Production Journal #2
It's all happening! This weekend I met with my actor Oscar and we went over the script for my latest film project. We started off the audition with a direct read of the script. When I wrote the dialogue for the film, I decided that I wanted what the characters were saying to be totally natural and organic. I approached the script as a guideline; a skeleton the actors could use to build upon and play with. As Oscar read off of the script, it seemed forced and almost stiff. It was hard for him to get into the character. That's when I decided to do away with the script and just talk.I asked Oscar to put down his lines and just converse with me in character. This is when we made the most progress.
Still from Oscar's Audition Reel - Oscar Gonzalo Aspillaga
The character he's playing, who's also named Oscar, is a deeply complex and torn person. His life is slowly falling apart because of his inability to control his drinking. It's affecting his work and most importantly the relationship between him and his girlfriend Olivia who's becoming increasingly frustrated and is at her wits end. At the same time, his alcoholic dead-beat father is trying to get back into his life. Eventually, Oscar's denial of his drinking problem begins to dissolve as he becomes more and more like the father who he's spent his whole life rejecting. During the more improvisational part of the audition, Oscar was able to really open up to his character and try to understand him. It was great to see him take the character and make it his own in such a short period of time. Oscar has breathed life into this role and has brought the film into existence. Without actors the characters don't exist; they lay stillborn on the page. Now, thanks to Oscar, it's alive! This friday I will be meeting with my friend Jennifer who's auditioning for the part of Olivia in the film. I will be recording the audition so that I can edit it and put it together as well. Expect it to be posted sometime over the weekend!
Until next time,
Diana
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