Auditions for the new Star Wars film began in Bristol at the weekend where thousands of hopefuls stood in the rain to be seen. Casting directors met around 2,500 people over the weekend.

The queue however was closed before the auditions officially opened as more people turned up than anticipated. Around 2,000 were turned away, with tensions running high with some. Josh McGrillen told BBC News that the whole process was a “complete mess” and that only those who had queued “obscenely early in the morning” were seen. “Some sort of pre-application process should’ve been used because some people travelled from afar and forked out just to get to Bristol,” he said.

Hayley Mogridge said her son queued in the rain for two hours before he was refused an audition. He then spent money on a hotel with his student loan in the hope of making the Sunday session. It is not clear whether he was seen the following day.

Producers Lucasfilm has responded by offering auditions through a video application to those who were not fortunate to be seen. Applications can be submitted through Cast It Talent.

Publicist for the film company, Barbara Gamlen said 75 people on Saturday received call backs to meet producers, with the same number expected from the Sunday session.

Further open auditions are to be held in Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and London in the next few weeks.

What are your thoughts on mass open auditions? As a professional actor do you find them soul destroying? Are they engineered purely for the press attention? Or do you think this is just another sign of the future in how producers will look for new talent now? Have your say below: