Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Lucas Grabeel in Oreska movie

The guys over at Lucas Grabeel's official site did some rehauling and one thing caught my eye: his latest listed feature film is called Oreskaband.

Googled "Oreskaband": there's a Japanese ska band with that name.

Hmmm... Lucas once hinted at wanting to go to Japan

Googled "Oreska Lucas" and got this actor's website instead:
http://www.brandondean.net/news.htm

Says there that Lucas plays a character called Donny Greene.

Googled "Oreska movie" and got these results:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2007/anime-expo/oreskaband-focus-panel
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200705020089.html

Apparently, the High School Musical producers saw the band (which hails from Osaka and has quite a following) and wanted to make another musical featuring them.

The asahi article offers the plot:
The film's musical story centers on an American student in Japan who hears the sextet performing at a live music venue in Sakai.

The music talks, and the girls soon become friends. After the American girl returns home, her Japanese band friends come to visit her and play a few gigs. They are soon a huge hit, and their musical careers are set.... Shooting starts this fall at locations around Sakai and Los Angeles. The film will open in Japan and the United States next year.


Got a link to their blog from the animenewsnetwork article: http://playlog.jp/ore_english/blog/

Figured out they are currently in Utah preparing for the film.

Casting hasn't been finished yet according to this site:
http://www.showfax.com/role_selection.cfm?l=1&t=3&p=91931

Their website: http://www.oreskaband.com/

I don't know if Terry's the manager or something like that, but this is his blog and it complements the girls' blog (he likes to post pictures): http://playlog.jp/o-s-k/blog/

The girls' blog and Terry's blog are also mirrored in the band's MySpace account :
http://www.myspace.com/oreskabandus

Heh... and I'm wondering why I keep getting the research and "make a manual" assignments in the office.

----------edit-----------

Variety has a new article on the film:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975075.html?categoryId=13&cs=1

Sony does Japanese 'Musical'

'Lock and Roll' about girl-band's American invasion
By DAVE MCNARY

Sony's Japanese music arm is partnering with the producers of "High School Musical" for "Lock and Roll Forever," a feature centered on an all-girl Japanese band coming to America.

"Lock" is a co-venture between T&C Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Producers are Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush, the team behind three iterations of "High School Musical;" Arata Matsushima is exec producing.

Script's penned by another member of the "High School Musical" team, Peter Barsocchini. TV helmer Chris Grismer, whose credits include "Queer as Folk" and "Playmakers," is directing.

Pic stars members of Oreska Band from a small Japanese industrial city. Lucas Grabeel ("High School Musical"), Ike Barinholtz, Taylor Negron, Brad Dourif and Naoko Nozawa also star.

Shooting began this week; locations include Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and Japan.

Music industry veteran Kaz Utsunomiya is the music producer.


---------edit #2-----------
From StarExtras:
http://starextras.com/news_view.php?ID=455

The thing about reading those bits casting agencies post when looking for extras is that you get to know more of the story (does this qualify as a spoiler?):

Feature Film: Oreska

The six-girl Japanese rock band, Oreska Band, comes to Los Angeles, intent on becoming stars, under the aegis of shifty "impresario" Donnie Greene.

Role: LOMAX - Funny, the comic relief, cool and hip, and keeps Donnie on the right track, and is Donnie's sole employee and apparently, his sole remaining friend. In charge of driving Donnie's tour bus, Lomax is at a professional dead end, along with Donnie. A cultural hero in Japan because of the popular toothpaste commercial he did a few years ago, Lomax reduces the Oreska-band girls to giggling squeals, and he/she soon comes to like them. He/she is person with a conscience, Lomax urges Donny not to break any of his many promises to the girls.
Female or Male - All Ethnicities - 25 to 30


Role: "Z" - All-knowing, hip, cool, eccentric, knows all the answers -- the "go to" person. Would love to cast a Rock n Roll Icon - anyone from Roger Daltrey to Ludacris to Deborah Harry, or could even be a Comic Icon - anyone from Cedric the Entertainer to George Lopez. This character will be related to Donnie.
Female or Male - All Ethnicities - 40 & Over


Role: MARTY POST - He's a shady looking music producer. Marty in fact is an extremely successful, extremely wealthy power broker who spots Oreska-band at a karaoke performance, and requests they play at a private party at his home.
Male - All Ethnicities - 45 to 60

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