I was working as a Youth and Community Drama Facilitator Assistant with a local theatre company called Blue Elephant Theatre. I used to help run drama sessions for the community and schools. I was the middle man between parents and the theatre.
It wasn’t something I saw in my career at first but I always knew I wanted to work behind the scenes in the industry and the more I looked into casting I really enjoyed the things I was learning about. Being the first point of contact with actors is something I always wanted to do and casting gave me that. It felt cool being part of the first steps of the film and TV stages. The idea of looking at the TV and knowing that the cast was picked by me and a team was cool.
Doing it for the three months at the beginning of the year confirms this is something I wanted to do actively and progress in it for a long time but who knows what the future holds?
An understanding of how the process works, and that there is more to it than auditions, a lot more! I have gained a support system with the Kahleen Crawford, Suzane Smith and Kharmel Cochranes teams, and in doubt, I can call them to always help me out. I gained a lot of respect for casting directors because I feel like they are one of the most unseen but vital parts of the process.
The best part was the auditions, of course! As acting was my first love and watching actors is something I love! So working with actors was amazing because seeing it live is like a dream come true. Also emailing famous actors’ agents for avails! Little old me emailing Daniel Kaluuya’s agent and calling on first-name bases was so surreal!
The worst part, well I think we can all say FastCapture and CastIt! Just the downloading and when it doesn’t work. I do love it but how it can take long!
Well during the internship, I went to Kharmel Cochrane and was offered a job to join her team. Hearing that it is not normal to be offered a permanent position in a casting office this early in someone’s career, I am grateful and absolutely love it. Don’t get me wrong it gets hard at times but I’m so grateful for this opportunity and the doors it has opened for me and everyone I have met on this journey.
I really want to say thank you to the team at Kahleen Crawford for being my first office and giving me the foundation to carry me through the internship I truly believe if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have gotten the job with Kharmel.
I want to say thank you to the team at Suzanne Smith. I really enjoyed my time at the office with all the life lessons to navigate my career in casting and all the Outlander knowledge I got, so I started watching it!
Lastly, Kharmel Cochrane, well for giving me a job! All jokes aside, thank you for always hearing me and allowing me to be my quirky and wonderful self. I’m enjoying myself a lot with the team.
Want to give a BIG shoutout to Ri McDaid-Wren! Who was my point of contact throughout the process and who helped me with everything. She has been patient with me with my slow replies but always there.