Casting

Now that we have somewhat settled on an idea to move forward with, an appropriate step to take next is casting. Considering the level of performance in the video, casting is simply vital. It could easily be the deciding factor in the success of the video, and has proved to be in the past. It is even more important with this particular video, as the boys have to be of a certain look to comply with the star image of the band. If any one of them looks out of place in the context of the group, then it is ruined. You then have to pair their look with their ability to perform realistically and confidently in front of camera. To find a mixture of all these factors is difficult, and it may ultimately require you to take a gamble with an individual. However, from the students available to us in the school, myself and Rachel managed to whittle down to a list of our preferred four. These are;

Chris, lead singer.

Chris has a strong jaw and dark, brooding features. These are characteristic of lead singers. If he is styled correctly I believe he will look quite effective as a front man. Knowing him personally, I am confident he possesses the charisma to give it his all in front of camera. The only issue may be his ability in lip-syncing, something we are likely to screen test and determine whether it is something we should work on. 

Callum, guitarist.

Callum carries the right look that would work with the band. I know he is a performer and is also a prolific guitarist meaning he will look comfortable giving the impression he is playing along. Callum is also a singer which may be useful in terms of backing vocals. He could easily be seen as the co-song writer of the band, as is often the case in real life.

Joe, basist. 

  Joe is steriotypically 'handsome' and would provide variety for the band with his blonde. As far as I know, he is not musical but this is something that be worked around filmically. I was part of a music video last year where one of the guitarists and never played in his life but was made to look competent. The look of the cast is deemed more important as it is not something you can fake, unlike the ability to play guitar. 

Ben, drummer.

 Ben is a good friend of mine and an excellent drummer in real life. This is slightly more important as the drums are considerably harder to imitate effectively than the guitar. He also has a very strong look with his dark features and alternative hair cut, which would help us to create an 'edgy' persona for him.

Despite being happy with who we have chosen, these are only preliminary casting selections that could easily be subject to change. The song may play a factor in altering the band dynamic as the look of the singer may not suit the song. Also, these individuals are likely to be in high demand from the rest of the year so securing them to our project may prove difficult, despite us having had conversations with them all. Also, casting sessions may follow this decision to comprehensively discover that who we have chosen is correct for our video and they can perform sufficiently.