Screen Test Notes

For my AS Film Studies portfolio, I have completed my textual analysis, which covered
how the directors of The Dark Knight (US 2008, Christopher Nolan) and Kingsman: The
Secret Service (UK 2015, Michael Vaughn) represented the protagonists of these films.
I am now considering my screen test notes and beginning to decide who will play the
roles of each character in my two minute artefact.
Within both of the films I have studied, both sets of antagonists come across as
menacing, fearless and smart in their own unique ways. In The Dark Knight, The Joker
is smart in the way he plans out his actions, and in Kingsman: The Secret Service,
Gazelle is smart and fearless as she uses her bionic legs and she knows a lot of
fighting moves and strategies, and Valentines strategies make him a dangerous foe.
The requirements in which the actors must be able to perform are very important to
my artefact, as I am mainly focusing on how an action films protagonists are
represented as opposed to my textual analysis, which focused on the antagonists. I
am aiming to create a fearless set of characters, which come across as intimidating,
and which fits the conventions of a protagonist/antagonist.
I will also be creating a monologue for each actor to read and perform accordingly,
which is known as screen test notes. I primarily want males as they fit the codes and
conventions of action films. I will be using these screen test notes to determine who is
the best person to play that specific characters I will be assessing each candidate for
their delivery in lines, involving projection of words and phrases, and also how realistic
and professional his actions are.
Character #1 The Cowl
The Cowl is the films main protagonist. He has enhanced agility, strength and speed,
which act as his super powers. He wears an old torn-up hoody and pair of jeans. Not
only does these add a mysterious factor to the character, and makes him conform to
the generic superhero, but it also makes the actor playing him, who I want to be at
least 16 years old, look older. Because he is the main character, whoever plays him
has an important role while filming the artefact. I would preferably like to have a male
of any race who is athletic and has a suitable figure for the character, and also
somebody who knows how to act well and deliver his lines well.
Character #2 Lynch
Lynch also has enhanced agility, strength and speed, but not as much as The Cowl. He
acts a sidekick, similar to Robin in Batman. Despite Lynch being held as a hostage,
there are parts of the sequence where Lynch displays athletic movements and generic
conventions of a main protagonist such as taking on enemies and winning. Lynch is
the secondary protagonist, and acts as The Cowls sidekick, so this means that he can
still be presented in a similar fashion as The Cowl, however not to the same degree. In
the sequence, Lynch wears a badly torn up hoody, jeans, boots and a hockey mask,
which is taken off when the sequence begins. I will also consider adding make up to
look like blood and bruises are all over him. I would like an athletic male of any skin
colour, and has to be at least 16 years of age who can deliver lines well and is a good
actor.
Character #3 Mob Boss
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The Mob Boss isnt the main antagonist of the entire plot; however he is the most
powerful antagonist in my artefact. His henchmen respect him and he can give out
orders to them. He wears a clean black suit, tie, trousers and formal boots with a
white polo shirt. He isnt athletic, but he is a stocky male who is represented with
authority and wealth. I am looking for a stocky Caucasian male of at least 16 years of
age, who can deliver lines well, can act well and can conform to the roles of an
antagonist in an action film.
Character #1 The Cowl
Practice Monologue:
My name is Robert Sanderson, but I go by The Cowl. Some people consider me to be
a hero, and some may refer to me as a ruthless vigilante. My motives are to eradicate
crime from the streets of this wretched city, but that is not how they are portrayed to
the government.
Actor #1 Ifaz Chowdhury
Age 17 years old
Height 5ft 10
Features Olive skin, dark hair
Screen test notes on The Cowl Actor #1 Ifaz Chowdhury.
Ifaz has the physical appearance I was looking for. I was not bothered by his skin
colour, but I was looking for someone with a more muscular figure, and Ifaz
meets these expectations. I could imagine him as a protagonist, and he would look
intimidating and menacing with some additional make-up and the white
contact lenses. I wanted to see how well he could act, so I gave him
some test notes to read out and then I would make a judgement on
whether I should use him for my creative artefact. However, when told to deliver the
lines above, I found that Ifaz was lacking in emphasising his voice. He says he has
never taken acting seriously before, which may be the reason. He isnt the sort of
actor I am looking for. I am looking for someone who is a good actor with past
experience in acting, and unfortunately Ifaz does not have this.
Actor #2 Harry Martin
Age 16 years old
Height 5ft 8
Features White skin, dark short hair
Screen test notes on The Cowl Actor #2 Harry Martin
Harry looks physically like a main protagonist. Along with the
costume, make-up and contact lenses, Harry would look intimidating and conventional
to the action genre as the main hero. The character is a vigilante, he needs to look
and be athletic; however, Harry does look a little less muscular than my other options.
This may be a problem, however the issue can be resolved if I choose baggier clothes
and intimidating features in which the audience can notice this less. I repeated the
process of telling Harry to deliver the lines and actions, and then I would judge him on
whether he is good enough for the role. I think Harry fits the role due to his
appearance and also his delivery in lines, I feel he did a solid job. He is a good actor. I
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have used him before in other filming projects so I would trust that he would be
suitable for the role as well as be willing to take part in the filming.

Character #2 Lynch
Practice Monologue:
Wh-where am I? Let me go! NOW! Tell me where I am, or Ill break every bone in
your body! These ropes cant hold me from you Ill break out. And when I do, youll
be sorry you ever tied me up!
Actor #1 Sam Willmore
Age 17 years old
Height 6ft
Features White skin, long hair, tall figure
Screen test notes on Lynch Actor #1 Sam Willmore
Sam is quite skinny and tall, so ideally he is the sort of person would let
play the part. His figure could connote how he is in danger, with his lack
of muscle to emphasise his small amount of strength, however knowing
Sam I can gather that he is also quite athletic. I know him personally and
he enjoys doing sport in his free time. He also has experience acting as
well, inside and outside of school. I still tell got him to deliver the lines given, and he
delivered them with great emphasis and sounded like he put his all into the delivery.
He has taken part in many shows and he knows how to act and he enjoys it too,
therefore making Sam a good choice and an option for playing the character of Lynch
the only reason why he cant be The Cowl is because of his figure. This still makes
him an eligible option for the character of Lynch, who still is the secondary
protagonist.
Actor #2 Conor Daly
Age 16 years old
Height 5ft 10
Features White skin, brown hair
Screen test notes on Lynch Actor #2 Conor Daly

Conor has an ideal figure and physical appearance I was picturing Lynch to have. He
isnt too bulky but he isnt too skinny either. He is athletic as well, so the action
sequence would benefit by having Conor play Lynch. He is currently helping me with
my media coursework and is a good member of the group, therefore I know he
understands media terminology and knows what an actor must do to be represented
as a typical protagonist in an action film, but by judging on his previous experiences
with acting, he hasnt had much and claims that he didnt like drama when he did it in
Years 7-9. However, for purposes of this task and also to convince him to change his
mind I still went ahead and gave him the monologue. He actually performed
surprisingly well, and it would be ideal if Conor could play the role of Lynch. He
delivered lines well, he performed good actions and emphasised the right parts of the
monologue. It would be ideal and easier to cast Conor as the character because he
also attends the same school as me, therefore making him more available and
accessible.Character #3 Mob Boss
Practice Monologue:
Lynch, Lynch, LYNCH! Its not so nice to know that you stopped my weapons trade
from earning me millions. But dont worry when you and The Cowl are tied up to the
same chair, knocked out cold for the government to put bullets through, Ill be
guaranteed a lifetimes supply of money and nobody, not even you, will stop me.
Actor #1 Billy Gravestock
Age 17 years old
Height 5ft 6
Features White skin, blonde hair
Screen test notes on Mob Boss Actor #1 Billy Gravestock
Billy is a good friend of mine and I gave him the chance to prove he
was good for the role. This is another actor who fits the physical
appearance I was hoping for, except this time it is for the Mob Boss,
and Billy has all the traits of a Mob Boss in my eyes. He is quite big,
and will prove a intimidating antagonist in my sequence. He read and delivered the
practice monologue well, delivering emphasis in the lines and also showing facial
expressions and gestures. He fits the role very well and is a good actor, as like Sam
Willmore, he has done drama in the past for GCSE and has experience to some sort of
extent. Billy will be the one casting consideration for the character of the Mob Boss, as
he is the only person I can think of who will be easy to get. He lives a road away from
the school. He looks and performs well for the role. He also lives around the corner to
the school (my location) so it will be easy for him to access.
Actor #2 Billy Doak

Age 15 years old

Height 5ft 5
Features White skin, blonde hair
Screen test notes on Mob Boss Actor #2 Billy Doak
Billy is one of my close friends so when I brought this up to him,
he said he will give it a go, then I could evaluate the
performance. I felt that he had similar features to Billy
Gravestock; they both have blonde hair and white skin, and this
is how I wanted the Mob Boss to look like. Billy performed to me
the practice dialogue and I felt that he was good, but however his
voice could be improved and also his facial expressions and
gestures associated with the dialogue. Although this can be done, I felt I could rather
use someone who knows what he is doing, and someone who has had some sort of
experience. He is also the youngest of all the casting considerations, which puts him
at a disadvantage, because physically he does not look intimidating enough as the
other characters in the sequence. Billy is a good actor, however I feel that he just isnt
right for the role.