Ithaca Casting: A Social Networking Site for Casting

While majors in the Park School are notorious for the minimal amount of gen-ed's they require, we Television/Radio majors need to take a business class in order to graduate. Having forgot this and scrambling to find a half-way decent course to take last minute this semester, I picked up "Intro to Business." For the final, we are required to get into groups and come up with a business proposal. For my project, we decided to create a proposal for an Ithaca-based casting social network site. I figured this might be of interest to this audience and would welcome any idea for improvement.

One of the biggest issues we as student filmmakers face is finding and organizing actors. I know on my own productions, actors have created huge problems in the time management and scheduling of projects. While holding individual auditions, trying to steal the illusive casting DVDs that keep changing hands, and begging friends to make time in their own schedules to act in our films have worked out in the past, I have always felt there should be a more reliable and structured way of getting decent actors to commit to film projects. And I am sure I am not alone in this feeling.

Ithaca Casting (a tentative name) would be an Ithaca-based social networking site, created to connect local filmmakers with local actors. Both student and local filmmakers can create project pages where they can describe their needs and schedules. Actors can create profiles where they can upload their reels, describe their experience, and include their availability. Actors will also be able to post audition tapes and comments on filmmakers' project pages. Think of Ithaca Casting as the beautiful love child of Craigslist, LinkedIn, and Kickstarter.

There are a few big projects that have used similar approaches to find talent. The Queen Extravaganza is looking for talented musicians to perform with the surviving members of the band for the celebration of Queen's 40th anniversary. Interested performers can post auditions tapes to their website to win a chance to perform in the show. Fox's Glee is using a similar format to find new talent for their show as well.

While my project is proposing that members pay a monthly or annual fee to be able to access the website, it's still up for debate. Are there any other elements you would like to see in such a site? Any other features you would think that would make the casting experience a little friendlier?

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An interesting article on this sort of idea: Social Media is Changing TV Casting - thedefectorsblog.com

Glee

I haven't been catching up with most of my shows lately but over break I was able to catch up on Glee and I must say this season is a lot better than the previous season. This season has what last season was lacking and that is story lines. Last season was about the big performances and cover specials on a certain artist. This season, however, we are seeing a lot more character development and actual conflict between the characters. I also enjoy the club breaking up because it is about time the less used singers stood up for themselves because they are just as talented as the ones who are deemed the stars. One this that hasn't gotten any better is the overdubbing. I still feel like it over dramatic, its already been three seasons and I feel like the cast should have mastered the art of overdubbing by now. It just looks so fake sometimes that I can't even handle it sometimes. Nevertheless I am pleased with the character developments and story lines. I think its about time we got story lines that went beyond someone trying to ruin glee club and it also good to see big issues like bullying and sexuality being tackled in this show.

American Horror Story

I made the mistake of watching FX's new American Horror Story by myself at one in the morning. While it probably wouldn't have been as scary watching it when it aired, the unique style of editing and strange story line will leave the viewer with an uncomfortable feeling either way. Even beginning with the warning that you're going to die. Ryan Murphey leaves Glee way behind and introduces the Harmon family who move to California looking for a fresh start and find themselves in a house haunted by the ghosts of it's past. While some are turned off by it's copious amounts of blood and sex, many of the scenes are of a freaky, psychological nature as it boasts unettling imagery. Christopher Baffa's cinematography evokes a classic horror movie feel, combining tension created by handheld shaking with flawless crane shots. While many horror shows and movies rely on the mystery of a darkened room, American Horror Story brings the thrills right out in the open with very filling lighting, bringing the viewer right into the action. The liberal use of close-ups feels like a violation of personal space as we are literally pushed into the character's most intimate moments and best kept secrets.

The Pilot left us with overflowing story lines and the incredible possibility of character development. There is a thawing divide between the husband and wife as they repair their marriage and a very unsettling romance budding between their daughter and her mysterious, unstable friend.

However, what makes the show so different and anticipated is the exact thing that may be it's downfall. The show was so packed with grizzly and horrific elements that the family undergoes so much trauma in the first episode alone. If it were anyone else, they would have been on the next plane home after supernatural experiences and incredibly straightforward warnings from a tragic past resident. While many are eagerly awaiting the second tension filled episode, it makes me wonder how long the show can last riding along this quickly.

Below is a behind the scenes segment about the haunted house on the show.