Planning: Characters

 As my partner Zunairah and I began planning Competitive Much?, we realized that casting the right actors for Audrey and Mattias is essential to bringing our story to life. The success of our project depends on performers who can capture the comedic timing, emotional tension, and chemistry that the rivalry-turned-romance requires. Since Zunairah and I are both involved in theater, we decided to ask friends who we already know and trust to fill these roles. We are confident in their acting ability, which makes the process smoother and ensures that the characters will feel authentic on screen. Choosing actors from our own theater circle also allows us to communicate ideas effectively, experiment with scenes during rehearsals, and rely on their skills to bring Audrey and Mattias’ personalities and rivalry to life. 

I found this really nice blank cast sheet on Canva and I was so excited because it’s going to make organizing our actors super easy. The friends we decided to pick for our project were Nadia Nicolas and Evan Ventura since we know them from theater. I can fill in their names and notes about their acting experience, strengths, and features that make them a good fit for the roles. Having this cast sheet will help me keep all the information in one place and make it easier to visualize who fits each part.

Blank Template from Canva:

Cast Sheets:

    Audrey

• Determined and goal-oriented

• Feisty and competitive

• Intelligent and focused

• Stubborn at times but quick-thinking

• Witty with humorous reactions during conflicts

• Emotionally expressive

Originally, we considered making Audrey a track athlete, which would have tied her competitiveness to sports. However, we decided to scrap that idea because we didn’t want the movie to feel too sporty, especially since Mattias already plays hockey. Instead, Audrey is now a nerdy girl who focuses on her academics and is fiercely competitive over the Achievement Award. This change allows her rivalry with Mattias to center on personality rather than physical sports.

Nadia is a perfect choice for Audrey because of her acting experience and strong performance skills. She is sixteen years old, 5 feet 1 inch tall, and has two years of acting experience in musical theatre. Nadia is very nice and outgoing, which makes her easy to work with, and she can pull off a highly expressive character like Audrey. She is focused, skilled at interpreting scripts, and uses her face and body effectively to portray emotion. Nadia can provide her own costume, which makes preparation easier. Audrey is a determined and feisty teenager, and Nadia’s energy and expressiveness make her ideal to bring Audrey’s competitive, witty, and emotionally dynamic personality to life.

Mattias

• Confident and playful

• Slightly mischievous

• Competitive but charming

• Thoughtful beneath his confident exterior

• Emotionally expressive

• Teasing with subtle hints of romantic interest

Evan is an excellent choice for Mattias thanks to his two and a half years of acting experience and background in band and theatre. He is fifteen years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, with short, wavy black hair and white skin. Evan is naturally shy, but he can really get into character and has experience in a variety of roles, which allows him to portray Mattias’ playful, confident, and slightly mischievous personality convincingly. He has great line memorization, a strong work ethic, and uses facial expressions and emotions effectively to maintain the mood of a scene. His acting skills and emotional range make him perfect to show Mattias’ competitiveness while hinting at the romantic tension with Audrey.

On Screen:

The dynamic between Nadia as Audrey and Evan as Mattias is exciting because their differences and personalities create natural chemistry. The height difference, with Audrey being smaller at 5 feet 1 inch and Mattias taller at 5 feet 9 inches, adds visual contrast that emphasizes the playful rivalry and eventual romantic tension between them. Audrey’s determination and intensity paired with Mattias’ confidence and teasing energy will create a fun and believable enemies-to-lovers. 

Sources:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAHBcLR4dV0/alr2EFej6Y91LyUsd9KdKQ/view?utm_content=DAHBcLR4dV0&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h0b0eca4563