Crime Boss Investigator [RECAST 2]
Kaizo Aoki for Shadowstrike
Shadowstrike is a complex, layered character with one of the most intense emotional arcs in the series. He starts off as a warm, patient mentor who owns a welcoming dojo and cares deeply for his students. Life circumstances push him into the Stick Mafia, where he gradually evolves into a hardened, but still guilt ridden enforcer. After a catastrophic incident that leaves him physically and emotionally scarred for life, his trauma transforms into full blown, calculated madness, that of a deranged enforcer who kills without thought, all while maintaining this bizarre, trauma-induced, unwavering loyalty to Samuel Blackwood, leader of the Stick Mafia, whom he sees as a father figure.
An Important Note on Performance Style:
Shadowstrike is not a Joker-style, over-the-top, “gore is funny” character. He is vicious, aggressive, and deeply intelligent (though, outwardly, he'd seem like the kind of guy too manic to process a thought), relishing in calculated suffering rather than the chaotic "crazy clown" type. Actors should focus on conveying his (frankly uncontrolled) malicious intent, cold enjoyment of power and intimidation, and emotional depth and evolution from trauma to madness. Now, allow me to clarify; just because I'm against the clown archetype doesn't mean that you shouldn't act unhinged. That was not at all supposed to mean you should restrain your insanity. Let your voice shake with feral rage, scream your words with anger, hell, scream to mock people like your words spill blood (especially the rebar line, he's aiming to completely dismantle the protagonist and make him feel REAL fear for the first time).
Actors who try to perform him as a “funny insane clown” or anything generic or typical of the tasteless "crazy characters" we see in media will not be considered. We want someone who can deliver the dark, realistic, psychological menace that Shadowstrike truly embodies.
Disqualification Points:
• The aforementioned. He is definitely deranged and insane, but last time we auditioned this role we got way too many "crazy clown" archetypes.
• Mismatched accent, gender, or age. Look, I'm extremely flexible with other roles (many characters underwent race and gender changes for actors!), but a role like this must be pitch-perfect, to a tee, and identical to the script performance. I apologize, and mean no discrimination.
• A lack of enthusiasm or professionalism. The entire reason the last actor was fired was a complete lack of care for the show, and a gross misread of the character, as well as an unwillingness to change either. This also includes actors who come off as callous, angry, or like they're just "get the cash and go" types. I love paying people, but also want a community of passionate people. No need to be the living embodiment of joy, just don't be a jerk, and care about the role.
- english
- male young adult
- all american accents
- male adult
(Pre trauma, happy instructor, amused, playful. enunciate your "one, two" to sound slower, and the "see?" should be done similarly) "Bobby, buddy. You're fighting to survive, not swatting flies. C'mere. Like this, one... two. See? Now you try!"
(The hardened but guilt ridden Mafia member, afraid to resist authority. Try to make your voice tremble with fear. The "No... no" are one continuous sentence, he's just hesitant. Additionally, the "Shit." is not one of anger, but of exhaustion, incredulity.) "If I'm doing this... I'm doing it on my terms. No... no senseless killing. Alright? Shit."
(the earlier lines should read like you're speaking through teeth, as if you're both pissed off but restraining laughter at the same time. the lines should be aggressive yet restrained to create a deep, unsettling contrast to the rebar part, which you should scream with rage about preferably as loud as you can, like a switch inside you just flipped without warning) "Mmmhh... fuckin' IRON in that blood! How much rebar did Brickjaw shove down your throat?! *Cruel laugh, quick unstable transition mid-laugh to an enraged grunt* I'LL HANG YOUR JAW ON MY FUCKING WALL!"
Hello,
Your submission for Shadowstrike was past the official audition deadline. As per standard protocol, auditions submitted after the close date are not reviewed.
That said, I did take a brief moment to listen to the files, or at least, I believe I did; the memories of the first 47 seconds are already slightly warped. The first take, where you inexplicably imitated Batman, was notable in a technical sense. Notable, that is, for how convincingly a heroic nocturnal vigilante can be deployed to convey warmth and casual levity, which is, as far as I understand, a contradiction of a fundamental human experience. The second take, a joyous-clown-esque reading of the same line, was accompanied by an exuberance that might be classified as alarming under several obscure codes, and was performed with such precision that I briefly questioned the nature of happiness itself.
Moving to the second moderately tense line, performed exclusively in the joyous clown voice: I found myself alternating between mild fascination and a creeping sense that the space between my ears was stretching unnaturally like warm taffy. It is a vocal choice I will remember, though not for any productive reason, and one that will almost certainly haunt my subconscious for the remainder of the week.
Finally, the screaming insanity take, executed with the kind of barely contained suffocating laughter that suggested impending defecation, was simultaneously terrifying and oddly compelling. The tonal inflections, somewhere between a half-closed-mouth huff and the vocal equivalent of a carnival ride collapsing, created a psychological effect not often documented in casting reviews.
In conclusion: the role remains closed, your audition will not be considered, and I advise refraining from submitting post-deadline recordings in the future. Nonetheless, I will keep in mind the visceral impression your files left on me, the kind that makes one question one’s career choices, dietary habits, and overall life philosophy. Nonetheless, I encourage you to keep searching for roles that align more naturally with the specific tonal anomalies present in your recordings
Regards,
Ethan