Pre-Production: Casting

 As we continue to develop throughout pre-production, my group has been thinking a lot about the characters and how important it is the select the right actors to bring them to life. Our opening scene is filled with emotion and the actors we choose will help shape how the audience connects with the story. Here's a breakdown of our ideal actors for the key roles and why they're perfect for the parts:

Eva:

Eva is the first face we see in our film, and is also the one being kidnapped. We envisioned her to have lots of energy and enthusiasm, and also a little bit ditsy. We wanted someone who's naturally bubbly and doesn't shy away from showing excitement in her character. The actress we have chosen for Eva has a background in theater, which is perfect for capturing the exaggerated qualities of Eva's character. She also attends our school which is convenient.

An image of Jennifer Lawrence, someone we imagined as inspiration for Eva

Sofia:

Sofia is Eva's sweet and innocent best friend, whose concerned for Eva's safety and constantly warns her against getting involved with the mysterious guy she's seeing. Her loyalty to Eva comes through in the way she tries to protect her, even though Eva isn't always listening. We've chosen an actress with a theater background for Sofia as well. This actress brings a natural warmth and softness to the role, which helps establish Sofia as the supportive and loving best friend. The actress for Sofia also attends our school.

An image of Leightor Meester, someone we imagined as inspiration for Sofia

The Stalker:

For the role of the stalker, we have two options that we're currently considering. The first option is an actor with a background in theater. He's skilled with performance but doesn't have the physical look that screams "scary". The second option is someone who fits the physical description perfectly—tall and intimidating. However, he's never acted before, so we're unsure about how seriously he'll take the role and whether he'll be able to bring the intensity to the character. Choosing between these two actors is tricky because we need someone who not only fits the physical role but can also convey the creepy vibe that is so important to the stalkers character. Both options do attend our school which will be convenient during filming to keep in touch. We're leaning toward the second option because of the way of his appearance, but we'll have to be sure that he can take direction well and fully commit to the character. 

The Therapist:

The therapist in the end of the our opening scene is more of a background character, serving mainly as a setup for the story to unfold. Since the role is pretty minor, we've decided to have someone from our production group play the therapist. This decision allows us to focus on the over-the-shoulder shots of Sofia during the therapy session, which emphasizes her emotional state rather than the therapist's character. While the character doesn't have a significant presence in the scene, the therapist still needs to appear neutral and professional to keep the focus on Sofia.