In Hollywood, social media takes a leading role
In the age of Twitter and Facebook, movie casting is more than meets the eye.
By John Patrick Pullen
Mike Fenton is—without hyperbole—a living legend. As the casting director for The Godfather: Part II, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and more than 250 other films, he has helped build the careers of some of the biggest stars in movie history. He also cast Porky’s. And Porky’s II.
“There are motion pictures that are made, and we as an audience say, ‘Why did they make that motion picture?‘” Fenton says. It’s a good question, and a natural one to ask of Fenton’s next project, Sharknado 2, a sequel to last summer’s so-bad-it’s-good SyFy Channel movie that premiered on Wednesday. “I’m wondering if there are producers who get a project financed because of the thought that in social media, this particular project may have legs,” he continues, with full sincerity.
