Although this isn’t the first time someone has attempted to bring Patrick D. Smith’s beloved 1984 novel “A Land Remembered” to the screen, Todd Wiseman Jr. may well be the first to succeed.
The series, intended to run for multiple seasons, is co-created by the Tampa filmmaker and Christa Boarini—and it’s the show, he says, that Hollywood wouldn’t let him make in Florida, “which sounds absurd. It’s a Florida story,” he told WUSF. Thankfully, the production received a $500,000 grant from the state, though that’s mere pocket change compared to its projected $25 million budget for Season 1, which will feature four hour-long episodes and star Philip Ettinger, Lily McInerny, William Catlett, Dakota Daulby, Clayton Royal Johnson, Dallas Roberts, and Neil Sandilands.
Independently produced and financed through Wiseman’s Tampa-based Tobias LLC, the series will be shopped around at the upcoming MIPCOM and TIFF markets in hopes of securing a distribution deal that will ultimately fund and support the additional seasons planned. Here’s everything else we know about the upcoming series.
JUMP TO
Based on Smith’s historical novel, “A Land Remembered” follows the fictional MacIvey family across three generations as they move from Georgia to Florida in the mid-19th century. As the group acclimates to unfamiliar territory, the MacIveys must learn to live off the land. From Civil War battles to destructive hurricanes, the MacIvey family struggles to gain its footing before finding stability raising and selling livestock. Yet as the years pass and the family's empire grows across generations, they soon realize how far removed they’ve become from the land they once loved so much.
Given its Florida roots, “A Land Remembered” chose to work with casting directors local to the area, including Lori Wyman and Ali Macaulay of Lori Wyman Casting as the series’ main casting directors and Melanie Moreno of Frontrunner Casting as its background casting director.
Whenever possible, Wyman recommends actors memorize their lines before their audition. “I think when an actor comes in completely memorized, it makes their audition so much better,” Wyman told Backstage. “They are less nervous and more confident. I can see this difference, and it is huge.”
We’re not sure yet which network and/or streamer will air Season 1 and what will become of Season 2, but the following roundups offer numerous opportunities to beef up your résumé:
Our casting directory pages are also a valuable resource—we regularly update our lists with the latest calls as they become available:
Between the series’s Southern setting and its historical callbacks, there's so much to learn before you head into the audition room. Here are some tips for taking your acting skills to the next level:
- The 6 Top Acting Classes in Orlando, Florida
- Living History Jobs: How to Get Work in Historical Reenactment
- How to Be Unforgettable When Acting in a Drama
When it comes to getting an audition, having your own acting agent could be the key. Here’s how to secure local representation—and how to impress CDs once you do:
- The Top Talent Agencies in Orlando Actors Need to Know
- Top Talent Agencies in Miami
- How to Impress Casting Directors Off-Script
