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Did anyone else get an audition for the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony?
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On a related note, I had some unexpected casting news today. Not from the Olympics, but from the Tate Modern performance workshop I attended earlier this week (which was a bit ceremony-auditionish, good fun). Turns out it was some sort of audition indeed, and now the producer invited me for an interview - a recall! Makes the waiting period more bearable; 36 days to go...
Original post by Dancerwoman
If it's any consolation, my email had this reminder:-
"Remember if you miss more than two rehearsals we will place you on a reserve list. We already have a healthy reserve list of people who are just waiting to get the chance to be part of the Ceremony – so do make every effort to attend and keep your place."
I am sure there will be a few dropouts Cornishscot. I will keep my fingers and everything crossed for you as you soooo deserve to join us. I've got a feeling that you will end up joining us - it's just the case of when you'll be called up.
The one important thing you must remember is that it isn't a "no" so you're still in with a good chance.
I know it probably sounds cliche but please hang on in there a little longer. If not heard anything by the ending of next week, I'd suggest you call them for some news.
"Remember if you miss more than two rehearsals we will place you on a reserve list. We already have a healthy reserve list of people who are just waiting to get the chance to be part of the Ceremony – so do make every effort to attend and keep your place."
I am sure there will be a few dropouts Cornishscot. I will keep my fingers and everything crossed for you as you soooo deserve to join us. I've got a feeling that you will end up joining us - it's just the case of when you'll be called up.
The one important thing you must remember is that it isn't a "no" so you're still in with a good chance.
I know it probably sounds cliche but please hang on in there a little longer. If not heard anything by the ending of next week, I'd suggest you call them for some news.
I agree with Dancerwoman. Definitely would call them up after next week
Original post by commonliner
On a related note, I had some unexpected casting news today. Not from the Olympics, but from the Tate Modern performance workshop I attended earlier this week (which was a bit ceremony-auditionish, good fun). Turns out it was some sort of audition indeed, and now the producer invited me for an interview - a recall! Makes the waiting period more bearable; 36 days to go...
ohoo
Splendid.Good luck to everyone waiting, i hope you hear today
QUOTE=fyrecracker;37215348]just to say, the beckham boot has been resigned to the cupboard under the stairs and I'm up and bouncing again!!!
Thank you for all your kind wishes along the way xxxx
Good news, here's to your "freedom".
Thank you for all your kind wishes along the way xxxx
Good news, here's to your "freedom".Had first rehearsal last night and a brief insight from all involved, including Danny Boyle, in to what our section is going to do/be like. Awesome and so deliriously happy to be part of it. Got absolutely soaked in the queue to get in though and slightly steaming on the tube/train going home, but great fun. 
Original post by Concord
Hmm, a day of silence from Casting. But don't forget that Fridays have been popular times for offers in the past! Given that Flakeydom's data tells us how few have received offers from the days of 21-23 Feb auditions, I sense a final flood of Closing Ceremony offers coming for the Olympics and Paralympics.
Fingers crossed...
Fingers crossed...
Could be quiet because they are also involved in the rehearsals too
, my casting co-ordinator was at rehearsal last night 
Please lets not have another weekend of wondering.
Original post by MsIs
Had first rehearsal last night and a brief insight from all involved, including Danny Boyle, in to what our section is going to do/be like. Awesome and so deliriously happy to be part of it. Got absolutely soaked in the queue to get in though and slightly steaming on the tube/train going home, but great fun.
are you group 47? I'm 47 and had my rehearsal on wed. I'm wondering if you got shown the same routines and stuff as us, of if you're doing the routines we weren't shown and we're being split that way. Intriguing!
Original post by Dancerwoman
If it's any consolation, my email had this reminder:-
"Remember if you miss more than two rehearsals we will place you on a reserve list. We already have a healthy reserve list of people who are just waiting to get the chance to be part of the Ceremony – so do make every effort to attend and keep your place."
I am sure there will be a few dropouts Cornishscot. I will keep my fingers and everything crossed for you as you soooo deserve to join us. I've got a feeling that you will end up joining us - it's just the case of when you'll be called up.
The one important thing you must remember is that it isn't a "no" so you're still in with a good chance.
I know it probably sounds cliche but please hang on in there a little longer. If not heard anything by the ending of next week, I'd suggest you call them for some news.
"Remember if you miss more than two rehearsals we will place you on a reserve list. We already have a healthy reserve list of people who are just waiting to get the chance to be part of the Ceremony – so do make every effort to attend and keep your place."
I am sure there will be a few dropouts Cornishscot. I will keep my fingers and everything crossed for you as you soooo deserve to join us. I've got a feeling that you will end up joining us - it's just the case of when you'll be called up.
The one important thing you must remember is that it isn't a "no" so you're still in with a good chance.
I know it probably sounds cliche but please hang on in there a little longer. If not heard anything by the ending of next week, I'd suggest you call them for some news.
Thanks for sharing that - I did call them a few weeks ago and e-mailed last week but each time the answer is basically the same, namely:-
"we haven't forgotten you, you're still on our list and if we need you at any time to fill any slots which become vacant we will be in touch - this could be some way further down the line than right now though" (the implication being that we RESERVES are still in with a chance if we "keep the faith" right to the bitter end if needs be)".
My take/response on that was .......... well that's all fine and good but the longer you leave it the less available we might be as life goes on outside of London 2012. Personally I don't think I really want an offer to perform in anything other than the opening ceremony now as may not be able to give the required commitment for rehearsals for the other ceremonies. Will be just my luck if they now offer me something I can no longer do eh? Of course, had they made an offer way back in January 2012 (as they did with so many of you) then things would be SO much more different possibly - they've just about "shot themselves in the foot" with me unless any offer they have for me is made on my terms now I guess. I will, of course, be as constructive as possible and not be deliberately difficult re. availability as I still want to do this but, clearly, cannot cut myself in half and be in two places at once can I?
Anyway only time will tell IF and WHEN they ever make me an offer (and HOW LATE in the day it comes through). No point in withdrawing from the process completely as yet though - all is not yet lost from my availability perspective - all depends on when and where they want me now really and if I can give the time at those times etc. to help them out without upsetting too many other people or losing income from having to avoid work (I am now self-employed after all and need the income as only part-time at the moment). Unlike others on here who have booked or want to book holidays, this is not something I am planning to do myself until at least September (as I usually do) just in case - I had the first 7 months of 2012 set aside for the whole Olympics thing as a whole. Being made redundant in January was not part of that plan, neither was not receiving an offer to perform straight away or getting a job of some sort so soon afterwards, albeit on a self-employed basis for now.
As some of you on here already know by now I have been selected from a pool of 33,000 applicants to be one of 8.000 London Ambassador volunteers and, as a trained and experienced/committed member of a 28-piece community brass band am also regularly in demand to perform in concerts both in London and across the South East. Normally by now I would have given positive/negative responses to the banding invites for this year but I am holding out as long as possible and saying that if they really do need to know then to take my response as an unfortunate "no" for that booking and to start looking for a deputy to fill that slot instead. I will not, however, be prepared or expect to miss the one concert I am down to definitely take part in as a performer which is one of many in series of concerts featuring stars of the Brass Band world. This year we are due to showcase the talents of PAUL LOVATT-COOPER (a high profile soloist as a a percussionist and also a popular Composer/Arranger for the brass band medium).
In previous years I have supported all of these other equally high profile soloists from the brass banding and/or orchestral worlds (many of whom are in regular demand worldwide and have to be booked up to TWO YEARS ahead to secure the booking):-
* DAVID CHILDS (Euphonium)
* OWEN FARR (Tenor Horn)
* KATRINA MARZELLA (Baritone - my instrument so I got to double-up on the part with her too!)
* PAUL DUFFY (Soprano Cornet)
* JOHN DOYLE (Flugel Horn & Cornet)
* BEN THOMPSON (Tuba)
* MICHELLE IBBOTTSON (Soprano Cornet)
* GLYN WILLIAMS (Euphonium but multi-instrumentalist really - an amazing phenomenon and a rarity for sure!)
I have even hosted two of them in my own home, including cooking a meal for them, when they have come to guest with our Band !
(The irony here, of course, being that Casting have probably never heard of any/most of these names, nor would I necessarily expect them too if I'm honest - it's not as if the music medium of the Brass Band is anywhere on their respective radars for inclusion in any ceremony after all, despite being about the most traditional British music ensemble you can probably get historically, dating back to Victorian times - by stark contrast to that I have had a rather more electic exposure to music and its genres and have at least heard of som very high profile names in other discplines if not actually worked with any of them - I do not claim to be anything of an expert though!)
Do please feel free to Google or You Tube any of the names I've mentioned above yourself if you're interested in finding out more about them and work out why I might think that to take part and accompany ALL OF THEM in public concerts - this most certainly does not make me better nor more talented than I actually am of course - I am pretty average as it goes skills wise (something I demonstrated I think by happily joining group 3 of 4 at my drumming audition rather than 1 or 2 - I do know my limits and my ego is not ever allowed to get in the way of that etc.) - but I do consider that its a great honour to have been given the opportunity to not only meet but collaboratively work with so many people of such a high calibre in their field of performance already, that's all).
By way of other high profile credentials as a performer and/or trustworthy individual (from a casting point of view) I can offer the following options:-
(1) Despite being an amateur performer as a brass musician, I have now recorded TWO professionally produced and now commercially available CDs with my brass band - these each required 2/3 recording sessions so I fully appreciate the stamina and concentration required to pull such a project off and how everything, down to the millisecond, has to be "just right" precision wise. We had 20+ takes for some sections of music and at least 2 full run-through performances of every track recorded, not all of which were used on the final CD.
(2) I have met many celebrities (well known actors/presenters and such like) through my activies playing in various brass bands at various fetes and other charitable events across London, some of them at high profile venues too, e.g. last Christmas I played under the baton/direction of PATRICK HARRILD (normally Principal Tuba player at the LSO) at St. Paul's Cathedral. I've also worked with STEVEN MEAD (another high profile and much in demand Euphonium player) when we organised a conference together for Low Brass at Cheethams School in Manchester some years back.
(3) I have been an INVITED GUEST at Buckingham Palace not once but TWICE (a formal supper dance and a garden party) and also at WINDSOR CASTLE (another formal supper dance) where I have met and exchanged casual but brief conversation with (a) the Queen (b) Princess Anne and (c) Duke of Edinburgh respectively) - I am therefore fully aware of "royal protocol" sufficiently well not to make a complete show of myself in front of such high profile dignatories at the Olympics.
(4) In addition, I have met and worked with many people from around the world, some of them very high profile in their line of non-entertainment industry based occupations, including Professors of Neuroscience and such like. I am therefore fully accustomed to and embrace the concept of DIVERSITY in all cultures and languages etc.
If (when taken in the round) ALL OF THE ABOVE is not complete evidence of my suitability and/or passionate commitment to the cause casting team then I DO NOT KNOW what else I can possible do to convince you that making me an offer SOONER rather than LATER for the opening ceremony (as I originally auditioned for) would be an extremely wise and prudent move for you if you really did ENJOY MY WORK (as you said in your e-mail advising me I had been placed on reserve) and really DO want me to fill any vacant slots you might have. I simply CANNOT wait for ever. It is not fair on myself nor any other group or person, including my ever-supportive family who've had to endure the brunt of the feeling of frustration you are making me suffer. Apart from London Ambassador commitments (very few in fact) You still have first pickings on the remainder of my time/life at the moment though so please do not disappoint or irritate me any further by keeping me in suspense indefinitely as otherwise you might well JUST find out that I am no longer available. Just saying like ............................
Fingers crossed for a positive outcome eventually - both for myself and any other RESERVES like me who still want to participate if they possibly can !
(edited 12 years ago)
Hi All. Another lurker here crawling out of the woodwork. Been following the board since I applied for my Febuary audition and thought I should add my stats to Flakeydom's spreadsheet of epicness!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
Original post by MsIs
Had first rehearsal last night and a brief insight from all involved, including Danny Boyle, in to what our section is going to do/be like. Awesome and so deliriously happy to be part of it. Got absolutely soaked in the queue to get in though and slightly steaming on the tube/train going home, but great fun.
I was there last night too!! Amazing wasn't it? Was so excited to see Danny Boyle and the energy of the whole team. Hopefully that's the last of the rain(!).
You will have to make yourself known to me....
Original post by Mandy_Panda
are you group 47? I'm 47 and had my rehearsal on wed. I'm wondering if you got shown the same routines and stuff as us, of if you're doing the routines we weren't shown and we're being split that way. Intriguing!
Yep, 47D. Our group were split in three sections and moved around for, after the briefings, etc, dancing, dancing with "movement" and then dancing again. Maybe we will all co-join at 1:1 venue? Will have to PM. Next rehearsal one week's time?
Original post by granta
I was there last night too!! Amazing wasn't it? Was so excited to see Danny Boyle and the energy of the whole team. Hopefully that's the last of the rain(!).
You will have to make yourself known to me....
You will have to make yourself known to me....
Oh the rain was a pain, wasn't it? But at least it got us in 5 minutes early! The entire evening was a revelation and pure fun, I did so enjoy it and yes Danny Boyle was fab, and so good that he is as enthusiastic about it all as we are. I love the music, as that it once of my alltime faves and fits in with everything. Although tired after an early start yesterday morning I was smiling and buzzing on the way home and couldn't sleep straight away, hence tired this morning and just a bit achey. I was 615 and yes, will PM you before next week's meet up.
Original post by MsIs
Yep, 47D. Our group were split in three sections and moved around for, after the briefings, etc, dancing, dancing with "movement" and then dancing again. Maybe we will all co-join at 1:1 venue? Will have to PM. Next rehearsal one week's time?
we were split and moved around too. I just wondered if the routines are the same.
Original post by Mandy_Panda
we were split and moved around too. I just wondered if the routines are the same.
Have PM'd you.
Original post by Aber_Stokie
Hi All. Another lurker here crawling out of the woodwork. Been following the board since I applied for my Febuary audition and thought I should add my stats to Flakeydom's spreadsheet of epicness!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
Hi Aber_Stokie, nice to see another 22nd-er - it helps me too to see other people from that recall who haven't heard yet! Makes you feel a bit less alone in the waiting!
Someone posted earlier in the week that they'd called casting and they said all places had been cast and they're sending out emails, and we'll hear by the end of this week. I know we can't believe what they say about timings, but I really really hope that's true and we hear by the end of today!
The rehearsals sound so amazing, I so want to be part of it all. I was bursting with excitement on Wednesday with 100 days to go!
Original post by Aber_Stokie
Hi All. Another lurker here crawling out of the woodwork. Been following the board since I applied for my Febuary audition and thought I should add my stats to Flakeydom's spreadsheet of epicness!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
I had my first audition on 16th Feb with a recall on 22nd at 6pm (Opening/Paras). I wanted to add myself to the list of not-heards from that day as I know it helps me every time someone new pops up from that recall who hasn't heard yet.
Huge congratulations to all that have been cast. I hope that we 22nd-ers can join your excitement soon!
Hi Aber_Stokie and welcome. Fingers crossed for some positive and good news soon for you
Original post by fyrecracker
just to say, the beckham boot has been resigned to the cupboard under the stairs and I'm up and bouncing again!!!
Thank you for all your kind wishes along the way xxxx
Thank you for all your kind wishes along the way xxxx
That's great news fyrecracker - careful with the bouncing now, you don't want a relapse!
Hello I too am a lurker from 14th and 22nd dance audition since the crazy "holding" email. We were the Beyonce'ites and some street/contemporary styles. Our first audition was exactly half guys but the 2nd had far fewer. They also requested drummers (I signed up for this too) for pointe dancers, line skaters and jive/lindy hoppers to sign up but I've not heard anything about that at all.
One drummer in the line was a classical percussionist from the Royal Academy of Music- wonder what happened to him?
A friend is also waiting from 22nd and one from 23rd re paras and one has been accepted in Jan from her Nov audition for "audience participation"
We 22nders were told we were the last Olympic Ceremonies audition of a total of 14K- hmm
. We were also told if selected we would be part of the NHS featured section- with all the nurses. Well that section has already started rehearsing so it is tricky not to feel we are already out otherwise we would be there? or not? who knows? The nurses knew long before we did too! Google it!
I remember Steve Boyd saying various things like "we are not going to tell you who or what we want" ah really helpful! I really enjoyed the auditions though and danced my heart out and have semi pro dance and choreographic experience but now I feel rather more worried about the organisation of it all.
Whipping people up into a frenzy for three weeks to make them wait 8 or more and some waiting many months is not humane or positive for team building. The crit from those 2 other detailed posts is really important and I agree the organisers' approach has been at best desultory. I hope we all get a big apology but somehow I doubt it.
I too am a London Ambassador and curiously we are highly organised and feel like a team. Considering we are 7680 we only have about 20 staff managing us. We were told not to contact them unless it was urgent to allow efficiency. We've met various times some are more than two thirds through our training and we've had empowering team events and subsidiary but crucial extra training.
I am also waiting for a Gamesmaker interview response from October and some have been waiting for far longer apparently. Same generic response and 247K applied hmmm. As the Guardian article suggests- there are so many people in Casting and Gamesmaker "holding" status it does appear both groups are completely mismanaged.
I think it has all deteriorated once the 2nd wave of funding for the Ceremonies came through http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16030785
and we feb auditionees were rather an afterthought because they had more cash to spend. They simply didn't have the infrastructure to handle the two waves and paras too. Less than a 100 days to go and I bet a lot of people have had to give up or can't commit because it's so late on to be organising work and personal commitments. Im on hold entirely til september- but that's putting a lot of strain on me and my friend who is waiting is in a far worse situation with moving house and family holidays to book. She can't do a thing!
I have contacted casting various times by phone and email- 2 days ago the email said "another 2 weeks" Im not waiting: I will explode by then!
I think it is a communications disaster and we have been treated very disrespectfully. I am in various NGO groups and we are always informed accurately and with good notice-all by unpaid staff and I used to think that wasn't enough but now I really appreciate this, compared to how I've been treated by casting.
Is there anything we can do as a group to move things forward? The idea of logging in was a great one, and as aforementioned, is the system for we Ambassadors. I really thought Ambassadors would be the least involved but so far it's the most so far.
For anyone waiting from 22nd or thereabouts - we must make our frustration heard- this is totally unacceptable; it has gone on far far too long.
One drummer in the line was a classical percussionist from the Royal Academy of Music- wonder what happened to him?
A friend is also waiting from 22nd and one from 23rd re paras and one has been accepted in Jan from her Nov audition for "audience participation"
We 22nders were told we were the last Olympic Ceremonies audition of a total of 14K- hmm
. We were also told if selected we would be part of the NHS featured section- with all the nurses. Well that section has already started rehearsing so it is tricky not to feel we are already out otherwise we would be there? or not? who knows? The nurses knew long before we did too! Google it!I remember Steve Boyd saying various things like "we are not going to tell you who or what we want" ah really helpful! I really enjoyed the auditions though and danced my heart out and have semi pro dance and choreographic experience but now I feel rather more worried about the organisation of it all.
Whipping people up into a frenzy for three weeks to make them wait 8 or more and some waiting many months is not humane or positive for team building. The crit from those 2 other detailed posts is really important and I agree the organisers' approach has been at best desultory. I hope we all get a big apology but somehow I doubt it.
I too am a London Ambassador and curiously we are highly organised and feel like a team. Considering we are 7680 we only have about 20 staff managing us. We were told not to contact them unless it was urgent to allow efficiency. We've met various times some are more than two thirds through our training and we've had empowering team events and subsidiary but crucial extra training.
I am also waiting for a Gamesmaker interview response from October and some have been waiting for far longer apparently. Same generic response and 247K applied hmmm. As the Guardian article suggests- there are so many people in Casting and Gamesmaker "holding" status it does appear both groups are completely mismanaged.
I think it has all deteriorated once the 2nd wave of funding for the Ceremonies came through http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16030785
and we feb auditionees were rather an afterthought because they had more cash to spend. They simply didn't have the infrastructure to handle the two waves and paras too. Less than a 100 days to go and I bet a lot of people have had to give up or can't commit because it's so late on to be organising work and personal commitments. Im on hold entirely til september- but that's putting a lot of strain on me and my friend who is waiting is in a far worse situation with moving house and family holidays to book. She can't do a thing!
I have contacted casting various times by phone and email- 2 days ago the email said "another 2 weeks" Im not waiting: I will explode by then!
I think it is a communications disaster and we have been treated very disrespectfully. I am in various NGO groups and we are always informed accurately and with good notice-all by unpaid staff and I used to think that wasn't enough but now I really appreciate this, compared to how I've been treated by casting.
Is there anything we can do as a group to move things forward? The idea of logging in was a great one, and as aforementioned, is the system for we Ambassadors. I really thought Ambassadors would be the least involved but so far it's the most so far.
For anyone waiting from 22nd or thereabouts - we must make our frustration heard- this is totally unacceptable; it has gone on far far too long.
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