Hello again! It’s been a busy ol’ month! There’s been production meetings, the Facebook page has been set up (everyone knows, Facebook pages make everything official) and I’ve started the great hunt for actors.
I’ve had to be pretty specific in regards to some of the actor requirements, as certain character traits can have a huge impact on the script and plot.
Now, as you may already know, Deaf people come in all kinds of different “flavours.”
And the film we’re making represents a specific and somewhat original type of “Deaf person”.
During my time as an actress, I’ve noticed that film and television tend to portray a stereotypical archetype of Deaf person.
I noticed this because I was A) Deaf but B) nothing like those people.
I would regularly be called to castings for a Deaf character and be expected to know every element of BSL and how to use it correctly.
The interpreter that had been hired for the day would sit obsolete, while the director stared in awe/horror as I spoke in perfectly clear English.
I’ve even been asked to put on a “deaf accent” before.
And so for this project, I felt it necessary to portray a different type of Deaf character. Someone like…..
Narcissism aside, it’s always best to write about what you know, and I know absolutely LOADS of Deaf people who talk (accents and voice clarity varies), sign (some better than others, but hey, they’re still signing), lip read or even talk, sign and lip read at the same time!
They can communicate with Deaf & Hearing people alike and they don’t always require an interpreter.
Some wear hearing aids, some don’t and some have cochlear implants. Deaf people, like any other human beings, are complex and we have lots of different layers…..like a deaf onion…
So I’m going to need Deaf actors that can be very versatile, which is not an easy task. Don’t get me wrong, there are gifted Deaf actors out there but you’ve got to work pretty damn hard to find them.
So that’s what July has been about mainly, contacting agents, posting on facebook, tweeting on twitter and just generally getting that casting brief out there!
Teresa is a freelance film maker, photographer and full time cynic. At school, she was voted “Most likely to end up in a lunatic asylum”, a fate which has thus far been avoided. Her pet hates are telephones, intercoms and all living things.
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Sandra Dowe
August 15, 2014
My favourite Deaf Actor David Sands – so skillfullly natural. Hope he is free and llet me know if he is in your production, I will definitely watch.
Robert Mandara
August 15, 2014
I always enjoy your articles and illustrations Teresa!
Rather than searching for existing deaf actors (who I presume are thin on the ground), why don’t you ask the deaf people you know who fit your requirements whether they would be interested in acting? I’ve never acted but if I was approached, I guess I could be tempted to do so. Or do you require all of your actors to have gone to acting school and be signed up to equity and all that?
Siobhan Coates
August 15, 2014
I on more than one occasion have had people say ‘but you don’t sound deaf’ !!!
Miriam
August 15, 2014
Horah for blowing the stereotypes away.
Deafnotdaft
August 15, 2014
Hi Teresa. Does the Ben Steiner Bursary stipulate that you must use Deaf actors? If not, I don’t think you should necessarily avoid recruiting hearing actors to play Deaf parts. After all, isn’t that the sort of thing that actors are trained to do?
You say it’s going to be tough finding gifted Deaf actors. Given the choice between non-gifted Deaf actors and gifted hearing actors, I think you should consider hiring the hearing ones rather than compromising the quality of the end-result.
Tough call!
Tim
August 17, 2014
Sometimes a small number of Deaf people can, like with other minorities, suffer from a thumping great case of self-loathing.
This often expresses or projects itself in a hysterical and logic-free scramble to deride or dismiss Deaf people as a whole group.
Teresa is right to seek out appropriate actors for the roles and I hope she will not be side-racked by any faux-righteous comments.
Ted Evans
August 15, 2014
Some would argue that most roles in the mainstream goes to actors/actresses that fit your description – deaf but speech enabled, especially the larger roles in TV drama series (Like The Silence, East Enders etc)
Very rarely do we see authentic deaf, sign language users in the mainstream and in film – which I am researching a lot of at the moment, around 95% of the time the roles and characters of profoundly deaf, sign language users, are portrayed by hearing actors. It goes both ways I reckon.
So my advice would be to search for actors in the mainstream. There’ll be quite a few hard of hearing… or come to think of it… why do they need to be deaf if the characters can speak?
Ideally you’d want to give roles to deaf actors but if none fit your description then just use hearing actors. If they can portray the roles authentically to your satisfaction then I see no problem with it personally. That is the job of an actor… is it not?
The main issue with hearing actors portraying deaf characters is that 1) it’s unfair on the deaf actors out there who don’ t get the chance/opportunity and (perhaps more importantly) 2) they can’t execute the sign language with authenticity and the performance is flawed.
But in your case, you can’t find anyone and I understand you are looking for speaking roles… so why not just cast hearing actors?
sammmymack
August 17, 2014
In America when they made The Hammer biopic about Matt Hamill (UFC fighter) they cast a hearing actor originally in his role. Quite rightly deaf people reacted negatively to this so the role was recast then performed by a brilliant deaf actor Russell Harvard . He speaks authentic deaf accent, signs fluent ASL and lipreads just like Matt. Keep looking there’s surely loads of deaf talented actors and I’m surprised people are suggested using hearing actors. Isn’t it a bit like white people ” blacking up ” in old days?
Deafnotdaft
August 17, 2014
Hi sammmymack. I think it depends on whether, as a Deaf Film-maker, Teresa’s objective is (a) to make the best film possible, regardless of whether the actors are Deaf or not, or (b) to make a film that stars Deaf actors. Hopefully she’ll strike lucky and meet both objectives by booking a deaf actor as good as Russell Harvard.
Meriah Nichols
August 17, 2014
that’s hilarious!
Anna Hughes
August 17, 2014
Would like to be involved. Have some acting experience and training. What roles are available to audition for.
Teresa Garratty
August 18, 2014
Hi Anna,
Here’s a link to the casting brief.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-quiet-ones-2015/casting-brief/304509166376707
Any problems, let me know at tgarratty@gmail.com.
Terry Spurgeon
August 19, 2014
I like Ted’s phrase “speech enabled”! I am sure there are many amateur “speech enabled” deaf actors/actresses out there like myself who does not have an agent or in employment and therefore find it difficult to seek out suitable parts and that works around their regular employment. I would be happy to do “Deaf Beat 2, 3, etc” and other parts if I am not in employment or being a professional actor. It takes some courage to really fly out of the nest.
Ted Evans
August 19, 2014
Everyone is entitled to their view on hearing actors playing deaf roles etc. I would always prefer to see deaf actors play the roles. If people want to know my opinion though I think it is fine for a hearing person to play a deaf character – so long as they can do it authentically and to a level of performance which is believable. Not many hearing people can do that but I wouldn’t reject someone because they can simply hear. In my view it is different from casting a black person, that is race and yes it would be wrong to play a different race when there are millions of ethnic actors out there.
On the one hand deafness is partly a condition and on the other (depending on the character) there is the culture and way of life of deaf people to think about. These are things professional actors have to work with (conditions, culture etc)… for example it is quite possible for a hearing person to become deaf and to become part of the deaf community in his/her lifetime… they can’t however transform from white to black. Actors have to become different people and I have no problem with someone becoming a deaf person… IF they can do it. If they can’t then that is bad casting.
Anyway that’s my opinion… people don’t have to agree with me.
In this case Teresa is looking for hard of hearing/speaking deaf characters. The amount of deaf actors out there is incredibly small as Teresa has mentioned. Most of the time directors work with ‘non actors’ which is fine – hearing people do that too. At the end of the day it is Teresa’s choice as a director to cast the right people for the roles. Personally I feel politics should be left out of it and the focus should be on making the best film/telling the story the best way possible.
Ted Evans
August 19, 2014
Lastly just to add… for me being a Deaf person is about the journey one has had in life, the challenges, the oppression, the community, the friendships and basically the experience. This is what partly makes us who we are. Deafness (the medical condition) is only a very small part of it.
Professional actors have to play people who are on all different kinds of journeys – that is what they do. Next you’ll have people saying only homosexual actors can play homosexual characters, mentally ill actors playing mentally ill characters? What next?
Deaf actors are needed, wanted and should be given a chance – however the role should always be given to the right person for the right reason – which is they portray the character in the best possible way that helps the overall film/story.
The identity as a person should not be an issue. It’s all about what they bring to the screen.
Tim
August 19, 2014
Ted, I would say that suggesting that hearing people could play the role of any Deaf person better than a Deaf person (and I don’t care what qualifiers you add) says a lot about your attitude to Deaf people. And that’s not good, just in case there’s any doubt.
Ted Evans
August 20, 2014
Tim where did I say hearing people could play deaf roles ‘better’ than a deaf person?
Tim
August 20, 2014
Ted, I said you suggested they could. Here are the relevant paragraphs:
“Professional actors have to play people who are on all different kinds of journeys – that is what they do. Next you’ll have people saying only homosexual actors can play homosexual characters, mentally ill actors playing mentally ill characters? What next?
Deaf actors are needed, wanted and should be given a chance – however the role should always be given to the right person for the right reason – which is they portray the character in the best possible way that helps the overall film/story.”
So maybe you didn’t intend it, but that’s how it came across to me, especially in the second paragraph quoted.
Sandra Dowe
August 20, 2014
I love watching Deaf people, some professional actors imitate hearing people – such detailed observation!
Ted Evans
August 20, 2014
Ok Tim, the paragraph you have reference does not have me say that hearing people could portray deaf roles better than a deaf person… please don’t misquote me.
All I have been saying is that I would prefer deaf people to play deaf roles but because there are so few deaf actors, even fewer professional, it is very hard sometimes. I’ve also said – if you read carefully, that if (BIG IF) a hearing person came along and gave me a performance (f a deaf character) that was so authentic and made me actually believe then I see nothing wrong with casting that actor.
I hope that clears things up for you : )
Tim
August 21, 2014
OK Ted, thanks for explaining. 🙂
Sandra Dowe
August 21, 2014
I think there are quite a number of talented Deaf actors; did you see the production of A Midsummernight’s Dream at the Globe in June produced by the Deafinitely Theatre Company Teresa? The Deaf actors were brilliant!
Deafnotdaft
August 22, 2014
Lots of interesting and provocative comments above about hearing actors playing deaf parts. I’ve just read a newspaper article which threatens to make this debate redundant. It makes the point that more and more “human” roles in films are being played these days not by actors but by computer-graphics. This is not animation like you see in Toy Story or Avatar. Technology now allows graphics to re-create humans so accurately that you’d never know the “actors” weren’t real. This goes for both physical appearance and vocal sound. Not only that, but actors like Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise can be re-created graphically. The question is, will a computer-created actor ever win an Oscar?