こんにちわ。
アメリカ映画協会付属大学院(AFI)に所属しているもので、落合と申します。
日本を舞台にした時代劇短編映画「Life as a dog」のキャスティングをしていて、
６歳から１６歳までの日本人の男の子を探しています。

オーディション日時：２月２日、３日、朝十時から一時
場所：AFI 撮影所　（2021 N. Western Ave. Los Angeles, 90029)
撮影日：２月９日、１０日、１１日（週末のみ可）
食事、DVDのコピー、クレジット等の配給。

もし知り合いの方で下の役柄にふさわしい少年がいたらぜひ教えてください。なかなか適役がいなく困っているので、よろしくお願いします。ご協力感謝します。

AFIはハリウッドのプロフェッショナルと同じ水準で撮影され、映画の品質は保証します。

連絡先：　lifeasadogmovie@gmail.com

Character Descriptions

Plot... At the end of a major war in Feudal Japan (1600's) a general from the loosing side, with a ransom on his head and family in tow, evades capture and takes refuge at a country inn. The innkeeper and his wife, in dire straits themselves, seek out this ransom, bringing three men, each with a case for vengeance against the general.

Toshiro... (6-year-old) The son of Matsuo. His training as a Samurai began in the first year of his life under his own father's tutelage. In the 6 short years of his life, he has seen the evil in men's hearts. He's witnessed the horrors of war and subtle violence of peace. He's well on the path to becoming his father though, he's not unlike his mother in searching for the greater good in people.

A letter from the director:

Dear Parents,

I’d like to thank you for considering our project for your child. As you read the script, I’d like to caution you to the violence you’ll find in its contents. It’s not a kind story in its depiction of life in war. The character’s involved come from very real and wounded places. Our project is about the casualties of war and the difficult burdens, transformations and choices it brings. I’ll be clear: this is an emotionally violent story.

To that end, I’d also like to stress that while there are depictions of physical violence, it will not be depicted in a gratuitous manner. In the age of Kill Bill, where violence is glorified, I’m drawing inspiration from the grace and elegance of Akira Kurosawa. His films, no matter the genre, were often a social commentary on the condition and nature of the human being with a primary interest in character interaction, never the violence.

As you’ve no doubt read or seen in the news, the world is struggling in violence with riots, revolutions and wars. My thoughts often turn to those people in the midst of the chaos. I wonder how they live their lives. I think of all the little things we take for granted that become a matter of life and death for the less fortunate. I wonder if it will ever stop, can it ever be prevented? This is the social commentary and design strategy for the film we’re asking you and your child to take part in.

I’d also like to be clear in letting you know the intentions I have for your child. The character of Toshiro is strong. He’s an observer, guiding our audience through the story being told. While the people around him are emotionally distraught, he himself is not. He is the representation of hope and forgiveness. Thus, I’ll not be asking for anything too emotionally demanding of your child.

In addition, the film opens with the rape of Toshiro's mother, this takes place completely in silhouette behind a Japanese Fusuma (rice paper) wall. This is intended to show more the violation of personal space as a representation of rape. The sexual manner of this scene will be concealed by showing only a suggestion of rape and not the rape itself. Due to the mature nature of this, we will NOT be shooting this scene with Toshiro present. We have designed our shot list to keep the child off set as much as possible for scenes of violence and completely off set for the rape scene. We will be very sensitive to the innocence of the child and will do our best to shield him from the mature situations in the script.

Again, thank you for your time and consideration of our project. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or clarifications that I can help you with.

Sincerely,
Omar Samad
AFI Directing Fellow
Masters Candidate