On Casting

I circle back to the film Antonia’s Line every couple of years not only for one of the best understatements by a lesbian in all of film (“Mooi motor” is Dutch for “Nice bike;” the look Els Dottermans gives that motorcycle is pure chrome lust), but because the film tells a compelling story and its actors are interesting to look at.  Few are classic beauties, but their faces and bodies are powerfully expressive, enlivening completely the characters they play.

I’ve tried not to fix particular faces in mind for the characters in Hatboxes as I’ve drafted the script and rendered the storyboards, though I did have to tell myself to quit staring in early April when a dead-ringer for “Miriam” turned up in line at the grocery store check-out two carts behind me.  Energy, presence, depth of attention, flexibility are among the qualities I’ll be watching for when we hold our casting calls.

Chemistry is the element that stirs the most anxiety when considering casting.  An individual actor’s charisma is one thing; what happens when two actors play together, with and against and off each other, is part of film’s magic.  The conundrum of chemistry is that acting at one level is fake.  

However, chemistry is something that can’t be faked, and its faking has been the downfall of too many lesbian films.  Maybe it’s one or both actors ducking out mentally at the moment when authenticity matters most; maybe it’s the director failing to clear obstacles to authenticity.  Maybe it’s rushing and losing focus and not capturing the best take, not having the courage or discipline to wait to be moved and insisting on that.

Susana Darwin

April 2012