like many of you, I’ve always been slightly obsessed with vampires, dating back to the prime-time series DARK SHADOWS, which I followed avidly as a kid. But that alone hadn’t been enough to get me interested in making a vampire movie, even though my early screenwriting and directing efforts grew out of a great love for horror movies and thrillers. Since making GODS AND MONSTERS thirteen years ago, however, I’ve been yearning for a return to a story with Gothic overtones.


The wonderful world that Stephenie has created has obviously struck a chord with you, and I don’t think it’s difficult to see why. For me, her characters are simultaneously timeless, yet very modern. Rooted in a beautiful, real landscape with a great sense of place, Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the rest of the Forks/La Push menagerie, experience emotions that are primal, and universal: desire, despair, jealousy – and it all comes to fruition in BREAKING DAWN. This is a final chapter in the best sense; not just wide in scope and scale, but emotionally charged and intense throughout.


I’m a huge admirer of the already-iconic Kristen, Robert, and Taylor, and wanted to be the one to work with them as they face the challenges of bringing your beloved characters to the end of their journeys. Really, what could be more fun than that?


Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section below, and I’ll do my best to answer them. I hope that this will be the first of many occasions I’ll get to check in with you as we set to work bringing BREAKING DAWN to the screen. I am excited and grateful to have all of you alongside me for my TWILIGHT journey.


All best,


Bill Condon


P.S. Answer #1: No, there won’t be any musical numbers

Over the last few hours, whispers of unrest have emanated from the Vancouver set where Eclipse is filming pick-ups.


Robert Pattinson arrived in the Pacific Northwest a couple of days ago to participate. When he wasn’t in front of the cameras immediately after stepping off the plane, many outlets freaked.


Some even suggested a rift between Pattinson and director David Slade, and that the actor was refusing to be cooperative.


This simply is not the case.


As we speak, Pattinson is on the set filming, a source on the scene confirms to Gossip Cop.


“There are absolutely no problems,” a rep for Summit tells Gossip Cop, adding, “Today is the first day of shooting for Robert Pattinson.”


The pick-ups are underway, as scheduled, and speculation about problems should be curbed in favor of facts.

We all saw the unshaven photos of Robert Pattinson yesterday out on the town with Sam Bradley when he was scheduled to be filming.


I did my set report last night stating that the schedule had been unexpectedly changed.


Yes, movies schedules change, but I can definately say that Rob was supposed to film all 3 days and hasn’t.


So take that as you will and let’s hope “official” word on this situation comes out soon.


Last I heard Rob was on set today and presumably filming though I’ve not seen him or photos of him to see if he has been groomed for filming.


As a fan, I am worried about trying to cram reshoots into only 3 days, 2 of which our star wasn’t filming as scheduled, and only 2 months before the film is released, which is about a month before the final product should be completed. Promotion starts next week for goodness sake!!!


Time is ticking and it doesn’t FEEL like things are going smoothly!


I am not trying to spread my anxiety or stir the pot, I am simply stating my own feelings on the projects current state. This is “Mandy’s Mind” afterall!


As a fan I worry, especially because Eclipse is my favourite of the books and there has already been so much drama surrounding the film. The director choice and vision (newborns=zombies), the editor re-hire, the Bella wig, the recasting of Victoria, re-shoots, its been a rollercoaster of epic proportions.

Dear Ted:
I have a challenge if you’re (legally) willing to accept! My friends and I are all admittedly huge Twilight fans, and this whole “bisexual shenanigans” (or however you put it!) among the cast has got me, my tight-knit group of friends and our collective gaydar going nuts trying to give it our very best in figuring it out! That said, can you name two or three castmembers who are very, most definitely heterosexual? I unfortunately don’t have a rescue dog or kitty (yet), but I do donate to some of our local no-kill shelters every month. Thanks, Ted, hate to love the column, but I so do!
—Mandi

Dear Bi Curious:
Will one Twi hetero tide you over? Billy Burke. Shocker, I know. And thanks for the donations—so important to keep these animals from being killed whenever we can.

Dear Ted:
Just to let you know you are my own brand of heroin, yes I just made a Twilight reference but you are my drug. I feel that the readers, including myself, should get to know the guy behind The Awful Truth. You talk about the celebrities and its time that we get to know you more. I suggest we play a game of 21 questions. So here we go. Question 1: Which celebrity or person would you swing to the other side for? Mine would be Kristen Stewart any day.
—Faye

Dear Answer 1:
Nikki Reed, so I could get back to the other side as quickly as possible.

Dear Ted:
I love all things Robsten but here is my beef. Do Rob and Kristen honestly believe they are fooling anybody with their denial anymore? I get the feeling that the desire for secrecy is coming from Kristen and that if Rob had his way he would shout it from the rooftops because he is really proud of his girl. I may be way off base but it’s just a vibe I get. What do you think, Ted?
—Tina

Dear In On It:
Of course they know you guys know they’re a couple, but they also know that if they admit it you guys won’t get as riled up about their so sneaky outings. Remember, they love watching you watch them, got it?

Source

Set includes:


* The New Moon movie DVD Special Edition
* The novel New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
* The book with scenes from the movies
* A certificate of authenticity
* Collectible cards and a bracelet

Source and Source