Crowd clamors in street for casting call
Being a cast member on MTV’s ‘The Real World’ has been on junior psychology and forensic science major Janine Peakes’ bucket list for quite a while. When asked why she would be a good fit for the show, the answer was obvious for Peakes.
‘I’m the dopest person alive,’ she said. ‘I’d do anything for a good story.’
Peakes might get her chance to be a part of the next ‘true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start being real.’ Syracuse is one of 18 casting locations for the 27th season of MTV’s ‘The Real World,’ currently in its 26th season. The show hosted a one-day casting event Wednesday at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar.
Associate casting director Heather Allen oversaw the casting. Unlike other staged TV shows, Allen said the casting directors aren’t looking to fill specific roles.
‘We’re just looking for unique individuals who are open to sharing their story with us,’ Allen said. ‘We never come in with any preconceived notions. We just know what it is when we see it.’
Bunim/Murray Productions came up with the central idea for the show almost two decades ago, with the first season airing in 1992. It has been cast, produced and filmed by the company ever since. The production company is located in Los Angeles and produces various other shows, such as ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ and ‘Project Runway.’
Syracuse has history for those behind the scenes of the show. Jonathan Murray, co-founder of Bunim/Murray Productions and co-creator of ‘The Real World,’ attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School. Mark Raudonis, vice president of the show’s postproduction, is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
‘The Real World’ scouts for seven strangers across the country and brings them together to live in a ‘dream house’ for a few months. They are constantly filmed, analyzed and judged as viewers watch from their living room couches to see what drama is brewing.
Though cast members often dig themselves into tricky holes, all problems and confrontations are true: The show is not scripted, Allen said.
‘One thing you can unequivocally say the show is it is absolutely real,’ Allen said. ‘No one is told what to do — the cameras are on, and this is real life. Whatever they do, it’s real.’
Casting days usually attract anywhere from 150 applicants to several hundred hopeful MTV stars, Allen said. The Syracuse casting event had approximately 50 hopefuls already waiting at the bar when it began.
Accompanying Peakes in her audition was Jalisa Wright, a junior philosophy and writing major. She confessed that she would have gone as far as two hours or even three states away to audition for the show.
Wright said that she is a big fan of reality TV, but particularly enjoys when she feels what she is watching has some truth to it.
‘What I don’t like is feeling that it’s staged,’ Wright said. ‘If it is a staged act, then I don’t want to know that they picked this person to have this sort of personality. I like it to try to get as close to ‘real’ and ‘reality’ as possible.’
Not everyone may possess the ‘it’ factor, but the show gives young adults across the nation the opportunity to impress the casting directors, Allen said.
‘We go all over the country, we interview a lot of different people. … If you want to apply, just be yourself,’ she said. ‘That’s what we’re looking for.’
Published on October 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Contact Allie: ajcaren@syr.edu
