Speaker 1: Welcome back to TV Reload. My name's Benjamin Norris, and
Speaker 1: on this podcast, I'll be going behind the scenes with
Speaker 1: the biggest players in television. On this episode, I have
Speaker 1: Holly Bryer, a casting specialist who you would meet in
Speaker 1: the initial casting process when applying for a role in television.
Speaker 1: Chances are if you've applied for reality TV, you've probably
Speaker 1: had a zoom chat with her as shares help cast
Speaker 1: people right across all major television networks. Holly has a
Speaker 1: degree in TV production and understands being in front and
Speaker 1: behind the camera, which gives her the perfect insights into
Speaker 1: finding the right cast for the shows that she's been
Speaker 1: hired to work on. Holly works across reality TV and
Speaker 1: TVCs and knows exactly what the producers are looking for.
Speaker 1: Getting hired right across the bigger shows in television might
Speaker 1: sound like hard work, but with Holly's disarming personality, she
Speaker 1: can gather all the right information to move you up
Speaker 1: and down the ladder in the selection process. With more
Speaker 1: people wanting to be on television than ever before, it's
Speaker 1: fascinating to know some of the dues and don't when
Speaker 1: applying for upcoming programs, and Holly has a masterclass in
Speaker 1: the works, which today's episode is really just a teaser four.
Speaker 1: So I'd like to welcome you to today's guest. It's
Speaker 1: Holly Bryer.
Speaker 2: I just want to hear your story. I just want
Speaker 2: to hear about you. Google boxes are that and I
Speaker 2: don't really care about what you look like if you're
Speaker 2: having a bad day.
Speaker 1: The new season of Old People's Home for four year Olds.
Speaker 2: Be as honest, be as open, because it makes my
Speaker 2: job easier. Welcome to the Amazing Rights to Australia. So
Speaker 2: if I have to pitch you to the EPs or someone,
Speaker 2: I want to get as much information as possible. As
Speaker 2: long as you're putting good, you're feeling confident, all goes
Speaker 2: in the herhor and I don't want to manipulate you
Speaker 2: at all, but that's not my job.
Speaker 1: How are you mate? Are you well?
Speaker 2: I am very well, very excited to be chatting to you. Ben.
Speaker 2: We're finally making this happen.
Speaker 1: I know. I'm so excited. You have cast the likes
Speaker 1: of have MERRITI first side Australia has got Talent, Secret
Speaker 1: Life of four year Olds, Goggle by your House Rules
Speaker 1: the living Room? What shows out of those do people
Speaker 1: want to be on the most? Oh?
Speaker 2: Gosh, to be honest, I feel like it's the dating shows.
Speaker 2: I feel like people want to go on the dating
Speaker 2: shows the most. I think because it's less risk, it's
Speaker 2: a bit of fun, and then when they come off it,
Speaker 2: they can leverage off their exposure. But that's what I
Speaker 2: find people want to do most is the dating shows. Yeah,
Speaker 2: I think everyone wants to find love. I think everyone
Speaker 2: wants to find that fairy tale if you could find
Speaker 2: your person on national television. I mean, I mean I
Speaker 2: do it?
Speaker 1: Would you?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Knowing what you know?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Maybe not.
Speaker 1: I understand. I believe him for love and first sight.
Speaker 2: Hopefully tonight I'm going to meet the girl I'm going
Speaker 2: to marry.
Speaker 1: His ability to endure is well known. That's lucky for
Speaker 1: the survivor.
Speaker 2: That definitely makes it hotter, Like what can this guy
Speaker 2: not do?
Speaker 1: But can he survive a mansion full of beautiful women?
Speaker 2: Ready? Oh? Not a bad rook? Perfect package. He's so
Speaker 2: cool if he is sexy.
Speaker 1: You know. What I've come to realize is that people
Speaker 1: who want to be on TV aren't usually the best
Speaker 1: people for TV. Do you think that's true?
Speaker 2: Now? Look, I feel like we live in a society
Speaker 2: where everyone wants to be known, everyone wants to have
Speaker 2: a voice, everyone wants to be heard, everyone wants to
Speaker 2: be famous. And I think reality TV has opened up
Speaker 2: such a platform that anyone can be on TV. It
Speaker 2: doesn't really matter your background. You don't need to go
Speaker 2: to acting school. You could be on Home and Away
Speaker 2: and just do one stint on the batchy. So anyone
Speaker 2: can do it, and I think that's what people love
Speaker 2: about it, where they can be somebody.
Speaker 1: I think that there's definitely some truth in that. You know,
Speaker 1: they say that casting is crucial to all shows. What's
Speaker 1: the time though, where casting's gone bad? In your mind?
Speaker 2: It's really hard for me because I obviously do the
Speaker 2: casting process, but then I hand it over to story
Speaker 2: producers and they kind of run with what's going to
Speaker 2: happen thereafter. But I think sometimes when I have someone
Speaker 2: in mind, I'm casting them like they'd be great for X,
Speaker 2: Y and Z, and it doesn't quite work out for
Speaker 2: them is because they've fooled meat in the process and
Speaker 2: they haven't really been themselves, so they've become someone else.
Speaker 2: Because I think, oh, this is what she's gonna like,
Speaker 2: I'm going to be the person that won last year,
Speaker 2: but that's not really what we're looking for. So then
Speaker 2: over time, you know, episodes in, they're suddenly not that
Speaker 2: person that I first spoke to because not being themselves.
Speaker 2: So that's usually what happens, and then it's a bummer
Speaker 2: for us. People are like, oh, you're not as funny
Speaker 2: as we thought, or you're not the villain, or you
Speaker 2: really want to find love. Oh that's a bumber shame.
Speaker 2: So that's usually what happens. That's why I'm always like,
Speaker 2: be yourself from the get go. Don't be anyone else.
Speaker 2: You've just got to own your quirks, your flaws, everything
Speaker 2: that you like dislike about yourself, because that will carry
Speaker 2: you through to the end.
Speaker 1: You know, for you and your brand, what is it
Speaker 1: that you're looking for with casting? Because you know, we
Speaker 1: hear the words authentic, we hear the words engaging, entertaining, polarizing.
Speaker 1: Outside of that or maybe inside of that, what do
Speaker 1: you look for?
Speaker 2: I want to know who you aren't very core, what
Speaker 2: makes you sad, happy? Why you want to be on
Speaker 2: the show. Don't give me answers that you think will
Speaker 2: get you on this show. Just I guess trust. You
Speaker 2: have to trust me, and then I'll believe you and
Speaker 2: then pass you on. So I think that's that's the key.
Speaker 1: It's the nuances, it's those human moments. Even if you're
Speaker 1: frustrated with a camera not working, be frustrated with a
Speaker 1: camera that's not working, that's truly you. That could be
Speaker 1: the human moment. You know, when we put a lot
Speaker 1: of pressure on ourselves, we're like, oh, I've got to
Speaker 1: say this and I've got to say that, and then
Speaker 1: they script it into their mind. You're slowly diluting the
Speaker 1: you know, the thing that's going to get you on there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and there's only one you. There is only one you,
Speaker 2: and you might not get on this year, but a
Speaker 2: lot can happen a year. Come back the next year.
Speaker 2: You might have got married, divorced, had a kid, lost
Speaker 2: a job, been through something health wise. Your story is
Speaker 2: ever evolving. Just keep going and don't take it to heart.
Speaker 2: I think people go, oh, she didn't like me, or
Speaker 2: I wasn't pretty enough, or I didn't do this, or
Speaker 2: I didn't say that, I wasn't funny. Who cares? I
Speaker 2: just want you.
Speaker 1: You might not remember. But On the Hills, which was
Speaker 1: this show, that was in Los Angeles. It was a
Speaker 1: reality show. There was this moment with Heidi Montag where
Speaker 1: she's sitting there talking to her mum after she's had
Speaker 1: all this plastic surgery, and her mum says to her,
Speaker 1: why did you do this to yourself? There's only one
Speaker 1: Heidi Montag, and you've gone out of your way to
Speaker 1: just look like everybody else.
Speaker 2: It sounds to me like you want to look like Barbie.
Speaker 2: I do want to look like Why would you want to.
Speaker 1: Look like Barbie? To everybody else that saw you, you
Speaker 1: were Haidi.
Speaker 2: Nobody in the world could have looked like Hadi Montag.
Speaker 1: And that was a real moment for me because I
Speaker 1: truly understood that. I think there are so many people
Speaker 1: in this world that will hold up this archetype as
Speaker 1: to who they think they should be and how they're
Speaker 1: going to be the most liked. And then all you're
Speaker 1: really doing is simplifying yourself, you know, because we've seen
Speaker 1: it before.
Speaker 2: Yes, for yourself, and look if it is the Bartox
Speaker 2: and it is the Barbie. Look if it is those things,
Speaker 2: then do it. But aren't it? Yeah, that's your thing? Awesome?
Speaker 2: I love that.
Speaker 1: How do you know people are being dishonest? Are you
Speaker 1: able to work out certain mannerisms because you've been doing
Speaker 1: this for a while and working on some of the
Speaker 1: best shows in Australia, can you pick up on things
Speaker 1: that make you think, oh, okay, this person might be
Speaker 1: being dishonest.
Speaker 2: I do have a pretty good radar now. Yeah, I
Speaker 2: hate to say it too, like even in my personal life,
Speaker 2: like I'll pick up on friends and family that are
Speaker 2: being dishonest or something's going wrong, and I actually wish
Speaker 2: I didn't. I actually wish I was a bit naive
Speaker 2: to it. But I think you've got to be able
Speaker 2: to read someone. And I just love people and I
Speaker 2: love listening to them, getting to know them. And if
Speaker 2: I feel like there is a bit of it's not
Speaker 2: really who they are, or they're being a bit dishonest
Speaker 2: so they're trying to hide things, I don't feel a
Speaker 2: bit icky and I'll be talking to them and I
Speaker 2: probably won't be listening as much. I'll zone out. Yeah,
Speaker 2: with casting as well, like I do obviously a lot
Speaker 2: of digging, a little bit of social media stalking, which
Speaker 2: is part of the job, which I love. And if
Speaker 2: you tell me something and then I find on your
Speaker 2: social media that it's complete opposite. Yeah, you can't hide anymore.
Speaker 1: How much stalking do you do? Like, what's the first
Speaker 1: what's like alist that you have when when you log
Speaker 1: into someone's social media.
Speaker 2: Oh, I don't know how much I should actually say,
Speaker 2: but these days people do have everything quite public. So
Speaker 2: even on their Facebook, they'll have a lot of political
Speaker 2: views or things that they have opinions about and it's
Speaker 2: all public for everyone to see. And I guess that's
Speaker 2: something you know. Hot tip for you guys, maybe clean
Speaker 2: up your social media. If you want to be on
Speaker 2: a TV show?
Speaker 1: Can you tell if people? Can you tell if people
Speaker 1: are desperate for fame or not? You know, when you're
Speaker 1: sitting there in front of someone, can you go, Oh,
Speaker 1: this person's only in it for as you said, like
Speaker 1: the Insta followers or to be an influencer.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but again say that to me, tell me if
Speaker 2: you do just want those things, let me know and
Speaker 2: again own it. Like it's better to just say I
Speaker 2: want to grow my Instagram followers, or I really like
Speaker 2: to be an actor, or I really want to get
Speaker 2: my music out there, or I really want to find love,
Speaker 2: and then I want our wedding to be broadcast, national TV,
Speaker 2: whatever it be, be honest about it, and that works
Speaker 2: much better than trying to hide the fact that you
Speaker 2: might want to be famous or not.
Speaker 1: What do you reckon? The biggest mistake is that you
Speaker 1: notice when you're doing an interview with someone over zoom
Speaker 1: or watching an audition video.
Speaker 2: Oh god, some don't yeah, trying to be someone that
Speaker 2: you're not. It's just I'm just not I'm going to
Speaker 2: zone out. I'm going to see you right through it.
Speaker 2: So that's a number one thing for me. I think
Speaker 2: if you turn up and you are filming in your
Speaker 2: car or in your bathroom as a self tape, probably
Speaker 2: not really going to like that either. I'll probably put
Speaker 2: you forward if you're amazing but not ideal. So choose
Speaker 2: your location, not in a bathroom, not in a car,
Speaker 2: and just keep it simple, nothing crazy, messy. In the
Speaker 2: background in your bedroom if you've just got all your
Speaker 2: personal belongings close everywhere, drawers, I don't know, I don't
Speaker 2: really want to see that. Just tide the room up
Speaker 2: a little bit. Hot tip there, sunglasses. Don't wear sunglasses.
Speaker 2: I don't know why people do it. I don't get
Speaker 2: I really don't get it. Because I want to see
Speaker 2: your eyes, want to see the twinker. I want to
Speaker 2: see you smile unless you laugh. Don't wear sunglasses, don't
Speaker 2: wear a hat, don't wear a beanie, like, take all
Speaker 2: that off and just be you. Yes, I guess that's
Speaker 2: with zoom and the self tape. That's kind of a
Speaker 2: few tips. And don't over edit it. I find that
Speaker 2: lots of people put music and photos and texts and
Speaker 2: it's not an Instagram reel like I don't want to say,
Speaker 2: I don't see lyrics. Literally set your phone up, landscape
Speaker 2: you with a plane backdrop, and just talk to me,
Speaker 2: tell me your story. It's as simple as that. Definitely
Speaker 2: knowing your brand, knowing who you are, but that's case
Speaker 2: by case, Like I couldn't give you a magic formula
Speaker 2: to creating the best self tape or rocking up on
Speaker 2: the day, because again I have to talk to you
Speaker 2: individually and work out your strengths and weaknesses and what
Speaker 2: you could bring to the table. So everyone's different. But
Speaker 2: just some basic things like that, and keep it to
Speaker 2: one to two minutes, not too long, guys, not too short,
Speaker 2: and nothing up the nose.
Speaker 1: No one's ever been cast in the world with the
Speaker 1: angle up the nose. It's actually hilarious. You know, what's
Speaker 1: the hardest character archetype to cast in a series? You know,
Speaker 1: we often see that there's briefs for certain roles on
Speaker 1: a show. Do you find the hero, the villain or
Speaker 1: maybe the love interest? Like which which is the hardest
Speaker 1: to cast?
Speaker 2: I And to be completely honest, and I guess things
Speaker 2: will change. It depends who you're working with and what show.
Speaker 2: But I don't often get told to look for a
Speaker 2: hero or a villain. And I know that a lot
Speaker 2: of people think that that's what we're doing, but so
Speaker 2: many more layers than that, now, you know, And I
Speaker 2: don't often and if I am looking for that or
Speaker 2: usually it presents itself because if you are being who
Speaker 2: you are, then you'll show your villain tactics or your
Speaker 2: hero ways. But I'm never going out going, oh I
Speaker 2: need to find a villain today. Let me go and
Speaker 2: stalk on Instagram for villains. It just doesn't I don't
Speaker 2: cast like that anymore. I don't think anyone casts like
Speaker 2: that anymore. Hope not anyway. But yeah, if people present
Speaker 2: themselves and they I know, super bitchy or they're really
Speaker 2: opinionated or whatever they are. I think, yeah, maybe they
Speaker 2: might come across as the villain, but I don't often
Speaker 2: go searching for a villain or a hero, if that
Speaker 2: makes sense. The hardest brief I've had, because there's so
Speaker 2: many of them. It's going beyond just someone with a
Speaker 2: pretty face or just it's finding out what they've gone
Speaker 2: through and digging and yeah, finding that story, I think.
Speaker 2: And I think that's really hard and it could be Yeah,
Speaker 2: it can be quite heavy. Sometimes can walk away from
Speaker 2: work and go, wow, that was that was a tough
Speaker 2: day because I heard some really personal stories from people
Speaker 2: and yeah, does that make sense?
Speaker 1: It makes perfect sense. And I think that's the skill.
Speaker 1: That's the reason why you do what you do. I
Speaker 1: think is because you're an amazing communicator and but you're
Speaker 1: also drawn to story, you know, And I think that's
Speaker 1: so important when you're putting someone on television, is you're
Speaker 1: looking for someone who is open to sharing that story
Speaker 1: that other people can relate to. And you, as a
Speaker 1: person have to have that skill set to be able
Speaker 1: to allow people to open up like that. That could
Speaker 1: be hard, yeah, and.
Speaker 2: Not everyone's got that nice, pleasant fairy tale story and
Speaker 2: that and that is, Yeah, they're being vulnerable, and I
Speaker 2: guess I have to be a bit vulnerable myself with
Speaker 2: them and have empathy. Lots of shows I've worked on
Speaker 2: where there's been incidences where yeah, I literally have gone
Speaker 2: home in tears because I'm like, Wow, you are inspiring
Speaker 2: or you are amazing. I can't believe you did X,
Speaker 2: Y and Z so many times. And that's why I
Speaker 2: love what I do.
Speaker 1: I think what's interesting as well is this is something
Speaker 1: that's come up a lot from doing this podcast, but
Speaker 1: are people looking for validation and redemption by going on television?
Speaker 1: And is that okay?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean it's totally okay. I probably wouldn't want
Speaker 2: anyone to find validation in television, but I think if
Speaker 2: they've come to a point in their story or who
Speaker 2: they are and they're willing to share it with Australia
Speaker 2: or internationally wherever, the platform is amazing. If you can
Speaker 2: use your scars, hurts, whatever it is for the greater good,
Speaker 2: I'm all about that. And if your audiences moved, like
Speaker 2: I've received text messages emails from people before being like
Speaker 2: I've just watched this episode, I'm wearing tears. I can't
Speaker 2: believe this, I'm going to go follow this person, support
Speaker 2: that charity, whatever it is. It's such a good platform
Speaker 2: where people can share their story once they've gone through
Speaker 2: hardship and come out of it. So yeah, it's a
Speaker 2: good platform for that. But I wouldn't want to put
Speaker 2: any one on TV who's still healing from those things.
Speaker 2: I think that's yeah. I think you need to be okay,
Speaker 2: yeah too raw, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1: You know, we often see life cycles of characters. You know,
Speaker 1: someone comes onto a show and makes a huge name
Speaker 1: for themselves, and then for the next few years we
Speaker 1: see versions of that, you know, looking at Meretith First
Speaker 1: Sight for instance. Currently we're getting a lot of repeated
Speaker 1: personality types on that show. People are getting used to going, oh, well,
Speaker 1: I guess I'll throw a wine in someone's face. Are
Speaker 1: we at risk of repeating ourselves too much?
Speaker 2: I hope not, because then I'd be out of a job.
Speaker 2: But I hope. I hope that whoever's listening or if
Speaker 2: they want to be on TV, that yeah, you don't copy,
Speaker 2: and that you don't think that that worked last serious,
Speaker 2: so I'm going to do this same. I think that's
Speaker 2: the reason why there is a repeat is because the
Speaker 2: people that are applying, and maybe a smaller pool. I mean,
Speaker 2: I didn't work on the last years. I'm not sure,
Speaker 2: but the smaller pool is that it's a rinse and repeat
Speaker 2: because the people that have applied, I thought, well that
Speaker 2: worked last year, so I better send my audition tape
Speaker 2: and be the same, and then anyone that might be
Speaker 2: a little bit outside of the box is not applying
Speaker 2: or Yeah, I'm not too sure what kind of goes
Speaker 2: wrong there, but I do hope that people do stop
Speaker 2: copying because I guess it's also the risk of a
Speaker 2: TV show running drying and right, like if it's the
Speaker 2: same old people and people zoning out going. I've seeing
Speaker 2: that don't want to hear it. Did he instigate it?
Speaker 1: What do you think couldn't wait to get into it?
Speaker 1: Gonzo gonz Of?
Speaker 2: That Mate, that's disgusting. What do you do? Throw a
Speaker 2: bottle of wine?
Speaker 1: Like the chip couple of years ago? Like, mate, he's
Speaker 1: just a follower. So I said, it's a follower. How
Speaker 1: much information do you know that they can obtain from
Speaker 1: doing like a police check.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's more a product question, So obviously I'm
Speaker 2: dealing more with creative and casting. But it is a
Speaker 2: question that I do have to ask everyone that does apply,
Speaker 2: and obviously they can share. What do they want to
Speaker 2: share with me? It's always, I find kind it's always
Speaker 2: better to be completely honest and outfront because if you
Speaker 2: do go on a television show and there is a
Speaker 2: bit of bad or good publicity, it's bad. It's better
Speaker 2: that we know about it, that the network knows about
Speaker 2: It's that you're covered from the get go, and if
Speaker 2: there is something on your record, something has happened. Just
Speaker 2: it's better to be honest. It doesn't rule you out,
Speaker 2: but it's just yeah, it's better for you. It looks
Speaker 2: better on you anyway.
Speaker 1: What about people are wanting to apply for shows, but
Speaker 1: you know, they might have had a health issue, or
Speaker 1: they might have had a mental health issue in the past.
Speaker 1: I mean, again, they need to be open and honest
Speaker 1: with you when they sit down with you. But people
Speaker 1: still getting cast on television shows, maybe if they haven't
Speaker 1: had anxiety or they have had something happened to them
Speaker 1: in the past, how does that work with auditioning?
Speaker 2: Again, just to be honest, share what you're going through.
Speaker 2: I think the year that we've just had, I think
Speaker 2: a lot of people are in the same boat. I
Speaker 2: think it's so fine to share they've got a bit
Speaker 2: of anxiety, or you've had something in your life happen,
Speaker 2: health or family or friends or any human you know,
Speaker 2: we're real, so I think it's better just to share
Speaker 2: it with me. It's always noted on an application, and
Speaker 2: that's just a duty of care, and I think that's
Speaker 2: really important for us to do. And I think if
Speaker 2: anyone who wants to be on a show can rest
Speaker 2: assured that we are looking out for you during the process.
Speaker 1: So you obviously worked on Holly Molly. With some skill
Speaker 1: based casting, there is it harder to find people that
Speaker 1: have both the reality television chops and they have the
Speaker 1: skill set that you require.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's especially hard when I don't know the skill myself,
Speaker 2: Like I don't know how to play golf or mini
Speaker 2: golf or and I'm learning all about this stuff as
Speaker 2: I'm auditioning them, and they're like, who is this girl?
Speaker 2: Like is she even a professional? Like what has she
Speaker 2: been doing? But I'm learning in the process, which is great,
Speaker 2: So I have a genuine interest in you and what
Speaker 2: you're about. But yes, having someone saying with you know
Speaker 2: show like the Voice or AGT like you have to
Speaker 2: have the good talent, but you also then have to
Speaker 2: sing or you also have to dance or whatever the
Speaker 2: skill be, and that is really hard hard to find.
Speaker 2: So but I do enjoy them. I've worked on a
Speaker 2: few TVCs also with like animals and kids with people
Speaker 2: that need to be stand up paddle boarders with a
Speaker 2: dog on a paddle board. That was a fun one.
Speaker 2: So lots of things like that. It's a challenge. I
Speaker 2: enjoy it. But if you are looking to be on
Speaker 2: a show, then go and get some extra skills like
Speaker 2: you might be able to use them.
Speaker 1: You know, amazing race. How many people in Australia apply
Speaker 1: for that show.
Speaker 2: It's a lot, and that's full stop. I actually do
Speaker 2: not know how many people. And you've also got to
Speaker 2: remember because these shows that are coming back year after
Speaker 2: year applicants, I'm not sure if they're aware that you
Speaker 2: still stay in that system. If you're unsuccessful, you're still there,
Speaker 2: so reapply, do another video, but you could still be
Speaker 2: on the radar for a casting producer and we can
Speaker 2: go back and go to remember that person from last
Speaker 2: year they might be good for this year. So that's
Speaker 2: something to keep in mind. Especially with shows like The
Speaker 2: Amazing Race that they've been running for a few years,
Speaker 2: there's always an opportunity to get on the show again.
Speaker 2: So no, I don't even know the numbers, but I
Speaker 2: feel like I could never keep up with applications. There
Speaker 2: were so many, I think with those shows, because you
Speaker 2: don't have to be single, married, all the kind of
Speaker 2: prerequisites have it a talent or a skill anyone and
Speaker 2: anyone can apply and you can also apply with your
Speaker 2: mom or your brother or your son. So that's awesome.
Speaker 2: I think that's why people loved it and it's so popular.
Speaker 1: What's the process for that? So, like, let's just say
Speaker 1: the applications come in and they're written, and there's maybe
Speaker 1: a small video at that point, and then it gets
Speaker 1: taken down to the next number. Like if anyone's getting
Speaker 1: a personalized chat with the executive producer or the casting
Speaker 1: person like yourself, how close are they to actually getting
Speaker 1: on the show in.
Speaker 2: Terms of when you get on the actual show Again, Like,
Speaker 2: I'm coming from a casting producer perspective, so I'm doing
Speaker 2: the the casting process and the audition and the interview
Speaker 2: and getting to know you, but as it goes on,
Speaker 2: I am handing over continually handing over that work or
Speaker 2: that talent to story producers or EPs as it goes
Speaker 2: down the line. So yeah, that process. Beyond that, I
Speaker 2: don't get much of a say in. So then sometimes
Speaker 2: sometimes when I'm watching a show, I'll go, oh.
Speaker 1: What do you think about controversial casting? What do you
Speaker 1: think do you think that casting someone like Chappelle, Krby
Speaker 1: and Pete Evans do you think that casting works?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Absolutely, I think that's brilliant, and because their story
Speaker 2: is just lay it but there's so much in there
Speaker 2: and it's does the pot a little bit. It makes
Speaker 2: us think, it challenges us and it's not boring, So yeah,
Speaker 2: why not.
Speaker 1: Also, I think that deplatforming people isn't the right thing
Speaker 1: to do. I think sometimes we want to hear the
Speaker 1: story from the good, the bad, and the uncle, you know,
Speaker 1: because that's life.
Speaker 2: Absolutely yeah, And I think as long as they're ready
Speaker 2: to take whatever comes their way, whoever it is, whoever's
Speaker 2: putting their hand up p Evans or whoever it is,
Speaker 2: obviously they will be haters. But there's haters in your
Speaker 2: life if you're not on TV anyway, So it's just
Speaker 2: a bigger platform. You're opening yourself up for people to
Speaker 2: have an opinion of you, so you need to be
Speaker 2: ready to hear those opinions or whatever. Switch it all
Speaker 2: off however you want to deal with it. But yeah,
Speaker 2: I guess you do have to be prepared and go here.
Speaker 2: I am what's and all?
Speaker 1: Do you think with dating shows? Are we looking for
Speaker 1: contestants that are going to get the happily ever after?
Speaker 1: Or do you think we're looking for the disaster?
Speaker 2: Oh, you're asking like a romana to get hart here,
Speaker 2: So that's really really hard. I think you need a
Speaker 2: bit of both. For television, I'm speaking from beyond casting.
Speaker 2: You need a mix. They all had that happy ending.
Speaker 2: You probably wouldn't watch a show and it was all
Speaker 2: designed show. So you need a bit of a mix
Speaker 2: of both. Not planning for that to happen to you
Speaker 2: when I'm casting you, because again Aimony, in that pre
Speaker 2: production phase.
Speaker 1: We often looking for people who go from zero to
Speaker 1: one hundred. When we're casting, Oh, I'm just looking for layers.
Speaker 2: I'm looking for different parts of you, not one dimensional.
Speaker 2: So yeah, from zero to one hundred great, But if
Speaker 2: it's just different sides of you that you're willing to
Speaker 2: open up to me to Australia. Fantastic because no one
Speaker 2: wants to watch someone who's flatlined during the whole series.
Speaker 2: It's just not going to last. You're going to be
Speaker 2: out episode one if you get that far. So yeah,
Speaker 2: just think about all the things that make you unique,
Speaker 2: make you different, make you stand out. Like I said,
Speaker 2: ask your friends how they describe you and times out
Speaker 2: by one hundred and put that in the self tape.
Speaker 2: You're good to go.
Speaker 1: You know, about this master class, because we're getting towards
Speaker 1: the end of this chat, but about this master class
Speaker 1: coming up for people out there that might be listening.
Speaker 1: What's something that they that you're going to teach them?
Speaker 1: What's or not something that you're going to give away now?
Speaker 1: But what's a good way to describe how good am I?
Speaker 1: And I think they would be fascinated to come and
Speaker 1: do your master class. So this is kind of an
Speaker 1: ad force.
Speaker 2: I love that, Thanks Ben. I am in the process
Speaker 2: of building that master class, so it could take some time.
Speaker 2: But I have had many people ask me, you know,
Speaker 2: what do I do for a self tape? Or where
Speaker 2: do I find out about castings or just simple dues
Speaker 2: and don't, so I think, you know, we'd tailor it
Speaker 2: to you as your personal brand as well. But we
Speaker 2: might go through self tapes dos and don't. I've highlighted
Speaker 2: a few of those. I guess when you get on
Speaker 2: a show, I can also give you some advice on
Speaker 2: how to deal with that and then when you come
Speaker 2: off a show, even though I'm not there during that process.
Speaker 2: It's just really important to kind of know how you
Speaker 2: can deal with it from start to end. But yeah,
Speaker 2: we can go through anything knowing you know your brand,
Speaker 2: self tapes, where to find out about castings, how to
Speaker 2: self submit. If you have an agent, do you want
Speaker 2: to get an agent?
Speaker 1: I tell people not to get an agent. People ring
Speaker 1: me all the time they've been on one reality show
Speaker 1: or they want to get on a reality show. They're like,
Speaker 1: do I need an agent? And I'm like, I don't
Speaker 1: think so, you know, I think an agent really in
Speaker 1: Australia is somebody who can do you know your contracts,
Speaker 1: that can work out your contract whence that happens. But
Speaker 1: there's no real point for an agent really unless you
Speaker 1: know so many contracts are coming in, you know what
Speaker 1: I mean after the fact. So, I mean I've definitely
Speaker 1: got picked up. A lot of people along the way
Speaker 1: have asked me how to get onto reality shows, and
Speaker 1: they've gotten onto them, and then afterwards they often say
Speaker 1: to me, they're like, oh, do I get an agent now,
Speaker 1: you know? And how do I get onto my next show?
Speaker 1: And it's like, oh, dear, you know, that's a complicated
Speaker 1: journey because you can.
Speaker 2: Just come off a reality show and go, well, now
Speaker 2: what And that's a really hard place to find, you know,
Speaker 2: find yourself in. So if I can help with that, amazing.
Speaker 2: And if it's an agent or if it's just building
Speaker 2: your platform, giving yourself more publicity, whatever way you want. Yeah,
Speaker 2: but I think even just from the original casting phases,
Speaker 2: just how to send in that self tape if you
Speaker 2: are doing a zoom or a skype with me, how
Speaker 2: to set it up if you're doing a going in
Speaker 2: for an audition, a face to face audition, how to
Speaker 2: approach that. Cleaning up your social media. We touched them
Speaker 2: a little bit to kind of and how to attract
Speaker 2: casting producers. If I, you know, if I'm looking for
Speaker 2: someone X, Y and Z, how can you make yourself
Speaker 2: more public on social so I can find you?
Speaker 1: The other day A really good friend of mine rang
Speaker 1: me and said, I've got this friend of mine who
Speaker 1: wants to do the new series of Big Brother and
Speaker 1: was like, you know, he has to make a video
Speaker 1: to send in. Can you catch up with him and
Speaker 1: tell him how to get onto a Big Brother? And
Speaker 1: I was like, okay, well, you're a good friend and
Speaker 1: I'm going to go and do this. So I caught
Speaker 1: up with this person not experienced, like you don't necessarily
Speaker 1: know how the casting process works for, you know, across
Speaker 1: the board. And I was sat down with this person.
Speaker 1: I'm like, what's your superpower? What's something that's really amazing
Speaker 1: about who you are? And he was like, oh, well,
Speaker 1: I don't really have it a thing except and he
Speaker 1: was like, oh, actually, when I was younger, I was
Speaker 1: a skater and now I'm just being training to get
Speaker 1: back into figure skating. And I was like, well that's amazing.
Speaker 1: I said, you know, this show is a skill based show. Now,
Speaker 1: It's not like sitting around cooking fish and chips like
Speaker 1: they o, you know the fish fingers that sarahm a
Speaker 1: ray with Burne and you'd laugh about it. I said,
Speaker 1: Big brothers now a skill based show, So talk about
Speaker 1: you know, you're growing up being a figure skate and
Speaker 1: then talk about getting back into it and your determination
Speaker 1: and have that be the story that you then your
Speaker 1: personality will actually be seen through just you telling that
Speaker 1: story and put that on video and good luck. And
Speaker 1: then I left and I thought, I don't know whether
Speaker 1: or not I gave this person the right advice.
Speaker 2: That's really you're stilling my job. I don't know how
Speaker 2: I felt about that, but yes, yes that was good advice.
Speaker 2: That's right. And you're right about knowing, like you said,
Speaker 2: having a headline or having a title, or who you are.
Speaker 2: It's knowing your brand. I guess it's the same with actors.
Speaker 2: I go for certain roles because you know, when we're
Speaker 2: watching a movie we can see them as that role.
Speaker 2: It's the same with reality. So just knowing who you
Speaker 2: are and your brand, whatever it be external, internal, crazy,
Speaker 2: pink hair, tattles, tattoos, all of your body, piercings, whatever
Speaker 2: it is, using that again and just magnifying it.
Speaker 1: My last question for you is the same question I
Speaker 1: ask everybody, and that is what's something from being in casting?
Speaker 1: That's a really funny story that makes for good dinner conversation.
Speaker 2: I was working on a dating show, and I was
Speaker 2: getting I was actually working on set with the talent.
Speaker 2: So sometimes I get to take them through the casting process,
Speaker 2: and sometimes I'll actually work on the production. Very very
Speaker 2: very rare these days, but some short, short contracts or
Speaker 2: short shows where I can be available, I will go
Speaker 2: do This is a dating show. And I was with
Speaker 2: one of the you know, the cast, and we're getting
Speaker 2: ready to walk into their dates. So I was just
Speaker 2: prepping them and warming them up and asking, you know,
Speaker 2: who they're hoping to me and how they're feeling, and
Speaker 2: you know, they were nervous and whatnot. We were all
Speaker 2: miked up, and you know, the EPs are in the
Speaker 2: other room waiting for the date to kind of happen.
Speaker 2: And that cast kind of asked me if I was
Speaker 2: single and to crack on to me. And the mics
Speaker 2: are open, and all I looking this little window and
Speaker 2: the EPs are there going rolling their eyes, going oh
Speaker 2: my god, and laughing of course. And yeah, that's when
Speaker 2: you have to just put on your professional hat, do
Speaker 2: you casting producer hats, and go anyway on you go,
Speaker 2: here's your date five. So that's that's happened before, and
Speaker 2: I it's quite funny. I have never mixed work with
Speaker 2: play at all.
Speaker 1: But now you're married to that guy.
Speaker 2: Yes, like I was his backup when like if the
Speaker 2: date didn't work out, then maybe I could date the
Speaker 2: producer and she could and it's never going to happen.
Speaker 2: I love you, support you, but no.
Speaker 1: You are a beautiful woman though, so I think a
Speaker 1: lot of people listening to this podcast right now they're
Speaker 1: going to go back to trying to find a photo
Speaker 1: of you to see when you look, like, oh what
Speaker 1: what does Holly look like? You know, to match with
Speaker 1: this story.
Speaker 2: I'm the biggest dag. Don't worry, I'm the biggest dag. Yeah.
Speaker 2: So yeah, that that's that's that's a funny one.
Speaker 1: Well, I just want to say this has been such
Speaker 1: an amazing opportunity to sit down and talk to you.
Speaker 1: I think one hundred in your element being able to
Speaker 1: meet people and find the right people for these shows
Speaker 1: because you disarm people, you make people feel comfortable, and
Speaker 1: I think that's the magic of being able to find
Speaker 1: the right people for these shows. So congratulations on the
Speaker 1: work that you're doing, and keep doing that and keep
Speaker 1: enjoying what it is that you do, because I think
Speaker 1: that's important, absolutely, But I can't wait to keep, you know,
Speaker 1: seeing these people come on the show, on these shows,
Speaker 1: and wondering if Holly has met them.
Speaker 2: Let's hope. So thank you so much, Ben for having
Speaker 2: me so I appreciate it