Having a look at the finds of the scouts
for this year’s cycle of #ProjectScouted, it’s difficult to imagine that their
teams could be bettered. That was until the Open Casting took place on
Saturday, 21 February, at the #Hashtag social restaurant and bar on Windermere
Road.
#Hashtag was also a sponsored venue by
Durban entrepreneur, Brendon Kader, for last year’s Project and everyone was
thrilled to be back – and not just to shoot selfies at the “selfie zone” of the
restaurant.
Tasked with interviewing and screening
the girls in the VIP area of the restaurant, the Open Casting panel did not
have an enviable job on the day. Daunting as any casting or audition may be,
the panel – consisting of designers Becca Blair of Becca Blair Designs and Ryan
Francis of Shoelaced Clothing; Sholene Ramdass, Lee Folkard Photography’s
blogger and former Miss Teen Kwa-Zulu Natal; as well as model and Miss South
Africa 2014 semi-finalist, Iman Sheik – did their best to put the girls at ease
and assure them that the process was not as intimidating as it may have seemed.
Most of the girls, once they found their
footing, sailed through the casual, conversational questions asked by the panel
and posed with confidence for their portraits shot by Dalton Green, who is also
one of our Instagram photographers for the Project. Once again, Durban did not
disappoint in delivering talent and beauty.
The aspirants who attended the casting,
coming from as far as Richard’s Bay and Hillcrest, varied from high school
students to even a high school teacher, with their ages ranging from 16 to 25. This
kind of array is definitely going to be one of the reasons why this year’s
Project is so successful.
Several familiar faces paid a visit on
the day, as well as some new ones, from scouts – previous and present – to
photographers and family of the #ProjectScouted team. The Open Casting turned
into a reunion of sorts and it was clear that these guys were sorely missing
the Project’s shoots and events.
The casting was the last opportunity for
girls to get to be a part of the Project and now the scouts’ teams have been
finalized. The excitement is tangible as Phase One and the official launch
approaches next week Saturday, 28 February, which will take place at #Hashtag
once again, coming full circle from Cycle 1 last year.
Images from the day can be found as they
are uploaded on the #ProjectScouted Instagram account as well as on the
Instagram profiles of photographers, Zaheera Engar and Dalton Green. Also be on
the lookout for the footage of the day shot by the Project’s videographer,
Robbie Muller, to get the behind the scenes action of what went down at the
casting.
