Cast finally chosen for new film

After a week of intense deliberations, Declan has chosen the cast for the BAI-funded short film that he is to shoot over the coming months.

“It’s been agonising,” the film maker admitted. “The actors who auditioned last weekend were the last 20 or 30 out of over 5,500 original applicants, so the standard was incredibly high. Any one of them could have done a super job in the film, but, of course, we could only pick one person for each role.”

In fact, the film will now have additional actors involved.

“There are two scenes that I’m rewriting to both give extra depth to the story but, also, to accommodate some actors that I really wanted to work with on the project but who hadn’t been picked for the role they went for,” explained Declan.

The casting of the project is a first – certainly for Declan and possibly for anyone.

“I’ve cast the entire thing on TikTok,” he explained. “It’s been a bit overwhelming and has taken a lot longer than it would have, but I really think that it was a worthwhile decision. I can honestly say that this cast would not have been in the film if I’d gone ‘the normal route’. We have some first-time actors who wouldn’t have had a chance but casting this way gave them the opportunity to show what they can do. It’s exciting.”

Emails are going out, early in March, to the actors who have both landed a role and those who have just missed out.

“It’s great for those who have come through such a huge process. It shows how amazing they are,” said Declan. “I really feel sorry for those who have just missed out, though. They are equally as talented, but don’t have a part due to the narrowest of margins.”