Jane Shaffmaster has attained years of experience as a Casting Director, Talent Agent, on & off camera talent, stage actress and Talent Coordinator at Talent Agencies, Ad-Agencies, and free-lance.
Jane is accredited for marketing, directing and coaching actors for feature films, television, commercials, and radio. She has cast the feature films, “Hoffa,” “Renaissance Man,” “Judicial Consent,” and “True Romance,” and television segments for “Unsolved Mysteries” and “Rescue 911.”
Jane also cast the award winning and critically acclaimed commercial campaign for The Michigan Department of Health: AIDS Awareness, Anti-Smoking, Anti-Violence, Sexual Abstinence, and Child Abuse Awareness. She has appeared in national, regional and local commercials for McDonalds, Kix cereal, Kmart, Ford, the Detroit Tigers, 7-11, Michigan Lottery, Kodak Film, and Milton Bradley.
Jane began acting, singing, and dancing lessons at age five and has many film, television, radio, ballet company, and stage credits to her name. She is also a member of SAG and AFTRA.
Jane Shaffmaster
A Love Letter to Broadway
by Jane ShaffmasterThe magic of Broadway and off-Broadway theatre is intoxicating to me. From the actual theatre houses to the performers to the behind the scenes mechanics of putting up and running a show, the whole experience affects me to my very core.
This is my love letter to Broadway. Join this theatre nerd on my journey into the wonders and joy of the theatre going experience.
Whether you’re coming from Uptown or Downtown, the Eastside or Westside, as you make your way to the theatre, you get swallowed up into the hustle of Times Square and the atmosphere is electric. The streets fill with an eclectic mix of people bustling to their theatres surrounded by a cacophony of street music, bucket drummers, corner evangelists, vendors, excited chatter, car horns, and the occasional argument by someone who just got taken in a game of three-card monte. (more…)
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Letterman Loses His Mojo
by Jane ShaffmasterIn the 80’s my quest was to see the Letterman show live. I LOVED his sense of humor. Memorable segments were “the guy under the stairs,” Larry “Bud” Melman, “Fun with Rupert,” and Biff Henderson’s “Map Across America.” I also got a kick out of Dave’s mom going to and reporting on the Olympics as well as her “name that pie” bit on Thanksgivings. My ultimate fav was Dave’s wacky antics with Mujibar & Sirajul. It was all comic originality; fresh, silly, and sometimes mindless, but really entertaining and funny.
Disappointingly, by the time I finally did see the show in 2004, the bits I loved ceased to exist and most likely had been banished to the “Late Show” archives. Rather than attending my first show with eagerness, it was just a cheap way to kill an evening during a business trip. Since I didn’t have a ticket, I knew I’d need to charm my way in.
A friend had told me that to get in the front row they have “audience scouts” outside the theatre looking for people who are attractive, friendly, expressive, and bubbly. Being an actress I knew how to play that part, so I glammed up and put on my best New York artsy chic and set out to the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The “audience scouts,” who looked all of about 14-years-old, were out in front waiting for their subjects to approach. Oh, to be that young making so little money but holding so much power! Knowing what I must do, I got my “bubble on” and with just the right amount of star stuck enthusiasm I approached one of the 14-year-old keepers of the audience paperwork! (more…)
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Casting ‘Atlas Shrugged’: Professionalism Before Politics
by Jane ShaffmasterI was head of the film and broadcast department for a talent agency in the Detroit Metro area. As a casting agent my job was to get the character breakdowns, hold auditions and cast roles for film, TV and radio. My staff and I cast Zebrahead, Hoffa, Renaissance Man to name a few and many award winning commercials. I left the casting biz to coach voice-over artists and produce their CD’s, along with doing free-lance talent coordination for ad-agencies, where I negotiate celebrity talent.
I recently read Apocalypse Near? Liberal Actresses Line Up to Star in ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Pam Meister and wanted to offer the perspective of someone who has experience in casting. The post told of Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie having an interest in the role of Dagny Taggert. It was offered up, and several commenter’s mentioned that they feared Julia Roberts might change the script to reflect her liberal viewpoint. I don’t really think that should be a concern because many times certain actors are mentioned only to create buzz for a project, or to get their name out there, or both. I believe such is the case with Julia Roberts in this story. (more…)
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