A few days after the departure of the stars and the dismantling of the red carpets, Cannes welcomes a completely different face of cinema. This time, no climbing steps or photographers massed behind the barriers, but rather a line of anonymous candidates waiting patiently in front of a truck who have come to try their luck in front of a camera.
Inside, there is no intimidating jury or prior selection. Everyone can spend a few minutes in front of the lens, interpret a text and leave with the experience of a first casting. Saturday May 30 and Sunday May 31, several hundred people came to this traveling studio installed by Théo Fernandez.
Known to the general public for his role as “Coin-Coin » giving the saga The Tuchesthe 27-year-old actor has been traveling the roads of France for a year with this project. His idea: to allow those who dream of cinema to cross a first door, often perceived as inaccessible.
“I want people not to put themselves in financial danger, to facilitate access to a casting. It’s complicated to get into a studio, schools and it’s expensive! »explain-t-il à us frères de Nice-Morning.
Designed with a film and television technician with whom he works regularly, the casting truck has already made a stopover in several French cities.
A first step in front of the camera
So how does it work? After free registration, participants take a short filmed test in front of a professional casting director. The exercise generally only lasts one to two minutes. Candidates can perform a text proposed on site or come with their own scene. Bonus: aspiring actors can even leave with images of their visit.
« My advice? Play like a child […] ! Don’t try to do well, but try to do “yourself”“, confides Théo Fernandez, who explains that he can see between 80 and 90 people per day at the microphone of France 3 Côte d’Azur.
Contrary to the sometimes closed image of the sector, the truck focuses above all on accessibility. “We want the people who come here to have fun.”summarizes Théo Fernandez.
The casting truck will be in Lyon this summer.
