Double Casting

[lirifox]

Another controversial pondering I was thinkin' of.

What do you guys thing of double casting people?

I think it's perfectly fine! I did it a lot in my production. If people are good, and they can sound very different, why give someone else the role just because they were good at many characters?

I DON'T think however, the same person should be cast OVER and OVER. If they've already done the role twice, give someone else a chance, y'know?

I hate it when I get cast for two small one-liner roles and the producer tells me, "Oh, I actually casted you as the main role, but you were the only one who audded for these. Congrats!!" XP I guess that's selfish of me, but given the option, I'd much rather not have audded for the extras... it makes me wonder if audding for the smaller parts is worth it? I usually only do it to help out the producer in the first place. Extras can be fun cause you can be crazy.

[Fernie]

To a certain extent I don't mind double casting a role at all, especially if one of the roles only got one audition. I usually choose the most important roles first, so I can be as fair as possible. That and it slightly annoys me when someone sends in an audition for one character when there are five others that fit their vocal range. Though it's probably not a good idea to give two main characters to one person, but that really depends on what you are trying to accomplish with the clip: It's a bit harder to take a fandub or radio play seriously if you have the same person chatting to him/herself for a good amount of time.

[Sukisho]

It's a bit harder to take a fandub or radio play seriously if you have the same person chatting to him/herself for a good amount of time.

If the person can sound like 2 different people and the 2 characters are talking to each other, why couldn't it be taken seriously?

As for this topic... I don't find anything wrong with it, as long as the person double casted or beyond that (which have had happen before), can sound different enough to where they don't sound exactly the same.

[Fernie]

If the person can sound like 2 different people and the 2 characters are talking to each other, why couldn't it be taken seriously?


Hmm... I guess it's more of a superficial thing. Some people present their productions as professional products and it's rare that something done in the real world would be using the same actor for playing two or three characters, all in the same scene. Or it could also be seen as favoritism, being unfair to the rest of the auditioners, especially where the producer would bug people to audition beforehand. I guess even the same reasons that could be used for not taking a production where the producer self-casts seriously could be used in this situation. But if someone is skillful enough to not only sound like two different people but to truly act like two different characters then it shouldn't be a problem.

[Autumn]

Heh. I love double-casting. It saved my butt in the FB dub. XD

However, I agree that you shouldn't go overboard with it. I remember on one castlist, there were TONS of characters to audition for, and Mizura was casted so much, she was nearly half the cast! I got a role, so I shouldn't complain, but it kinda pissed me off. In FB, we did shortened it as much as we could, to expand how many people were casted, and make it fair. I think that's a good way to do it. ^-^

[TamTu]

*coughDragonballZcough*

[Ishtar]

it makes me wonder if audding for the smaller parts is worth it? I usually only do it to help out the producer in the first place. Extras can be fun cause you can be crazy.


If people stop auditioning for extras and smaller roles just because they don't want to get those instead of a larger role, then productions will just plain go down the tube... either that, or producers will simply cast people in smaller roles whether they auditioned for them or not. A production can't go anywhere if it's only got voices for the main characters (unless its one of those shows where its only got *main* characters).

I absolutely hate when people send me auditions and they've auditioned for 1 character. It's almost a slap in the face, like they are saying 'cast me in this role or don't cast me at all'... and a time or two I've done that. Other times I just cast people based on the voice for the audition they sent in... and still other times, I mail people back requesting they try for a few other roles as well, so I can hear their voice more and their use of acting expression.

As for double casting, since I got off on a tangent there...
I think double casting is okay to a point. More than 2 large roles is a bit much. A gaggle of small roles is okay. A big role and a few tiny ones, that's okay... and all of these are really only believable if the voice is dramatically different for the characters. People who really only have 1 voice... they really need to work on range more before being given multiple roles. I prefer to -not- double cast, except when letting current main cast pick up smaller extra roles... since they are small, a chance to do more practice, and not usually worth putting up auditions for unless they are recurring; however, it does occasionally occur and while sometimes I am pleased with the outcome... othertimes it makes me want to cringe and kick myself in the butt!

[mizura]

I absolutely hate when people send me auditions and they've auditioned for 1 character. It's almost a slap in the face, like they are saying 'cast me in this role or don't cast me at all'... and a time or two I've done that. Other times I just cast people based on the voice for the audition they sent in... and still other times, I mail people back requesting they try for a few other roles as well, so I can hear their voice more and their use of acting expression.

I've had that happen to moi a lot too, and well now I've done the same (XD but usually only when i either have more faith in one character or if it's not a typecast type o' role.)

About double casting, I agree w/ the others, it's okay if it's not o'erdoing it, imo. Double casting for more than one main character is kind of annoying unless someone can pull it off really well or if it's a short thing i don't really find it too distracting ('cept if it's the same voice. Then it's confusing....)
Of course random casting for extras is something i do often so i can't condemn that :D

[Ishtar]

something else to consider is the actor themselves. Sure, its really exciting to get 4 roles in the same production, but when it comes time to voice them all and keep the voices different from each other but the same for each individual character... it can become frustrating and stressful... at least for anyone who really doesn't want to hear people say that all their characters sounded the same.

[Matt Alan]

I pride myself on being able to pull off multiple voices in a single scene. However, I don't believe an AVAer should be cast as more than one, maybe two main charas. But lets say, I'm cast as Heero Yuy, and I'm also 4 random soldiers/civilians...I see no problem with that.

And I also see no problem getting cast as the same role over and over again by different producers.

[Batgirl]

Well, First I'd like to say that as a producer I double cast, and as a VA I love being double cast.

I think that if a person is right for two roles than it shouldn't be held against that person that they are well...the SAME person. In No Man's Land, I had that issue in QUITE A FEW CASES. I'd listen to the characters, back to back, see if I can tell the difference. If I was able to tell the difference, then I would cast that person as the most important character. Or, if those characters were never in a scene together... Harvey Bullock and Bane for example - They are voice by the same actor (who is absolutely amazing) IF they were back to back, I might be concerned about people being able to tell. BUT since they are rarely in the same EPISODE together, let alone scene, I felt as a Director, that it was all right in having the same actor play both roles, since he did the best at both of them.

And it isn't like Double casting doesn't happen in "professional" entertainment either. The Play "The Mystery of Irma Vep" has 4-6 characters, but only 2 actors. "Into the Woods" has 3 characters that are double casted. And in Movies, well, "Nutty Proffesor", or the new "Unfortunate Events" are just two quick examples of that. Not to mention the genius of Mel Blanc, or what about Homestarrunner?

As an actor, I always thinks it's a treat to get to play more than one character. 'Nuff said. ^_~

As for bit parts, anyone who would give a person a Small role instead of a big one just because they are the only ones who auditioned, must not really care about the quality of the outcome of the product. When I am going through auditions, I always work from the Most Important Character (In Batman, for example, I worked from BATMAN and then down in the order I thought most important) If I had bit roles left unfilled, I would scout from auditions I had recieved for large characters, or from talent I was familiar with, or hold another round of auditions. But to make your main role have less quality just because the best person was the only one to audition for small roles is crazy.

I have no idea why I decided to lecture. I'll shut up now.

[Mindychan]

It's not wrong or immoral anything to double-cast. I would hope a majority of AVA producers are fair and honest anyways ^^

I personally don't double-cast unless I just absolutely can't find someone else quickly; I guess I believe in giving a lot of AVAs a chance to shine, no matter how small the role. That's what I strive to do mostly. If I'm pushed for time and an AVA can change his/her voice convincingly, then I'll consider it.

[Azure]

Depends on the situation I had to double cast a bit in Harry Potter last time as I needed quite a few mature male voices. So you all better audition this time!

[lirifox]

I believe in giving a lot of AVAs a chance to shine, no matter how small the role.

That's always kind of in the back of my head. I mean, especially after going through the self-casting thread. Everyone kept saying they self cast to get themselves out there.

I believe everyone should get a chance, but personally, I'd rather make my productions good. That sounds really mean, and I know it, but that's what I believe. There are so many people out there better than me, and I know it. But that means I need to get better.

Don't whine, work. I strongly believe that. Everyone here is talented, and everyone can get main roles.

I like working with smaller groups of people though. I also like being cast in smaller ensemble productions. That way, I think the quality turns out better, and it benefits both producer and actor. As a producer, it's a hassle to have to keep track of twenty people with one-line roles. Just cast five wide-ranged people. One line isn't going to change someone's life, unless maybe they're new to VA. And even then. Also, as an actress, I'd rather know that I've helped the production, and I'd rather not be just one of the twenty people in the background.

Sure, in the professional world, I will be one of the twenty people in the background, and I don't mind that at all. ^_^ But the thing about AVA is that you don't need to be in the background. You get a chance to be up front and have fun.

/end rant

[Mindychan]

^^ *hugs LIrifox*

One prime example of a smaller role of mine that stood out was in a Cardcaptor fandub. Almost all of the cast members and several listeners thought I did a great job in that small role. I never once recieved a bad comment. o_O I mean, from all the main roles, I didn't think anybody would notice lil ole me XD It was just really nice to hear!

[topleka]

Oy. Double-casting. Well...I like to give AVAers a chance, so I try not to double-cast as much as I can. However, there are a good number of times when I've double-casted, usually because I didn't get enough auditions, even with extensions etc. Casting for more than one main character is pushing it.

And I know what you mean about how it feels useless to audition for extras. I try to audition for extras and small parts when I can. Sometimes I only audition for one character because I feel that it's the only voice I can do well, although in a situation like that I take it as a chance to expand my range, so I audition for the other characters anyway. ^_^;; In most of my productions now, I hold auditions for the main characters, then cast extras from those auditions. Of course I state plainly that I plan to do so, and people can opt to not be cast as an extra. But people audition for extras so rarely, I've sort given up on holding auditions for them.

I guess the point is, I try to avoid it so that more people can have more fun. But there are a few cases when it happens, and as long as it's a good actor, I can't complain.

[Chinomi]

I'd have to agree with topleka.
However, when I first started getting into producing, I was definitely guilty of dbl-casting major characters. XD

[shadowsvoice]

I figure if you cant get enough auditions for it then by all means double cast. But if its because your trying to get on some actors good side, then well just dont do it.

[lirifox]

X3 Myuuu, I'm still a baby producer. I guess I'll change my mind as I do more projects.

[Lucien]

I'm all for giving more people chances at parts. However, I must say that I resent it when someone doubts my ability to pull off multiple characters, or thinks that 'people will KNOW it's the same person', especially when the characters themselves are nothing alike. If your acting is good, it shouldn't matter if those characters appear in the same scene, they'll be distinct. Seven of the voices in my animation demo (can you guess which ones?) come from a single audio production.
I also must point out for anyone who thinks otherwise that double/tripple/14,000,456x casting is very much prominant in professional animations, especially Union based ones in which you can be asked to perform up to three voices, for which you are given a flat fee. Meaning if the people want to get their moneys worth out of you, they'll want you to perform more than one role. Sure, there are people who tend to get cast for their one voice, but unless your voice is fricken awesome, or you're a celebrity, don't expect to get much work in the animation industry if you can't multi-voice.
Low and short of it is; please don't cast someone in a role because you don't want the other guy who you cast to play two parts even if he/she's perfectly capable of doing so. Cast someone cause they're a good actor, or have an interesting voice, or has good chemestry with your other actor. Please.