[NEohioPAL] Jean Claude the Gumming Zombie short film audition notice

[johnny at mdifilm.com]

We are holding open auditions for our new short film “Jean Claude The Gumming Zombie: A Grotesquely Funny Comedy.”

The date is planned for the audition to be:

October 14, 2007
>From 3-5pm
@
Sampson/Carnegie Office
1419 East 40th Street
Cleveland, Ohio

Below are the list of characters that we are still open for audition, those who had sent in during the preliminary stages that we have selected for consideration should've already gotten an invite for an earlier audition time.

This will be a project planned for weekend's shoot during late October to early December 2007, for more information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sides are available in advance upon request.


Character Summaries:

Father  [This role has been cast] – A wise, kind, loving 1950s-esque father figure who just happens to dabble in “the black arts” (real magic) as his hobby because he never could get the hang of golf.  Wears a tie to the dinner table and a sweater with patches on the sleeves as part of his “relaxing” clothes.  Nothing ever, EVER phases him.  Think Fred MacMurray from “My Three Sons” except that he smiles more broadly and laughs easily.  Loves his kids and adores his wife. 

Mother [open] – A beautiful, nurturing, ever-so-slightly aristocratic 1950s-esque mother figure.  Think Donna Reed with just a touch of Madeline Kahn from “Young Frankenstein” thrown in.  She wears pearls and a dress when she cleans her impeccably-maintained home, and white gloves and high heels when out for a stroll.  She’s a bit too concerned with what the neighbors will think, and gets a little haughty when people disagree with her.  Loves her family fiercely but clearly “rules the roost” at home (though she’d defer to Father on anything other than homemaking decisions) .  Could probably wrap any man around her finger if she wanted to, but has eyes only for her husband, on whom she dotes.

Timmy [open] – A standard, wholesome eight-year-old kid.  Innocent and trusting.  Even when he “acts out” in certain ways throughout the story – in response to the “black comedy” crap we throw at him – there’s a certain sweetness to it.  Jean Claude becomes his best friend.

Sally [open] – Timmy’s normal ten-year-old sister.  A good kid, but at that age where she pretty much thinks the whole world is lame, especially her kid brother and that stupid zombie of his.  (Though she actually sort of likes Jean Claude, despite herself.)

Granny [open] – Mother’s mother, who lives with them.  Extremely near-sighted and more than a little senile.  Loves sausages.  Whenever she looks at Jean Claude her dementia fixates on the fact that he’s French, and she sees a young, virile, hot-blooded Frenchman beconing her to him.  So she’s always flirting with Jean Claude, who doesn’t understand what’s going on.  Eventually becomes zombifed and ends up “acting out” based on her delusions.  (Includes some rather extreme slapstick.)

Jean Claude [This role has been cast] – A French zombie with no teeth.  (The dentures he wore got lost when he got zombified).  More pathetic than frightening, he gets taken in by The Family as a pet/guest.  Childlike and sympathetically innocent even when he’s unsuccesfully trying to eat someone.  Never speaks but generally has a benevolent little smile on his face – except when he displays a look of confusion, which is fairly often because he’s usually clueless about what’s going on.  Sort of a cross between Charlie Chaplin’s “Little Tramp”, Johnny Depp’s “Edward Scissorhands”, and Peter Sellers’ “Chance The Gardener” from the movie “Being There”.  Likes being part of The Family in general and Timmy’s best friend in particular.  [This role has been cast.]

The Narrator [This role has been cast] – An old-style “radio theater”-type announcer/narrator.  Very professional (at least, at first) and a little over-melodramatic in his delivery (in keeping with the words he’s reading).  Gets extremely angry as things sort of “fall apart” in the story.  Later becomes zombified.  

Supporting Characters

Betty Sue Petrie [open] – A nice, extremely wholesome-looking, young fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl from The Family’s neighborhood.  She’s always pleasant and respectful towards The Family, and her mom is friends with Mother.  Dresses like a young lady from the movie “Pleasantville”:  Perky little dress, saddle shoes, perhaps a sweater, etc.  She’s sort of a volunteer helper for Father’s magical hobby.

Hot Virile Illusory Jean Claude [This role has been cast] – The individual Granny sees, as part of her delusion, whenever she looks at Jean Claude.  Almost painfully handsome with piercing “come hither” eyes and a deep, sensual voice.  He is perpetually uttering romantic nothings in pseudo-French to the camera as he tries to seduce it (i.e., Granny).

Harry Smith [open] – Some guy Father knows.  His face gets ripped off by zombies but he doesn’t seem to die, and his “OHMYGOD!” reactions are extremely over-the-top.

Woman That Is "Killed" [open] – A woman in her thirties or so who unsuccessfully tries fending off an attacking zombie, with which she ends up wrestling on the ground.  Exlaims a few times and asks for some help when she’s attacked, but does not over-react (with screaming, etc.).  Keeps her cool and seems more annoyed and put-upon than terrified, as if this were just another in a long line of “hard knocks” that life had handed her, in addition to sore feet from working at the restaurant all day.

Neighbor [This role has been cast] – A very casual man who walks by The Family on a number of occasions and renders an opinion.  

Volunteer Or Minimally Paid Walk-On Speaking Role [This role has been semi-cast still open for consideration] – An obviously amateur actor who is clearly looking at his script as he delivers his lines poorly, in a leaden-yet-stumbling manner.

Teacher [open] – Timmy’s teacher at school.  Concerned/uncertain about Jean Claude’s presence at show-and-tell.  [This role has been cast.]

Young Girl [open] – Standard girl in Timmy’s class.  (Has one line of dialog, which may end up being delivered as voiceover.  So she may not have to be speaking while the camera is on her.) 

Young Boy [open] – Standard boy in Timmy’s class.  Same comments apply as to Young Girl.

Salesman No. 1 [This role has been cast] – A fast-speaking huckster that comes to the front door selling vacuum cleaners.

Salesman No. 2 [This role has been cast] – Another fast-speaking huckster that comes to the front door.  This one sells some sort of miracle cleaning fluid.

Female Freedom Scout [open] – A nice-looking young Girl Scout-type, but one who’s as fast-speaking and hucksterish as the Salesman.  She comes to the front door selling cookies.

Passerby [open] – Standard businessman type.  Steps in some gunk on the ground and exclaims in annoyance.

Clay Figure [This role has been cast] – Tiny little clay figure that Father is animating with magic.  Has a high-pitched little voice not unlike that of The Gingerbread Man in the movie “Shrek”.


Thank you again for your support and hope to hear from many of you :)

Johnny Wu
www.mdifilm.com
www.rapturethemovie.com