CASTING ALERT: New movie filming in Birmingham this month seeking extras– here’s what we know

Beginning in late January, a new sci-fi film titled The Shift will be filming in various locations in the Birmingham area. Filming will take place January 30th through March 3rd.

About the film

Written and directed by filmmaker Brock Heasley, “The Shift” tells the story of Kevin Garner, who after a tense encounter with a mysterious stranger with otherworldly powers, is banished to a parallel Earth where he fights to get back to the woman he loves.

The film is being produced by Ken Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment, based in Franklin, Tennessee. It will be released by Angel Studios, the studio behind the 2017 hit streaming series “The Chosen”.

Supporting talent in the film includes Rose Reid, who recently starred in 2022’s “Surprised By Oxford”, which just premiered at The Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Shift will also feature Liz Tabish, who plays Mary Magdalene in “The Chosen”, as well as Jorge Garcia who played Hurley in the long-running TV series “Lost”.

Other lead casting announcements will be released soon.

Why Birmingham?

Producer Ken Carpenter, whose previous production “Run the Race” in Birmingham was released in theaters in 2019, said “We had such a great experience then. I knew Birmingham would be a good fit for “The Shift”.”

While producers have not released all the locations where filming will take place, they have revealed one of their main shooting locations will be Birmingham’s Sloss Furnaces.

“Birmingham offers so much that makes shooting the film here a natural choice. The visual textures of the city are ideal, it’s perfectly located between additional resources in Nashville and Atlanta, and the community has been very welcoming. We’re grateful to be working here.”

Producer Ken Carpenter

Want to be an extra?

According to casting director Michael Wyrosdick, there will be many extras needed for “The Shift” including featured extras, extras, photo doubles and crowd extras. This means the film will require several hundred people throughout the entire process.

“My main priority is to make sure each extra is taken care of and leaves at the end of the day knowing how valuable they are. Because without extras, a movie would look very unnatural. Think of it as like a painting without the paint. For some people, being an extra is a once in a lifetime experience. I strive to create a fun and exciting environment for all to enjoy. 

Casting director Michael Wyrosdick

For “The Shift”, Wyrosdick will be casting online through his Extras Casting Birmingham page on Facebook.

Want to apply to be an extra? Just fill out this form online.

Make sure to follow Extras Casting Birmingham page on Facebook so you don’t miss out on important casting and filming updates in the coming days.

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