We just received this wonderful short film from South African casting agency, DISCO, showcasing in a superb way, what’s happening in the strange and wonderful world of casting direction…
From the agency: In casting, our world is a theatre of the unseen. We live behind the curtain. This is a celebration of the casting arena in all of its intimate awkwardness, secrecy and flashes of flamboyance, where we delight in the unruliness of human beings.
As casting directors we present a fantasy version of how a story can be told. For the film, we stepped into that fantasy by reimagining and reenacting the jobs we’ve been asked to cast on. We dreamt up the roles these characters would go on to play in our ideal world. It was about casting ourselves as the audience, letting go and learning about who we are. The films show us how we see the world.
Good casting direction is presenting the unexpected and making it work. A lot of the magic of our trade is conjured by happy accidents, surprises and mischief. The imperfections, the intimate off-screen moments before and between a session, the mistakes and blemishes – these are the things that enliven our work.
Enter… Peter and the Wolf, the soundtrack for the film, which we arrived at as one of these ‘lucky’ strokes. is incongruence became harmonious precisely because of its independence from the imagery, sailing over the scenes like the narration of a dream. Independent but together. Different and the same. We are never more together than when we celebrate our differences.
DISCO, (previously Scouts Honour) is the sister agency to talent representation ‘My Friend Ned’ and we had a launch showing and celebration of the re-branding last month with friends, family and everyone who worked on it.
This film came about as a group idea with the creative studio Jana+Koos to showcase the launch of the new brand with the things that makes casting direction so… well, strange and beautiful. It’s a slightly imagined version of the behind the scenes party not everyone gets to see. A character study and glimpse into the everyday things that makes casting so weird, amazing and rewarding.
Let’s Dance!
CREDITS:
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – Candice Hatting
CREATIVE DIRECTION & STILLS – JANA +KOOS
DIRECTOR – Pammi-Joy Oppenheimer
DOP – Fabian Vettiger
PRODUCER – Holli Bennett
PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATON – Chiara Paton
PRODUCTION ASSIST- Kira Gimpel
FOCUS PULLER – Khalied Manuel
LIGHTING – Rob Wisniewski
SPARK – John Ndakama Lukikau
COSTUME DESIGN/ STYLING – Onder die Invloed
Leanie van de Vyver
Elaine du Plessis
HAIR & MAKE-UP- Gareth Coleman
ART DEPARTMENT Keren Setton
EDIT – Xander Vander – Strangelove studios
COLOUR – Nic Apostoli – Strangelove studios
SOUND DESIGN – Markus Wormstorm – Honeymoon Studios
CATERING – Arthur’s Mini Super
EQUIPMENT – Media Film Service
ANIMATION – Dolph TV
CAST:
Chow Yiu Kit – CCA
Conway October – Fantastic
Jeremy Pelser – Boss Models
Matthew King – My Friend Ned
Niklas Wittenberg – My Friend Ned
Alan Bao Yin Tai – CCA
Alex Bao Yin Tai – CCA
Deidre Summers – Talent Squad
Gita Galina – Fantastic
Jean Barkhuizen – Direct
Cruz Dettmer – Talent Take One
Marcel Oosthuizen – Talent Take One
Julien Desvaux de Marigny – Boss Models
Benjamin Haussen – CCA
Caymen Hurst – Ice Kids
Sasha Eichler – Little Charmers
Sarah Lotterens – Terene Characters
Miracle Watch – Kids Division
Conrad Travis – M-People
Elsie Mathews – My Friend Ned
Nicola Hartell – Fantastic
Nalu Titus – Fantastic
Jaden Hoedemaker – Fantastic
Nathaniel Murtz – Fantastic
Wanda Banda – My Friend Ned
Norton O’Donnell – D Management
Ella Greig – Fantastic
Kopano Maroga – Fantastic
Tazme Pillay – Fantastic
Christopher Starr – My Friend Ned
