sleep held all the creatures over the earth at rest

[chrryblssmninja]

I just got a call back from a job! I won't talk specifics in an unlocked post, but I need to send some more materials and maybe I'll get an interview. :D

I am working on the "make your own show" suggestions given by greenet (I decided to go with a dark take on Winnie the Pooh with humans; what am I thinking) and supersyncspaz7. But I like working on these casting games in groups, and this was finished first.


I finished reading The Aeneid a few weeks ago, and being the geek I am, I really liked it.
I also thought it would be great fodder for a casting game.
oh hey The AV Club thought that too:
Why not The Aeneid? It has a tragic love story, seafaring action, and a protagonist as flawed as he is heroic.

To be really faithful to the story, I decided to break up the epic poem into smaller, shorter bits, following specific storylines rather than just the divisions that are there. One of the things I really liked about the story is how it shuffles between biographies, stories, flashbacks, scenes with the gods, scenes with everyday people, scenes with the heroes, scenes with the antagonists, and even one or two flashes to the future. Even with judicious editing, putting them all together in one lump would make the whole product feel uneven. So it would be:

THE AENEID: SCENES FROM AN EPIC

That wouldn't be the actual title, but I can't think of anything better at the moment. SUGGESTIONS WELCOME

Each scene would be five to ten minutes, and would preferably air on cable, maybe shown at a specific time every weekday for two to three weeks. Each scene would then be posted on the network's site the day after airing, so people can go back and forth or marathon as they wish. Obviously, this idea needs more thinking through. But I think that intelligently-promoted "event television" is one way to bring viewers to watch TV live. As shorts, the scenes can also be internet/mobile device/promotion friendly in length.


and now...



I looked up Troy and found that it was probably around Anatolia, Turkey. I'm not sure if the Trojans were closer to Greeks in ancestry, though. (lol one of my professors would kill me) Unfortunately, I don't know many actors of Turkish descent, and I try to cast people that, even if I haven't watched them in an entire film, I can be sure (through clips or trusted word-of-mouth) they'd fit the part.
Thanks to croakvegas for suggesting Anthony LaPaglia (argh how did I forget him?) and Vince Colosimo.

Ethnicity was somewhat of a factor, but presence and appearance were more important in my decision. Appearance especially counted for family relationships, and because it's really important that the Italians/Etruscans/Latins at least look Italian, because the story is basically a glory myth establishing Rome's connections to the gods as well as revered Ancient Greece and Troy.

In addition, I tried to cast people I haven't already used (at least in major roles) in casting memes. The warriors also have to look like they can actually fight -although Iulus is supposed to look kind of innocent and young-ish but still old enough to fight. Although some of the actors would have to play around 5 years older/younger than they are, I tried to give at least fifteen years between the birth years of actors playing parents and children, excepting the gods that don't really age.

okay enough rambly.



Aeneas
wandering warrior, hero of Troy



Kirk Acevedo
IMDB profile

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Anchises
prince of Dardania, father of Aeneas



Ben Cross
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Iulus (Ascanius)
son of Aeneas



Max Minghella
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Venus
goddess of love, plots against Juno in order to protect her son Aeneas



Christina Hendricks
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Cupid
works for his mother Aphrodite



Eddie Redmayne
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Juno
queen of the gods, does everything to disrupt and delay Aeneas' destiny



Lena Olin
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Jupiter
king of the gods



Titus Welliver
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Cybele
mother of the gods



Catherine Deneuve
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Pallas
popular warrior. Aeneas thinks of him like a second son.



Henry Cavill
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Evander
founder and king of Palladium, father of Pallas



Jeremy Irons
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Dido
founder and first queen of Carthage, tragically falls for Aeneas



Sanaa Lathan
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Diana
goddess of wisdom and the hunt, watches over Camilla



Lena Headey
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Apollo
the sun god



Michael Vartan
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Rumor
a Titan, works for Juno, enjoys spreading deadly gossip



Gillian Jacobs
IMDB profile
(yeah, some of the ugly aspects of the character's appearance will be prettified, but I just can't help but think of her as Rumor)

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Iris
works for Juno, messenger, goddess of rainbows and sea and sky



Sarah Polley
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Mars
god of war, sometimes interferes with battles



Fredric Lehne
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Vulcan
god of fire and volcanoes, blacksmith of the gods



Ray Stevenson
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Deiphobe
the Cumaean Sibyl, young and ageless, guides Aeneas in the underworld



Imogen Poots
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Mercury
messenger of the gods



Jamie Bell
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Camilla
huntress, leads the Volscian horsemen, ally of Turnus



Ingrid Bolsø Berdal
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Lavinia
princess of Latium, desired by Turnus



Katie McGrath
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Amata
queen of the Latins, supports Turnus' claim for her daughter's hand in marriage, kind of goes crazy



Monica Bellucci
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Latinus
king of the Latins, decides to heed a prophetic warning and promises Lavinia to Aeneas



Anthony LaPaglia
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Turnus
king of the Rutuli, hotheaded and arrogant, initially promised Lavinia in marriage



James Franco
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Juturna
Devoted sister of Turnus. Became an immortal nymph when she became Jupiter's lover, now works for Juno



Mila Kunis
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Arruns
the only one to kill the fierce warrior Camilla
slain in return by Diana's attendant



Alessandro Juliani
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Palinurus
loyal head of Aeneas' fleet



Michael Madsen
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Sinon
captured Greek, part of the siege of Troy



Vince Colosimo
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Mnestheus
probably the best of Aeneas' warriors



Enver Gjokaj
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Nisus and Euryalus
very very very close friends, warriors for Aeneas



Sam Witwer, Richard Gutierrez
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Dares
big boxer guy



Jonathan Cake
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Entellus
aged boxer



Stellan Skarsgård
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okay I know Dares vs. Entellus isn't that important but I like the story; the whole games chapter is about glory outside of war but in a war-like setting

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Allecto
one of the Furies, dark goddess, works for Juno



Fairuza Balk
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These are the main characters who actually do things in the story. There are whole flashbacks and flashforwards to stuff like the battle of Troy and the whole Octavian vs. Antony and Cleopatra, but that would be too much to cast. Other characters like Neptune only do like one little thing, so I decided not to bother with casting them either.

Comments

[croakvegas.livejournal.com]

LOL I SEE YOU VINCE COLOSIMO

Interesting cast! I really love some of the choices. And I love The Aeneid :D

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

I NEEDED A GREEK TO PLAY A GREEK

thanks!
and yeah, it's awesome

[lily-winterwood.livejournal.com]

SO SAY WE ALL TO ALESSANDRO JULIANI!

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

yeah!

[greenet.livejournal.com]

Awesome casting! I'd so watch this.

and, heee, I can't wait to see what you come up with for dark Winnie the pooh.

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks!

and yeah, I'm surprised at how it's turning out! I've got a few roles cast. Christopher Robin is an alien.

[diamondrocker.livejournal.com]

I FULLY APPROVE OF YOUR CASTING. ESP KIRK, CHRISTINA, MILA & JAMES F.

And Sarah Polly will forever be "Sarah Stanley" to me for always. FACT.

dark take on Winnie the Pooh with humans
That sounds so ridiculously incredible

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks! I think Mila and James can have a good tight brother-sister vibe.


or just ridiculous, hehe :)

[secret-weapon.livejournal.com]

Oooh good luck with the job bb!

I will read the casting game later once I have some time because I ♥ them.

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks so much! -squishes-

[lavillenie.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the job :D

AWESOME CASTING. I haven't read the poem but I'd totally watch this!

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks.


aww thank you!

[chuckney.livejournal.com]

Best of luck on the job front! :D

I've been thinking I should read some ancient literature for a while now: when I read The Aeineid I'm going to picture the characters as your cast XD

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks!


there are some descriptions in the poem that may be counter to my casting, but go read it! It's pretty interesting - and there's lots of action, so it's not so boring.

[kira-iras.livejournal.com]

Good casting :) I would watch this.

[chrryblssmninja.livejournal.com]

thanks!