Hey RPG-D,

Would you ever consider an Audition Area? This could be a place where boards could look to fill particular roles on their board. There is an employment area, but that isn't really employment.

You could put some limits on it so people don't go nuts. Like only allow one casting call every two months and limit how many characters they are auditioning. There could be a set template where maybe a very small roleplay sample (two paragraphs could be posted) on a topic requested by the poster. Then if an admin was interested, he or she could contact the ones who best fit the role with furthur info.

It's just a thought, but I know there are times when I wish I could advertise somewhere for this sort of thing.

So basically you're auditioning characters?

Hmm. :/ I don't think I'd ever use this service because I would rather be on a site because they like me and not because I can write better than some people.

No, not really. I mean, you have a particular role that you want played and you audition for that part. Some people are better at playing certain people. Like right now, I need a particular writer for a board I am on. It's hard to find someone for that role.

It doesn't mean there aren't great writers on the board. It's like acting. Some people are better suited to certain roles.

It isn't about whether or not they like you. This would be recruiting for particular roles.

I hope this is making sense. This isn't general recruiting for boards. It would be for very specific roles.

Okay, so let me try again.

You say that you need someone to play a character who is an artist, and then people apply for the spot? Or am I totally missing the mark here?

Yes. It would be like you post up a role-- like an artist. You already have a name, a brief bio for this character, a role for the character and connections for the character. You just don't have a writer.

Character wanted: Artist/ Lover of John Doe
Brief Bio: (you write up maybe two or three paragraphs)
Personality: ( your write two or three paragraphs)
Role in the community( how is the character important and connected)
Roleplay sample: (you ask for a roleplay sample based on the stuff posted above)

If you get some roleplay samples you like, you ask them to come over and apply at the board for the role.

I hope this makes sense. I didn't sleep much last night and my brain has sort of kicked into sleep deprivation overdrive.

It could be a draw for people who can roleplay well and would like to take on another character but don't want to have to go through the whole long application process. There are a lot of great writers out there, but I know that I get tired of the applications. If someone did this, I would likely take on some new roles.

Oh, alright, I see. I for some reason thought that you meant that people would post RP samples on RPG-D (no character info, just the samples) and then admins would hand-select them. And I was supremely confused.

And I don't even have an excuse for being confused--I slept for a whole 6 hours last night, so I'm not missing any sleep. And I still have posted some very bizarre stuff today. :/

Anyways, this idea makes sense and I think it could be useful. It's like putting your canon characters out on RPG-D. Only not quite as tacky.

I actually quite like the idea, and it wouldn't have to be limited to your example Ryan. I can see this work with canon characters, but also just certain 'positions' that need to be filled up in order to get an RP going that don't even have many details. For instance 'Well I need a leader for this or that' and that's it.

And also the application process is something that can be decided by the topic maker.

It defiantly something we can think about and build onto. I think it would make a nice addition here.

I would love one of these so much, I think I would marry it. I'm forever looking for particular sorts of characters.. and it would complement the Requesting RPG area pretty well.

It'd also keep the employment center strictly for staff jobs - rather than players.

So it would be like the reverse of Requesting RPG... people don't ask for board, but board comes to ask for people :)

I'm not against the idea, but I'm not sure if I'd use it... so far our own members have been good at taking up roles that needed to be filled... :)

I like this idea. *offers cookies to Ryan*

Question, though. Would it only be board staff that is allowed to post character audition requests?

Yes, I think so. But I can't say anything for sure. There will defiantly be restrictions, as Ryan suggested.

And yes it defiantly compliments the Requesting RPG forum. I was already thinking of putting this kind of forum in that catagory. Maybe it could also be a subforum in the Requesting RPG forum.

Ah. Well. I still like the idea but if it's going to be limited to staff submissions only, I won't be able to have anything to do with it.

Well only staff can decide really when they need a specific character or a specific role filled on their board.

Not necessarily, but as you will. I'm only a former moderator there, which means I can do nothing here to help my board except answer Looking For requests.

Still. Cheers to Ryan for his suggestion. I'm sure it'll help boards and admins out a lot. :)

*takes cookies from Keijukainen*

Shinli, I am glad you like the idea. I think I am just prone to be cautious since you don't want it to be a board where they are posting the whole board plot or asking for complete application via your board. I think it should be limited. It would be just like an audition. You get to read a bit of the part for the director at the audition, not the whole play.

I would have a template if I were you, to be safe. It could be customized to some degree, but it would give some boundaries.

(by the way, would you erect a big statue to me in the area where you put it?)

Of course we'd have a template. I think something like in the Employment Center with a form like that where people put their specifications and then people reply with an RP sample as the sort of position/character being looked for.

I like this more now it's not limited to canon characters, because I really don't care ifthe canons on my site are filled or not because they aren't any more important than any other character. But positions would be different, because that allows for pretty much anything.

Well, I never mentioned canons. Haha. Or even cannons.

I don't have canons, this was an idea for original sorts of characters in my mind. But yeah, canons could be cast as well.

I think I was reading Shinli's post as the process being much more open and I am always cautious. It's better to be restrictive and then ease up, rather than to come on too easy and then try to lay down the law.

(now about that statue....)