Days shorten. Nights turn chilly. Air conditioners all of a sudden fall silent. In Central Park, time-minded squirrels wistfully savor the scent of roasted cashews that wafts from the nut-vendor's cart.
Across town, the "Law & Order" casting offices brace for an onslaught of striking new headshots.
And look, there! Dependable as the first crinkling leaf, out ventures Woody Allen: an artist with a mission, a purpose, a vision. But never with a working title.
Yes, autumn fast approaches in New York. And a busy season it will be, too—cinematically speaking.
Director Sidney Lumet completed principal photography on HBO's Strip Search on Aug. 24. The film deals with "crime and punishment in the wake of 9/11." Glenn Close, Daniel Sauli, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Oliver Platt are among the cast.
Todd Solondz (Happiness) directed Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, playwright-actor Stephen Adly Guirgis, and New York theatre stalwart Debra Monk in Palindromes, the story of a girl who runs away and journeys across America. Lensed in Annandale-on-Hudson, the film wrapped on Aug. 24.
Also ending on Aug. 24 was Duane Incarnate, from director Hal Salwen. The pic is about a friendship among four women that's thrown out of kilter when one of them finds the "perfect" boyfriend. Cast includes Kristen Johnston, Cynthia Watros, Caroleen Feeney, Crystal Bock, Peter Hermann, and stand-up fave Jim Gaffigan.
A suspense thriller about an investment banker, One Way (directed by Eugene Plotkin) wrapped on Aug. 2. The indie had been shooting on weekends only, since April 19.
On the One, a comedy-musical-drama about fraternal twins, ended Aug. 13. C.R. Wright shot much of this project in Harlem.
There's enough celluloid husbandry going on in the thriller Pushing the Limit to give botanist Gregor Mendel fits! Director and star Thomas J. Churchill describes the movie as "GoodFellas crossed with Reservoir Dogs crossed with Die Hard crossed with Halloween." The hybrid drama wrapped Aug. 31. Portions of the film were also shot in London, Paris, and California. Cast members besides Churchill include the singularly named Noel, Alan Chan, Milagros Castro, Mario Occhicone, Vinny Vella, Armando Bilancione, Lloyd Kurth, and Peter De Fresco.
Most of the work on New Line Cinema's Laws of Attraction was done in Ireland, but the romantic comedy spent four days in New York, finishing Aug. 19. Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore star; Peter Howitt directed.
Another brief New York shoot was Disney's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, which wound up two days' filming here on Aug. 25, then headed to Toronto. Sara Sugarman helms the suburban-teen-girl comedy, and Lindsay Lohan (currently on screen in Freaky Friday) stars.
A kid becomes obsessed with a Game Boy game—and then finds himself involved with a killer—in the horror flick Satan's Little Helper, which was scheduled to wrap Sept. 8. Director is Jeff Lieberman. The cast includes Amanda Plummer and Katherine Winnick, with Alexander Brickell as the boy and Josh Annex as "Satan Man." (Unsurprisingly, the project included some night shoots.)
Attraction leads to love, and love leads to...a life of crime. That's the premise of Satellite, directed by Jeff Winner and wrapping Sept. 10. Cast members include Karl Geary, Stephanie Szostack, and Pell James.
(WARNING: Although casting directors request that all contact be made only by mail, many continue to limit submissions to either email or postcards and flyers w/o envelopes. As always, do not phone or visit their offices unless specifically instructed to do so.)
And the brides march on.... The Paramount-Scott Rudin comic remake of the 1975 thriller The Stepford Wives now anticipates a mid-October wrap date. Frank Oz pulls the strings on the pic, and Nicole Kidman leads the star-heavy cast, which also includes Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Roger Bart, Christopher Walken, and singer Faith Hill. Principal casting completed. Background: Grant Wilfley (60 Madison Ave. #1027, NYC 10010).
Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters) is currently lensing a bio-pic on pioneering sexologist Alfred Kinsey. Filming in Manhattan and New Jersey, Kinsey stars Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and Chris O'Donnell. Shoot started July 28 and will end Sept. 18. Principals: Doug Aibel (c/o Vineyard Theatre, 108 E. 15th St., NYC 10003). Background: Amerifilm (c/o Silvercup Studios, 42-22 22nd St., Room M104, Long Island City, NY 11101).
In The Cookout, an NBA player hosts a family function in his new mansion. The film was scheduled to begin Sept. 8 and to continue through Oct. 6. Lance Rivera is directing, and producer Queen Latifah will play the small role of a security guard. The rest of the cast had not been announced at press time. Principal casting: completed. Background: Winsome Sinclair (2575A Frederick Douglass Blvd., NYC 10030).
Queen Latifah, by the way, seems to be expanding her cinematic realm at a rapid clip. On Sept. 16, she is slated to start a remake of the 1998 French film Taxi, which co-stars "Saturday Night Live" charmer Jimmy Fallon. Tim Story (Barbershop) directs the picture, which will be released by 20th Century Fox. QL plays the fastest cabbie in New York, who assists an undercover cop (Fallon), the worst driver in the entire New York police force. After two weeks in New York, the production will move to L.A. for seven weeks. Principals: Ilene Starger (1220 Broadway, Suite 801-A, NYC 10001). Background: Sylvia Fay (71 Park Ave., NYC 10016).
Principal photography for House of D starts on Sept. 15; shooting is scheduled for the five-borough area through Halloween. David Duchovny directs and headlines, with a cast that also includes Robin Williams, Tyler Hoechlin, and Mrs. David Duchovny (a.k.a. Téa Leoni). Much of this film is set in the 1970s. It's a family drama about a man coming to terms with his past. Principals: Avy Kaufman (180 Varick St., NYC 10014). Background: Kee Casting (424 Park Ave. S. #128, NYC 10016).
Also starting Sept. 15 is Paul Borghese's Searching for Bobby De Niro. The comedic adventures of a frustrated Brooklyn actor will lens for five weeks—in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Pennsylvania. Starring are William DeMeo, Anthony Michael Hall, Jack Palance, Vincent Pastore, Frank Vincent, Michael Rispoli, and Jaid Barrymore. Principals: Eve Battaglia (c/o Neighborhood Filmworks, 443 Greenwich St., 5th Fl., NYC 10013). Background: Danny Roth (c/o The Casting House, same address as for principals).
Sept. 22 marks the start date for an Untitled Woody Allen Project, which will continue through Nov. 7. Confirmed for the comedy are actors Radha Mitchell, Chloë Sevigny, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Jonny Lee Miller. Principals: Juliet Taylor (c/o Perdido Productions, Inc., 140 W. 57th St. #4B, NYC 10019). Background: Kee Casting (see above).
Unbridled is a coming-of-age story to film in Brooklyn, beginning Sept. 22 and proceeding for six weeks. Featured players include Dana Watkins, P.J. Sosko, Brad Wiegel, and John Knight. The director is Robert Fontaine, Jr. Principals: Margaret Hervas (4201 First Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11232). Background: No information available.
Marc Forster (Monster's Ball) will direct Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, and Ryan Gosling in Stay, a contemporary drama about a suicidal Columbia University student. Shooting commences Sept. 23 and continues through Dec. 24. Principals: Casting info not available. Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
Shooting on the Paramount remake of The Manchurian Candidate—directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Liev Schreiber—will begin Oct. 1 and proceed through year's end. Principals: Laura Rosenthal (225 Lafayette St., #1201, NYC 10012). Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
Rob Moretti directs Juanita Walsh, James Early, Tim Loftus, and Frankie Faison in Crutch, a dark movie about an alcoholic family. Shoot is scheduled for Oct. 4-31 in New York and New Jersey. Principals and Background: Ken Schactman (30 Gates Ave., Suite 100, Montclair, NJ 07042).
It'll be sorta like Parent Trap without the split screen effect. Now in progress in Toronto: New York Minute, an action-comedy-adventure film starring twins Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen—along with Eugene Levy, Jared Padelecki, Riley Smith, and the ever-droll Andy Richter. A New York portion of the shoot is also slated (with that Gotham-centric title, one would hope so) and will happen sometime in the fall, probably early October.
Looking toward 2004...Sydney Pollack will film The Interpreter, a thriller with a United Nations backdrop. Plans are to lens Jan.-April. Nicole Kidman has been mentioned as star, but has not been confirmed.
The action-drama-romance Dinner with an Assassin is now scheduled to film Oct. 24-Nov. 17 in Irvington and Newark, N.J. According to director Bobby Guions, some roles are currently being recast. Send headshots and resumes to BG Films, 33 Myrtle Ave., Irvington, NJ 07111.
All of last season's dramatic shows are now back in front of the camera. They're joined by two new high-profile sitcoms.
The Sopranos is in production for its fifth season at HBO. Spooling will proceed through the end of October. Principals: Walken/Jaffe Casting (729 Seventh Ave., Suite 14A, NYC 10019). Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
HBO's Sex and the City continues work on its final season through Jan. 30. Principal casting: Jennifer McNamara (c/o Silvercup Studios, Sex and the City Productions, 42-22 22nd St., Suite #200, Long Island City, NY 11101); background: Amerifilm (c/o Silvercup Studios—same address as for principals).
Ed—the popular NBC comedy-drama based in Northvale, N.J.—began shooting episodes for its new season on July 14 and will continue for the next year. Principals: James Calleri (416 W. 42nd St., 3rd Fl., NYC 10036). Background: Sylvia Fay (see above).
Law & Order: The enduring NBC series commenced its 14th season shoot on July 31 and will continue through May 6. Principals: Lynn Kressel, Pier 62, Room #304, W. 23rd St. & Hudson River, NYC 10011. Background: Sylvia Fay (see above).
The first of two L&O spin-offs, NBC's Law & Order: SVU started its fifth season on Sept. 4, and will proceed until April 22. Principals: Lynn Kressel (see above). Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
The third member of the L&O franchise is Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which is now in its third season at NBC. The shoot for this series is also slated for Sept. 4-April 22. Principals: Lynn Kressel (see above). Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
Filming for the fifth season of NBC's Third Watch—the night-shift cop/fireman drama—began July 21, with a wrap expected on April 30. Principals: Bowling/Miscia (159 W. 25th St., Suite 319, NYC 10001). Background: Grant Wilfley (see above).
Hack is back for its sophomore year at CBS. The cabbie drama is shot in nearby Philadelphia. New York Casting: Mark Saks (51 W. 52nd St., 20th Floor, NYC 10019); Philadelphia Casting: Heery Casting (230 N. 2nd St., Suite 1A, Philadelphia, PA 19106).
Whoopi Goldberg's new NBC comedy series, Whoopi, has scheduled an Aug. 12-Nov.25 shooting season. Principals: Bernard Telsey (145 W. 28th St., 12th Fl., NYC 10001). Background: Byron Crystal (41 Union Square W., Suite 316, NYC 10003).
The Faith Ford-Kelly Ripa sitcom, Hope and Faith, started production for ABC on Aug. 15 and will continue through Nov. 21. (Not to confuse anyone, but Kelly plays Faith, and Faith plays Hope.) Principals: Jennifer McNamara, (c/o Silvercup Studios, 42-22 22nd St., Suite #200, Long Island City, NY 11101). Background: Kee Casting (see above).
(Note: The casting directors of these New York-based daytime dramas stress that you do not make unsolicited visits or calls to their offices.)
All My Children (ABC): Judy Blye Wilson (casting dir.), Robert Lambert (asst., under-fives and background), 320 W. 66th St., NYC 10023. Send pix, resumes, postcards.
As the World Turns (CBS): Mary Clay Boland (principals), LaMont Craig (under-fives and background), Kate Martineau (asst.), 1268 E. 14th St., Brooklyn, NY 11230. Send pix and resumes.
Guiding Light (CBS): Rob Decina (casting dir.), Melanie Haseltine (assoc. casting dir.), 222 E. 44th St., NYC 10017. Accepts postcards and showcase invitations.
One Life to Live (ABC): Julie Madison (casting dir.), Victoria Visgilio (assoc.), Sheryl Baker Fisher (asst.), 157 Columbus Ave., 2nd Fl., NYC 10023. Send pix and resumes or postcards only.