How do you tell a producer they shouldn't selfcast?

[Klaymen1]

Recently I auditioned for something (won't name names cause I don't want this to turn into a hate tread) where I didn't get the part because the producer selfcasted themselves instead. I can understand this if they do a better job than me but they posted a clip of them doing the voice and it sounded horrible. And it was a character I know by heart. So I'm woundering how to politely say their ego is clouding their judgement and might ruin their production. :?

[Batgirl]

The simple answer is, "You don't."

As much as you may want to tell the producer they shouldn't do something, and frankly, you are free to, it is a free country and all, VA ettitquette dictates you don't. You move on to other things. If the producer is really that bad at the voice, he/she will probably get comments about it when the production is finished.

Sorry that that probably wasn't the answer you wanted, but its the truth.

[Iscabibble]

Ah, self-casting... the number one sign for ABORT.

Well, if he's that bad, just wait until it's done. Then he'll get feedback and realise his mistake. Hopefully.

[Azure]

I'm afraid I say you don't it's all for fun and if they want to do it they can. Although it's far better for the producer not to open auditions for characters they want to play.

[SeiyruRenaih]

So, he put up auditions and then casted himself? I could understand that if no one auditioned for a part or something, because that's when I'd self-cast or scout.

[Danae]

People do it all the time. It's stupid, but there really isn't anything you can do about it. Let it go.

[Matt Alan]

>D Thats right,its a free country, so go ahead and tell Tamtu, Sukisho, Matt Alan, Hikuro, Maria Vu, Deiji, Seiryu, Treg, Stray, Masahiko, Chaos Osiris, and several other eviiiiil producers to stop self-casting themselves as the leads in RPs that they've scripted and thought out with their own voice in mind. Its okay, they don't mind, they know people will probably get jealous. And the most logical thing they'll tell you is, "Get over it. If you care so much, self-cast yourself in your own production. Script it. Cast it. Mix it."

^.^ At least, thats what Matt Alan says to people who complain about the VAA Conspiracy.

...But yeah, its pretty dinky when a producer holds auds for a role, then later on self-casts himself. And as Iscabibble said, its a good sign that the production won't go anywhere.

So don't let it bug you too much.

You could always do the really mature thing that some people do when they get mad about things like that. They go and post a line or two on the boards and say, "See? I CAN do that certain voice better than you. Look, I DO have range, but don't take this too seriously, I did it really quickly and its not meant to be good. :D KTHX"

[Sukisho]

Yeah, no matter how much you or any of us don't like it when someone selfcasts themself in their own production like as the lead or any role for that matter, it's not gonna stop anyone from self casting themselves as whatever they feel they can do cause it's their own production and they can do whatever they want with it.

so in other words:


"Get over it. If you care so much, self-cast yourself in your own production. Script it. Cast it. Mix it."

[Iscabibble]

>

You could always do the really mature thing that some people do when they get mad about things like that. They go and post a line or two on the boards and say, "See? I CAN do that certain voice better than you. Look, I DO have range, but don't take this too seriously, I did it really quickly and its not meant to be good. :D KTHX"

BWAHAHAHAHAH! Excellent.

[Chinomi]

I self-cast all the time ;_;
I'm a bitch xD

[Deiji]

I understand that it may be frustrating as hell, but you'll just have to put up with it. If you even try to politely tell them, they'll either be hurt, offended, hate you, etc. I've done it once, even though i recieved a few auditions but only because i thought the auditions wern't good enough. There's a chance that may be the case, or maybe the producer just simply changed their mind at the last minute? Either way, it's not something you should frustrate yourself over. The best thing to do would be to just move onto the next thing.

[Yami no Kitsune]

Personally, I have a policy against self-casting unless it'll save me some time. If a female VA on my cast disappears, I'll do the part myself. Or if I'm doing a short clip where I'm scouting everyone, I will self-cast if I can't find people who have time to record. But I always give everyone a fair shot when auditioning, and I believe every producer should do the same. If their ego is at risk of getting in the way, they should ask a friend to cast the roles.

That's all well and good saying it, but its doubtful its going to happen in the AVA world any time soon.

[topleka]

Ah, self-casting... the number one sign for ABORT.
Not necessarily. ^_^;; I've self-cast myself as Bakura numerous times because I honestly think I can play the role better than anyone here. Is that egotisitcal? Well...yeah. But every time someone holds auditions for Bakura, I get cast as him, so I guess other people agree with me.

As for a producer who self-casts and does a bad job, they'll find out soon enough. And hey, maybe they'll improve. The first time I cast myself as Bakura, I didn't sound that good. Many people pointed this out. So I worked on my voice, did many rettakes, and now I'm good at it. Enough so that I think the people who first told me I was bad agree that I'm better now.

Nyu...and do what everyone else does. Self-cast yourself. XD Muahahahahaha! That means more productions after all. And more is better. >.> Sometimes.

[Ayame]

Well, on the whole I have no problem with self-casting ( I am guilty of it...), and I wouldn't mind if the producer cast themself as the role I was trying out for as long as they told auditioners that they might end up just casting themself. Which has happened to me, but it didn't really bug me... but maybe that's because I got cast as understudy ^^;;;;;;;

[Iscabibble]

Aww, you'd be a good producer even if you did self-cast. I just meant with new producers.

[Cassie]

I don't see what the big deal is. I mean...maybe if you're cast and then the producer says "Hey, I've decided to take over your role", then I'd be upset.

And if they end up sucking at the role...well, hopefully they'll have learned something.


I actually TRY to self cast myself in the productions I do. I have a policy to never cast myself as a lead (unless there is no other alternative). It's sort of an Alfred Hitchcock mentality.

Of course, if there is no role I can do (unless it is an original and I can write myself in), then I won't bother.

[Kei]

They are the producer they have the authority and right to do so...

except what Cassie said


...maybe if you're cast and then the producer says "Hey, I've decided to take over your role", then I'd be upset.

[TamTu]

Nyah :P I dont hold auditions for a reason :D

[Batgirl]

Nyah :P I dont hold auditions for a reason :D

Hmmm then how did I get that role in JTASID.. I could have SWORN I auditioned for it. XP


Anyways, ah the age - old self cast vote. I stand by the same position I always stand by. I can think of a lot of RPs with directors who self cast that do NOT flop, as everyone has been saying they always do.

For one, Blue always casts himself, his RPs do not Die... and thats a bunch of RPs.

I self casted in Batman: No Man's Land. Which is on Episode 6 and I would like to think it doesn't suck. I'd also like to think I don't suck.

The way I see it, If the producer is going to go and do all this work to make a Radio play, and they want to reward themselves by giving themselves a role, more power to them. You can always self cast too.

I do, however, personally dislike when auditions are open for a character and then it is self cast. I've always felt it was a bit of a slap in the face. Though I also understand the reasoning behind it.

Anyway yeah. I was thinking it had been a while since the age old self casting thread got brought up again. LoL ^^'

[Klaymen1]

I do, however, personally dislike when auditions are open for a character and then it is self cast. I've always felt it was a bit of a slap in the face.
yeah. Didn't mean to stir up an old topic. Just releasing some aggression I guess :D But I'm glad to see it isn't just me.^^'

[TamTu]

I do, however, personally dislike when auditions are open for a character and then it is self cast. I've always felt it was a bit of a slap in the face. Though I also understand the reasoning behind it.

I agree that that is just the most ridiculous thing to do, ever :3

Which is why I don't hold auditions...*CORRECTS SELF* rarely hold auditions. ANd even when I do, I don't hold auditions for my own character. That's just incredibly lame O_o.

[Tom]

So I'm woundering how to politely say their ego is clouding their judgement and might ruin their production. :?

You tell them exactly how you feel. In the end, it's their production and they can run it however they want to, and you don't have a say in the situation. But I'm not going to tell you what you can and cannot say to someone else. That's your right.

Tom

[Dylan]

I don't see what the big deal is either. It's their production, let them handle it as they see fit. If you're unhappy, just let them be.

I even don't think it's bad to hold auditions for a character and then casting yourself. If you're the best VA for the role, then so be it I say. You never know until you hold auditions.

Rights are a delicate matter, one could say they are overrated, one could say they are holy, one could say they are irrelevant if you yourself choose to be part of something. Ah well.

[Lucien]

You fairly critique the producer's performance in the production thread. That's all you really can do.

[Tom]

You fairly critique the producer's performance in the production thread. That's all you really can do.

This would probably be the best (and most satisfying) approach.

[pyromaster]

Well It's good to see this issue has turned into a debate. And I must say, I really dont like people who back bite.. .I mean owch there really is nothing worse, but that's ok.
I love challenges anyway, so go ahead curse me if you'd like. I'm pretty sure people aren't dumb around here. they do check what's up. So anyway, if it's a challenge, i say bring it on. I've had a lot in my life, so this wont be the first.

[Danae]

Well It's good to see this issue has turned into a debate. And I must say, I really dont like people who back bite.. .I mean owch there really is nothing worse, but that's ok.
I love challenges anyway, so go ahead curse me if you'd like. I'm pretty sure people aren't dumb around here. they do check what's up. So anyway, if it's a challenge, i say bring it on. I've had a lot in my life, so this wont be the first.

ALKSDJFLAKSJDFLASDKJF.

STOP THE DRAMA.

NO ONE FUCKING CARES.

IT'S A MESSAGE BOARD GOD DAMMIT.

[Batgirl]

Well It's good to see this issue has turned into a debate. And I must say, I really dont like people who back bite.. .I mean owch there really is nothing worse, but that's ok.
I love challenges anyway, so go ahead curse me if you'd like. I'm pretty sure people aren't dumb around here. they do check what's up. So anyway, if it's a challenge, i say bring it on. I've had a lot in my life, so this wont be the first.

ALKSDJFLAKSJDFLASDKJF.

STOP THE DRAMA.

NO ONE FUCKING CARES.

IT'S A MESSAGE BOARD GOD DAMMIT.

Thank you very much Danae.

That so sounded like a line from newbies vs oldbies.

"If its a challenge, I say BRING IT ON! I've had a lot in my life, so this wont' be the first! RRAAAAAAAAR!"

((No offence meant there Pyro my man, I've just noticed how theatrical people tend to get on message boards as of late. ^^' ))

Also, quick note. WHERE IS ALL THE CURSING AT YOU!? Everyone is telling him that HE SHOULD SUCK IT UP AND TAKE IT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AND THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT! No one hates you. >> That includes me.

[Dylan]

The thing with message boards is that they often attract a large crowd. "Normal" discussions are limited to a handful of people. But a message board is public and that sometimes (often) causes certain individuals to think they are being scrutinized by many.

It is, as Danae so eloquently pointed out, not as dramatic as it may seem. Don't worry, everyone is concerned with themselves anyway. That's not a bad thing, and perhaps it's not a good thing either.

In any case it's a thing. Well, at least that seems likely.

...

Edwyn, would you please take it from here?

[pyromaster]

Ok, well sorry, maybe I did over react.. but honestly I make decisions, and I'm like penalized for them. I hate when people do that. I mean I know you cant please everyone, someone is always bound to hate you. And I guess I am new after all, and dont all about VAA. But I just never thought something like this would happen so yeah, anyway.. thanks guys..I'll try to be a little more reasonable.. I think I'm making it even worse so yeah, sorry about that.

[Danae]

I can say that I for one think this entire topic was kind of stupid since it was obviously pointing a finger at someone when it was created instead of being stated in a general way, but shit, lets kill the drama people. I'm so sick of this kind of crap.

[Fiona C]

Generally, I don't self-cast, unless I'm doing a boredom clip, which is very rare. Also, it's okay to self-cast sometimes -- like, if you don't get any auditions for a character, for example, and the character is in your range, and you know you can pull it off. For a while, I thought I would end up as Bonnoun in my Amy's First Love RP (still in production), until Rikka gave me perfect auditions (even though she was the first to send in auddies, too.)

If you can pull the character off, and have the right range, then by all means, self-cast. Also, self-casting can be a good way of getting practice and getting your name known. ^^

People have free will. Their production, their choice. *shrugs*

[Little_Phoenix]

I've only been in the acting biz for a few months, and the voice acting biz even less time. One thing i have learned (mostl;y from working in a small market) is you never tell anyone that they're wrong- esp. if they're involved in casting. Well, okay, i did tell a director he was completely insane to his face...but he totally was!
Anyway, you can think what you want, and even avoid that person on principal. But, you never know why that person did what he did. Maybe you just weren't what this director was looking for? It doesn't mean you're a bad VA, or even that he's a good VA. It just means that, of the auditions, no one met what he was looking for. No reason to get offended by it, or to get mad at that director/producer. I could be way off, and the guy may, in reality, be a total jerk. I dunno. I'm just exploring a possibility. Now i'm rambling. Oi vei.

[ClymAngus]

Think of it like someone elses sports car, you watch it go by in the street. You see it's beauty, but the owner is perfectly within their rights to run that sporty little number into the nearest tree if they so desire.

It's a travesty, it's a tragety and it's worth a good rubber neck whilst their doing it. But seriously if it's eating your guts up that much, then no one's stopping you producing your own version, or a short or a sample. Vox populi man, take it to the people.

That said I am with Danae on this one, If this posting was intended as bit of psychological slight of hand, to manipulate people and in so doing, score points off a producer without getting your hands dirty (or having the balls to just PM them) I'd be more than slightly disappointed in you. So say it ain't so..........

[Lunar]

I'd say it might just be a desire to hear their own voice in a production. I'd self cast in a little RP I wanna do if I could figure one end of my mouse from the other when using premiere. I've been casted in like 8 thing since I've started and so far only one has been completed. It's understandable, folks have jobs and lives and pay in this sort of thing is few and VERY far between.

So if I want to hear myself and get the production done, I'll do it myself and maybe cast myself in something I think I can do because I know when I'll get it done.

Ultimately, even if you are using this as personal growth and training to go pro one day, this industry is still about having fun. It's an artform. All arts should be fun, so have fun doing it, roll with things as they come and be Zen. Think of pandas.

Pandas are TOTALLY zen. panda panda panda.

[Nikki Wright]

I realllly don't mean to be harsh, but I'm fairly sure that we're kinda.. beating a dead horse here. :/

[Edwyn]

I self-cast because I believe I'm suitable for everything. Every role in existence. Because I simply the best at all roles from the present to the past and to the distant future where people wouldn't voice-act any more but are replaced by machines but even THEN I shall be the best. And everyone will love me for it.

.... Please love me. ;_;

[atheistium]

I personally dont think there is anything wrong with self casting.
The producer might not have intended to do teh voice in the first place but after consideration compared their selves to the others and felt they would like to do it instead.

I can see where you are comming from though so nothing against you :) I can also see how annoying it can be, but again it's all for fun :)

Lets all have a big bowl of nice tasting foods to keep us all happy :P

[atheistium]

I self-cast because I believe I'm suitable for everything. Every role in existence. Because I simply the best at all roles from the present to the past and to the distant future where people wouldn't voice-act any more but are replaced by machines but even THEN I shall be the best. And everyone will love me for it.

.... Please love me. ;_;

I'll love you forever lol.... wait that sounds weird, stalky and wrong.
WUU!! *power hump* lmfao sorry :P

[ClymAngus]

I realllly don't mean to be harsh, but I'm fairly sure that we're kinda.. beating a dead horse here. :/

God I love it when your harsh. :P Sorry, that was a bit spammy of me. But good point, apart from icing on the cake the main guts of this thread appears to have been and gone.

P.S. Ed, were I comes from those words is fighting talk. Don't make me challenge you to a Mexican Voiceoff. :)

[Danae]

I realllly don't mean to be harsh, but I'm fairly sure that we're kinda.. beating a dead horse here. :/

At the VAA, we like to beat our dead horses.

IN RUSSIA, DEAD HORSE BEATS YOU.

[Henageshi]

That's happened to me a couple of times. It never bothered me much because I assumed that all the auditions didn't satisfy the producer enough to cast anyone. That's happened to me when I produce things too. I hold auditions for a character and sometimes I dont get any audies that I like. So I would ask another cast member to do it or I would do it myself (of course that would always be the last option). Don't take to heart. I'm sure they didnt do it to offend you. It was probably just something they had to do.

I dont really have a problem with self casting. I dont think it's egotistical for anybody to cast themselves in a production either. I've self-casted myself before, not because I think I'm better than everyone else. Just because it's for fun and I'd like to be in on it.

It'll happen a lot. Just try not to let it tear you down because it's really not worth it. ><

[chronocrossed]

I think this pretty much echoes everyone else for the most part, but I've self-casted in my productions for a couple of reasons:

1. I didn't recieve any auditions for a character and thought I could pull the role off.

2. Out of the auditions I recieved, the audition wasn't what I was looking for and I wanted to get the show on the road. Thus I detirmined if I could do the character's voice (see 1) and if so, did it. This is a rare occurance though.

3. I just want a voice part in my production. In this case I close that role. See my Chrono Cross projects for example (Self cast, Janus)


That said, I understand anyone who could get upset about this. But it happens. No tmuch you can do about it but accept it and make sure your audition satisfies the producer's description of the character's voice. If the producer doesn't like your voice after that then just move on and try the next production. Or start your own.

[Justin Parr]

I don't think there's really anything that can be done about it. I'm in the middle of my first production, but in future productions I'm not going to self cast myself without reason. For my Jak Interview RP
( http://www.voiceacting.co.uk/board/viewtopic.php?t=6691&postdays=0&postorder=asc&star t=0 I need more auditions if you're interested.) I self cast myself for Torn because I've been practicing the part for awhile and I'm pretty confident that I can pull it off. But it's not something I would do very much at all.

[superharris]

I self-cast all the time ;_;
I'm a bitch xD
ano...does that makes me a bastard also? O_O i self-cast a lot too