Help:Episode Cast
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Cast sections display information about characters and actors in episodes.
Usage
{{Episode Cast
| Character1 = name of first character
| Actor1 = actor for second character
| Character2 = etc.
| Actor2 =
}}
Example
This text:
{{Episode Cast
| Character1 = John Whittaker
| Actor1 = Hal Smith
| Character2 = Connie Kendall
| Actor2 = Katie Leigh
| Character3 = Eugene Meltsner
| Actor3 = Will Ryan
| Character4 = Tom Riley
| Actor4 = Walker Edmiston
| Character5 = Bernard Walton
| Actor5 = Dave Madden
}}
Produces:
| Characters | Actors |
|---|---|
| John Whittaker | Hal Smith |
| Connie Kendall | Katie Leigh |
| Eugene Meltsner | Will Ryan |
| Tom Riley | Walker Edmiston |
| Bernard Walton | Bernard Walton |
Cast Organization
Maybe you want to create, or add to an episode's cast list, and you're wondering "Is there a certain format I should do this in?" Well, yes there is! Below, you will find the guidelines for how you should format and organize episode cast lists. It may seem daunting at first, but don't worry, take a deep breath, you'll get the hang of it.
Main Cast Guidelines
This is the main method of organization.
1. figure out who the three main characters in the episode are. This can be done by listening to the episode, or reading the summary. You will put the three main characters at the top of the list, led by the one who is more the star of the episode than the other two. For episodes starring Whit, Connie, and Eugene (Or another three characters) in basically equal main roles, you can group those top three by their appearances. So, for example, 1. Whit 2. Connie 3. Eugene.
2. See if there are any generic unnamed characters in the episode. For example, a waitress. These will go at the very bottom of the list in order of appearance.
3. Group minor named characters who only have a few lines in the episode above the generic characters. Since they only have a few lines, it may be difficult to decide who is the bigger minor character. Because their roles are so small, if you can't figure out a good order for them, just put them in order of appearance. It's not a big problem.
4. Now that you have the main and minor characters out of the way, it's easier to do the middle section, the supporting characters. Group them from biggest supporting character to smallest.
- A sample cast list may look like this:
- Or this:
Please see The Inspiration Station, Part 1 and Part 2 for examples.
Family Guidelines
This is for family episodes, such as an episode all about the Barclay family, Washington family, or Parker family. Group the family members in this way:
- 1. Father
- 2. Mother
- 3. Oldest Child
- 4. Middle Child
- 5. Youngest Child
- 6. Grandpa
- 7. Grandma
Add or subtract relevant family members as needed. Use this for episodes in which all or most of the family appears. The exception being episodes where there is an obvious family member who has a larger role than the rest of the family, such as Matthew Parker in "The Inspiration Station".
- A sample cast list may look like this:
Crazy Talented Actor Guidelines
These are the guidelines for when there are generic or small characters played by an actor who also has a regular role in AIO. For example, Eugene Meltsner is Will Ryan's main role in the series. There are many episodes where he will also play other, often one time roles. If there is an episode with Eugene, and a few other characters also played by Will Ryan, group all his other characters under Eugene in order of appearance. This is the one time when a generic character may not be at the bottom. This will also apply for other actors and their characters, such as Corey Burton and Bryan Dern.
- A sample cast list may look like this:
This is an easy way to quickly find all characters played by a pacticular actor in a single episode.
Ensemble Guidelines
If there is an episode that has a large number of characters, and you are unable to carry out the "Main Cast Guidelines", you can group the characters by their number of appearances in the series. If there is a family, such as the Parkers in the episode, keep them together, inserting them where the father would go in order of appearance. If two characters have the same number of appearances place the one that comes first alphabetically, going by their first name. Also, continue to group characters played by the same actor together. If there is a character with a single appearance and an unknown actor, put them at the bottom.
- A sample cast list may look like this:
This method will be useful but please don't rely on it too much. Please attempt the "Main Cast Guidelines" before you resort to this.
All these methods may seem overwhelming at first, but you'll get the hang of it after a while. Thanks a lot, and have fun!