It's shaping up to be a busy 2018 for TV projects shooting in the Northwest. Earlier this week, for example, a call went out for extras to appear in a "Pretty Little Liars" spinoff series, called "The Perfectionists."

Today, comes word that background talent is also needed for the pilot for "Staties," a proposed new drama for ABC.

The pilot is written by Matt Partney and Corey Evett and will be directed by Rob Bowman ("The X-Files.")

As Deadline reports, the show centers on Eliza Cortez (played by Annie Ilonzeh, of "Empire" and "Person of Interest"), an NYPD detective who's "banished to the boonies after a high-profile mistake and is paired with a new partner, Oregon State Trooper Sam King (played by Andy Karl), whose investigative techniques don't exactly follow protocol. King is an experienced (but quite eccentric) Oregon State Trooper with a tragic past."

In another post about "Staties," Deadline describes King's investigative techniques as including "talking to trees for clues," and adds he has an "obsession with flying kites." Cortez' character is described as "a fish out of water in this police procedural set in an eccentric town of quirky characters in coastal Oregon."

The notice from the background extras casting company, PDXTRAS, says that the "Staties" pilot is scheduled to film the week of March 12 in Manzanita, and "real locals" are wanted for many of the scenes. The pilot is also scheduled to film what the press release calls "a HUGE scene" March 28 in Ridgefield, Washington, and hundreds of extras will be required, to fill a variety of roles.

The "Staties" pilot is scheduled to film March 12 through March 28 in the Portland metro area and other locations in Oregon and Washington. The press release says PDXTRAS is looking for "a DIVERSE range of REAL PEOPLE. All ages and backgrounds are welcome to apply!"

The pay is listed as $11.25 per hour, "with bumps for upgraded roles."

Those interested should apply at the PDXTRAS website: http://pdxtras.com/

-- Kristi Turnquist



kturnquist@oregonian.com

503-221-8227

@Kristiturnquist