Transmetropolitan - CHANNON YARROW (AUDITION CLOSED)

Hi there.  I'm doing Warren Ellis' (Netflix' Castlevania, Red, Iron Man, Stormwatch, The Authority, Planetary) and Darick Robertson's cyberpunk classic, "Transmetropolitan" from the mid 90's.  I'm doing all of it.  All 60 issues.  I have already yanked all the frames out of the first 50 issues (There are only 60) and formatted them for presentation in a streaming channel format.  I've got all my sound design for the issues so far planned out, as well as BGM.  I'm about to put issue 25 out as a test run, having done all the premiere/audition work with the frames/sounds/music I've got ready.  Being an actor myself, I primarily wanted to do this cos I love the book, but also cos I'm gonna play the lead, Spider Jerusalem.  (Think Hunter S. Thompson in a cyberpunk future written by a scots madman/genius.)  My wife's going to do one of the other two main characters, 'Yelena Rossini, Filthy Assistant'.  But what I need now is the third main character, and some others to get started.  If you'd like to look at some of the progress I've made so far, you can find the Facebook group I've made for it at www.facebook.com/groups/TransmetropolitanAFanProduction/

I'm looking for actors that would first, be familiar with the book, and want to see it made as badly as I do.  (Given that it's not getting out of development hell for TV or film any day ever.)  I want fans of the material who are familiar with the text and have a good idea how it ought to be read.  I'm likely to be both light and a bit heavy on direction.  My method is to record the entire issue myself first and post that where you can hear it.  Have my actors send me at least three takes on their lines or more, so I can have my choice of your deliveries first.  Then one based on my read.    So there is some direction here, but I want to hear your takes first.  For major characters, I'm gonna need people willing to be there for the whole run if you appear that long.  There's characters that drop in and out.  But the one I need right now is there for a good 45 out of 60 issues.  And I don't want to have to replace you halfway through the series.  It'd probably serve us well to have you read all your lines from all the issues and send them all at once.  If you can get all your recording out of the way early, you don't have to hold to any release schedule and I'll have your lines ready to use.  And I'd only have to pester you for anything when I need a retake.

Up front, this is not a paid position. This is more an act of activism really in the face of the state of the world and the United States. That, and an act of extreme fannish geekery cos this comic may never get properly adapted for TV. That and it's copyrighted material, so no one makes money. No one gets paid. Use it as a resume piece or demo if you wanna. It's your voice you'd be contributing after all. Right now I don't THINK it'll get pulled from places like YouTube, as there's several other creators adapting comics from the major publishers there. It doesn't look like they've got takedowns yet anyway.

There is no script. I'm adapting the book straight, so that IS the script. There's the added bonus of the book being available online to read here: readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan. So you can actually see the emotion and intensity you're meant to be conveying there.

Transmetropolitan, for those unfamiliar, is a nearly 25 year old cyberpunk comic that lasted 60 issues at DC Comics before and during their time with the Vertigo Imprint. It tells the story of Spider Jerusalem, a gonzo journalist in the vein of Hunter S. Thompson and his two filthy assistants, as they cover a national election, uncover a dastardly conspiracy, and have to take down an entirely insane and corrupt president. (Any of this sound relevant to the current state of affairs here in the US?) 

I will be looking for more parts as I start ramping up production.  I'm doing triple duty on Spider, Mitchell Royce and Fred Christ myself, unless someone sends me an audition I like better than myself. I'll still need 'The Beast' and 'The Smiler' and some other recurring characters. All my actors will be asked to also throw in lines for one-shot walk-on characters for the issues in which they occur. That way I've got a bunch of choices and we can keep to a release schedule without having to go trolling boards for single lines to fill things up.  If you're already familiar with the comic, and are interested in specific characters you'd like to do, you're more than entirely welcome to send me unsolicited auditions for any of them.  I WILL be looking and listening to everything I get.

Right now I'm casting the last of my three leads, Channon Yarrow.  Here's a synopsis of what I'm looking for with example lines to read, as well as issues you can look at to get a feel for the character if you don't have an idea for it already. I'd like high quality recordings done in a sound-treated home-studio environment with no background computer noise in MP3 format. If you could send the files in a YOURNAME-CHARACTER-ISSUE-PAGE format, for the auditions, that'd be cool of you. When we get into production, one file with all your lines in it will be fine. I'm not gonna make you break them all up into individual mp3 files. Have fun! Mail them to TransmetTheFanProduction@gmail.com.

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(DEADLINE (EXTENDED):  9-5-19)
(This will likely remain open til I fill it.  Its a pretty essential role to fill for me to proceed.)

Appears in issues:  3-7, 9, 10, 18-20, 24, 25, 27-34, 36-39, 41, 43-50, 52-60

(Female 20's) This role is one of the the three main protagonists in the series. She's one of Spider's 'filthy assistants'. This is a great big blonde whom Spider met while she was stripping to pay for her journalism degree. (There was a riot outside at the time.) She was also a pay dacoit for a while, and did 3 years as a bodyguard. Her old grade school used to check her for weapons when she was growing up. (To make sure she HAD some.) She's around for most of the series, except for about 6 to 8 issues where she heads off to a nunnery, and the occasional Spider-only issue.

Her character arc from beginning to end of the series is a pretty neat one. She goes from being a hot mess to being the poised and in-control-of-herself badass character, to finally being a successful writer with a life of her own. She's not one to put up with Spider's foolishness. She's got an active sex life. (No sex scenes in the series though.) She is an eminently capable fighter, and can match Spider's creative profanity any day of the week. When there is danger, she will very much take charge and get you out alive if you do what she says. And while she finds herself not liking her friends Spider, or his other assistant Yelena very much sometimes, she also knows there's nothing else she'd rather do. Not for love, money, or threats of imminent death from a corrupt president.

Ideally, I'm looking to cast a lower voiced-alto / contralto for this role. In my head, she's got a voice like Kathleen Turner. If your voice actually is a little scratchy or breaky, that's better still. This is someone that sounds like she's in her 20's, but she's hell and gone from being a child.

Issues to get familiar with Channon:

Issue 04 - "On the Stump"
Where Spider and Channon Meet for the First Time for the Second Time
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-4?id=14201

Issue 06 - "God Riding Shotgun"
The Anti-Religion Issue. The one where Spider tells Channon her boyfriend doesn't love her.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-6?id=14223

Issue 07 - "Boyfriend is a Virus"
Channon's Boyfriend Leaves her so he can be disintegrated and become a sentient nano-cloud.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-7?id=14225

Issue 18 - "Year of the Bastard" (Part 6)
Channon returns from the nunnery to be a bodyguard instead.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-18?id=14170

Issue 24 - "The New Scum" (Part 6)
Channon has a screaming fight with Yelena on Election Night
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-24?id=14177

Issue 30 - "Lonely City"
Channon in full-on action badass mode. Saves Yelena and Spider's Lives.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-30?id=14184

Issue 33 - "Dancing in the Here & Now"
The All Assistants Issue. Channon takes Yelena out to buy guns, and has to deal with some MiB's.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-33?id=14188

Issue 48 - "Running Out"
Wherein Channon has a Terminally Diagnosed Spider. A whole 180 degrees from how they felt about one another in Issue 6.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-48?id=14210#3

Issue 60 - "One More Time"
The Last Issue, where we see Channon at the end of her arc.
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-60?id=14224

AUDITION LINES

From Issue 6 - God Riding Shotgun
(Having been confronted by Spider that her boyfriend doesn't love her even a little bit.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-6?id=14223#11
"No, no, FUCK your sorry. You're going to listen to me for a change. Because you know, here I am. I've got this gorgeous guy and I'm making money without having to watch people jack off over my feet, life's good. And I haven't cleaned off yet and I've got Ziang's sweat all over me and I'm still sore from when he fucked me in the taxi... And I know that he doesn't even like me much. Do you have any idea what that makes me feel like? You don't just SAY it spider. You don't THINK it. I'm nuts about him, I've told him everything there is to tell about me, and he spends every night balls deep in me and it's GREAT, and I LOVE him and I look down at him when we're fucking, Spider... ... and it's like looking in an empty house. ... You don't just say it Spider."

From Issue 25 - Here to Go  (THE LINES I ACTUALLY NEED RIGHT NOW FOR ISSUE 25)
(Having been called in to extract money from a reporter who isn't coming up with a fee for the interview fast enough.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-25?id=14178#23

"God, he's not even cute, is he?  I want to see some form of finance out of you right goddamn NOW or I shall be forced to modify your head and several vital organs."

From Issue 33 - Dancing in the Here & Now
(Talking to a gun salesman that was patronizing her.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-33?id=14188#11
"Be serious. I mean, if nothing else, I'm not carring around anything called 'Goatsucker'. We need small easily concealable max-strike handguns. And I don't mean fucking GIRLS' guns, okay? Nothing dinky. Nothing cute. I mean snub noses for fast draw, big hits, designed for break holster, powered launch or emergency concealment."

From Issue 33 - Dancing in the Here & Now
(While shooting at a target range.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-33?id=14188#14
"First gun I ever had was a push-pistol like this. First time I ever used it was to blow the left testicle off a guy trying to rape my best friend. I was aiming at his head. I was twelve. Funny. It horrifies me now, that I did that. At the time, no one blinked an eyelid. Not even me. That's schools for you, I guess."

From Issue 33 - Dancing in the Here & Now
(Being EXTREMELY menacing with an MiB she's got at gunpoint.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-33?id=14188#18
"You're right. I don't care who you are. I only care about why you've been following us. Or do I know this one? You probably don't even exist. If I pulled the trigger, officially, I wouldn't have killed anyone. Would I? But you're right. I know how this goes. You know where we live. You can find us at any time. You are big and scary, and we are the little people.
The worst thing about a push-pistol headwound is that in the ten seconds before you die, you can actually feel the tunnel, it's cut through your brain. Scared?
I'm not. Remember that. Pull all the little intimidation games you want. I AM NOT SCARED OF YOU. Now get the fuck away from me."

From Issue 33 - Dancing in the Here & Now
(Talking with Yelena about why she hasn't quit either.)
readcomiconline.to/Comic/Transmetropolitan/Issue-33?id=14188#22
"You've caught it too. Why'd you think I quit the nunnery? It wasn't just Fred Christ's wandering hands and all the brain damage cases that surrounded me all damn day. There's nothing like working with that horrible little bastard Jerusalem that I know of."

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OTHER PARTS I HAVEN'T FILLED YET THAT WILL BE PART OF FUTURE POSTS:

Until I have these parts filled, You're entirely welcome to send me auditions for them using their dialogue from the comic at TransmetTheFanProduction@gmail.com.  20 megabyte limit here on that email address, so if you need to send something bigger, you can use wetransfer.com.  There's some brief descriptions of the people I imagine these characters sound like.  But if you wow me with something I haven't thought of, that'd be great too.  Hit me with your take on it.  You may surprise me.  ^_^

President 'THE BEAST' (Male 50's-60's)  (Basically this is the comic analogue of Richard M Nixon.  There's a good scene with Nixon in the movie: Where the Buffalo Roam where Hunter S Thompson confronted Nixon in a public toilet that was kind of adapted for the comic itself.  If you can do a good Nixon, then you're in here.  This is the president we THINK is the bad guy til about 15 issues in.  We don't know what bad IS yet.)

President Gary 'THE SMILER' Callahan (Male 30's-40's) (This is the villain of the book.  He is an a-number-one-wacko-insane-guy.  This is your serial abuser who can pull off a GREAT public face, but deeply hates and wants to hurt you just cos he wants to underneath.  If I had my d'ruthers, I'd get Markiplier from YouTube to voice the Smiler here.  His manic but low and menacing evil voice is just the kind of thing I hear for the Smiler in his more dangerous moments.  You have someone here that takes some real glee in hurting people.  A Grade-A Sociopath.  If you can throw a little Ronald Reagan, or Steven Colbert into that mix, so much the better.)

Campaign Manager Vita Severn (Female 20s to 30's) (A young Carrie Fisher or perhaps Katherine Hepburn similarity in voice would be a plus here.)

The Godti 101 Maker (Male 20's) (Someone who can do a good Godfather Marlon Brando impression as a stoner is what I'm after here.)

Oscar Rossini (Male 50's-60's) (Someone who can do a good Bruce Boxleitner as Sheridan from Babylon 5 gets consideration here.)

Mary the Revival (Female 20's) (I higher girlish voice here like the character of Lucy Moran from Twin Peaks is what I hear here, but give me your take on her too.)

Ziang Huai (Male) (Bit-Part) (Someone who sounds like Eddie or Wang from Big Trouble in Little China would do here.)

Kristin Agnew (Female 50's-60's)  (In my head, this person is straight up either Koky Roberts from public radio, or Joan Rivers.  Tired and cynical.)

Vice Presidential Candidate Josh Freeh  (Male 30's)  (A smiling talking head with literally no personality to speak of other than programmed charm.)

Tico Cortez (Male 20's)  (I need me an Antonio Banderas here.  Or a creditable John Leguizamo)

Senator Heller (Male 50's)  (If you can do a Dean Wormer from Animal House, or Captain Nathan Stern's prosecutor from Heavy Metal, for this fascist, you are SO in.)

Senator Sweeney (Male 50's) (Gimme a southern senator here.  One you REALLY want to see persecuted by the truth.)

Political Advisor Alan Schacht (shacked) (Male 30's)  (If you remember Joe Isuzu from the Isuzu commercials.  The lying guy.  This is who I'd use here.  Smarmy bastard.)

Lau Qi (Lao-kay) (Female 20's) (John Nkrumah's partner  I got no preconceptions for this one.  Important character.  NOTE:  SHE DOES HAVE A SEX SCENE IN ISSUE 39.)

John Nkrumah (Male 20's)  (Lau-Qi's partner.  Also an important character:  NOTE:  HE HAS A SEX SCENE IN ISSUE 39)

Officer Stompanato (Male 30's-40's)  (Literally this is talking bulldog.  If you can do a good bronx accent, or Det. Bullock from Batman the Animated series, you're in.  (3 issues)

Indira Ataturk  (Female 30's) (No preconceptions on my part other than a slight to middling Indian accent.)  (3 Issues)

Grisham (Male 50's) (Oh this old pornographer is FOUL.  If you can do a good George Wendt or Carrol O'Connor, you're in here.)

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There's several other characters and bit parts strewn through this book.  If you know of someone I omitted here that you'd like a shot at, send me your take on em.  Like I said, I want to do this whole thing.  And if I don't HAVE to double up with my actors, that'd be great too.  I'll let you know if any of the omissions here have already been cast.  The address once again is TransmetTheFanProduction@gmail.com  And once again, the facebook link for the group where you can see my progress on the show, as well as any calls for casting that I don't list here you can find at:  www.facebook.com/groups/TransmetropolitanAFanProduction/

I hope to hear from you lot soon!  There's no huge time limit on the other characters, but I'd like to find a Channon ASAP.  Someone who wants to go the distance and get in on a leading role for a 60 issue comic book run.  And if you haven't read this, treat yourself.  You'll never find something more prescient, topical, relevant or freaking hilarious from 25 years ago than Transmetropolitan.

-Edward