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Report - Cho Chang Auditions

Thanks to Shuo Zhang

Only people with forms (that were handed to us by a lady to be filled in) could walk up the steps, which were wet from the early drizzle. We were allowed to pass through the door in groups. The first thing that we saw as we entered the building was the entrance hall. It was quite bare, a receptionist's table, nothing more. I don't remember it very well as I had to rush past. We were then ushered down a slopping narrow passage. It was quite bewildering, the whole process passed quite fast. At some stage, we took a wrong turn and had to be called back.

Our final destination was a small room in which we had to wait until we were called for. My most prominent memory of the room was of the beige coloured piano pushed up against a wall. I play the piano and the boredom of waiting in the queue for so long had gotten to me. I wanted to start playing, However, the piano was positioned so that the keys faced the wall. The room also had mirrors along one of its sides.

Inside the room the girls perpared themselves. The full length mirrors came in handy. Many of them smoothed their clothes and applied make-up; others brushed their hair. I didn't do very much with my hair or my clothes, I was busy trying to prevent myself from wheeling the piano round and playing Saraband by Bach; I didn't think the casting people would have appreciated it.

We didn't have long to wait in the room. A lady soon came for us. We, around 30 of us, were all lead into a room, which had two adjoining sections. One section of the room was covered with glass. (Pinewood studios is a dance school). There were two ladies in the room. We were told to line up with our backs to the glass, facing them. The atmosphere was tense; I sensed nervous vibes coming from every direction. I wasn't very nervous, just curious; I had no idea what they wanted us to do.

When everyone was settled, which didn't take long, they introduced themselves to us. I didn't catch what their names where, but one of them was the casting director. I switched off as they lauched into a speech about how patient we all had been to come and audition.

They also explained what they wanted us to do: poise for a photograph, 5 girls in each photo. However, after they'd gotten through the first lot, they broke into whispered conversation in which they proabably decided that it was pointless to take photographs of everybody as they weren't going to get through all the girls in the queue, which lined many streets, before 3 O'clock. They took a few selective pictures. The rest were told to hand in their forms with the promise that they'd get in contact with us. (me included. *sniffles*) Personally, I think that it was said only to stop a riot. I'd be surprised if they did phone. Some of the girls that left without getting their photographs taken looked extremely disapointed and angry. I was sure I caught some swear words here or there as we made our way to the exit.

I wasn't angry as such, but I was annoyed that they hadn't informed us that all they were going to do was take a photo; I wouldn't have went just for that. I thought that we were going to be assessed on our acting skills and our enthusiasm for the books. I'd even prepared an analysis of how I thought Cho's Character should be played. I went as far as getting quotes form the books!

I haven't gained much from the experience. I just recieved a dose of boredom, strong enough to last me a lifetime. I'd forgotten to take a book to the auditions so I was thoroughly bored; I didn't even have a notebook to write/draw on. I think I may have caught the beginnings of a phobia of queues!