Casting…

In order to effectively cast each character, I plan to hold auditions which would help me to see if the actor is suitable for the role. I have designed a few short monologues which will arise at sometime during the film. These monologues should help me to see if the actor can in fact act, and if they can correctly portray the character. As there are only three characters in the film’s opening who may have any lines, I have only written monologues for these three characters.


Jovelle (Adult)
For 20 years I… (Trails off) I had the same dream... (Long pause) I was staring into a mirror… and in front of me I saw this (pause)… man… this scrawny aged face, splattered with blood. He looked pathetic, desperate, miserable, but… (Long pause) at the same time… I felt his pain… I understood the troubles he had endured. I reached out to him and… he reaches out to me. Our hands meet on the glass and… he opens his mouth as if to speak and I do the same. (Losing his temper) I quickly drag me hand away and he does the same! I curse him for mimicking me, addressing him with every foul utterance that I manage to squeeze from my lips. Like verbal bullets, I unleash a bombardment of obscenities his way, yet still the bastard continues to imitate me, word for word, gesture for gesture! (Pause) Then, as the “Coup de Grace”, my trademark crooked smile appears on his contorted face.
For 20 years, I tried desperately to make sense of the dream. I read every book, every leaflet, spoke to every teacher, every doctor… (Long Pause) They all said I was stressed or some shit like that, and I never listened to them. I just went on with my life… so naïve… so stupid… never stopping to realise what was so obvious, so insanely obvious. (Long Pause) It was my face in the mirror… my aged face… my face covered with blood… It all makes sense now…


Jovelle (Teen)
(Optimistically) I… love you. (Long Pause) I think you’re amazing. I think you’re wonderful. I love the way you wear your hair, I love that cute little pouty thing you do when someone’s taking a picture of you. I love your cute little walk. The way your hips sway from side to side with every step. I love how headstrong you are, how smart you are. You’re not like other girls… you have ambition, you have drive. You inspire me to be a better person. (Long Pause) I love the fragrance you wear. Sometimes I deliberately walk past you just to catch your scent. What I’m trying to say is… I love you… I love everything about you… I fantasize about you… (Pause) One time you… you left the room and I… (Pause) I took one of your pens. You know… that pink one? It had a fuzzy tip and googly eyes… I don’t know why I did it… I suppose… I just… wanted to have something of yours with me, a piece of you with me… (Long Pause) because I can’t have you… and I want you… (Angrily) So why don’t you want me!?
(With increasing rage) I… hate you… I despise you… You’re an evil bitch! How dare you be so beautiful? How dare you make me fall in love with you? What gives you the right to break my heart in two? What gives you the right to make me feel shit about myself? You know what I did yesterday because of you? (Long Pause) I took a razor blade… and I cut myself… twice along my forearm. And I apologised. I apologised for loving you. I apologised for not being there for you. There to provide for you, appreciate you, compliment you, care for you, make love to you… (Pause) die for you… (Long Pause) Look… (Reveals bandaged arm) I blame you… this is your doing! This is your fault! You made me do this… (Long Pause) And you know what? (Pause) I’d gladly do it again for you! I’d gladly bleed for you if it made you notice me… if it made you acknowledge me… if it made you love me…
(Pleading) Love me… just… love me… (Completely enraged) Goddamn it, just love me!


Raven
I’ve got a question for you… and try to answer truthfully. (Pause) What is your purpose? Why do you get up each morning, force yourself through day after day of pain and suffering? (Long Pause) Let me guess. (Mockingly) You’re doing it for your friends? (Long Pause) No? (In sudden realisation) Ah… for “love”… a pathetic insipid emotion. It’s just a weakness, all too easy to exploit by your enemies. Let me give you a little piece of advice. Forget about love. Forget that “warm fuzzy feeling” you get whenever you see her walk by. It’ll bring you nothing but pain. You will suffer, you will kill, and you will die. That. I can promise you.


Krystal

Krystal: Jay!? Is that you?

Jovelle: (Smirks) Found you…

Jovelle draws a gun and aims it at Krystal. She begins to panic initially at the sight of the gun, but quickly subdues her fear.

Krystal: (Nervously) Please, give me a chance to explain…

Jovelle: Explain!? There’s no explanation for what you did… You betrayed me… you made a fool out of me!

Krystal: I made a mistake! Please… I love you… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…

Jovelle: And I loved you… (Slight pause) loved you…

Krystal: No… don’t say that… (Pause) Look, we can start again, please! Just… forgive me…

Jovelle: (repeating Krystal’s words) Forgive you…

Krystal: (quickly) Yes! We can make it work. Just… put the gun down. (Pause) Put the gun down…

Jovelle: (long pause) I’ve heard enough…

Takes aim with the gun.

Krystal: (pleading) No please, no…

Jovelle: (angrily) Enough!

Krystal: (loudly) No don’t!

Jovelle: (angrily) Just die!

Jovelle pulls the trigger, shooting Krystal in the stomach. She stares at Jovelle in shock, leading him onto shoot her again. She falls to the ground, gasping for breath. She feebly reaches up towards Jovelle and stares at him. He is now weighted down with guilt and anger.

Krystal: (Weakly) J… Jay…

Jovelle: (angrily) Die! (Pulls the trigger) Die! (Pulls the trigger) Die! (Pulls the trigger) Die! (Pulls the trigger) Die! (Pulls the trigger)Just fucking die!!!




This is the general routine I plan to follow when I audition my actors. If there is any other specific questions I need to ask the actor then they will be included.

1. Ask name, age

2. Ask about themselves (e.g. )

3. Ask why they enjoy acting

4. Explain to the actor/actress what the “film” is about, tell them they will be needed for the film’s opening, etc…

5. Ask to read the script I feel they will be suited for

6. Ask about own personal experiences (similar to the character)

7. Ask how they feel about the character after reading the script

8. Ask if they have any questions

9. If I feel they are suited for another role, then return to step 5

10. Thank them for their time and tell them you’ll let them know if they’re successful A.S.A.P

NOTE: I CREATED SEPERATE AUDITION SCRIPTS TO MY FINAL FILM SCRIPT.

I have done this because I took sections from my films entire narrative and created audition scripts from them which will allow me to see if the actor is completely suitable for the character. As I was considering the actor for the entire film and not just for the film's opening, I thought that it would be better to use scripts which will truely test the actor. Also, as there are few lines in my film's opening, I thought that it would be difficult to create audition scripts based on the film opening.