VA Pet Peeves

[Blue Bunny]

I think to avoid double casting people should:
a-extend the deadline
b-get a staff of people to help out with casting,so there's not just one opinion

[Z-Che Chan]

Yeah, this is a constant struggle topic.
The producer's ultimate defense is "this is MY production" :/

Also, you're absolutely correct that some producers look at the auditions independently. In one production I recall, this particular actor/actress played multiple main roles. In one scene, this VA was literally arguing with themselves o.0 It was totally awkward <_<

Early casting (even with an already set, no changed on the main post of the deadline. Then suddenly "CAST CONFIRM ROLE!"), multi-casting more then 2 roles, favortism, Youtube auditions that want a video response as an entry x.x
Rude, unreasonable and impatient producers (and people in general). . .

Reading through the last few posts I was like "ABSOLUTELY!! >O!!" Lol

Funny thing about extending deadlines, is that one person's peeve was people extending their deadlines xD

[Mochan]

Double casting is one thing, but when you go further and start triple or quadruple casting, I just find it incredibly hard to believe that NONE of the other voice actors that auditioned were good enough.

It's either A) You're too lazy to help them better themselves in the role.
Or B) Favoritism.

The only other reason might be when you just didn't get enough auditions and then I can definitely see the need to triple or quadruple cast.

[Z-Che Chan]

Yeah,
One producer had an awesome looking project that a lot of people were super stoked about. The producer had half a page of auditions and cast two people for 3 roles for one and about 5 for the other--when it was an 11 character count!

It was like:

.....-tumbleweed-

[Russ]

It can sometimes happen that one VA is indeed the best in each of multiple roles. The lazy producer will then cast that person in each of them. Really bad idea. The only time I could imagine doing it is when no other VA is even credible in those roles.

Yes, we did have a case in which there were three males roles available, at least a dozen auditions... and the producers cast the same guy in all three. I'm really surprised anybody bothers auditioning for his stuff after that.

[Gale]

Funny thing about extending deadlines, is that one person's peeve was people extending their deadlines xD

See, I can understand why that would annoy someone, however having finally started a project I'm producing myself and holding auditions for it, I think its incredibly naive to find fault with a producer just for extending a deadline. Now, there are other factors that could go into this to make the specific situation ridiculously annoying, such as a producer who extends the deadline one, two, three times each a space of a month, because there just isn't interest in their project, without casting even those auditions they've received or scouting people. The way I see it, once you've hit your first deadline, if there's someone you wanna cast, cast them. Unless you're honestly unsure of everyone who auditioned, there's no reason not to. Sure, it might seem "unfair" but people had the warning and the first deadline has passed. Now they're limited to the parts remaining. All that said, simply extending a deadline a few days in hopes of more auditions is nothing to complain about. Just learn to be patient!

On the subject of patience and audition deadlines, it bugs me when producers think they have to have the cast list out as soon as the deadline is up. I mean, if you have few enough auditions to figure it out as you go, more power to you, but don't let that blind you to a great last minute audition, and if you need your time take it! And those awaiting cast lists shouldn't get upset about a producer taking a couple days to post a cast list either. I mean, a week, yah, that's kind of upsetting and worrisome, but a couple days is reasonable.

Yes, we did have a case in which there were three males roles available, at least a dozen auditions... and the producers cast the same guy in all three. I'm really surprised anybody bothers auditioning for his stuff after that.

The saving grace for producers like that is newbies know not your track record >_>

[Hnilmik]

My peeve? Other health issues impeding on VAing progress... Like, stuff beyond colds.

I am now officially terrified.

I've been having these tonsil stones for years now and didn't know what they were until last night. Why are they so frightening? For one, I hate 'em and the fact that I have 'em is annoying enough. They're gross to hack or choke up. For another, I'm terrified of wide-awake surgeries after that ordeal with my wisdom teeth. The only mouth specialist I know is my dentist who CAN do surgeries (which is rare for dentists, I'm told, and she's constantly keeping up her medical studies), but she can't gas people and shots have to "OD" me to start working. Even then I can and MUST hear and see everything that goes on due to the risk of hitting nerves that may kill me.

(Mouth being close to brain and all.)

The most terrifying thing? If it's a recurring issue due to body type (my body produces lots of mucus; likely strong immune system) and the tonsil stones persist (+ other negative effects), one way to get rid of them is to get those tonsils removed. I have three pockets in my throat (or my tonsils, whatever). One of those pockets have been &quot;full&quot; for years since I can't get the stone out. You can only guess what's going through my mind now.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY VOICE?! I KEEP HEARING HORROR STORIES OF VOICES BEING CHANGED FOREVER AFTER TONSIL REMOVAL!! WHY!? WHY DIDN'T I KNOW THIS EARLIER!? WHY COULDN'T I HAVE GOTTEN RID OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE?! WHHHYYYYYY!?!?

::curls into a tight ball in the corner and tries to get in touch with doctor, professionals, and such immediately::

...Someone mentioned that your voice can get lower if you get your tonsils removed. Now, a part of me is saying "Cooooll... Deeper voiceesss..." while the other part of me is saying "I GET TO KEEP THE HIGHER PITCHED VOICES RIGHT!? RIGHT!?" Still, I want to avoid surgery, so if it's not a big deal, I'm still gonna kick my mouth hygiene to another level if I wanna keep my voice!

[Zangya]

I feel like the thing some producers don't take into consiteration when doublecasting is how the whole piece will fit together. I guess that's my biggst problem with most unadvisable doublecasting. Like, Voice Actor A plays two characters PERFECTLY. A naive producer will look at the two auditions independantly and say "wow this is perfect!" and "wow this is perfect!" but never consiter how the two will fit in the whole.

Also, yah, understudies with doublecasting? UGH! Those are generally cases I get the feeling that the understudies are just pity castings tho. In which case they SHOULDN'T be cast as understudies. If you have confidence that the primary will come through, then don't bother just 'cause you want someone to feel good about sort of almost getting cast.

C-could we be talking about the same thread? D:

[Gale]

probably not, as I'm speaking generally here. I mean, there was one case a while back where a certain popular and prominent VA on the forums who was cast as TWO characters of the same range, and I was understudy for one of them, somebody else for the other.

But I've seen similar things all over with n00b producers.

[Sapphire]

I don't necessarily enjoy double casting, but I had to recently. Even when I extended the deadline twice, I only received 4 males auditions (I still think one of them was a joke audition). Indeed, I listened to all of them and it came down to mic quality and delivery. The one person I cast for both male roles had everything I wanted. Really, I don't feel ashamed because I still think I cast everyone pretty fairly. If anyone knows me I'm extremely picky. :/