[NEohioPAL] Casting Youth Lead - Short Film

[Art - Animals - Adventure]

Role - Chris (boy or girl) age 8 to 12
Accepting Recorded auditions - submitted to vasenhouse at gmail.com <mailto:vasenhouse at gmail.com>
Deadline Friday July 1, 2024
Call backs will be the week of July 1
Movie Description - Filming will take place July 26,27,28
CM is a short film produced by Vasenhouse creative group based in Cleveland. 
The film is a fictional narrative about a young boy or girl named Chris, who experiences the world with curiosity and a great deal of naivete. Chris has an insatiable need to create, is an artist, but does not know what that means, and lives in a world where teachers, parents, etc do not provide guidance that fosters creativity. 

All Chris wants to do is be imaginative and to create things. Chris is kind of lost.
Chris is easily distracted, but not hyperactive, is a dreamer and cannot relate to the world.  
Chris does not belong and only enjoys creating and channeling art alone (drawing, music, dance, cooking, painting). Chris channels all of the feelings of discomfort creatively.
Audition Process: 
Step 1 - 1 minute monologue
Choose and perform a monologue for a minimum of 1 minute.
Select a character and scene that you feel best demonstrates a range of thoughtfulness, creativity and emotion. The character and scene can be from a TV show, cartoon, movie, or something you create yourself.
Step 2 - 1 minute Scene work
Perform Scene 5 - Toy Battle (below) 
Record scene 2 times if possible - performed differently each time


Scene 5 Toy Battle
CHRIS 
MONSTER

Chris is sitting in his bedroom, alone. Camera is toward his face at desk level. Chris is only visible from the nose up and two action figures are in the forefront (in focus) and his right and left hand control each character.  
He is playing out the interactions between the characters. 

CHRIS (ACTION FIGURE 1)
“I said look at me when I talk to you.”
CHRIS (ACTION FIGURE #2)
“Excuse me… Do you know who you’re talking to?”
Chris motions figure #1 toward figure #2 and speaks in a more confrontational tone.
CHRIS (ACTION FIGURE 1)
“Oh, I know exactly who I'm talking to bitch.”
CHRIS (ACTION FIGURE #2)
“Bitch?”...pause 
“Are you sure you want to go there?”
CHRIS (ACTION FIGURE 1)
“Oh, I’m sure?… pause

Chris makes the action figures lunge at each other and simulates that they are fighting, making grunting, punching and fighting sounds. Fighting between the two figures lasts about 10 seconds - when he is surprised by the sound of a loud crashing noise. Camera focuses closely on his face as he listens intently for another noise.  His eyes dart back and forth - his anxiety is palpable - he starts to breathe more rapidly as if he is waiting for another loud crashing noise to interrupt the silence.

Chris waits…looks…

He hears the deepest, husky, but curious and calm voice ask.
MONSTER
“Do you think they even love each other?”

In immediate response to the voice, Chris inhales deeply and sits up - quickly straightening his back, grabbing the arms of his chair and looking around for where the voice is coming from. His stature is stiff as he scans with only his eyes
Long pause - and 
CUT TO:camera is no longer looking at Chris, but scanning the room from Chris’ perspective - mirroring the furtive and nervous glances in search of the voice.

CUT TO:After a long pause the camera refocuses on Chris’
face
As he fumbles, stutters to find words…
CHRIS
“Uh… umm - who’s there?”

Period of silence 
CUT TO: Chris looks under his desk

CUT TO:Camera shot is from under the desk from the ground up as Chris searches the floor

CHRIS
“Come on now… this isn’t funny.”

CUT TO: Chris glances to the side of his desk
CUT TO: Top down view of the drawing from earlier and the monster that he drew is no longer on the paper, but the club with the blood that the monster was holding in his drawing is still the only remaining visual element on the paper. It looks like the drawing of the monster has disappeared from the paper, and left his bloody club behind.


CUT TO: Chris’ face looking puzzled and his eyes are looking worried and unsure. He scratches his head and rubs his eyes - shakes his head trying to remember if he actually drew a monster in the first place. 

Camera that is capturing a close shot of Chris’ face slowly moves away from him showing more of the bedroom. This is the first time we even see what Chris’ bedroom looks like. It is dark (desk light is only light on) giving the room a dark and mysterious feel. There is a muted outdoor glow (streetlight) 
Everything is muted - it is dark outside.  The camera continues to move away and Chris becomes smaller in the room - behind Chris is a window with long curtains that extend to the floor - as the camera moves away, you can begin to see the hulking shoulders of a figure from behind the curtains. Chris does not have any awareness that he is not alone in the room. 
FADE OUT:
Casting Timeline 
Each person auditioning will be notified of casting decision on or before July 4, 2024 - 
vasenhouse at gmail.com



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