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HESTER SCHELL, MFA
Producer, Writer, Director, Teacher, Actor, Puppeteer...
and now...

Full Service Casting Director

Full Service Includes some of the following, depending on your needs, budget, union affiation, etc.-

  • Announcing audition to the community.
  • Contacting agents when applicable.
  • Collecting, Sorting headshots.
  • Collecting online footage, reels and links.
  • Meeting with agents when applicable.
  • Arrange support staff where necessary.

Full Service Options, cont.

  • Setting up and running your audition sessions.
  • Mini DV Taping the session for your review.
  • Copy scripts for audition.
  • Act as "reader" for the session.
  • Arranging call-backs.
  • Notifying talent/agent of selection.
  • Referrals to other services.
  • Recommendations for crew/staffing.

Casting Credits

- FEATURE FILMS -

2009 - DISCLOSURE
Tony Urgo, director
SAG Ultra Low Budget. In production.

2004 -PLANTING MELVIN by Kari Nevil
June Bug Films, Kari Nevil, director
SAG Experimental Feature. Principal Casting.
Official Entry: Cinequest Film Festival, 2005.
Official Entry: Hearts and Minds Film Festival, 2005.

2002 -THE REWRITE OF YOUR LIFE by Leah Anton, Wolf Productions. Tailer for Feature. SAG Limited Exhibition. Principal Casting.

1999 - A DIVINE MADNESS by Robert Pickett, Cherry Tree Productions, Robert Pickett, director. Low Budget Indie Feature, Non-union.
Principal Casting and background.

1999 - YOUR GUARDIAN by Karil Nevil
June Bug Films, Kari Nevil, director
SAG Experimental, Low Budget Indie.
Background. Official Entry: Cinequest Film Festival, 2001.


- SHORT FILMS -

2008 - STUNT HUSBAND 48 Hour Film Project
Mud Pie Productions, SAG approved short for competition

2007 - JU$T UNDER A MILLION HDV short for festivals
Mud Pie Productions, SAG approved short for festivals.
World Premiere: Beverly Hills HD Film Festival.

- THEATRE - Complete list on request

2010 - SACRIFICE and DO NO HARM by Vladimir Zelenisky. New England Russian Theatre Festial

-2009 -
NOVEMBER by James Mclindon. 2009 Provincetown Playwrights Festival.


- TELEVISION -

2004 -Creation Films - Episode for the History Channel
Non-union, Principal Casting and background.

2002 - LET'S TAKE A WALK, Mud Pie Productions
TV Series Pilot, Non-union. Principal Casting.
-


INDUSTRIALS & COMMERCIALS -

2007 - Re:Mind Productions: Genentech
Union (AFTRA) Principal Casting. Training films. 2007 - June Bug Films, Alameda County Fair
Non-UnionPrincipal Casting: Commercial

2007 - Mud Pie Productions: Mud Pie Productions
Union (SAG) Principal Casting. HD Short Film

2006 - Re:Mind Productions: Genentech
Union (AFTRA) Principal Casting. Training films.

2005 - Re:Mind Productions: Genentech
Union (AFTRA) Principal Casting. Sexual Harrassment training film

2004 - Re:Mind Productions: Genentech
Union (AFTRA) - Principal Casting. Employee relations.

2004 - June Bug Films: Symantec Corporation (2 projects) Union (AFTRA) - Principal Casting.

2004 - Flying Moose Productions: Broadcast, corporate.
Non-Union. Background.

2004 - A Band Apart  (Division of Quentin Taratino)
Union. Commerical for General Motors.
Principal Casting.


 

  • I am confident I can help you find the best actors for your project, whatever the budget.
  • My rates are on a sliding scale, based on your project's budget, distribution, union status. Call me for a quote: (650) 726-5424, pacific time.
  • I have spent 30 years in the entertainment industry, performing in regional theatre, teaching, running a San Francisco theatre company, and most recently as the newest performing member of Liebe Wetzel's Lunatique Fantastique, an abstract found object table top puppet company.
  • Currently I coach actors in private practice.
  • I've worked in features, commercials, industrials, voice over and stage. I've directed numerous stage productions, produced, assistant directed and line produced assorted features both in and out of festival circuits.
  • My first documentary, BLANKETS FOR AFGHANISTAN, which I produced and directed, was distributed on the DISH Satellite Network for broadcast through FREE SPEECH TV.
  • I've taught directing,acting and camera acting for over 20 years both inside and outside the academic arena, including several years as a academic department co-chair.
  • I've managed budgets large and small. Work within Union and non-union guidelines.

 

FILM FESTIVAL PARTICIPATION

2009 La Femme Film Festival, Los Angeles. BAIT & SWITCH INVESTIGATIVE NEWS SATIRE (writer)
         Rochester International Film Festival. JULIE, JULIE (acting)
              Audience Winnter: Best Short
         Boston International Film Festival. JULIE, JULIE (acting)

2008 Sacramento French Film Festival. JULIE, JULIE (acting)
         New York Film Festival NEVER ENOUGH: SEX, MONEY & PARKING GARAGES IN SAN FRANCISCO          (art department supervisor)

2007 Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival. JUST UNDER A MILLION (writer/producer/director/ art director)
         Mill Valley Film Festival, California - Official Selection. PRESQUE ISLE by Rob Nilsson

2005
Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose, California, Official selection - PLANTING MELVIN (acting).
Hearts and Minds Film Festival, Wilmington, DE - PLANTING MELVIN (acting) 2nd Place: Best Feature.
Moondance Film Festival, Finalist, San Francisco, CA - PLANTING MELVIN (acting),
Breckinridge Film Festival, Official selection, San Francisco, CA - PLANTING MELVIN (acting),
California Independent Film Festival, Official selection - PLANTING MELVIN (acting)
Breckenridege Film Festival, Colorado, Official Selection - PLANTING MELVIN (acting)
California Independent Film Festival, Official Selection - PLANTING MELVIN (acting)
Napa/Sonoma Film & Music Institute, Featured Artist Series - PLANTING MELVIN (acting)

2003
Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada - BLANKETS FOR AFGHANISTAN (producer, writer, director)
Distribution through Free Speech TV
2002 Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose, California - YOUR GUARDIAN (acting)
2004 SF Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, San Francisco - LOVE LIFE (acting)
2002 Berkeley Film Festival - Best of Fest. - ULTIMATE REALITY - (script supervisor)
2002 Chill Valley Film Festival - ULTIMATE REALITY (script supervisor)
1995 Bay Area Women's Film Festival, Berkeley, California - WALLS OF SAND (acting)
1983 Cannes Film Festival - AMERICAN TABOO (acting)
Also Academy Award Winner, best student film 1982

MORE DETAILS -
In 2009, Hester directed the world premeires of NOVEMBER by James McLindon and DANCING WITH THE DEVIL by Seamus Ferguson for the 2009 Provincetown Playwrights Festival. In 2010, Hester will direct two shorts for the New England Russian Theatre Festival at Boston University.

A SAG and AFTRA member, Hester has nearly 30 years experience working in theatre, film, television, voice over, commercial and industrial markets, from acting to writing to producing. She's worked on high budget A list Hollywood features and low budget non-union independents.Hester's last film, JUST UNDER A MILLION premiered at the Beverly Hills Hi-Definition Festival in December 2007. She participated in the 2008 San Francisco 48 Hour Film Festival, with STUNT HUSBAND.

Hester has taught film acting at the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, adjunct facutly at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California. Prior teaching engagements include tenured professor of theatre and director of the theatre department at de Anza College in Cupertino, California, teaching Acting, Camera Acting, Intro. to Theatre, Actors' Ensemble and producing the college productions, including a year running the Foothill Conservatory at Foothill College, in the same district. She produced and directed the live comedy broadcast, A LAUGHING MATTER for De Anza Television.Favorite milestones of her academic career include participating in the International Children's Theatre Festival in Moscow, Russia in 1990, and teaching theatre at the University of London during fall semester 2000. Hester is CEO and publisher of the Internet service magazine, Bay Area Casting News.

Recent film production credits include art department on NEVER ENOUGH by Dave Sawle and line producer on Kari Nevil's Your Guardian, starring Irene Bedard; assistant director on Robert Pickett's A Divine Madness, based on Chekov's A Cherry Orchard, currently in post production. In 2003, Hester finished her first documentary, BLANKETS FOR AFGHANISTAN for the American Friends Service Committee, and secured distribution through FREE SPEECH TV on the DISH Satellite Network. She directed, produced, co-wrote and edited this 20 minute documentary.

Professional stage directing credits include: Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL for Coelacanth Theatricals' debut production; OEDIPUS REX for the Annual Utah Greek Theatre Festival; Noel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT; Jane Chamber's MY BLUE HEAVEN,for the Portland Women's Theatre Collective.

Miss Schell won acting awards for the Oregon premieres of Sam Shepard's BURIED CHILD, J.F. Noonan's A COUPLE WHITE CHICKS SITTIN' AROUND TALKING, and Alan Ayckbourn's RELATIVELY SPEAKING. She can be seen on TV every holiday season in IT NEARLY WASN'T CHRISTMAS starring Charles Durning as Santa. Hester completed the Master of Fine Arts degree in directing from the University of Utah; Bachelor of Arts in Theatre at Portland (OR) State University; Associate of Arts at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and a certificate of training from the Trinity Square Repertory Conservatory in Providence, Rhode Island.

Hester is currently producing working on several screenplays and a book, a children's television show LET'S TAKE A WALK... teaching and coaching actors in private practice.  Contact Hester Here


WEB SITES FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

www.letstakeawalk.com

LET'S TAKE A WALK...
Children's TV
Series in Development