aristophanes

Two days of casting for the part of Walter in my film. Day one went okay -- we saw 2 actors who I'd called (of 8) and both were decent. Then just as I was on my way out at the end of the casting it just chanced that I saw two teenage boys horsing around doing basically exactly what I needed, so I auditioned them as well, and one was pretty good also. I actually found the teenagers a little braver and easier to make do what I wanted; I asked them to take a fall on the concrete and they'd just do it, no preparation or anything. The second day of auditions was less fruitful -- initially no one showed, and when 5 o'clock came I went home as it was time to let out the space for a music show. About 10 minutes later I got a call that someone had come, so I went back and auditioned him in the hallway since the theater was already being set up by the new tenants. Found a guy with two small kids (probably the reason he was late) who auditioned mediocrely, probably not helped because we had to keep an eye on these little kids and he kept trying to involve them in the audition. Maybe he hoped I'd think they were cute -- they were too little to be able to leave alone in a waiting room or anything, I don't know why he brought them.

There seem to be two fellows worth calling back to play our lead. I'm thinking I'll also bring in the three women who seemed any good by their resumes and audition them along with the callback boys.

Unfortunately it's beginning to seem like the film is going to cost more than I hoped. I'm thinking I may have to recruit friends to be the dancers instead of hiring people, that will save $200 to use for other things. Thing is my dad initially said he could borrow a good camera for free, but now seems to have decided he can't so instead we'll have to rent a good camera for the day. That'll be $200 at the least. Plus the opera doesn't have shoes or wigs to lend, so I'm on my own to obtain those too. If I'm in luck the actors might have some passable shoes that I can just use clip-on buckles or switch the laces with ribbons to make look 18th century, and it'll only run a total $25 or so to do that. If I have to actually buy shoes (or even rent them) I'd be lucky to pay $25 a pair, so fingers crossed people will have their own. I'll probably have to spend $50 or so for the two costumes I need to make. We're not even considering what the hotels might try to wring from us for space.

Fortunately my dad is taking over as producer so that's keeping some of the burden off me!