LIVORNO «Things to try at least once in your life, fun. Spend a day, see famous actors and maybe even exchange a joke as happened to me with Claudia Pandolfi”, he is Simone Spera, 42 years old, a vague resemblance to the Gianluca Grignani of the debuts. Agent of Sammontana, an experience under her belt with Carlo Virzi’ in “The Greatest of All” and with Claudia Pandolfi she hopes to become an extra or have a small role in the next take which will be filmed in Livorno: filming will begin on May 13th to end on June 22nd. And it’s a national take. It’s the filming of a thriller that will be broadcast on Mediaset. Spera is one of around 500 people who showed up at the Goldoni Theater for the casting. Most of them were from Livorno but they also arrived from the province and the rest of Tuscany.
Massesi, Pistoia, Versilia. In some cases, entire groups. Friends who have decided to have this experience together and, if possible, live it to the full. That is, waiting for the call for a role. Whether it’s a simple appearance, or it also gives the opportunity to make a joke. Things that the production and director will decide shortly.
It is a TV series produced by Mediaset with a thriller-crime thriller tone: Livorno is chosen once again for its peculiarities, its particular settings and because extras and performers of small roles can be intercepted without many problems. Question of attitude, character, spontaneity.
The program said the auditions would take place from 9.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6.30pm. In reality, only a few minutes of suspension and a sandwich eaten on the fly, because the first part of the day was long.
In the end, just under 500 people showed up (a little more arrived in the afternoon, also because many kids had school), probably a little less than what Desiree Lombardi and her assistant Silvia Bartali expected. Probably multiple factors have an impact. The weather conditions that day were not encouraging.
Cameras in action, therefore, throughout the centre: from the Pontino to the Mercato delle Vettovaglie. Without forgetting Venice which will, according to a rumour, also be the scene of a rowing challenge which should certainly feature a crew bearing the colors of Salviano.
Young rowers, who will be recruited among those of the mini Palio. A twenty-year-old boy from Labrone, chosen for his easy-going nature, should have opened the front to find athletes accustomed to rowing but still in their teenage years.
Not much is known about the series, which will consist of eight episodes. Except that the female protagonist will be Vanessa Incontrada, now Tuscan by adoption.
The flow of aspiring mini actors and extras was continuous. Average time from arrival to audition, around 35 minutes. A simple procedure.
A form to fill in with all your personal details, a telephone number and a reference email. Each sheet with a progressive number by which you were called, a similar number to attach to your chest to take a photo.
Filing ready, awaiting any possible call. For some it is not obvious, for others it is more possible due to age, a role that can be attributed by observing characteristics that in some cases seem tailor-made for certain roles.
Which Desiree Lombardi certainly knows by heart. Just stay in the waiting room for a while and it doesn’t take long to become familiar, gain confidence and have someone tell you why she is there. Together with Simone Spera there is her partner, Sandra Antonini, 39 years old, who Simone himself infected.
«My job is to be behind the counter of an ice cream shop, as a child I used to do fashion shows and this time I decided to do the audition. Then, who knows, maybe I’ll even be able to see myself in the picture when we see everything again on television.”
Paolo Cordano can’t stand it. «I’m 56 years old, currently unemployed and I said to myself why not? I have an open character, I am curious and this is an experience that I believe is worth having. First time I’ve proposed myself and I’m enthusiastic.”
Barbara Puccini, 49 years old, has already done other castings, has already been cast before and shows up every time because she enjoys it. «More than anything else, television experiences, but never cinema for now».
They are mother and daughter, it’s their first time and they come from Bibbona. Antonella Gelli, 59 years old, municipal employee who took a day off to accompany “the little girl”.
“We read in the newspaper, I too was within the required age range and both of us came.” Her daughter is Lucrezia Mule’, 23 years old, a student of Communication Sciences in Florence. «Things that arise for fun, just a simple experience that I would like to have. I have other plans in life, with training opportunities that I would also like to take advantage of abroad.”
A minor accompanied by her mother could not be missing. She is Maryeme Taccini, 15 years old, a student at the musical high school where she plays sax and guitar. This is the first time she has tried to get to know the world of TV, even though she modeled children’s clothes as a child and boasts the Kinder advertisement in South Africa. «But I also participated in a music video, La Bestia, for Nada». She liked it a lot.
Closing with Dmitri, a 21-year-old boy of Ukrainian origin, who has been in Cecina for fifteen years. Tall, all disheveled, a light-hearted look inside his dark coat. “You would be perfect, if you knew how to play the guitar, he has the physique for the role.” The unexpected answer: “I really play it.” A smart guy. That he knows how to play chess because his grandmother taught him as a child, and that he now competes at a professional level. L
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