Project RACCOON CASTING CALL

PRIVATE: not to be shared

We are casting actors and musicians to help us inhabit the world of "Project RacCoon"  Here you'll find an overview of the project along with our casting and music needs at the bottom of the page.

INTRO

Project Raccoon (codename) is an episodic interactive narrative videogame for mobile VR. It marries radio drama and contemporary podcast storytelling with simulation-style interaction taking place over several 15 to 20 minute episodes. Small, polished theater-style sets are surrounded by a visual void, filled in with rich audio-only storytelling that spurs the imagination.

While the narrative will use plenty of human characters the player can interact with, those characters will almost never be seen. Therefore, the majority of the art production work needed will to be environments and props.

WORLD

Our story takes place in a small, sleepy, coastal Oregon town tucked into a hillside.  The locals are as odd as they are diverse and they like it that way.  Though massive changes that threaten their simple way of life have begun to take root.  This started with the decision by the city council to grant naming rights to the old Raccoon Beach to an international snack food conglomerate "You want S'more" S'more supply and lifestyle company and continues with the arrival of other large and secretive organizations attracted by the remote location and small surrounding populations whose clandestine operations make room for conspiracy theories of insidious products and soul-less animal and human testing.

NARRATIVE

A local conspiracy theorist has started receiving messages.  They don't know from whom and they don't know what their supposed to do, but they believe something bad is about to happen and it's their job to stop it. Can this wannabe hero, aided by secret messages from a local radio station, save the day?

The first episode, set in the town's old-fashioned community radio station, drops the player into the DJ's seat to host a late night show, despite not knowing how to operate the equipment. The equipment is old-fashioned and mechanical, with tactile buttons and switches instead of touch screens.

As the player, your grouchy producer is trying to guide you through the show. As you start your radio program, playing songs, reading commercials, getting to know your new boss, and fighting the boredom of a long night in the sleepy town, you receive a voicemail that changes everything.

That self-proclaimed vigilante thinks you're guiding them on their mission and every song, news item, commerical or message you speak on the air is leading them to their next checkpoint.

MUSIC

One of the core elements of each episode in Project Raccoon is the presence of a radio.  The radio is of course tuned in to our community radio station, mainly since in this part of the state, it's the only station that you can get reception.  The songs played on the station are from local bands and solo artists and don't really fall into a particular genre. In fact, they're all across the map, but their lyrics and message is clear to the vigilante who uses their meaning to guide him on his hero scavenger hunt.

The Feel

We're aiming for a feel similar to Coen Brothers films, maybe with a little Wes Anderson, where we have quirky characters and silliness interspersed with some poignant moments.

CAST

  • Producer - (50's) - Longsuffering and cranky, the producer is in charge of keeping the old radio station running on a shoestring budget while keeping the modernizing and consolidating effects of his new corporate owners at bay.  The producer loves their radio station they've kept it operational with their bare hands and their own electrical tape.  The producer doesn't like the new DJ who's been sent in from management and this injection of new blood has caused them to reflect on their life, their choices, their fears, and the circumstances that led them to feel alone and isolated in a run down radio station a the end of their career.

  • Narrator - (30's - 50's) - The narrator serves as the players inner monologue.  Optimistic and patient, the narrator can get the player unstuck if the player doesn't know what to do.

  • Vigilante - (30's) - A life full of good waves both water and electro-magnetic has led this laid back local to take up a cause beyond their slacker ways.  Good natured and earnest but suspect of the new outside influences that have begun to take controlling interest in the area, the vigilante is ready to take up the call to a life serving others after a life seeking thrills.

  • Caller 1 - The Beach Comber - (30's) - This local and resourceful character lives by the motto "finders keepers, losers weepers" and doesn't really empathize with anyone except those who look out for themselves

  • Caller 2 - The Activist - (20's) - This outsider has become interested in the plight of the local Raccoon population which has inexplicably become decimated in the area and believes that new corporate interests are to blame.

  • Caller 3 - The Collector - (30's) - This local seems nice enough if he wasn't collecting locks of hair and teeth for study.

  • Caller 4 - The Kid - (teens) - This local teen found a diary that causes the producer to reflect on their own childhood hurts.

  • News Caster - (40's) - Local and clueless vain and obnoxious, this local news caster is more interested in sounding like their broadcasting heroes then understanding the news they are reporting.

  • Sound Bite 1 - (20's) - Local raccoon activist

  • Sound Bite 2 - (20's) - Local raccoon activist

  • Pinata Pete’s - (40's) - Local business owner who started a party store in which visitors can beat the life out of 100 pinatas at at time.

  • S’more Executive - (20's - 30's) - Outsider and PR executive recently moved to the area by corporate to oversee local public perception of the company.

MUSIC

We are in need of tracks produced and recorded for the in game radio station.  The lyrics should err on the side of speaking directly to the vigilante as the vigilante would hear it if they thought the song was written for them.

  • The River (Suggested Genre: Pop) Super cheesy lost love song, which overuses river and water metaphors.
  • My Broken Artichoke Heart (Suggested Genre: Bluegrass) A song about being left alone and about produce.
    • "I gave my love to you like a ripe artichoke and one by one you peeled off the petals to reveal my heart…"
  • Pregnant woman crying in the rain (Suggested Genre: Experimental / Arthouse / Indie)
    • Did your water break or is that a river of tears?
  • Tricked Up Tow Truck (Suggested Genre: Country / Rap)
  • Don’t Bring a Gun Don’t Bring a Gun Don’t Bring a Gun to the Beach (Suggested Genre: Punk)
  • Where should I go?  Where are any of us going? (Suggested Genre: Pop) A cheery song about an existential crisis.