Casting
We are casting directors that believe diversity is the spice of life; diversity in the type of projects that we cast for, as well as diversity in the kind of actors that we work with. Diversity is what makes SNP one of the most experienced, creative, cutting edge and diversified casting offices in New York. We are that good.
With the many years of experience in casting Elizabeth and I have attained extensive knowledge of the unlimited talent pool in New York, as well as other areas of the country. We also work with many international clients from the UK, South Africa, Germany, Spain, Dubai and others. In addition, our backgrounds and language skills have made SNP the premiere casting office for the exploding growth of the Spanish commercial market and other projects in many other languages.
If you have a comedic bent then you’ve come to the right place because no one is more twisted than we are. Come on, we did name the company Stark Naked Productions!
Film Work
Film credits include soon to be released in “Adrift” with Loren Luna Velez,“. In 2015 multi-festival award winner “Cassanova Was A Woman”, 2014 film short, “Dollar Night”, NY International Latino Film Festival and 2002 ALMA Award winner, “Blue Diner” directed by Jan Egleson. “All Night Bodega”, directed by Felix Olivier which won Special Jury prizes at the LA Latino Film Festival as well as the NY International Latino Film Festival. “Dance With Me”, written & directed by Ryu Murakami and “The Final Patient”, starring Bill Cobbs and the timely independent film “Ilegales” directed by Ric Dupont that deals with illegal immigration in the U.S. For many years SNP cast for The Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s Fifth Night series as well as the NYWIFT Screenplay Reading Series.
Theater Work
Theatrically they have cast Broadway’s Latinologues at the Helen Hayes Theater directed by Cheech Marin. In 2017 the “The Field Trip” for the Downtown Urban Arts Festival. In 2016 NYMF musical “Children Of Salt” and in 2015 NYMF musical “Manuel vs. The Statue of Liberty”. “4 Guys Named Jose…and a mujer named Maria”, which ran off-Broadway at the Blue Angel to glowing reviews and at the Actor’s Playhouse in Coral Gables, Florida, as well as the musical revue “Latin Heat” at the Hudson Guild Theatre. Other theatre projects include the critically acclaimed drama “Trophies” which ran at the Cherry Lane Theater as well as the musical “Theda Bara and the Frontier Rabbi” (Jewish Rep.), “A Perfect Diamond” starring Josh Mostel, and “A Silent Thunder” starring Nestor Carbonell written by Eduardo Ivan Lopez for the Apple Corp. Theatre. They cast the American debut of “Ourselves Alone” by award winning Irish playwright Anne Devlin.
Television & Commercial Work
From the dramatic to dry or over the top comedy, they have worked for MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon. Some of their television assignments have been “An Elf’s Story: The Elf on the Shelf”, NBC’s “Missing Reward”, PAX TV’s “it’s a Miracle”, Lifetime’s “Unsolved Mysteries”, the History Channel’s “Breaking Vegas” and Discovery’s “Sensing Murder”. Between them, they have cast over 7000 commercials of every conceivable type from on-camera to voice-over; from children to models to dancers to “Real” people on location. One of the most satisfying projects was the short film “UnSafe” for the non-profit organization Safe Horizon, which deals with domestic violence.
Web/Internet Work
2016/2017 we cast Reality Set In (Original Web Series) Created by Lauren B. Martin and Scott Brooks.
Laney Oliver is a faded soap star. Her dear friend Clarence is a one-hit wonder filmmaker. They’re newly single, over 40 and completely hung-over. So of course when they are approached to be on a reality show, of course they say, “No…”
“Reality Sets In” is not just another Single in New York City comedy. Laney and Clarence are older and are real people. They are heartbroken, lost and afraid. Luckily, they have not lost their sense of humor or each other. This is an unflinching, unblinking look at two people who have been chewed up and spit out by show business, by love and by time.
It is also slightly meta because they are looking for that fictional love story version of New York that only exist on the screen- and then when they become the subject of a reality show, the stakes are raised for them exponentially and by season two we are watching a show about these people watching a show about themselves…and where will that lead them?
Translation Services & Consulting for the Latino/Hispanic Market
Stark Naked Productions has been a leader in the Latino/Hispanic market for almost 3 decades. As advertisers began to take notice of the Spanish speaking market place in the U.S. Hispanic advertising started to produce marketing content to reach a valuable group of consumers whose numbers would prove to be an additional 56.6 million consumers as of 2016. Casting of Latino/Hispanic actors was crucial to the advertising agencies to produce original content that would be effective and reflect the consumers they were marketing to. As a seasoned Casting Director in the general market for many years Elsie Stark recognized the need for someone who understood the Spanish language, the Latino/Hispanic culture and who knew how to outreach to the talented actors who were Latino who were not part of the commercial community at that time. She used her personal knowledge as a first generation child of Puerto Rican and Peruvian parents and applied it to her expertise in casting. A talented actor is a talented actor no matter what language they speak. You just need to know who they are and the nuances of the culture and no one knows that better than Elsie Stark and her colleague Elizabeth Gans. Both are bi-lingual and respected casting directors with years of experience in working in the Latino/Hispanic market.
Elsie began to work with those pioneering agencies such as Bravo, Castor, Conill, Siboney & others. Today she continues to be the premiere casting company for the Latino/Hispanic market working with many of the major Latino/Hispanic advertising agencies, production companies as well as general market agencies, who have diversified and broaden their view of casting for general market. Her passion is to promote diversity in all areas of casting whether it’s in Spanish or in English.
For our clients who are producing content targeting Latinos/Hispanics who need a translation, director and/or consultant we provide those services with our respected translator/producer Frank Rodriguez. His years of expertise working for major companies like HBO Latino, Telemundo, Cinemax and Children’s Television Network has given him an extensive body of work in translation services. He is an expert in maintaining the original creative integrity and intention of your English language commercials and campaigns when possible and giving creative adjustments when needed.
The content and integrity of your message will be on target and accurate in it’s intention. We are acutely aware and respectful of what 56.6 million consumers mean to you and your clients.