And action! Local family hopes to make it to the big screen

By Kelly Anne Smith

NORTH BAY—Hundreds lined the block around the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre to answer the casting call to recreate an Indigenous village in Scotland. Being part of Season 4 of the popular television series Outlander was a strong draw for fans and actors.

Rumour has it that Lindsay Sarazin is heading to Scotland. Sarazin himself is starting the rumour thinking he has a fair chance given that the interviewer put a star beside his name. Sarazin feels most of the interest was shown towards his nephews, both of whom got an enthusiastic star beside their name.

Sarazin encouraged his sister Tasheena to go to the casting call at the very last minute on Sunday morning. She did, bringing her sons 10-year-old Niibin and 7-year-old Lance. The crew from Lisa Parasyn Casting seemed very excited to be meeting the boys.

Lindsay Sarazin has a pretty good feeling about the casting call to work in Scotland. He says the experience will be a special time.

“I’m pretty excited about travelling to Scotland and working and experiencing it with my family.”

Sarazin heard that doors closed the day before at the Sudbury casting call about 2 pm after about 300 applicants were interviewed.

People drove to the North Bay casting call from Toronto, Timmins, Thunder Bay and the United States. A young woman drove from New Liskeard to North Bay encouraged by her mother and grandmother, both avid fans of Outlander.

Height, weight, employment status, a valid Canadian passport and Native Status card (although the poster said it would be helpful to have but not required) were considered in the evaluation.

The Outlander casting information poster for March 3 and 4 details the people needed to “Re-create an 18th century Native village: 70 young Native men; 10 older Native men; 25 Native women; and 10-15 Native children (age 7+).” The positions are for non-speaking roles.

Those selected will travel to Scotland for almost a month in May and June.  Yet the casting application is asking for Indigenous actors to be available for all of May and June.

Sarazin is enthusiastic about the possibilities of the industry to expand in the region. He says for First Nations peoples, the Outlander is providing a huge opportunity for positive change. “Something like this creates a huge emotional shift of positivity.”

Sarazin says it’s been hard work for First Nations advocating for change in Canada on racism and inequality, such as Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls and recent protests calling for justice in the verdicts of the Colten Boushie case and Tina Fontaine’s murder.

Sarazin points out that Indigenous characters in film or TV historically have never actually been played by an Indigenous actor.

“It’s not everyday that First Nations are cast in films. Companies have often employed an Italian actor who was given hair.”

Sarazin says the opportunity to be cast in an ‘A-list’ production is a thrill.

“People have reserve life and other usual lives in the north. First Nations not living in Toronto don’t normally see films being shot in their downtown.  People lining up here could have a mining job or a teaching job and want a working adventure, so there is excitement to portray our own people.”

There wasn’t time to present his experience in the industry as owner of Wolfeye Productions when faced with who he thought was the casting director and an assistant. Sarazin hopes to fly across the ocean and to network when and if chosen to work in Scotland and be Indigenous with his family.