Kinetic Content, the Los Angeles-based production company that created the smash hit Netflix reality dating show “Love is Blind,” announced a casting call in the Twin Cities on their Instagram account on March 29.
“Attention all SINGLES!!! Kinetic Content casting is back at it and accepting Love Is Blind applications from not one, but three cities,” the caption read. The post quickly went viral among Twin Cities 20-somethings.
In addition to the Twin Cities area, producers are scouting for “brave” and “open-minded” singles in Washington D.C. and Denver.
If you’ve opened Netflix in the past three years, then you’ve probably heard of “Love Is Blind.” Contestants go on dates with each other and can get engaged, but, you guessed it, they can’t see each other’s faces.
In a release of their internal viewing statistics for the first quarter of 2020, Netflix reported 30 million households tuned in to the series. It ranked alongside “Tiger King” and “Outer Banks” in the holy trinity of Netflix’s early lockdown binge content.
Now, truth be told, I’ve only seen 15 minutes of the first episode before I fell asleep, so I wouldn’t call myself an expert on the show. Technically, I’m not even old enough to apply; applicants are supposed to be 21 years old, and I’m still 19.
But, with the extreme national popularity of the show and its recent local virality, I decided to dive into the application.
The application
The lengthy application, consisting of more than 70 questions, seems straightforward at first.
It starts off easy and asks for things like your name, birthday, hair color, occupation and links to your social media accounts. It felt like a slightly invasive job application, but nothing too out of the ordinary.
The questions quickly take a turn, morphing from short and sweet to longer and more complex. If you thought applying would only take a few minutes out of your day, you would be wrong, especially if you want your answers to be thorough.
“Why do you think you are single? What are your thoughts on the dating scene in your city? What has been missing emotionally from previous relationships that you hope to find through this experience?” are just a few examples of questions.
Worst of all, they ask if you have any religious, ethnic or cultural “dealbreakers.”
The casting team also asks you to submit a video of yourself explaining why you are ready to find love on the show. The only requirement? The video cannot be longer than 15 seconds.
Obviously Kinetic Content doesn’t have time to sit through hundreds of long videos, but I was shocked they asked such an intricate question with such a short time limit. If I was actually interested (and legally allowed) to apply, I would be hard pressed to fit everything I’d want to say in that small of a time frame.
Absurdly, the application asks you to submit pictures of your face and full body. Normally, this wouldn’t surprise me for a reality dating show. However, I thought it was a little ironic how a show called “Love Is Blind” has multiple questions pertaining to appearance. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why the show features few plus-sized women.
In fact, everyone in the cast is conventionally attractive. Netflix casts often fall under glossy and conventional beauty standards (think “Outer Banks”), but it’s just a lame shortcut to money. If love truly was blind on this show, it would be interesting if Kinetic Content also couldn’t see the applicants before casting them, but alas, no dice.
If you’re looking for love and want to apply for the show, the application is still open. Who knows? You might just meet “the one.”
