FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method or system for casting characters for a performance or the like. More particular this invention relates to a method of casting actors for a performance through a consensus type selection process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Traditionally, a theatrical performance, television program or the like is made up of performers that have been cast as a result from input from the producer, director, casting supervisor or the like.

These individuals within the entertainment industry are perceived to have the means and ability by which to skilfully select performers in order to act out a required part for a drama series, program or the like.

Once the cast has been assembled by this conventional means a performance can then be completed and subsequent episodes then allows for the drama series to unfold.

Generally, these drama series programs are designed, created and promoted for an audience. Nonetheless, those that design, create and promote such series are not necessarily of the same nature or character to the audience of which this drama series is directed to.

Hence, the problem arises whereby though the drama series may be of interest to an audience, those actors characterising the various parts in the program, may not be of the nature or the appearance of which the majority of the viewing audience would prefer.

As those performers acting out the program are not preferred or particularly liked by the audience, this could lead to a discontinuing of viewing by the audience of the drama or performance. As the program is not viewed it is likely therefore thereafter to be limited in its further broadcasting to the public because of its lack of appeal or the like.

Further, if the drama series unfolds with its characters as originally selected by the director, producer or the like, if the audience watching the program or performance feels like they have no actual role or significance in the production per se, this may lead to an overall lack of interest in viewing the drama series.

Hence, it would be advantageous that a method could be provided that allows some type of audience participation, or consensus recognition for those performers that are selected and then developed or promoted as a drama series unfolds.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention is to provide a method for casting actors for a performance that overcomes or at least substantially ameliorates some of the disadvantages and shortcomings of conventional means and methods in casting characters for a performance which have been previously provided for, or alternatively, at least provide the public with an improved method of casting characters for a performance than was hitherto known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly in one form of the invention, there is provided a method for casting performers for a performance, said method including:

selecting a first cast of two or more performers;

a pool of performers whereby each performer is substantially adapted to be substituted for at least one of the performers of the first cast;

selecting from the first cast a performer for substitution;

pre-selecting from the pool of performers a performer to substitute the performer selected for substitution from the first cast; such that subsequent selection of each performer from the first cast and substitution thereof by the pre-selected performers from the pool of performers provides for a second cast of performers.

Preferably, the selection of the first cast of performers follows conventional methods whereby a group of characters are selected by an individual or group thereof responsible for casting which may include people such as producers, directors and the like.

Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a variety of means can be introduced in order to create or provide for the first cast of performers. What is important with this invention is that the starting point is an original cast of at least two performers whereby each performer within the original cast will be sequentially or subsequently substituted by a performer that has been pre-selected by a separate selection process from a pool of performers.

Preferably the performer to be substituted from the first cast is included in the pool of performers of which the second cast of performers is selected from.

Advantageously, with this method the performer in the original cast need not be excluded from ending up in the second cast.

Preferably, the pre-selecting of the performer to be substituted into the first or original cast to ultimately provide for the creation of the second cast, may be completed by a variety of methods. For example, there may be a panel of judges who will decide which character or performer from the pool of performers is adapted to be substituted for that performer selected from the first cast for substitution.

Alternatively, pre-selection of the performer from the pool of performers may include a voting system, whereby members of the public or the like could phone in, email, post or use other means to vote for a particular performer. The voting could then be tallied up and the performer with the most votes could then be pre-selected to take up the selected place that requires substitution from the first cast. What it is to be appreciated by the person skilled in the art, is the pre¬ selection process is that once the performer has been selected from the first cast to be substituted, to replace this original performer, from the pool of performers, at least two or more performers will compete for this place and are selected on the basis of some type of consensus.

The pre-selection of the performer from the pool of performers does not adopt the conventional perhaps traditional method of what was involved in the creation of the first cast of performers, for example by way of a casting director or the like.

In one preferable form of the invention the selecting of the performer from the first cast for substitution may involve a voting system decided upon by the audience.

For example, preferably, the least favourite performer, determined by the number of votes received from each of the performers in the cast, provides for a means in which that particular character may be selected for substitution from the first cast.

Preferably, the method of casting characters for a performance further includes an initial performance undertaken by the first cast.

Preferably, at the completion of this performance a voting means is provided in order to select from a judge, judges or audience the least favourite performer from the initial performance.

Preferably, from the pool of performers, at least two or more performers present themselves to the audience or the panel of judges in order to be pre-selected for that performance position which is available for substitution from the first cast.

Preferably, audience voting or consensus of judges pre-selects the preferred performer from the pool of performers and this particular performer is then substituted into the original cast.

Preferably the method continues subsequently thereafter such that ultimately each performer of the original cast is replaced by performers that have been pre-selected through the voting system or consensus of judges from the pool of performers.

In further forms of the invention a selection of the performer to be substituted from the first cast involves discretion from a producer, director or the like of the performance, in deciding that a female actor or male actor should be substituted.

The producer or the like may also decide for example that in some instances when selecting a character for substitution from the first cast it may involve two particular performers or even a character that could be considered the most popular.

An advantage of the method for casting the performers for a performance according to the above is that it is possible for an original cast of actors or performers to be morphed or transferred into a preferred selection of characters from a separate pool of performers as chosen by the public or a panel of judges.

Often producers, directors and the like of such performances or programs have a particular feel by which actors and performers should carry out their characterisations within a performance.

An advantage of this particular method is that this feel as to how a particular performer is to be characterised is past over into the hands of the consensus of the panel of the judges or alternatively into the hands of the voting public.

This consensus by majority whether by judging or voting allows for the creation of a cast of performers derived from those who will actually be watching the performance.

Directors, producers and the like are paid to create and establish a performance or program. Advantageously, in this method it is those who in fact will watch, enjoy and be entertained by the performance, who themselves will be responsible for the creation of the ultimate cast carrying out the performance. Preferably the initial performance and subsequent performances are television performances.

Preferably one performer from the first cast is chosen as a special performer.

Preferably the special performer is promoted to the audience as a character of desirably attributes of which audience member would aspire to.

Preferably, this performer provides for the theme or main part of the drama series.

Advantageously every member of the audience potentially by becoming part of the pool of performers of which pre-selections takes place have the opportunity of becoming the selected special performer from the first cast to which the drama performance will be based upon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described in relation to preferred embodiments which shall be described with assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram outlining the method and system for the casting of the characters for the performance in a preferred form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a set of performers playing out characters as the first cast of performers.

Figure 3 shows the first cast in character in an initial performance.

Figure 4 is a view of a performer that has been selected for substitution from the first cast.

Figure 5 is a drawing of a group of performers from a pool of performers seeking pre-selection for the character that has been selected for substitution in figure 4.

Figure 6 is the pre-selected performer chosen from those pool of performers of figure 5.

Figure 7 shows a further performance of the program whereby the pre- selected character of figure 6 joins the performance as illustrated in figure 3.

Figure 8 shows a drawing of a young girl appearing in the first cast whose characterisation is to be substituted.

Figure 9 is a drawing of those performers from the pool of performers seeking pre-selection for the position to substitute the performer shown in figure 8.

Figure 10 is a drawing of the character pre-selected from the pool of performers shown in figure 9.

Figure 11 shows the selected performer of figure 10 now being included into the subsequent performance.

Figure 12 is a drawing of the second cast of performers that was provided for by the subsequent substitution by pre-selected performers from the pool of performers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings now in more detail.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the method 10 involved in the casting performers for a performance.

Using conventional selection a first cast 12 is established.

The first cast 12 undergoes an initial performance 14 whereby at the conclusion of the performance at least one of the performers 16 are selected for substitution. In the preferred embodiment, the selected performer 16 to be substituted from the first cast 12 is chosen by way of a consensus 18 from a panel of judges 20 or alternatively voting 24 by members of the audience watching the performance.

Alternatively the producer, director or the caster 26 could make the selection.

The performer 16 selected for substitution is then replaced by a performer 28 that has been pre-selected from a pool of performers 30.

The pre-selection of the performer 28 from the pool of performers 30 can be completed by a variety of methods but preferably in this preferred embodiment the selection is done through a consensus 18 of a panel of judges, or alternatively voting members of the audience 24.

The pre-selected character 28 from the pool of performers 30 then is substituted 32 taking his or her place in the first cast 12.

The method then repeats itself, with further performances 34 until the first cast 12 is subsequently substituted 36 by further selected performers 38 from the pool of performers 30 to provided for the second cast.

Figures 2 to 12 provide for a preferred embodiment of this invention whereby the performances of a TV program made up of five performers which in this instance could be characterised as Mum 40, Dad 42, Daughter 44, Son 46 and Grandmother 48.

These performers 40-48 as shown in figure 2 take part in an initial performance 50 or television program of a drama series or the like.

At the end of the performance the father 42 has been chosen by a way of a public vote from those members of the public who watched the television program to be substituted 52.

In this preferred embodiment once the initial performance 50 is completed, voting from the public was tallied over the following two days.

Alternatively however, the person skilled in the art would appreciate that the invention would also include embodiments whereby at the end of the television show the Director or the like could simply just suggest to the public which member of the cast is up for substitution, or voting could be completed within an hour or so of the performance concluding.

Alternatively, even further, members of the public could phone in, mail in or the like while the television program is being broadcasted so at the end of the program voting can be completed and the public is aware of which performer has been selected for substitution.

Once the public has voted which character is to be substituted 52 following the performance of the first program of the drama series, subsequently thereafter a further performance 54 will be performed whereby a series of performers 56,58,60 and 62 will be selected from a pool of performers (not shown) in order to substitute the performer 42 who needs to be substituted 52 from the first cast 39.

Hence, as shown in figure 5 this performance would have all those hopeful performers 56,58,60 and 62 selected from the pool of performers trying to be pre-selected 64 so in order to be substituted into the original drama series 39.

The pre-selection in this preferred embodiment is carried out by public voting. Once the public has voted for the performer, shown as 62, this performer 62, will be pre-selected as shown in figure 6.

Figure 7 then shows how the next performance 66 or television broadcast of the drama series, has the pre-selected performer 62 of figure 6 then introduced into the original cast 39 to play the character of the father 42.

Figures 8 through to 10 follow very similar to the selection of the father 42 to be substituted and then the ultimate pre-selection thereof by performer 62 from the pool of performers into the original cast 39. However, in figures 8 through to 10 it is the daughter 44 who is to be substituted 68 and then pre-selected by particular performers 70,72,74 and 76 coming from the pool of available performers as shown in figure 9.

Figure 10 lists that preselected performer 76 has been chosen to be substituted for original daughter 44.

Figure 11 then shows a subsequent further performance 78 of the drama series whereby in this example the young daughter 44 has now been replaced by the pre-selected performer 76 chosen from the performers 70,72,74 and 76 as illustrated in figure 10.

Figure 12 illustrates the conclusion of the method of casting 10 whereby following the same procedures referred to above one by one, subsequently or sequentially thereafter each character of the original cast 40 to 48 is substituted through pre-selection from a separate pool of characters to the performers of 62,76, 80,82 and 84

Basically one performance is associated with the drama series while the performances in-between of the drama series is associated with the selecting of cast members which will take part within the drama series.

It is not critical what kind of drama series this invention will work for. It is also not critical how long a particular broadcast may be or its frequency of broadcasts throughout the day or week.

What is required in this preferred embodiment is that the episodes of drama series are interrupted or divided into a related performance whereby members of the public become involved in selecting the characters that should be included into subsequent performance of the drama series.

For example, the broadcast of the television drama series may occur on a Monday night. Then on a Wednesday night the television program associated with pre-selecting of the characters to be substituted from the original cast may be shown. Hence the following Monday this pre- selected character would then be included in the next drama series. Nonetheless, the time of day, day of the week has no influence on the significance of this invention.

It is to be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to this invention as shown in a specific preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention as described.

It is therefore then the intention of this description to incorporate all such methods and systems that effect this provision of a second cast of performers from a first cast of performers through the substitution subsequently of each character by a pre-selected performer from a pool of performers.