I would value some opinions on this one, Ok so just got this email about a casting posted on here that I applied for.
Is it me or is this just asking a little bit too much for this guy to want to try to kiss each girl who he choses to audition? I get that he wants to check the actress is ok with it but do you have to have a practise run at it during the casting session?? We can all kiss its not hard!
And castings are not first dates! jeeeesus, sometimes I despair. Any one had this too? or am I being a prude?
thank you for your interest.
As you know you can't really tell a lot from a photo about the person and with such a concept as this, it's very much a case of really how we get on in person.
So what i'm planning to do is arrange a very informal meeting.
He's breakdown of the basic plot that i hope we both can work on together.
It's around the absurdity of love. looking at dating, meeting the right person and the whole journey.
WE DO NOT SHOOT PORN!
But it will involve kissing, cuddles, caressing, undressing (NO NUDITY) (THIS IS COMEDY) you get th picture. all the funny things connected with being a couple. But done in comedy taste. I'm not after shock value that nudity and sex brings to comedy. Just want to higlight the comedy of love.
We will being shooting on Mini Dv. You will get copy of the finished project and co writing credits.
So he's some basic information I will need to know in your reply if you are fine with the above.
1) What day apart from monday, are you free to meet up in Croydon zone 6 to have coffee talk about the project?
2) Where are you based?
3) Your mobile number?
At the meeting we will talk about the project and what you can feel you can bring to the story.
I'll answer any question you may have.
And due to problems with actress saying one thing at a casting and another on the shoot, which wastes everyone's time. I will then ask you to move next to me and attempt a first kiss.
Although this is mainly two person show. There will be number of minor parts for first fail dates too.
I think Keith is being ironic and not saying that its okay. Anyway, that could be the casting directors state of mind- ie brag to his mates in the pub. Its quite sad really, but I can also totally see why the women on this forum are so upset: its sexist, and smacks of MCP. The statement this CD is saying is that " all you desperate actresses out there need a job, so I will give you one, and you can kiss me for the privelege.@
BUT BUT BUT:
I thought as well.... why does he say "We do not shoot porn?" Any self respecting, legitimate casting director would have no need to say this, as they dont deal in this:
so why is he saying this...unless he maybe does, and needs to justify his audtions because he knows they are wrong?????\
Me thinks someone needs to complain to Equity and maybe even the police.....
It's good to hear the male perspective on this topic too and that everyone thinks it's a resounding no!
Reading it over again - is this guy the lead actor too or just the "casting couch director"? It's rather ambiguous to say the least and I'm somewhat thrown by the "you'll have a co-writer credit" so does that mean he hasn't even got a complete script? Shooting on mini-dv? He's gone to Argos and bought a cheap video camera then!!
The more you read this, the more amazed I am that it got past the eagle eyes of the CCP Admin team who are normally so on the ball with this sort of thing.
Once again it raises the topic of anyone being able to post a casting without being screened/named whereas we actors are to a certain extent. A hot topic from last year when there were some unpleasant and rather insulting comments being made in the Green Room and upsetting the happy nature of our very useful and informative discussion room!
I, for one, would be very interested to know the name attached to this casting so that we can avoid him/them in the future.I just hope that they are naive and have learnt from this too.
Hope everyone has a great day - not kissing casting directors - unless they are your other half!!
Casting directors need to be screened and verified before being able to put stuff on here. Its a double standard not to expect that to them. We pay for this service, and as such actors and actresses need to be protected as well.
CCP admin, what are your thoughts on this? It seems like this is becoming a hot topic what with the jermyn Street theatre debacle, this casting , and various other things.
I think I know which posting this was. It was a guy asking for a double-act, and he'd posted twice, asking for an actress to complete this act. I didn't apply cos it sounded like a lot of trust has to be built for an act of this nature.
I would venture to tell him that such a double-act requires you guys to know each other better, the improvisation will be more creative, and you don't need to resort to comic undressing even!
If he turns down your very sane request, turn him down and let CCP know what's going on. His casting requests seem to have put off a lot of people! Good luck!
Hi guys, an update... I've spoken to the casting director in question and in my opinion he mostly made the mistake of wording his email badly to give the impression it has. I believe he has contacted those who have been in touch with him to try and diffuse the situation. Admittedly however, this does sound an unusual request for an initial audition.
We would urge everyone to take caution over their safety in any audition situation and never do anything they are not comfortable with.
We of course do our best to make sure that all info coming through CCP is of interest to our members and will not cause them harm in any way (professionally or otherwise...) however, inevitably the odd thing that our members may take exception to does appear.
We recently added a new member to the CCP team (Duncan, our new Website Administrator) which has allowed us extra resources to check details in jobs, and ensure that we can provide as much information as possible in Casting Calls. Hopefully as this, as well as other changes filter through the site, you will notice a positive difference.
I'm also putting together a guide to posting jobs, to be available when employers are making their posting and a guide for actors as to how to spot unusual practices in casting and how to keep safe.
I'm surprised that alot of you have suggested that Caroline go through with the audition, but only if certain requests are met, ie 'can I bring my man along?'
Sod being polite to this guy! Let him know that you wouldn't dream of attending such a ropey sounding casting session and that you are handing his contact details over to the police for the safety of women everywhere.
Reminds me of a story an actress told me. She was being auditioned by a very well know impressario and was asked to strip and have Biblical knowlege of him (wasn't sure how to put this). She refused. The other actress complied. Guess what - he hired them both and they were both in the show! But at least one of them had her integrity intact!
I just dont know that its worth being rude to him, as its really like Robbie said- a mistake in miscommunication.
I am learnng (through many factors- such as my tendency to react too strongly even to comments on this forum), that its sometimes better to be happy than right- and maybe its best to just be teh consumate professional and be polite but firm and unbending. In private, kick the dog, scream and rage away on this forum( its what its there for!!) and be calm and dignified to him. I just dont know if its going to achieve anything being rude to him.
An anecdote: my friend saw a CD over several meetings who explained that he was making a mike leigh style devised piece in his flat starring himself and the actress he was auditioning for. They would need to do months of impro in his flat about their developing relationship before writing the script together and shooting.
He just wanted a girlfriend or was an AXE murderer.
Omigd! Having re-read the email, it's the SAME PERSON. I am sure it is. Jesus! I can't believe it. It's the bit about sharing writing credits.
This man is incredibly sad. He's been trying to pull this off for ages and in the end someone is going to be dopey enough to fall for it. STAY AWAY
STAY AWAY
If this is the same person then he should be named and people should be warned about him - also Equity should be told. He could be dangerous and not just a sad git.
Cheers
Yes, it then sounds really dangerous. Could even be a psycho for all we know, and he could be manipulating the admin at CCP to make them think it was a mistake.
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