Ruby Skye P.I.

Lots of dream about acting, but not many of get the chance to be in TV show, movie or web series. How did Madison Cheeatow, Kevin Gutierrez and Elena Gorgevska get their parts in Ruby Skye P.I.? They auditioned.

An “audition” is an opportunity for those who are making the show to meet the actors and see them “read for parts.” Before the audition, actors get pages from a script to learn and perform for the show producers.

How do you find out about auditions? Many actors hear about them from their agents, but if you’re just starting out you don’t have an agent. There are still parts you can audition for. When producers and directors want to see new actors and actors that don’t have agents, they put out “open casting calls”. An open call is open to everyone and you can submit yourself for the part.

One of the best places to find open audition calls is craigslist. Search your local craigslist for “audition” and you will find some.

We posted the casting call for Ruby Skye P.I. on Craigslist, at childrens theatres, acting schools, schools for the arts, community centres and on our web site.  You can read the whole casting breakdown here.   This is what it says about Ruby Skye:

RUBY SKYE (14-16) – Female Any Ethnicity LEAD
Quick witted, hyper-curious and a self-taught super-sleuth, Ruby Skye has all the tools to be a great detective. Ruby has great instincts, but she may be a little quick to jump to conclusions. She is well known around her neighborhood and among classmates. When your role models consist of Veronica Mars, Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes, it doesn’t make you exactly popular. Ruby’s only friends are a video game genius (Griffin), the dotty next door neighbor who plays with imaginary animals (Ms. Gooje) and her sister Hailey (her obnoxious and super-popular younger sister). When Ruby stumbles across an internet crime involving Ms. Gooje, there’s no telling what she’ll unearth.

And this is what the casting call said about Griffin:

GRIFFIN (14-16) – Male Any Ethnicity LEAD
Ruby’s best friend and partner in crime, Griffin would rather be playing video games than going to school. Or, worst case scenario, playing video games at school. He’s funny, handsome (in that dedicated video game type of way), sensitive, and fiercely loyal to Ruby. When video games and new TVs start showing up at his house, Griffin does everything he can to throw Ruby off the scent.

It’s too late for these roles, but if you do find an open audition call, be sure to read the breakdown carefully.  Only apply if you think you’re right for the part.

How do you apply?  We’ll get to that in another post.

All About Auditions is a series of posts. Read them all: Casting Calls, Submitting Yourself, The Lingo, Thinking About Character, Getting Ready for the Big Day and The Audition. When you’re read all the posts, check out our Audition MashUp to see the actors audition for Ruby Skye P.I.: The Spam Scam.

Forget brownies. This week, we’re in Hailey’s hands and she’s all about lava cakes. Those are those little cakes that ooze a warm chocolate filling.

To make lava cakes, you need:
4 4-oz ramekins (little baking dishes)
4-oz semisweet chocolate
1/4 lb unsalted butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 flour

The video will show you how to make this easy recipe step by step. The results are fantastic.

This is quick and delicious and just enough for… two???

charity: water has raised nearly $1,000,000 to bring clean drinking water to people who need it.  It’s an inspiring story of how ordinary people can change the world.

Nigella Lawson is an awesome cook. Here’s one of her brownie recipes.

Artists Isa Digue and Patrick G. Bride make beautiful things using recycled materials.

Here are a couple of videos showing two different ways to make flowers out of disposable plastic bottles.

We’ve been having terrible weather across the continent so you may be stuck inside and looking for new things to do.  If you like interactive websites with virtual worlds, there’s lots to do online. Here are a few fun sites to get you started:

Explore jungles and beaches at Dizzywood. You can create your own avatar and decorate your own treehouse (the perfect spot for a party!). Team together with other avatars for treasure hunts, adventures and quests. Go on missions to defeat arch-nemesis, Emperor Withering, and earn special items to unlock Dizzywood’s mysteries.

The more you learn, the more you earn at whyville.com. Not only can you create your own avatar, but by earning “clams,” you can buy all sorts of virtual goods that are sure to make your stay in Whyville as comfortable as possible.

If you like it a bit chillier, explore the Arctic at Club Penguin. Your penguin can embark on dangerous expeditions, and play games with other penguins. You can build and decorate your own igloo, submit artwork, and access Club Penguin comics. There are also plenty of recipes and arts and craft ideas that are sure to keep you busy.

If you have a favourite virtual world, tell us about it in the comments!

Okay, the secret ingredient is beans… but these brownies are worth a try. They’re low fat!

Chocolate:
The Ideas Kitchen Chocolate Brownies

Turn an empty plastic bottle into a fabulous toy.  One of the wonderful things about this project is that it uses the bottle caps too.

And take a good look at the artist’s jewellry!  It looks like it’s also made out of bottle tops!

Remember in Chapter 2: Kay Eye Ess Ess, when Ms Springer was giving her class on computers? Here is the quiz the art department put in front of all the actors in the classroom that day:

T