(28) Cast and Characters Plan
Planning Cast and Character Profiles
Characters are often argued to be one of the most crucial aspects of the storytelling elements. While characters can be used as an extension of the plot, well-developed characters often have the ability to engage and influence the audience on their own. Aristotle claimed that plot always takes precedence over character; that character is merely a causal element in the plot. However, without the characters, the heart of the story is gone; stakes are void within the fictional world because there are no people to gain or suffer, particularly people that the audience cares about. Plot and characters are not mutually exclusive elements.
Characters, like any storytelling element, can be used as an expression of the art style, movement and genre of a film. For example, if the film is adopting realism, then the characters will likely be realistic too. If the film employs melodrama, then caricatures and tropes are the best forms of character to express this. I shall apply this idea to my own characters.
List of Characters in My Film
In my short film, I intend to use characterisation to create meaning within the world and to add a moral interpretation so that the audience can apply this to their own society. There are three main characters in my film and the rest are secondary. These are the characters I am including:
I have chosen to audition the actresses using Bleedingheart's monologue, as this is the most moving and important speech Bleedingheart makes and accurately demonstrates her characteristics. Furthermore, besides her death scene (which is pure action), this monologue is the most challenging scene for Bleedingheart's actress, therefore, auditioning the actresses using this monologue will allow me to see who will push themselves in the role.
Dialogue for the Preacher's Audition
I have chosen this monologue for the Preacher's audition. This is because I am judging the actors on their ability to give a speech, as the Preacher's dialogue is predominantly speeches. The reason I have chosen this particular scene is that this is when the character shows his true tyrannical nature and is most extreme, so I need to make sure the actors are able to channel this accurately.
Characters are often argued to be one of the most crucial aspects of the storytelling elements. While characters can be used as an extension of the plot, well-developed characters often have the ability to engage and influence the audience on their own. Aristotle claimed that plot always takes precedence over character; that character is merely a causal element in the plot. However, without the characters, the heart of the story is gone; stakes are void within the fictional world because there are no people to gain or suffer, particularly people that the audience cares about. Plot and characters are not mutually exclusive elements.
Characters, like any storytelling element, can be used as an expression of the art style, movement and genre of a film. For example, if the film is adopting realism, then the characters will likely be realistic too. If the film employs melodrama, then caricatures and tropes are the best forms of character to express this. I shall apply this idea to my own characters.
List of Characters in My Film
In my short film, I intend to use characterisation to create meaning within the world and to add a moral interpretation so that the audience can apply this to their own society. There are three main characters in my film and the rest are secondary. These are the characters I am including:
- Egon - the protagonist of the story
- Bleedingheart - the voice of reason, an influential White Cloak member
- The Preacher - the antagonist and the leader of the White Cloaks
- Riverfolk Members - a tribe heavily persecuted by The Preacher
- White Cloak Members - A tribe that is led by The Preacher, often hateful however some follow Bleedingheart
- Terrorist - an estranged member of the Riverfolk who's act of terror heightens the tension between the two tribes.
- The Town Crier - Briefly seen throughout, delivers the news from a strongly bias perspective in favour of The Preacher
- Young Man - This character briefly appears at the end and mirrors Egon at the beginning of the film to create a cyclical structure
Character Profiles
It's important to determine the characteristics that define these characters in order to distinguish character from character. I intend to use the theory of binary opposition in order to produce black and white characters. This is a technique often avoided in modern films because it makes the characters unrealistic. However, because my story is set in an unrealistic world, it is important to keep this continuous among the characters. Furthermore, the binary opposition can be used to apply a distinctive moral code to my characters, to help the audience determine good from bad. This will allow me to make a clear social comment through the characters in the short film.
The following list documents the characters I have created, including their traits and characteristics that define them. I have also provided an explanation (in italics) as to why I have chosen these attributes:
Protagonist
Name: Egon
The name 'Egon' is Gaelic for 'young fighter' or 'squire'. I liked this because it represented exactly what I saw in Egon as a character. He begins the film very impressionable and soon becomes a 'student' of Bleedingheart. He becomes a passion-fighter for what he believes in. His name is a form of nominative determinism as it represents his role in the story. Furthermore, its Scottish heritage was appropriate because the message of the film derives from the current social climate of the United Kingdom, the British name alludes to this subtly.
Age: Young Adult
The reason he is a young adult is that he, as a character, represents youth. He has just come of age and is now introduced to the complicated world of politics where he has to make a choice. This age fits this notion perfectly.
Profession: Freedom activist/Traveller
While jobs don't necessarily exist in this world, the main directive of Egon's is to campaign for equality and freedom against the Preacher, along with Bleedingheart. Later in the film, though, he assumes the Preacher's role as a leader. At the beginning of the short film, Egon is a traveller. This represents his freshness to the situation, which further plays on the idea of youth, as he's completely new to the political scene.
Likes: Equality, Bleedingheart, the Riverfolk
These likes are the basis for his motivation throughout the film, they are what prompts him to do the things he does, even if they don't better his initial cause or are necessarily the right thing to do.
Dislikes: The Preacher, inequality, tyranny
These strong dislikes also serve as a motive for his actions throughout the film.
History: Prior to the film, no history is revealed regarding Egon. This includes where he comes from and why he is even near the tribes. He begins the film as an entirely new man: a blank canvas ready to learn about the world.
The reason I have not given Egon any history is to, firstly, not complicate the narrative by adding too much exposition. Furthermore, as he represents youth, I wanted to throw him into the film as entirely new or fresh - what matters most is what's ahead of him: his future.
Personality: Impressionable, passionate, naive
Supporting Role
Name: Bleedingheart
Bleedingheart's name derives from the derogatory insult ('bleeding heart') used against people with left-wing ideologies or people with compassion and empathy. The reason I opted for this name is that I wanted her to take ownership of something that has often been used to silence those who support compassion and equality. It also sounds quite majestic, which suits the fantastical theme of the film. In addition, her name is a form of nominative determinism, as it foreshadows her death in which she is shot through the heart.
Age: Young woman
Often, wisdom is associated with old men. I wanted to subvert this stereotype by having the wisdom be manifested through a young and beautiful woman. Furthermore, the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, is similar to the character as she is both a warrior and wise as well as a woman.
Profession: Freedom fighter
Again, professions don't really exist in the world in which the film is set, as it is based among tribes. However, the role Bleedingheart assumes is counteracting the hate the Preacher perpetuates. She spends her time opening people's eyes.
Likes: Equality, Harmony, Fairness
These likes are what motivates her throughout the story, these are the values that she acts on
Dislikes: Tyranny, Hate, Inequality
Bleedingheart constantly acts against these things.
History: In the film, it is implied that Bleedingheart and the Preacher know or knew each other, this is likely through their campaigning and rich politically-oriented backgrounds. She somehow became dynamic between the White Cloaks and Riverfolk, this happened prior to the film.
Her background isn't extensive. This is because if I over-complicated her history than this would complicate the film and make the exposition unnecessarily long.
Traits: Passive, composed, collected, wise, compassionate, peaceful
Antagonist
Name: The Preacher
Again, the use of nominative determinism is present as it's very straightforward in his role within the film. The name alludes to religion, which isn't a key theme in my film but it alludes to the oppressive/ influence religion can have on a society, as well as the role of Christianity in the United Kingdom and how it is used to justify xenophobic attitudes.
Age: Adult
Being set in a fictional world, age isn't too relevant. However, given his superiority complex and higher position above everyone else, I wanted his character to appear only slightly older than the majority of the main characters. This raises the stakes for the heroes as, given the cultural attitudes towards age, this would make him seem a harder, more oppressive antagonist to beat.
Profession: Leader/Preacher
While there aren't official roles within the White Cloaks, the Preachers tyrannical nature has led him to fulfil the role of the leader of the White Cloaks. This is how he has an influence on them and the story.
Likes: Power/control, tyranny, violence, superiority
Dislikes: The Riverfolk, Bleedingheart/rebels, threats to his power
Traits: Tyrannical, hateful, cruel, violent, oppressive, clever
Minor Characters
The Town Crier
Profession: Town Crier (representation of the media and its effect on politics and societal attitudes)
Age: Old man (Alludes to how the media is controlled almost entirely by old, white men)
Likes: The Preacher, having influence
Dislikes: The Riverfolk
History: Old friend of the Preacher
Traits: Traditional/Conservative values
The Terrorist (no name as I don't want to humanize a terrorist)
Profession: Terrorist (represents the social issue present today)
Age: Young man (young minds are poisoned as they are impressionable, also struggle with emotions)
Likes: violence, murder, justice (or, at least, what he thinks justice is)
Dislikes: Riverfolk, White Cloaks, the Preacher
History: Disconnected from the Riverfolk a long time ago
Traits: Highly disturbed and unpredictable
Young Man (appears at the end of the film only)
Profession: Similar to Egon at the beginning, he is a traveller
Age: Young man (a representation of a new generation of youths)
Traits: Impressionable, passionate, naive (exactly mirrors Egon)
Riverfolk Leader (the leader is the embodiment of what the Riverfolk are like at heart)
Profession: Leader of the Riverfolk
Age: Adult woman (in film, women often represent passivity and benevolence)
Likes: Openness, kindness, peace
Dislikes: Hate, tyranny, inequality
Traits: Warm, open, peaceful
White Cloaks (specifically Preacher's Men)
Likes: Violence, justice (what they interpret justice to be), traditional values, the Preacher
Dislikes: The Riverfolk, Bleedingheart, terrorism
Traits: Violent, traditional, closed-minded
Casting
Now that I have the characters planned, I can begin to think about who exactly I can cast in the roles in order to bring them to life.
Egon
The role of Egon is important as the film is predominantly focalised through him, this means getting his casting right is key. The following list presents the potential actors willing to portray Egon.
Elliott Gillespie
Age: 17 years old
Profession: College Student
Why is He Suitable for the Role?
Elliott is suitable for the role because of his age. As a young adult himself on the cusp of voting age, he understands and can relate to the role. Furthermore, he physically suits the role as he looks the correct age.
Secondly, I am very close to him and therefore there will be no awkwardness when it comes to directing him, this will majorly impact the ease of filming and potentially improve the quality of the footage because I can instruct him to do whatever I want on camera without either of us feeling uncomfortable.
Having worked with him on my AS project, I know that he will be able to adapt to the role naturally, therefore will be able to put on a good performance and improve the quality of the footage - he's talented and natural on camera. He's especially good at playing innocent/good roles, making him a great candidate for the role of Egon. Furthermore, he's comfortable with close-ups on his face which will give me more freedom when filming so I don't make him feel uncomfortable with being filmed.
Another reason he is suited to the role is that he lives near me, which will make filming together more convenient and help me decide which to use for my final locations. Furthermore, we share a similar schedule meaning we'll be available to film at the same time which will be extraordinarily convenient.
Furthermore, he's very comfortable and confident and would, therefore, be able to act with people he may not have met previously.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
One reason Elliott might not be suitable for the role is his inexperience as an actor. Undoubtedly, good acting improves a piece of film, so it is important to get the acting right. Elliott may not be able to do this as his only experience is working on my AS project. However, he performed brilliantly and I have no doubt that he will do the same on this project.
He's quite lazy, which may make him put less effort into performing if he grows tired or bored. Furthermore, he's very stubborn, which may make working with him a little difficult. Another issue is the fact that he's not very punctual, if he's late on the day of filming then this will reduce our filming time which may be a problem.
Ian Bedwell
Age: 18 Years Old
Profession: College Student
Why Might He Be Suitable For The Role?
Ian is suitable for the role because he's familiar with most of the potential cast, meaning he will likely be comfortable working with them. He's also very comfortable with strangers, which means he won't be uncomfortable and his performance, therefore, won't be hindered.
Another reason Ian is suitable for the role is that he has starred in other media productions (being a media student himself) and is used to the style of film acting as opposed to theatre, like most amateur actors.
In addition to this, Ian is of an appropriate age for the role, being a young adult himself.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
Ian may not be suitable for the role because he lives very far away, which means meeting up for filming may be difficult.
Moreover, Ian and I don't know each other very well and won't necessarily be comfortable working with each other, especially in the dynamic of director/actor.
Another reason is that, while Ian is familiar with the process of making media studies productions, he still limits the sufficient acting experience required for the role and may not be skilled enough.
Rory Main
Age: 18 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might He Be Suitable for the Role?
Rory is suitable for the role because he is of an appropriate age for the role, being a young adult himself. He also shares similar values with the character and can, therefore, channel these accurately.
Another reason Rory is suitable for the role is that we get along very well and are therefore comfortable working with each other.
Another advantage of casting Rory in the role of Egon is the fact that he has experience in acting. This is beneficial as he will likely be able to adapt to the role, having been in stage performances himself.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Rory may not be suitable for the role because he lives quite far away from me (almost an hour's drive). This will make meeting each other in a set location difficult, as one of us may have to travel a long way.
Another disadvantage of casting Rory in the role of Egon is that, while having experience in acting, his experience has predominantly revolved around theatre productions as opposed to film. This is a problem because of the vast differences in theatre and film, as the acting style of film relies far more on subtlety. This may be difficult for Rory to achieve, as film-style acting is a lot harder than theatre-style acting.
One more problem that may arise if I decide to cast Rory in this role is the fact that he may not be comfortable around strangers. This may inhibit his acting ability if he doesn't feel comfortable acting around strangers, which may be a problem.
Bleedingheart
Bleedingheart's role is key as she represents the voice of reason, it is important to cast appropriately because of this.
Bethany Bridgwood
Age: 17 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might She Be Suitable for the Role?
Beth is suitable for the role because of her age. As a young woman herself, she is the embodiment of
exactly what I imagined the character to look like: a young and beautiful woman. Therefore, she looks appropriate for the role.
Another reason Beth is appropriate for the role is that, as a drama student, she has some experience in acting and can, therefore, likely adapt to the role well. She's especially good at playing good roles, which is convenient for the role.
Furthermore, I am very good friends with Beth which will make it easier to direct her as we are both comfortable with each other. She's also comfortable with being on camera and can handle close-ups of her face, which gives me more freedom when filming her.
Why Might She Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Beth may not be suitable for the role because, although she has some acting experience, she is mainly experienced in theatre style acting, which is a lot different to the subtle nature of film acting. Film style acting is undoubtedly harder, given its realistic requirements, which means Beth may find it hard adapting to this style of acting.
Another disadvantage is that Beth lives quite far away from me, which means travelling to meet each other may be difficult and inconvenient. This is a factor to consider when casting.
Another problem with casting Beth as Bleedingheart is the fact that she may not be comfortable acting with strangers, which may hinder her acting ability and ruin the quality of the film overall.
Sophie Ebery Large
Age: 17 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might She Be Suitable for the Role?
Sophie may be suitable for the role because she is of an appropriate age, being a young woman herself. She is also passionate about the subject of the film herself, and can, therefore, understand and relate to her character. This understanding can be channelled into her performance and make it more realistic.
Another reason Sophie may be appropriate for the role is that she is a talented actress and has a lot of experience in acting. She is also good at film acting as she understands the subtle mannerisms acting in film requires.
Sophie has a very confident disposition and will be able to act comfortable with strangers, which offers more freedom when casting her counterparts. Similarly, she will be comfortable on camera which will benefit her performance.
Sophie and I know each other quite well and are, therefore, comfortable with working together. This is convenient.
Why Might She Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Sophie may not be suitable for the role because of the distance she or I would have to travel in order to film. As Sophie lives very far away from me, meeting up to film may be difficult because of such large distances to travel to each other.
Another disadvantage of casting Sophie in the role of Bleedingheart is her stubbornness. As she is quite stubborn, working with her may be difficult, especially when directing her. Furthermore, she may get too involved with the role and try to alter aspects of my script or story that I don't want to be changed. Working with her will be quite difficult. Similarly, she is not very punctual or reliable. This will be risky to work around.
Another problem with casting Sophie is her busy schedule which will be inconvenient to work around - especially with so little time to plan a filming date.
Emma Sherry
Age: 17 Years Old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might She Be Suitable for the Role?
Emma is suitable for the role because of her age and appearance. As a young woman herself, she
looks appropriate for the role. Furthermore, Emma is very passionate about the themes and topics addressed in the film and can, therefore, channel these passions into her performance to make it more accurate.
Secondly, Emma and I are very close and will be comfortable working together. She is also a very friendly and confident person, meaning she will easily get on with the rest of the cast if I decide to cast her in the role of Bleedingheart. Her friendly and kind nature will suit the role as well.
Another advantage of casting Emma is her reliability. She is a very punctual, organised and an overall reliable person which means relying on her is a safe and sensible decision.
Why Might She Not Be Appropriate?
Emma may not be suitable for the role because of her limited acting experience. As she has little to no knowledge of acting she may struggle with her performance, especially the daunting requirements of onscreen acting.
Another problem with casting Emma is that she lives very far away from me. This is a problem because it may be inconvenient to travel such large distances and quite a harsh expectation if I base filming closer to me than her.
Furthermore, although Emma is reliable, she does have a busy schedule. This may be difficult working around and very inconvenient too.
The Preacher
The Preacher is the antagonistic role of the film. When considering who to cast in the role, I should think about people who can perform well in villainous roles.
Rowan Knights
Age: 17 Years Old
Profession: College Student
Why Might He Be Suitable For The Role?
Rowan is suited to this role because, although he has no experience in professional acting, he has
starred in multiple media productions prior to this and therefore has an extended knowledge in what is asked of him and can adapt to roles really well. He's particularly good at performing antagonistic roles, which is a very important factor to consider when casting the Preacher. He's very natural on camera.
In addition to this, we've known each other for a long while and, therefore, will be comfortable working together which means filming will be easier and Rowan will be able to act to his fullest potential.
Another factor is the fact that he'd be comfortable with close-ups of his face which gives me more freedom when filming. He also lives nearby, which is extremely convenient.
He's very comfortable with strangers and therefore would be able to perform well with actors that he may have never met before.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
He might not be suitable for the role because he's hard to get hold of and is often quite late when turning up for things. This will impact organizing filming schedules and may risk reducing filming time if he's late.
The following list documents the characters I have created, including their traits and characteristics that define them. I have also provided an explanation (in italics) as to why I have chosen these attributes:
Protagonist
Name: Egon
The name 'Egon' is Gaelic for 'young fighter' or 'squire'. I liked this because it represented exactly what I saw in Egon as a character. He begins the film very impressionable and soon becomes a 'student' of Bleedingheart. He becomes a passion-fighter for what he believes in. His name is a form of nominative determinism as it represents his role in the story. Furthermore, its Scottish heritage was appropriate because the message of the film derives from the current social climate of the United Kingdom, the British name alludes to this subtly.
Age: Young Adult
The reason he is a young adult is that he, as a character, represents youth. He has just come of age and is now introduced to the complicated world of politics where he has to make a choice. This age fits this notion perfectly.
Profession: Freedom activist/Traveller
While jobs don't necessarily exist in this world, the main directive of Egon's is to campaign for equality and freedom against the Preacher, along with Bleedingheart. Later in the film, though, he assumes the Preacher's role as a leader. At the beginning of the short film, Egon is a traveller. This represents his freshness to the situation, which further plays on the idea of youth, as he's completely new to the political scene.
Likes: Equality, Bleedingheart, the Riverfolk
These likes are the basis for his motivation throughout the film, they are what prompts him to do the things he does, even if they don't better his initial cause or are necessarily the right thing to do.
Dislikes: The Preacher, inequality, tyranny
These strong dislikes also serve as a motive for his actions throughout the film.
History: Prior to the film, no history is revealed regarding Egon. This includes where he comes from and why he is even near the tribes. He begins the film as an entirely new man: a blank canvas ready to learn about the world.
The reason I have not given Egon any history is to, firstly, not complicate the narrative by adding too much exposition. Furthermore, as he represents youth, I wanted to throw him into the film as entirely new or fresh - what matters most is what's ahead of him: his future.
Personality: Impressionable, passionate, naive
Supporting Role
Name: Bleedingheart
Bleedingheart's name derives from the derogatory insult ('bleeding heart') used against people with left-wing ideologies or people with compassion and empathy. The reason I opted for this name is that I wanted her to take ownership of something that has often been used to silence those who support compassion and equality. It also sounds quite majestic, which suits the fantastical theme of the film. In addition, her name is a form of nominative determinism, as it foreshadows her death in which she is shot through the heart.
Age: Young woman
Often, wisdom is associated with old men. I wanted to subvert this stereotype by having the wisdom be manifested through a young and beautiful woman. Furthermore, the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, is similar to the character as she is both a warrior and wise as well as a woman.
Profession: Freedom fighter
Again, professions don't really exist in the world in which the film is set, as it is based among tribes. However, the role Bleedingheart assumes is counteracting the hate the Preacher perpetuates. She spends her time opening people's eyes.
Likes: Equality, Harmony, Fairness
These likes are what motivates her throughout the story, these are the values that she acts on
Dislikes: Tyranny, Hate, Inequality
Bleedingheart constantly acts against these things.
History: In the film, it is implied that Bleedingheart and the Preacher know or knew each other, this is likely through their campaigning and rich politically-oriented backgrounds. She somehow became dynamic between the White Cloaks and Riverfolk, this happened prior to the film.
Her background isn't extensive. This is because if I over-complicated her history than this would complicate the film and make the exposition unnecessarily long.
Traits: Passive, composed, collected, wise, compassionate, peaceful
Antagonist
Name: The Preacher
Again, the use of nominative determinism is present as it's very straightforward in his role within the film. The name alludes to religion, which isn't a key theme in my film but it alludes to the oppressive/ influence religion can have on a society, as well as the role of Christianity in the United Kingdom and how it is used to justify xenophobic attitudes.
Age: Adult
Being set in a fictional world, age isn't too relevant. However, given his superiority complex and higher position above everyone else, I wanted his character to appear only slightly older than the majority of the main characters. This raises the stakes for the heroes as, given the cultural attitudes towards age, this would make him seem a harder, more oppressive antagonist to beat.
Profession: Leader/Preacher
While there aren't official roles within the White Cloaks, the Preachers tyrannical nature has led him to fulfil the role of the leader of the White Cloaks. This is how he has an influence on them and the story.
Likes: Power/control, tyranny, violence, superiority
Dislikes: The Riverfolk, Bleedingheart/rebels, threats to his power
Traits: Tyrannical, hateful, cruel, violent, oppressive, clever
Minor Characters
The Town Crier
Profession: Town Crier (representation of the media and its effect on politics and societal attitudes)
Age: Old man (Alludes to how the media is controlled almost entirely by old, white men)
Likes: The Preacher, having influence
Dislikes: The Riverfolk
History: Old friend of the Preacher
Traits: Traditional/Conservative values
The Terrorist (no name as I don't want to humanize a terrorist)
Profession: Terrorist (represents the social issue present today)
Age: Young man (young minds are poisoned as they are impressionable, also struggle with emotions)
Likes: violence, murder, justice (or, at least, what he thinks justice is)
Dislikes: Riverfolk, White Cloaks, the Preacher
History: Disconnected from the Riverfolk a long time ago
Traits: Highly disturbed and unpredictable
Young Man (appears at the end of the film only)
Profession: Similar to Egon at the beginning, he is a traveller
Age: Young man (a representation of a new generation of youths)
Traits: Impressionable, passionate, naive (exactly mirrors Egon)
Riverfolk Leader (the leader is the embodiment of what the Riverfolk are like at heart)
Profession: Leader of the Riverfolk
Age: Adult woman (in film, women often represent passivity and benevolence)
Likes: Openness, kindness, peace
Dislikes: Hate, tyranny, inequality
Traits: Warm, open, peaceful
White Cloaks (specifically Preacher's Men)
Likes: Violence, justice (what they interpret justice to be), traditional values, the Preacher
Dislikes: The Riverfolk, Bleedingheart, terrorism
Traits: Violent, traditional, closed-minded
Casting
Now that I have the characters planned, I can begin to think about who exactly I can cast in the roles in order to bring them to life.
Egon
The role of Egon is important as the film is predominantly focalised through him, this means getting his casting right is key. The following list presents the potential actors willing to portray Egon.
Elliott Gillespie
Age: 17 years old
Profession: College Student
Why is He Suitable for the Role?
Secondly, I am very close to him and therefore there will be no awkwardness when it comes to directing him, this will majorly impact the ease of filming and potentially improve the quality of the footage because I can instruct him to do whatever I want on camera without either of us feeling uncomfortable.
Having worked with him on my AS project, I know that he will be able to adapt to the role naturally, therefore will be able to put on a good performance and improve the quality of the footage - he's talented and natural on camera. He's especially good at playing innocent/good roles, making him a great candidate for the role of Egon. Furthermore, he's comfortable with close-ups on his face which will give me more freedom when filming so I don't make him feel uncomfortable with being filmed.
Another reason he is suited to the role is that he lives near me, which will make filming together more convenient and help me decide which to use for my final locations. Furthermore, we share a similar schedule meaning we'll be available to film at the same time which will be extraordinarily convenient.
Furthermore, he's very comfortable and confident and would, therefore, be able to act with people he may not have met previously.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
One reason Elliott might not be suitable for the role is his inexperience as an actor. Undoubtedly, good acting improves a piece of film, so it is important to get the acting right. Elliott may not be able to do this as his only experience is working on my AS project. However, he performed brilliantly and I have no doubt that he will do the same on this project.
He's quite lazy, which may make him put less effort into performing if he grows tired or bored. Furthermore, he's very stubborn, which may make working with him a little difficult. Another issue is the fact that he's not very punctual, if he's late on the day of filming then this will reduce our filming time which may be a problem.
Ian Bedwell
Age: 18 Years Old
Profession: College Student
Why Might He Be Suitable For The Role?
Ian is suitable for the role because he's familiar with most of the potential cast, meaning he will likely be comfortable working with them. He's also very comfortable with strangers, which means he won't be uncomfortable and his performance, therefore, won't be hindered.Another reason Ian is suitable for the role is that he has starred in other media productions (being a media student himself) and is used to the style of film acting as opposed to theatre, like most amateur actors.
In addition to this, Ian is of an appropriate age for the role, being a young adult himself.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
Ian may not be suitable for the role because he lives very far away, which means meeting up for filming may be difficult.
Moreover, Ian and I don't know each other very well and won't necessarily be comfortable working with each other, especially in the dynamic of director/actor.
Another reason is that, while Ian is familiar with the process of making media studies productions, he still limits the sufficient acting experience required for the role and may not be skilled enough.
Rory Main
Age: 18 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might He Be Suitable for the Role?
Another reason Rory is suitable for the role is that we get along very well and are therefore comfortable working with each other.
Another advantage of casting Rory in the role of Egon is the fact that he has experience in acting. This is beneficial as he will likely be able to adapt to the role, having been in stage performances himself.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Rory may not be suitable for the role because he lives quite far away from me (almost an hour's drive). This will make meeting each other in a set location difficult, as one of us may have to travel a long way.
Another disadvantage of casting Rory in the role of Egon is that, while having experience in acting, his experience has predominantly revolved around theatre productions as opposed to film. This is a problem because of the vast differences in theatre and film, as the acting style of film relies far more on subtlety. This may be difficult for Rory to achieve, as film-style acting is a lot harder than theatre-style acting.
One more problem that may arise if I decide to cast Rory in this role is the fact that he may not be comfortable around strangers. This may inhibit his acting ability if he doesn't feel comfortable acting around strangers, which may be a problem.
Bleedingheart
Bleedingheart's role is key as she represents the voice of reason, it is important to cast appropriately because of this.
Bethany Bridgwood
Age: 17 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might She Be Suitable for the Role?
Beth is suitable for the role because of her age. As a young woman herself, she is the embodiment of
exactly what I imagined the character to look like: a young and beautiful woman. Therefore, she looks appropriate for the role.
Another reason Beth is appropriate for the role is that, as a drama student, she has some experience in acting and can, therefore, likely adapt to the role well. She's especially good at playing good roles, which is convenient for the role.
Furthermore, I am very good friends with Beth which will make it easier to direct her as we are both comfortable with each other. She's also comfortable with being on camera and can handle close-ups of her face, which gives me more freedom when filming her.
Why Might She Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Beth may not be suitable for the role because, although she has some acting experience, she is mainly experienced in theatre style acting, which is a lot different to the subtle nature of film acting. Film style acting is undoubtedly harder, given its realistic requirements, which means Beth may find it hard adapting to this style of acting.
Another disadvantage is that Beth lives quite far away from me, which means travelling to meet each other may be difficult and inconvenient. This is a factor to consider when casting.
Another problem with casting Beth as Bleedingheart is the fact that she may not be comfortable acting with strangers, which may hinder her acting ability and ruin the quality of the film overall.
Sophie Ebery Large
Age: 17 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might She Be Suitable for the Role?
Sophie may be suitable for the role because she is of an appropriate age, being a young woman herself. She is also passionate about the subject of the film herself, and can, therefore, understand and relate to her character. This understanding can be channelled into her performance and make it more realistic.Another reason Sophie may be appropriate for the role is that she is a talented actress and has a lot of experience in acting. She is also good at film acting as she understands the subtle mannerisms acting in film requires.
Sophie has a very confident disposition and will be able to act comfortable with strangers, which offers more freedom when casting her counterparts. Similarly, she will be comfortable on camera which will benefit her performance.
Sophie and I know each other quite well and are, therefore, comfortable with working together. This is convenient.
Why Might She Not Be Suitable for the Role?
Sophie may not be suitable for the role because of the distance she or I would have to travel in order to film. As Sophie lives very far away from me, meeting up to film may be difficult because of such large distances to travel to each other.
Another disadvantage of casting Sophie in the role of Bleedingheart is her stubbornness. As she is quite stubborn, working with her may be difficult, especially when directing her. Furthermore, she may get too involved with the role and try to alter aspects of my script or story that I don't want to be changed. Working with her will be quite difficult. Similarly, she is not very punctual or reliable. This will be risky to work around.
Another problem with casting Sophie is her busy schedule which will be inconvenient to work around - especially with so little time to plan a filming date.
Emma Sherry
Age: 17 Years Old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Emma is suitable for the role because of her age and appearance. As a young woman herself, she
looks appropriate for the role. Furthermore, Emma is very passionate about the themes and topics addressed in the film and can, therefore, channel these passions into her performance to make it more accurate.
Secondly, Emma and I are very close and will be comfortable working together. She is also a very friendly and confident person, meaning she will easily get on with the rest of the cast if I decide to cast her in the role of Bleedingheart. Her friendly and kind nature will suit the role as well.
Another advantage of casting Emma is her reliability. She is a very punctual, organised and an overall reliable person which means relying on her is a safe and sensible decision.
Why Might She Not Be Appropriate?
Emma may not be suitable for the role because of her limited acting experience. As she has little to no knowledge of acting she may struggle with her performance, especially the daunting requirements of onscreen acting.
Another problem with casting Emma is that she lives very far away from me. This is a problem because it may be inconvenient to travel such large distances and quite a harsh expectation if I base filming closer to me than her.
Furthermore, although Emma is reliable, she does have a busy schedule. This may be difficult working around and very inconvenient too.
The Preacher
The Preacher is the antagonistic role of the film. When considering who to cast in the role, I should think about people who can perform well in villainous roles.
Rowan Knights
Age: 17 Years Old
Profession: College Student
Why Might He Be Suitable For The Role?
Rowan is suited to this role because, although he has no experience in professional acting, he hasstarred in multiple media productions prior to this and therefore has an extended knowledge in what is asked of him and can adapt to roles really well. He's particularly good at performing antagonistic roles, which is a very important factor to consider when casting the Preacher. He's very natural on camera.
In addition to this, we've known each other for a long while and, therefore, will be comfortable working together which means filming will be easier and Rowan will be able to act to his fullest potential.
Another factor is the fact that he'd be comfortable with close-ups of his face which gives me more freedom when filming. He also lives nearby, which is extremely convenient.
He's very comfortable with strangers and therefore would be able to perform well with actors that he may have never met before.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
He might not be suitable for the role because he's hard to get hold of and is often quite late when turning up for things. This will impact organizing filming schedules and may risk reducing filming time if he's late.
Furthermore, his acting experience is still limited - he is not a professional. This may inhibit his performance.
James Vardigans
Age: 18 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might He Be Suitable for the Role?
James is suitable for the role because he has experience in acting, as a drama student. He's a talented actor and I believe he would adapt to the role well. He's confident and would be able to work with strangers well. He's very comfortable on camera and would act very naturally.
He's comfortable with close-ups on his face which will give me more freedom when framing shots. He's also very reliable and would, therefore, turn up on time etc.
We are friends and would, therefore, be comfortable working together too.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
The issue with casting James as the protagonist is the fact that he lives quite far away and therefore would have to take into account the travelling times and costs. Furthermore, I may have to supply transport for him when going to the location that cannot be accessed via public transport, which will be inconvenient as he lives the opposite direction quite far away.
Another issue that may arise if I opted to cast James is that, although he has experience in acting in drama productions, he may not possess the subtleties that are required in screen acting, because he is used to theatre style acting. This may be a problem because theatre is often too exaggerated or overdramatised compared to film, which relies on subtle expression and naturalism.
He also lives very close to me, which is convenient.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
A reason Jackson may be unsuitable for the role is that he is quite hard to get in contact with because he's quite reclusive. This may be an issue when organising.
Furthermore, while Jackson is an aspiring actor, he is not a professional. This means his performance may not be as good as most onscreen actors.
Auditioning
Now that I have selected the potential actors that I intend to audition for the three main roles, I can begin to consider what pieces of dialogue I can use to audition them. As I have already written the script I shall be using dialogue from my film.
Dialogue for Egon's Audition
The following screenshot depicts the piece of dialogue I will be using to audition the actors potentially playing Egon. The reason I have chosen this excerpt is that I feel it accurately captures the essence of Egon's character: this is the scene in which he is most innocent/impressionable, which are the character's defining qualities. Using this scene to test the actor's abilities will be most effective as I can see whether they truly possess the ability to channel these qualities.
Dialogue for Bleedingheart's AuditionAge: 18 years old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might He Be Suitable for the Role?
James is suitable for the role because he has experience in acting, as a drama student. He's a talented actor and I believe he would adapt to the role well. He's confident and would be able to work with strangers well. He's very comfortable on camera and would act very naturally.He's comfortable with close-ups on his face which will give me more freedom when framing shots. He's also very reliable and would, therefore, turn up on time etc.
We are friends and would, therefore, be comfortable working together too.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable for the Role?
The issue with casting James as the protagonist is the fact that he lives quite far away and therefore would have to take into account the travelling times and costs. Furthermore, I may have to supply transport for him when going to the location that cannot be accessed via public transport, which will be inconvenient as he lives the opposite direction quite far away.
Another issue that may arise if I opted to cast James is that, although he has experience in acting in drama productions, he may not possess the subtleties that are required in screen acting, because he is used to theatre style acting. This may be a problem because theatre is often too exaggerated or overdramatised compared to film, which relies on subtle expression and naturalism.
Jackson Cutts
Age: 18 Years Old
Profession: Sixth Form Student
Why Might He Be Suitable For The Role?
Jackson is suited to the role because, as an aspiring actor and drama student, he has plenty of
experience in acting and understands the subtleties of onscreen acting too. Furthermore, as a large character himself, he is best suited to extravagant roles such as the Preacher.
Jackson and I have known each other for a long time and are very comfortable working together. He's also very comfortable with working with strangers which gives me more freedom when choosing the overall cast. He is also comfortable with being on camera and close-ups of his face and can act very naturally.
He also lives very close to me, which is convenient.
Why Might He Not Be Suitable For The Role?
A reason Jackson may be unsuitable for the role is that he is quite hard to get in contact with because he's quite reclusive. This may be an issue when organising.
Furthermore, while Jackson is an aspiring actor, he is not a professional. This means his performance may not be as good as most onscreen actors.
Now that I have selected the potential actors that I intend to audition for the three main roles, I can begin to consider what pieces of dialogue I can use to audition them. As I have already written the script I shall be using dialogue from my film.
The following screenshot depicts the piece of dialogue I will be using to audition the actors potentially playing Egon. The reason I have chosen this excerpt is that I feel it accurately captures the essence of Egon's character: this is the scene in which he is most innocent/impressionable, which are the character's defining qualities. Using this scene to test the actor's abilities will be most effective as I can see whether they truly possess the ability to channel these qualities.
I have chosen to audition the actresses using Bleedingheart's monologue, as this is the most moving and important speech Bleedingheart makes and accurately demonstrates her characteristics. Furthermore, besides her death scene (which is pure action), this monologue is the most challenging scene for Bleedingheart's actress, therefore, auditioning the actresses using this monologue will allow me to see who will push themselves in the role.
Dialogue for the Preacher's Audition
I have chosen this monologue for the Preacher's audition. This is because I am judging the actors on their ability to give a speech, as the Preacher's dialogue is predominantly speeches. The reason I have chosen this particular scene is that this is when the character shows his true tyrannical nature and is most extreme, so I need to make sure the actors are able to channel this accurately.
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