Now casting lead roles for the student short film “Fire in an Empty Room”.

Casting for the roles of:

Henry Roberts M 16-20

Jay’s best friend. He learns that compassion is not weakness. Henry is a boyish 17-year-old with a weak posture and moping demeanor. Henry is regular, orderly, quiet, passive, obedient, hardworking. He is a Junior in High School and outwardly compassionate and dependent on his best friend Jay. Henry is surrounded by a loving support system and feminine energy. He takes pride in his strong work ethic and wants to leave his town for a better future. Henry needs to learn to stand up for himself, he is sensitive, emotionally visible, and stuck between leaving his best friend and doing what is right for himself, even though his friendship with Jay is starting to change and corrupt him. He is later instilled with the fire and violence seen within Jay. Not especially masculine.

Jay Marconi M 17-20 Caucasian Longer hair preferred.

Henry’s best friend. He learns that violence is not strength. A rough household and grew up tough. Jay is self-destructive, corruptively violent, and acts cool at the cost of being inauthentic to himself. Jay is also a 17-year-old high school junior and tries to impress older kids to fit in. He genuinely cares about Henry but is uncomfortable with emotion, uncomfortable needing other people and showing gratitude. Jay is rebellious and punk, an adrenaline junkie, angry and violent inwardly but just wants to belong somewhere and be accepted. His quest for validation leads to the breakdown of his friendship with Henry. Jay needs to learn to apologize and admit his mistakes, to think for himself, and deal with his emotional turbulence. He needs Henry but does not realize, and his fatal flaw is believing compassion is a weakness. Jay lives in a house of all men and masculinity.

*Must be willing to dye their hair red with washout non-permanent dye. May have to cut hair if comfortable.

Please send a video submission to the director, Kurt Ammermann, [email protected]

SHOOT DATES:
January 13-17

Seeking talent from:
Philadelphia, PA

Additional Instructions:
Please send a video submission. No eyeline preference or submission preference. Please state your full name, age, height, the role you are auditioning for, and availabilities.

Title: “Fire in an Empty Room”
Genre: Drama
Runtime: ~20 Minutes
Director/Writer: Kurt Ammermann
Director of Photography: Saba Ahmed
Producer: Ian Coyle

Logline:
Passive high schooler Henry Roberts watches as an angry fire grows within his self-destructive best friend. Can Henry save himself, or will the flames of the conflagration devour them both?

Synopsis:
Obedient high schooler Henry Roberts has been best friends with Jay Marconi for as long as he can remember. But things are starting to change. Henry serves as a passive witness to the tension that divides them. After exploring an abandoned house together, Henry notices Jay’s hesitation to return home. Later that night Jay appears on Henry’s door visibly troubled, asking to stay the night. In Henry’s room, Jay admits he was rejected from college and must make a decision about his future after fighting with his father. In a rage, he breaks Henry’s lamp. Henry, however, can forgive his friend. It was an accident, after all.
The next day Jay and Henry run into Burke and Fitz. Two cruel, older boys. Jay returns a lighter he borrowed from Fitz. Henry, harassed by the two, interrogates Jay about his new friendship. Jay snaps at him. Hurt, Henry relays his inner fears about Jay and his future to Nadia, his coworker. Imagined by Henry, Jay struggles with his inner turbulence alone at his own home in a mirror. At work the following evening, Henry is robbed by three Hooded People. Jay is revealed as one of the robbers and Henry lets them escape.
With tensions higher than ever, Henry is left with a choice: let the flames of his incendiary best friend consume him, or stand up alone for himself.