Rise and Shine- A Friendship is Magic Epic
Project Overview
Story Description: Twilight Sparkle is asking her former mentor, Celestia, for advice on how to deal with the recent loss of her mother. During the course of their conversation, Twilight asks about Celestia's parents. Our actual story starts long ago in a secluded stretch of woods and hills far from civilization. Two farmers named Honey Drop and Sprout live together in a simple and peaceful existence.
That all changes one chilly summer night when a mysterious mare shows up on their front porch bearing two young foals. She desperately implores them to take care of her two daughters until she returns...Celestia and Luna spend the next nine years as their beloved adopted children. But like all good things, it does not last. A freak snowstorm rips into the verdant space. Neither magic nor old-fashioned grit and determination are able to drive it away and the family is forced to flee for their survival.
Project Description:
This project is based on a fanfiction of the tv show My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Foreknowledge of the show is not a requirement. This project is not going to be listed as paid, but I am willing to work out some level of compensation for the time and effort put forth by the cast members. The story is not complete at this time, but more chapters will be coming out. The author suggested that we tackle each chapter individually that way we can make sure that chapter one is 100% done before diving into chapter two.
Roles are listed by where they fall in the story and just because a role is listed as something other than lead doesn't make it unimportant.
Additional guidelines:
- It would be preferable if your microphone is capable of recording your performance without picking up overwhelming background noises or excessive peaking/clipping.
- I will have a Discord set up to ease communications between myself, the author, and the cast. It is not mandatory that you have access to Discord but highly recommended.
- I will be using story excerpts for the auditions, the parts in bold are the actual lines, the rest is for context.
Have Fun and Good Luck
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Twilight Sparkle is the Monarch of Equestria, taking over from the former Princesses Celestia and Luna. Part of her role comes in the form of being effectively immortal. She will not die of old age at least not anytime soon (centuries or even millennia). This troubles her as she struggles to accept this in the light of the loss of her mother, and her dearest friends who are not getting any younger.
She is curious and inquisitive almost to a fault. She adores ex-Princess Celestia who was both a mentor and second mother figure in her life growing up. She is not always the easiest to talk to, is prone to anxiety and snark, and doesn't always appreciate things that she can't understand.
I am looking for someone who can bring a sense of both longing and loss to a character who is still trying to figure things out. She is sad, confused, scared, and much more besides, The only thing I don't want is over-done anime sadness (waterfall tears, screams of anguish, etc.)
“Come on,” she whispered anxiously, shifting on her hooves. “Where are you?”
“C-Celestia… Two weeks ago, my… my… M-my mother p-passed away…”
“She passed away in her sleep. She’d been fighting it for a while, but all of the strain she put on her body when she was younger and seeking all those thrills finally caught up to her… Dad’s still going strong, though. But… That’s not why I called you here.”“T-that’s why I called you here,” she whispered, her voice weak and pleading. “I want to know… I want your advice. How do I cope with it? H-how can I manage the grief? How do I make it hurt less?”
“You know, Celestia… I don’t think I know anything about your parents,” she said quietly.
“Oh my gosh,” Twilight breathed, leaning back. “I’m sorry. I had no idea…”
Spike is a male dragon who has been Twilight's closest friend and companion for nearly all of her life, ever since she hatched his egg during an unexpected magical surge when she was testing to get into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns over 50 years ago.
Spike's role in this particular tale is very brief, but don't underestimate his influence. I imagine him having a gruff but kind demeanor, with a slightly deep, slightly growly voice (as befitting his draconic heritage). I am not looking for Smaug imitations.
“Yup. Shall I send her in?”
Former Princess of the Sun and Diarch of Equestria, she reigned over the Equestrian Proper for over 1000 years after losing her sister to the clutches of Nightmare Moon. She is wise, kind, patient, and cares deeply for her subjects. In particular, she took a special interest in a young filly who blazed through the exams to get into the school built in her honor to hone the magical talents of the next generation.
I am looking for a voice that is soft and kind but carries in it a hidden power and strength. Think kind of like the elves from Lord of the Rings.
“Twilight Sparkle. Oh, it is good to see you again,” she said, offering Twilight an affectionate nuzzle.
“Oh, Twilight… I am so sorry for your loss,” she said in a low, soothing whisper.
Celestia hummed and settled down beside Twilight, allowing their shared warmth to chase away the cold of winter. “Well, then, Twilight Sparkle… once upon a time, before Equestria was founded, there lived two farmers from the earth pony tribe who lived alone together in the woods. Their names were Honeydrop and Sprout. They were happy together. Then, one day, somepony came to their door bearing two foals...”
Sprout is a strong and hearty earth pony stallion. He loves his family and his farm. He's a fairly easy-going stallion and can be playful and downright silly at times. He is also something of a worry-wart, a trait which his wife takes great strides to keep in check. He doesn't like shouting or yelling, but he will do so if crossed, thankfully it takes a lot of effort to get to that point, and usually, it's something to do with his family's safety.
I imagine him to have a medium-deep voice with a slight southern accent.
These lines showcase his nervous side:
“Sorry, hon. I just can’t help it. If this cold lasts for much longer, our crops are likely to die. And then where will that leave us when the snow rolls in?”After a moment, he looked up at his wife. He leaned forward to speak in a near-silent whisper. “You don’t think she just… abandoned them with us, do ya?”
These lines showcase his playful side:
“What if I don’t wanna sit down?” Sprout asked, waggling his eyebrows. He came up to Honey’s side and leaned against her with an affectionate coo, drawing an amused chortle from her.
Sprout blinked. “Huh. Ya know, I never really thought to make it fun, but I guess it can be if you do it right…” he said. He tapped a hoof to his chin for a moment before he perked up with inspiration. He smirked down at her. “Okay, tell ya what. We’ll make a game of it. If you find more bad plants than I do, you win, and I’ll uh, I dunno, give you a treat or something.”
These lines showcase his stern/angry side:
“Nuh-uh, you’re not leaving,” Sprout said simply, reaching out. “If your foals are staying here, so are you. Come in, I’ll get the fire going-”
“Luna, Celestia, get over here, now!” Sprout ordered, stomping his hoof for emphasis.
Luna turned to him. “But dad-”
“NOW!”
Honey Drop is a soft-spoken and kind caretaker but can be quite stern when needed. She spends most of her days keeping the household running. She takes to the role of an adopted mother quite well, giving both praise and admonishment as necessary. Do not take her kind nature for granted however, as the wisdom goes, there is nothing more dangerous on this world than a protective mother.
I am looking for someone who can give a motherly tone to this character, bonus points if you have real-life experience (my thinking being: it takes one to know one). I don't have any hard preferences in terms of voice, but I kind of imagine a warm buttery voice with a slight southern accent that I imagine gets thicker particularly when she is upset or scared.
Some lines showing her loving/playful side:
“It’ll be fine, Sprout,” she told him, her soft voice soothing his nerves like honey soothes the throat. “You’re worrying too much. Like always.”“Trust me, big boy, I remember,” Honey snipped back, elbowing him in the ribs as she got comfortable. “Last time you tried to cook something for me, you darn near burned down the whole house.”
Honey smirked in response and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. When she pulled back, her eyes were practically glowing with resolve. “Isn’t that why you fell in love with me?” she asked knowingly.
Honey chuckled, setting the bread back on the counter. “Yes, yes, I suppose you did,” she acknowledged. “Alright. With the power invested in me as the Dough Master, and as your mother, I hereby confer the title of Dough Master Junior to Celestia!”
Some lines emphasizing her stern/angry side:
Honey frowned and walked over to him, her brow furrowing in disbelief. “Are those foals?! Her foals?! Sprout, why didn’t you call me down?!” she demanded. “This isn’t exactly the kind of decision you can just make on your own!”
“Where have you been?!” Honey demanded, coming right up to Celestia. “Do you have any idea how worried Sprout and I have been about you two?!”Some lines showing her emotive side:
“You should be,” Honey said, the last dregs of her anger fading. She then fell to her haunches, and her hooves came up to cover her eyes. “I was just… I was so worried about you… I can’t imagine what I would have done if… if… oh, I can’t even say it…”
“Sprout! Are you okay?” she asked anxiously. “Heavens, look at you! You look like you lost a fight with a cave bear!”
“Flatstone?!” Honey echoed in disbelief. “Sprout, are you mad?! After all the effort we went to to get away from there-”“But, won’t that be dangerous?!” Honey asked in alarm.
Character Description: Celestia and Luna's birth mother, we know little to nothing about her except that she likely died facing the Windigos.
Project Description: This role is short, but big on emotions. I am looking for someone who can capture the desperation and fear.
“Hello?!” A female voice suddenly called from the other side of the door, frantic. “Please, somepony open the door! I need help! My daughters, they’re freezing! Please!”
“No time!” The mare cut him off, shivering. She looked down at the bundle in her hooves and grimaced. Then, without waiting for Sprout to even process what was happening, she took the bundle in her magic and shoved it into Sprout’s chest. “Please, look after them until I return for them! I have to go back, but it’s not safe for them!”
“This is Celestia,” The mare went on, passing the foal into Sprout’s chest as well. “Please take care of them both. I’ll be back soon, I swear it.”
Sprout eyed her critically. “...And if you aren’t?”
She hesitated, looking down at the ground. “...Then do with them as you see fit. Just don’t let them die, that’s all I ask.”
Character Description: Celestia is shown at several different ages in this story (her adult lines notwithstanding). This role goes from ages 3 to about 12 in the most recent chapters. Celestia is boisterous, spunky, and has a competitive streak a mile wide. She loves her adopted family and rarely gives her origins any thought. She loves her little sister Luna with all her heart, but that doesn't stop her from administering copious teasing and noogies as she sees fit.
Project Description: This role will require great amounts of energy and emotional shifts. From happy shrill giggles to heart-wrenching sobs and just about everything in-between. At the suggestion of the author, it would be preferable if you can cover those different ages naturally.
- One Idea that I have is that if one of the adult actors has a younger sibling or child who might be interested in this role then that would be an excellent bonus to making the flow between the characters feel natural.
age 3:
“B-but…” Celestia babbled, her lip trembling. She turned to Sprout. He could tell the dam was breaking, and it was too late to stop it. She screwed her eyes shut and lowered her head, starting to openly and loudly cry, filling the house with the heart-wrenching noise. “W-here’s m-my maamaaaa?!”
ages 6-9:
“You stink,” Luna repeated with a giggle. “You’re all sweaty.”
Celestia’s cheeks puffed up. She lowered her chest to the ground and gave her tail a few flicks, like a cat about to pounce on its prey. Luna got the look on her face of a filly who now regretted her recent life decisions.
“Okay, let’s make you stink too, then!” Celestia declared before pouncing on her baby sister.
Luna squealed in delight as the two barreled head-over-hooves into their room. Celestia had Luna pinned on the ground and began to mercilessly tickle her sides while using her larger body to keep Luna pinned and spread as much stink as she could. Luna squirmed and fought back as hard as she was able.
Eventually, Luna managed to squirm free of Celestia’s grasp. She quickly jumped up onto her bed and spun to face Celestia. “Meanie!” she snapped in spite of her huge grin. She leaned down to sniff at herself and gagged.
Celestia grinned triumphantly. “See? Now you are the stinky one!”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Yuh-huh!”
ages 10-12:
Celestia nodded. “Yup. I guess they’re just being stubborn this year,” she said while patting her sister on the back. She turned to give Sprout and Honey a cocky grin. “Don’t worry, dad. We’ll have the sky clear for you in no time.”
Character Description: Luna is the younger sister of Celestia by about 3 years. Where Celestia is boisterous, loud, and adventuresome Luna is quiet, demure, and shy with a touch of anxiety.
Project Description: At the suggestion of the author, I want Luna to be able to go through the various ages of her growth, from a squawling infant in the first chapter to a shy little girl in the latter chapters.
Luna stared at the flower for a second. “Foo ow wah.”
“You stink,” Luna repeated with a giggle. “You’re all sweaty.”
Luna hesitated, lingering on the edge of the bed. “B-but, isn’t the weather usually really nice this time of year?” she asked anxiously. “I mean, it’s almost summer, isn’t it? All the bad weather’s gone, and Tia and I got rid of all the clouds yesterday.”
This role is a supportive role to the project, Once the brunt of the recording is done it would be your job to come in and clean things up, as an additional task, If you could create musical accompaniment for the project in the form of background music or appropriate sound effects as needed. We will be working with the author who informed me at the start that this project is based on the video game Frostpunk. That will likely be more important in later episodes. For this first episode, I am thinking of fantasy/pseudo-medieval background music with sound effects including things like birds, gentle breezes, crackling fireplaces, etc. we can discuss this more in detail upon acceptance.
This role is listed as zero budget, but here it simply seemed to fit the parameters of what this project is about. It does not mean that I am unwilling to discuss terms.
Say something you think would fit
I am looking for someone who can do a good job of filling in the gaps as it were between the dialogue and other character lines. You need to be able to read at a steady rate, but still, be able to portray the proper emotions for a given scene. For example in the first scene above describing the winter snow, perhaps a calm/slightly melancholy voice. For the last one, maybe a tad bit frantic/worried. The author of this story will be a good resource to reach out to for any questions you may have.
Snow. A thin sheet of the white, fluffy substance decorated the city of Canterlot, illuminated by the first light of the morning sun. It was high winter, and Hearths Warming was only a few weeks away. Some ponies had already set about putting up their decorations for the celebration of Equestria’s founding, lending bright, jovial colors and lights to the city. Twilight looked down on it all from her place on her bedroom’s balcony. A chilly breeze kept her long, magically flowing mane from getting into her eyes.
And so they waited. And waited… and waited. Honey and Sprout did their best to take care of Celestia and Luna that day, using what little knowledge of foal care they had between them to meet the fillies’ needs. When Luna awoke, it was in tears, crying out to the heavens as foals are wont to do. It took far longer than either Sprout or Honey would be comfortable to admit to get her to calm down.
Hours passed. When Celestia wasn’t resting by Luna’s side, she was trying to get a look out through one of the windows to watch for her mother. Such was the case near the end of the day, as the sun gradually began its descent toward the horizon. Sprout had taken his leave of the inside for the time being to take some measurements. Apparently, he had plans to build some protective coverings for his crops. Maybe, he had speculated, such constructs would even allow him to grow food during the winter.
Celestia held still for a minute longer before sighing. She just had to trust that Honey would have things taken care of. She turned around to face Luna.
Except Luna wasn’t there.
Celestia’s heart leaped into her throat. Her eyes darted this way and that, looking for any sign of Luna. The little filly had seemingly vanished into thin air. There was no sign of her. Celestia stood up, her ears folding back. Fear gripped her heart, and she immediately called out. “Luna?! Luna, where did you go?!”
Of course, unfortunately, Luna couldn’t speak yet. There was no answer. The panic in Celestia’s heart grew worse with every second that passed. She walked anxiously in place, a whole new conflict springing to life within her. What had happened?! Where could Luna have possibly gone?! She wasn’t that fast, so wherever she disappeared to had to be close! Celestia’s eyes darted this way and that before, finally, they landed on the edge of the forest just ahead of her.
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