Casting directors embrace Central Illinois talent

RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — An Illinois-based casting company spent their Sunday in Champaign County looking for people to fill certain movie roles.

People in Central Illinois are taking their first steps to getting on the big screen. Bokeh Background Casting is looking for the perfect people to fill background roles in upcoming movies filming in Champaign County.

“Creating talent pools and giving people skill sets of here’s how to hit a mark and here’s how to have emotional arcs in your scenes is a big deal for folks,” Casting Director Sarah Cayce said. “And it gives people jobs when you don’t need buckets of training.”

Denise Walters is one of those people adding her name to the list. She decided this was the perfect time to try out her acting chops.

“I’m retired now and these ladies did such a great job, that I bet it sounds like something fun to do, and it’s right where I live,” Walters said.

Cayce has been in the business for over a decade. In that time, she has gathered a pool of more than 27,000 background actors from across the Midwest.

“It’s anywhere I go,” Cayce said. “This pool has built with me as I’ve gone different places. It kind of starts to populate different areas.”

People can be called up to fill many spots. Some are more featured roles; some are extras in the back.

The rise of filming in Central Illinois has opened up other opportunities to work behind the scenes. Quinetta Ingram knows that firsthand after a recent workshop through Rantoul’s Flyover Studios. That’s where she learned how to be a grip and build sets.

Now, she’s applying those skills and helping Cayce.

“We finished and got our certification,” Ingram said. “We got jobs, so I’m here today helping out with the casting call.”

Plus, it’s not too tough. People had just had to show up, snap a photo, list height and weight, and that’s it. Then they just wait for their call.

Cayce said there are two movies filming in the area right now, and studios are always looking for more helping hands. It’s something Walters, who’s lived in Rantoul since the first grade, never would’ve expected.

“I know this town from head to toe. I rode my bike from everywhere around here,” Walters said. “So, it’s so exciting to see that something like this could happen around here.”

If you missed your chance to get on the casting list this weekend — it’s never too late to join. You can sign up on Bokeh’s website here .

“It’s extremely exciting and it’s a wonderful opportunity,” Ingram said. “People should jump in.”

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