07/03/2020
Today we're doing the last phase of casting for two roles in our GP Surgery sit-com. It's been a long process, and as I'm going through my notes I think there's a couple of things I want to say to the actors out there: We opened casting for 2 roles using two major casting portals. We had over 1500 expressions of interest... we reviewed the profiles for each one (I didn't count the hours of showreel that were watched, but I guestimate at least 60 hours )
1500 to reduce to a longlist of 80, who we invited to submit a clip of their performing of a specific sample script. 1420 messages to send to say "Thank you for your interest, but I'm afraid we won't be asking you to the next phase of our casting."
The longlist of 80 were invited to submit their sample script performances. From 80, we had to reduce that to the 8 we could reasonably fit into the time we had to run face to face auditions. 80 video clips watched over and over, compared against each other, discussed and debated and scored and re-scored. Another 72 "Thank you, but I'm afraid..." messages to send.
By the end of next week we will have selected the 2 actors we would like to offer the roles to. Today we will pair the 8 actors up in different combinations, test the different dynamics, and find the pairing we think works best. By the end of next week, we will have sent out 6 more "Thank you, but I'm afraid..." messages.
1498 "Thank, but I'm afraid..." messages.
1498 people.
None of them were rubbish actors. None of them were ugly, or stupid, or ridiculous. 1498 people who just weren't as close to the characters we're trying to create on-screen as 2 others.
We've all had work applications rejected, we all know that sinking feeling when you see the message arrive, click on it (or open the envelope, for boomers like me old enough to remember having to do it by snail-mail) and see the words "I'm afraid", or "unfortunately". I absolutely understand some people will have shrugged it off..."never mind; what else has been posted on the site?" while others will have taken it more to heart "...another rejection; am I wasting my time? Am I crap at this? Am I too old? Am I ugly? Should I just give up?"
I absolutely understand that the majority of those 1498 aren't full time actors, that they have day jobs, that they get home after a full day's work and ask friends and family to help them learn lines from scripts, that they take time off work to travel to auditions.
I absolutely understand that they know the odds... 1500 people, 2 roles to fill.
So I want, Andrew and I both want, on behalf of Amber Crane, to say Thank You. A genuine and sincere Thank You to all the actors who have applied to a casting call. We understand what it takes to do the work you do, what it takes to keep doing the work you do, and we think all of you are amazing. 1498 people might not have been the closest match to the characters in our sit-com, but there are thousands of writers, directors, and producers out there; all working on different projects... someone, somewhere has a character that is just waiting to come to life inside you.
