Auditions for 'Twilight' film are scams, says Portland casting agent Lana Veenker
By Margie Boule, The Oregonian
January 05, 2010, 12:57AM
The possibility of sharing a set with "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart might lead many a teen into a scammer's arms. All your teenager wanted for Christmas was a part in the next "Twilight" movie.
Since the first two films in the "Twilight Saga" series, "Twilight" and "New Moon," have been released and the third, "Eclipse," has been shot, teens all over the world are getting desperate. Their last chance to be the kid sitting in the back of the lunchroom, or the teenager behind the counter of the coffeehouse, or even the brown dot on the horizon in a crowd scene, could soon be gone.
So your teen jumps on the Internet and starts searching for audition opportunities. Or your daughter, who belongs to a "Twilight" fan site, gets an e-mail out of the blue from a "casting scout" for "Breaking Dawn," the fourth film in the series.
Don't fall for it.
According to Lana Veenker, who owns Lana Veenker Casting in Northwest Portland, "It's all a scam."
Lana should know. Not only is she a legitimate casting agent, but she's also the casting agent who gave people real parts in the first "Twilight" movie, which was shot in Oregon and Washington.
Which puts her in the hot seat these days when teens want to know how they can be in "Breaking Dawn."
"I'm getting messages on Facebook, on MySpace, on Twitter, on my blog, in e-mails, on voicemail," Lana says. "They're tracking me down any way they can."
A good number have been asking Lana about ads they've seen online or e-mails they've received offering chances to audition.
Lana says the ads and e-mails claim "the deadline is approaching to audition for 'Breaking Dawn,' very imminently. They say 'on Monday,' or 'in a few days.' And they say, 'You'll miss your opportunity unless you register now,' and 'it's free for you to register.'
"But when you go there, you discover 'register' means you give them all your contact information."
Lana followed the links in a few ads and in e-mails that folks forwarded to her. She got to a page that claimed to be a casting call for "Breaking Dawn."
"It says by checking 'apply,' you will send a link with your profile directly to the casting agent."
People who signed up said that once they sent photos and contact info, they started getting messages, supposedly from the casting director. But they couldn't read the messages unless they paid for an account.
It's all a scam, Lana says.
"Anyone who is saying click here to audition for 'Breaking Dawn,' or the deadline is coming up, is lying. 'Breaking Dawn' is not in production. No casting directors have been hired. Nobody is hiring extras."
First of all, "they haven't even announced what city or country they're going to shoot in," Lana says. "They may shoot in Vancouver again," in British Columbia. If they do, "they're not going to hire American extras to shoot in Vancouver. American kids wouldn't be legal to work in Canada anyway without work permits.
"There's no way the production company would hassle getting permits for extras when thousands are dying to be in this who live right there."
Even if Summit Entertainment, the company that produces the films, chooses to shoot in Oregon again -- and there have been rumors it might -- Lana says casting directors would never sift through individual applications for extras. They'd have a casting call and check out thousands at a time.
Kids who think they could be cast in actual roles need a reality check, Lana says. In the first film, a few roles did go to actors who weren't yet famous. "But they were known to casting directors around the country," Lana says. "They weren't just plucked up off the street because they were fans."
Lana thinks "Breaking Dawn" won't be shot until the third film, "Eclipse," is released, which is scheduled for June. "Publicity will need the lead actors until then for press, to go to premieres all over the world and appear on shows like Jay Leno's.
"But even if, say, they were going to start shooting on June 1, the principal casting company would be hired maybe eight weeks before then, and it will work with actors who have talent agents already. There may not be any open calls."
So anything that says casting is "imminent" is wrong.
"And extras won't be hired until a week or so before production."
One last thing: "No bona fide casting director charges anyone money to audition. That's the bottom line."
Your kid wants to be in "Breaking Dawn"? Get him to an acting class. Get her an agent. But you'd better do it fast.
By Margie Boule, The Oregonian
January 05, 2010, 12:57AM
The possibility of sharing a set with "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart might lead many a teen into a scammer's arms. All your teenager wanted for Christmas was a part in the next "Twilight" movie.
Since the first two films in the "Twilight Saga" series, "Twilight" and "New Moon," have been released and the third, "Eclipse," has been shot, teens all over the world are getting desperate. Their last chance to be the kid sitting in the back of the lunchroom, or the teenager behind the counter of the coffeehouse, or even the brown dot on the horizon in a crowd scene, could soon be gone.
So your teen jumps on the Internet and starts searching for audition opportunities. Or your daughter, who belongs to a "Twilight" fan site, gets an e-mail out of the blue from a "casting scout" for "Breaking Dawn," the fourth film in the series.
Don't fall for it.
According to Lana Veenker, who owns Lana Veenker Casting in Northwest Portland, "It's all a scam."
Lana should know. Not only is she a legitimate casting agent, but she's also the casting agent who gave people real parts in the first "Twilight" movie, which was shot in Oregon and Washington.
Which puts her in the hot seat these days when teens want to know how they can be in "Breaking Dawn."
"I'm getting messages on Facebook, on MySpace, on Twitter, on my blog, in e-mails, on voicemail," Lana says. "They're tracking me down any way they can."
A good number have been asking Lana about ads they've seen online or e-mails they've received offering chances to audition.
Lana says the ads and e-mails claim "the deadline is approaching to audition for 'Breaking Dawn,' very imminently. They say 'on Monday,' or 'in a few days.' And they say, 'You'll miss your opportunity unless you register now,' and 'it's free for you to register.'
"But when you go there, you discover 'register' means you give them all your contact information."
Lana followed the links in a few ads and in e-mails that folks forwarded to her. She got to a page that claimed to be a casting call for "Breaking Dawn."
"It says by checking 'apply,' you will send a link with your profile directly to the casting agent."
People who signed up said that once they sent photos and contact info, they started getting messages, supposedly from the casting director. But they couldn't read the messages unless they paid for an account.
It's all a scam, Lana says.
"Anyone who is saying click here to audition for 'Breaking Dawn,' or the deadline is coming up, is lying. 'Breaking Dawn' is not in production. No casting directors have been hired. Nobody is hiring extras."
First of all, "they haven't even announced what city or country they're going to shoot in," Lana says. "They may shoot in Vancouver again," in British Columbia. If they do, "they're not going to hire American extras to shoot in Vancouver. American kids wouldn't be legal to work in Canada anyway without work permits.
"There's no way the production company would hassle getting permits for extras when thousands are dying to be in this who live right there."
Even if Summit Entertainment, the company that produces the films, chooses to shoot in Oregon again -- and there have been rumors it might -- Lana says casting directors would never sift through individual applications for extras. They'd have a casting call and check out thousands at a time.
Kids who think they could be cast in actual roles need a reality check, Lana says. In the first film, a few roles did go to actors who weren't yet famous. "But they were known to casting directors around the country," Lana says. "They weren't just plucked up off the street because they were fans."
Lana thinks "Breaking Dawn" won't be shot until the third film, "Eclipse," is released, which is scheduled for June. "Publicity will need the lead actors until then for press, to go to premieres all over the world and appear on shows like Jay Leno's.
"But even if, say, they were going to start shooting on June 1, the principal casting company would be hired maybe eight weeks before then, and it will work with actors who have talent agents already. There may not be any open calls."
So anything that says casting is "imminent" is wrong.
"And extras won't be hired until a week or so before production."
One last thing: "No bona fide casting director charges anyone money to audition. That's the bottom line."
Your kid wants to be in "Breaking Dawn"? Get him to an acting class. Get her an agent. But you'd better do it fast.
It is being reported that Taylor Lautner snagged an amazing 7.5 million to star in Northern Lights opposite Tom Cruise. Nikki Finki has deduced that with this sum of money Lautner has sky rocketed to being the highest paid teenaged actor in Hollywood over Zac Efron and Miley Cyrus. Fans of Twilight might think he’s worth the price tag, but as Cinema Blend points out, Lautner hasn’t carried a film on his own yet which makes the paycheck that much more impressive.
“Given that Lautner hasn’t carried a single movie without the word Twilight in the title, that’s a pretty significant gamble. Robert Pattinson’s projects beyond Twilight haven’t really gone anywhere, though granted, he hasn’t been groomed as a new star by a studio in the same way. But can the Twilight effect carry on without Bella lurking somewhere in the frame?”
January 2, 2010 ·
Coming in at number 4 the infamous crash scene from Twilight, on Moviefones top 25 Movie Moments of the Decade.
How could anyone ever forget that scene? When I first read Twilight, and read that part, the hair was standing up on my arms and I held my breath. To actually see that on the big screen was amazing. That one scene set all future events for the Twilight Saga in place, and marked the beginning of Bella and Edward’s journey. Even though it was not exactly like the book — it was dead on in all the important aspects. I was quite pleased with how that scene turned out.
This is a poem I wrote in my spare time. I morphed it into a song and entered a contest with it. I won 3rd place! Hope you like.
Repeat: This is about TWILIGHT. No other books.
Going in alone.
No turning back.
I have good intentions,
But this might be my last chance.
I wonder, is the choice I'm about to make,
Really the path I should take.
Hunting me down,
Evil dreams,
Lurking in the shadows,full of pain.
Don't understand,
I'm tired of mind games,
But in the mirror, it's all the same.
Blink of an eye,
Might actually have to say goodbye,
But I hear the voice of my guardian angel,
Calling my name.
Not my last fight,
Not my last hope,
Not my last wish,
Not my last breath...
For now, my heart is mending,
but I'm still alive.
This is about the confrontation with James at the end of the book.
I hope you like it. Rate and review. I'm having doubts...
Repeat: This is about TWILIGHT. No other books.
Going in alone.
No turning back.
I have good intentions,
But this might be my last chance.
I wonder, is the choice I'm about to make,
Really the path I should take.
Hunting me down,
Evil dreams,
Lurking in the shadows,full of pain.
Don't understand,
I'm tired of mind games,
But in the mirror, it's all the same.
Blink of an eye,
Might actually have to say goodbye,
But I hear the voice of my guardian angel,
Calling my name.
Not my last fight,
Not my last hope,
Not my last wish,
Not my last breath...
For now, my heart is mending,
but I'm still alive.
This is about the confrontation with James at the end of the book.
I hope you like it. Rate and review. I'm having doubts...
By Twilight_News
There is a casting scam going on regarding Breaking Dawn that has caught a couple of people. Lana Veenker, who cast several of the roles in Twilight, explains how the scam works and how not to get caught up in something like that!
“If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know how much we hate, HATE, HATE scam artists who prey on aspiring actors and movie fans (especially kids) with fake casting calls.
A new one involving Breaking Dawn, the final installment in the Twilight series, has come to my attention. BE WARNED! As I’ve done in the past, I’m going to dissect it, show you all the red flags and demonstrate how I did the research to uncover the scam artist behind it all.
So next time you get an email like the one below or see something online that sounds too good to be true, you’ll know how to dissect it yourself to find out if it’s bogus or for real. Take note!
twilight is the most awsome movie ever made! I think edward so hot! Before all of you can judge twilight read the book! so if you freakin judge twilight just because its about vampires. your freakin wrong! and edward NOT GAY! if you keep saying that ill kick your freaking head off!
please stop doing that. or your deadddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.
please stop doing that. or your deadddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.