casting

We have been casting a few of the other parts of the movie the past couple of days.  I thankfully was able to sit in on the casting sessions with the Casting Director, Jeff Rodgers.  I find this process to be strange.  We, as the production company, have an idea of what the characters should be according to what Dan, the director, has explained to us.  However, in the few sessions that I have had a chance to sit in on in the past, I am always surprised by the different choices people make with the characters.  Some of them have completely blown me away.  Some of them have made me cringe.  Which is what we deal with.  

Actors are strange people.  Just by definition alone.  They are judged immediately by the way they look.  They are constantly rejected in life.  A normal actor will be rejected 50 times before possibly finally getting a part - a part credited as "Screaming Woman #2".  If anything else, for those who do get their "big break", it never lasts very long.  They make a living essentially pretending to be someone that they are not.  It is very difficult to be an actor and not only know who you are yourself, but also deal with all the rejection in your life.  Those that can act successfully, as well as live life successfully, are the ones that I think are the best actors.  

I am the type of person, that really gets wrapped up emotionally with characters in TV shows or movies.  I can so easily transport myself to the place that these characters are, and I love just getting to know certain characters.  The best movies to me are ones that are driven by the interesting characters, not all the explosions and special effects.  As I've watched each of these people show us their own take on these characters, I realized something.  There were a few times, that I was completely drawn into their character.  I know the story, I know the script, I even know the way it's supposed to sound.  But sitting there, looking through the camera lens, with bad lighting, a terrible background, no props, wardrobe, music, nor a real character to read against, a few of these people completely drew me in to their characters.  It was pretty cool.  So kudos to those people.  That takes talent, if you ask me.  Those are the people I want to see in the movie.