EXCLUSIVE: Alex Kurtzman's 'Welcome to People' Seeks Boy Lead

DreamWorks has declared open season on young male actors. Or, rather, open casting.

Star Trek and Transformers co-writer Alex Kurtzman is putting together his directorial debut, a family drama called Welcome to People that will star Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks. The other big lead is a boy named Josh who is the son of Banks' character.

Kurtzman and the studio have decided to comb the countryside (or, at least, L.A.) for an actor to fill the role. Open auditions will take place Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 am to 2 pm with Denise Chamian Casting at Sunset Gower Studios (1438 N. Gower St., Bldg. 35, Suite 270). Production of the film is scheduled to begin locally in January.

The studio notes that interested boys need not have acting experience but should be comfortable with some salty language given the film's PG-13 rating. Other details about the part: "Male, 11-13 years old, Caucasian, athletic, independent and confident. Interested actors should be able to memorize lots of dialogue."

People follows a businessman who returns home after his estranged father's death and discovers that he has an alcoholic sister with a 12-year-old son. Kurtzman wrote the screenplay with regular collaborator Roberto Orci, and Jody Lambert.