We have now cast the last main role for the film Automatic. As usual with these things, casting took longer than anticipated. Angela Elise Munnoch who plays Esther has been working with me as Casting Director. We booked auditions, the dates fell through we rebooked. We held auditions on Zoom which worked pretty well and we had some fantastic actors. But who was right for each role? It became a little like a rubik’s cube. If he goes there then who plays him? She’d be a good Sharon but then who plays Tina? It all takes time. My previous films had only a handful of actors, this one has sixteen! Aaaargghhh!!!

Automatic is not an action thriller. While it might be described as a nearly a dystopian Science Fiction film, my feeling is that it’s more about people. It’s a character driven drama so performances will be crucial and we need the right actors. We need the CEO to seem fair but feel foul, we need the Business Analyst to be oblivious to the nonsense he talks and we need Konrad and Mira to have passion. I am happy to say that we have all of this and more.

Drum roll. – The full cast list is as follows.

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Keaton Makki as Konrad

A disenchanted technician trapped in the drudgery of a soulless corporation. Enthusiastic yet a dreamer, Konrad yearns for significance and meaning but struggles to find the nerve to break free.

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Lamb Bennett as Mira

Free thinker, gamer, trucker. Mira has an independent spirit and a mischievous sense of humour. Her refusal to accept authority puts her at odds with the 21st century yet it is her intelligence and passion which show the way ahead.

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Angela Elise Munnoch a Esther

Steeped in a chaotic childhood marked by the artistic eccentricities of her aging parents she feels a heavy weight of responsibility. Ever-cautious, she clings to rules and order. Aware of her son’s intelligence she is determined to steer him toward a secure job within a reputable organisation and provide him with the stability that she never had.

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Martin Portlock as Morgan

The controversial new CEO brought in to resurrect the company’s fortunes. Exuding confidence and charm, he blends impeccable dress sense with a laid-back style. There’s a vaguely exotic air about him, fueled by hints of an unconventional past. It is Morgan who is spearheading the audacious move to outsource the entire infrastructure to a disruptive consultancy named Northstar, sparking a whirlwind of questions and speculation.

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Mike Freeman as Foster

The Chief Finance Officer. He’s thorough and “by the book” and has been with Cedar Bridge for nearly twenty years. He’s old school and believes they have a responsibility to employees. Though he’s cautious, he’s also realistic and understands that if the company is to survive it is going to have to change.

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Gillian Fischer as Donna

Donna is the HR Manager. Astute and efficient her presence is felt throughout the company. She may appear to occasionally take a back seat but she works away behind the scenes to pursue her own agenda. Though she can be friendly and supportive it’s never wise to get on her wrong side.

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Mark Beauchamp as Eddy

The Chief Information Officer at Cedar Bridge. He started at the company at the same time as Foster and worked his way up from the bottom. He’s passionate and practical. He’s nuts and bolts. Eddy is responsible for the original design of the vast computer infrastructure and it’s his baby. However, though he’s very protective, he’s also committed to making the changes necessary to put the company back on track.

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Katherine de Leiros as Charlotte

Charlotte, aka “Charley”, is a Senior Consultant at the Northstar Business Consultancy working on the Cedar Bridge Project. She has natural authority and confidence though she is also keenly aware that her role is to please clients. Above all she is “professional” and never says a word out of place.

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Oliver Sebastian as Felix

A Northstar consultant and Subject Matter Expert, he’s employed for his specialist technical skills. He’s friendly and amenable with excellent interpersonal skills. On the face of it, he’s just another “suit” but he shares an affinity with the Technicians and, like them, he’s a gamer.

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Stewart James Barnham as Ray

The technical Team Leader at Cedar Bridge. He’s relaxed and competent but also possesses an ability to manage staff and carry out the bureaucracy necessary in a large organisation. Over the years he’s become phlegmatic as he’s seen management and projects come and go. Some succeed and those that don’t, never fail, they just fade away. He’s learned to keep calm and just go with the flow. Management sees him as a safe pair of hands.

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Simon Willshire as Bob

An earnest young Business Analyst. A tech enthusiastic and computer gamer with little real business acumen. Bob sees his job as producing documents and talking in meetings. Though he idolises Morgan his real goal is to get into the IT department but somehow, he always seem to be at odds with someone or other.

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Jamie Langlands as Adrian

An energetic computer technician. The “go to” guy when you have a technical problem, he’s extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic but impatient and short tempered. He just wants to be left alone to work on the technology but he’s frequently dragged into meetings and has to deal with people.

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Lucy Mabbitt as Sharon

Sharon’s been with Cedar Bridge for nearly two years. She is happy and carefree and likes dealing with people. Sharon oversees many of the smaller projects carried out by the IT department.

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Christina Dembenezi as Tina

Tina provides workplace training to large corporations. She likes her job because it gives her flexibility and independence. She just goes in, presents the training, and gets out again.

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Pat Garrett as Freda

Freda is Esther’s mother. She is becoming forgetful but, in her younger days, she was vibrant and bohemian. An artist and, briefly, a singer she led an erratic life and drink and drugs were a persistent theme in Esther’s childhood. These days Freda spends a lot of time sitting in her studio….. dozing.

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David Burton as John

John was also something of a bohemian in his youth and a lover of nature. He tries to stay active but has given up the allotment and makes do with the garden. Looking after Freda is becoming a full time job but he refuses specialist care and insists that he can cope.