After calling Paramount's offices again and getting yet another address -- one without the specific routing information we were previously told was essential -- we're starting to feel that the studio is giving us the run around.
Don't worry about letters that have already been sent -- we think they're the reason we now can't get a straight answer. Instead, just concentrate on sending letters to the Kennedy/Marshall address, which can be found here.
Also, please keep sending letters and emails to media outlets! Putting in links to some of the essays in the links list can be very helpful, especially those links that are other media outlets, as few things drive a story faster than other reporters being on the story as well.
Again, let us know if you are getting any of the letters returned, and keep writing!
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aang_aint_white- Saving the World with Postage
Page Summary
- (Anonymous) : Douglas Aibel - Casting Director [+0]
- jedifreac : (no subject) [+1]
- (Anonymous) : Jesse McCartney's radio interview on Avatar: The Last Airbender......EPIC FAILL!!!! [+1]
- socchan : (no subject) [+0]
- esjayanya : (no subject) [+0]
- glockgal : (no subject) [+0]
- (Anonymous) : A message from "The Ember Island Players" episode [+7]
- (Anonymous) : OMG! JESSE MCCARTNEY KICKED OUT FOR SCHEDULING! SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE DEV PATEL PLAYING ZUKO!!! [+0]
Comments
Douglas Aibel is the casting director for the ATLA movie (he's also done other M.Night films). For those of you who have issues with the casting, they are not with M.Night, Mike and Bryan, or Paramount as a whole - they are with him.
More info about him (including some contact) may be found here.
Here is a mailing address:
Doug Aibel
Vineyard Theatre
108 East 15th Street,
New York City, NY 10003
DeeDee Ricketts is the director for on location/extras casting.
If you do intend to write him a letter, be civil and don't just demand a recast. Politeness and cohesiveness is the best way to get your message across.
Is the goal to get them to recast the movie? Stop production? Release an apologetic statement? Apologize for their comments? Or is the goal preventative to keep this kind of casting from happening in the future?
Who is our target audience? Paramount (doesn't seem to be listening to us)? Other people involved in the production? Fans and the general public?
Is the goal to condemn to discriminative casting practices and if so, how can we do so without hurting the animated tv show we know and love? Is there a plan (and a looming threat) for boycott? Can we target people who will then withdraw funding from the film? Is the goal to make this a PR nightmare for ""The Last Airbender," or is it to get them to recast or apologize, or what?
Right now the goal is "get the media talking about this" but do we have any demands or steps beyond that? Should we have a larger game plan?
- To make certain Paramount Pictures cannot pretend to be unaware that MANY people are offended by their casting policy.
- To raise awareness of this issue specifically, particularly among those who aren't already in the fan community.
- To pressure Paramount into responding -- they've yet to make a statement of any kind, let alone address concerns regarding the casting
- To raise awareness of how minorities are marginalized in American entertainment, and help create an atmosphere in which this kind of decision can't be made again.
It's too early to plan a boycott, but if Paramount doesn't recast these roles than we will absolutely back one when the time comes.
http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff24/G
"...I’m going to be in M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, starring in M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie that we’re filming, uh, this March. [It’s] [c]alled “The Last Airbender.” Which is the first, uh, first part of a trilogy. Um, based on the anime series that was huge, like cartoon anime series called Avatar: The Last Airbender that was explosively huge in Asia. They brought it to the US and it was on for, like, three seasons, uhh…."
He couldn't even get his facts straight!!!!!! EPICCC FAIIIIIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ONLY (and I do mean only) reason he got the part is because he's some teeny-bopper heart-throb with a fanbase who after a couple of calls between him and his agent and a cursory glance at the material was given the job. It was NOT due to beign gifted with any strong dramatic power.
Okay, I admit, I've never heard him sing or seen him act, but come ON! It's plain to see that he's, by no extension, a serious actor. Which is what is NEEDED for the role of Zuko; a young actor with a strong presence and a firm grasp of the character as he is portrayed in the show. The casting director CLEARLY didn't do his homework.
Also, according to this article here, it seems that the name of the casting director is Dee Dee Ricketts, and there is also an e-mail address and telephone number which seems to be for the casting call.
"Bakshi’s replacement seems to be ADAM GOODMAN, President, Production, Paramount Pictures. Goodman is overseeing development and production for Paramount Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies, as well as co-production projects in development from DreamWorks Studios."
Hmmmmm....
Sokka discovers that the Ember Island Players, a Fire Nation theater group, is debuting a comedy based upon the group's adventures. After deciding to see the play, everyone is furious at their portrayals except Toph, who is played by a muscular actor.
This might be a subtle foreshadowing or message from Bryan and Mike when talks about a live-action movie started happening. Oh the irony... if the upcoming movie becomes an epic fail.
of a stretchcrammed it gets to be.But seriously guys, don't get all cynical on this. There can still be a re-cast, and the movie can be more than two hours.
Really, this move has *potential*. Imagine the epic it could be. This thing could be BIG if the crew just realizes what they're doing wrong.
I think I just died and went to heaven. Golden Globe winning Dev Patel is now playing Zuko instead of JM! OH THANK THE AVATAR GODS!! I'm crying, seriously. We have a minority actor, and an incredibly talented minority actor, now in the main cast <3