Variety: Every actor knows the old adage that there are no small parts, only small actors. And those who have worked in a group environment will agree that jobs are much more harmonious if everyone is in sync. For both of these ideas to jell, a production needs good casting directors: people who have the connections, knowledge and the sixth sense to suss out the best talent to fit into the jigsaw puzzle that is a stellar ensemble cast.
4 comments:
A good ensemble can truly make or break a show for me. Some of my favorite pieces are shows that do not have one main character but rather a rolling cast of actors who each play an integral roll in the show, that being said, I take issue with the whole "no small roles" saying. Of course there are small roles. There is no way you can say that the person with no lines in the back of the shot at the sorting ceremony at Hogwarts has as big a role as Danial Radcliff. This is not to delegitimize that role or say it is unimportant, because of course that scene would make no sense if it was just the title character. Shows are made up of big and little roles, all of which are important to a piece's overall power, aesthetic, and meaning. You have to have ensembles and so it makes sense to make it a good ensemble.
I agree with Cooper and I think a perfect example of this is Orange is the New Black. Even though the two main characters are relatively uninteresting, the show succeeds because of the supporting cast that rounds out the story. They add a lot of dimension to the show, and help flesh out the world of the prison. In fact I think the ensemble is the best part of the show because through those characters the show is able to tell stories that clearly don’t apply to the main character. But, also by casting relatively unknown actors, it has helped give them a steady job. Because acting is such a hard business, unless you are a big star supporting ensemble roles are a good job, because that’s how you might get your next job. In many cases, a good actor in a small role can add a lot to a show or a movie. For example, Heath Ledger’s Joker is legendary, but he doesn’t have a lot of screen time.
I find the role of an ensemble to be an interesting one, especially in tv andf film. It;s almost like they bridge the gap between actors and scenery, and they really help establish a contextualized and specific world within which the principal roles will function. A good ensemble can contribute a huge amount to a production, from an increased sense of authenticity and scale, to increasing diversity and deepening the world of the play or production. I know personally the benefits of using ensembles, as at my High School, our musicals always had huge ensembles, and this allowed us to accept as many people who auditioned to be in the show as possible. The large ensemble at our school ensured a sense of inclusion and really helped cultivate a broad interest in our program.
Often times, without an ensemble there is no show. Also, there are instances of a cast of all important characters that make up an ensemble. It was interesting to read how casting directors take such extreme care in building ensembles that become a cohesive unit throughout a TV show with intertwining storylines. While it is true that some characters are pushed to the frontlines and other's stories recede into becoming more of a background character, I agree with the assertion that having a strong until of characters and actors that work well together can make or break a show. It's interesting to note how certain ensembles work well together because there is a similarity in seriousness that actors bring to their work-- I think this should be a standard when seeking out a good, strong ensemble cast in both theatre and television.
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