WEBVTT - THE SAS AUSTRALIA CASTING SECRETS 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:01.720 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.800 --> 0:00:03.640 TV Reload the podcast last week. 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:07.520 Am I how would I describe a television set, oh 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:11.160 Man from a headline grabbing point of view, the hack 0:00:11.280 --> 0:00:13.720 producer me says one hundred percent put him in. 0:00:15.000 --> 0:00:18.400 Welcome back guys to TV Reload. My name's Benjamin Norris 0:00:18.400 --> 0:00:21.079 and on this podcast I go behind the scenes with 0:00:21.160 --> 0:00:22.720 the biggest players in television. 0:00:23.040 --> 0:00:25.799 Yeah, great questions. The show's about the game. There's a 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:28.400 lot of great television out there in Australia. 0:00:28.440 --> 0:00:31.000 But I've also got to go behind the scenes with writers. 0:00:31.120 --> 0:00:33.280 The truth is, when I started writing it, it wasn't 0:00:33.360 --> 0:00:36.560 had nothing to do with the news and casting agents they. 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:39.000 Know from a casting point of view what they need. 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:41.320 And editors because that's what we do as editors where 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:45.919 storytellers them. Not to forget some incredible executive producers who 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:48.959 are making some of the best TV content in Australia. 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:51.400 I have been on the program since the beginning and 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:53.440 it's kind of in my DNA. 0:00:53.640 --> 0:00:56.080 So thanks for joining me each week and I hope 0:00:56.080 --> 0:00:59.360 the podcast continues to give you real insight into the 0:00:59.400 --> 0:01:02.680 magic of tee. This week on the show, I have 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:06.360 special guest Kirsty de Valance, who is a casting genius. 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:09.680 Kirsty runs a cast of thousands which has cast some 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:12.920 of the biggest reality shows in Australia and is currently 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:16.360 working for screen Time Australia. Kirsty would have to be 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:18.800 one of the most sought after creatives in the country 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:21.200 and I have to say that every one of the 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:23.800 people I spoke to leading up into this chat talked 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:27.280 about her empathy, her intelligence and an ability to unearth 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:30.480 stories at a level that most people could only ever dream. 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:33.920 You might recognize her name from her work on reality, 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:37.679 factual and documentary shows like Big Brother, Master Chef, Playing 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:41.040 It Straight, The Bachelor, Farmer Wants a Wife. But today 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:44.920 we'll focus on Channel seven smash Hit SAS Australia. The 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:47.760 seven network is of course about to launch the second 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:50.920 series of SAS on Monday, the tenth of September at 0:01:51.000 --> 0:01:52.920 seven point thirty, and all eyes will be on the 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:55.880 seventeen celebrities who will face some of the most toughest 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:58.600 challenges at the hands of an elite team of ex 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:02.240 Special Forces soldiers. These celebrities will be cut off from 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:05.240 the outside world at a secret base in a harsh 0:02:05.280 --> 0:02:09.000 but spectacular terrain where they will eat, sleep, and train 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:12.600 together in punishing conditions with no allowance made for their 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:16.320 celebrity status, age or gender. As they are subjected to 0:02:16.440 --> 0:02:22.560 extreme physical endurance, sleep deprivation, interrogation and psychological testing, these 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:26.080 celebrities will be pushed beyond their limits. Kirsty and I 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:28.680 will also talk about how to stand out in casting, 0:02:28.960 --> 0:02:33.000 how celebrities get picked, will the industry run out of celebrities, 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.880 and the backstory to her amazing career. However, let's get 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:40.240 started with today's guest. I'd like to welcome to TV Reload. 0:02:40.480 --> 0:02:41.639 It's Kirsty de Valance. 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:45.960 When I am casting, I'm looking for celebrities that might 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:46.640 have a story. 0:02:46.760 --> 0:02:50.639 In the Special Forces, you're expected to have physical fitness. 0:02:50.800 --> 0:02:52.200 You have to be an open book and you have 0:02:52.240 --> 0:02:53.480 to be vulnerable. 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:55.200 If you think the Olympic tools tough. 0:02:55.720 --> 0:02:58.560 We change people's lives in a weird sort of way. 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:00.880 We need to see these sausages try to meet through 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:01.679 sees true. 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:04.120 Personally, I don't want to see people like that on 0:03:04.280 --> 0:03:04.920 something like. 0:03:04.840 --> 0:03:07.480 This SAS Australia. 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:10.440 Thank you were talking about SAS and our ill Flator 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:11.360 trip to New Zealand. 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:13.480 Hi, Kirsty, how are you. 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:15.720 I'm very well, Thanks Benjamin. 0:03:16.639 --> 0:03:18.200 Well, welcome to TV Reload. 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:19.400 You know, I was on the phone to you the 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:22.280 other day and you were saying you were wondering when 0:03:22.320 --> 0:03:23.560 I was going to call you and make you do 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:24.320 this podcast. 0:03:24.760 --> 0:03:26.920 Indeed I was. I thought, Oh, come on, this is 0:03:26.960 --> 0:03:28.880 You're into second series and you haven't called me in 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:30.840 the first series. I'm very upset. 0:03:31.040 --> 0:03:32.040 Well spoiler alert. 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:34.600 I had a couple of people talking about casting, and 0:03:34.680 --> 0:03:36.640 you know, I didn't want to do casting every time. 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:39.480 So if you look at it this way, you're the 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.760 first casting person really for series two. 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:42.839 So it's a coup. 0:03:42.960 --> 0:03:45.560 Well, thank you. That makes me feel feel very special. 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:48.280 Today we're going to be talking a lot about television 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:51.440 and the thing that really fascinates me, and that is casting. 0:03:51.560 --> 0:03:53.960 And you know, you've been working and casting for so long, 0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:56.760 which is so elusive, and everyone wants to know about it, 0:03:56.840 --> 0:03:59.120 and you kind of hold the keys, so you're happy 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:01.440 to open up and seat of reveal how casting happens 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:02.000 on television. 0:04:02.160 --> 0:04:04.600 Absolutely, throw the questions at me and I'll do the 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:05.280 best I can. 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:08.040 You know, what is one thing that makes a person 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.160 stand out above the rest? 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:12.960 Is there a trait that people commonly might have. 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:15.400 It's a silly thing, but it is just a feeling 0:04:15.400 --> 0:04:17.840 when someone walks in the room. I still remember one 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:20.159 of my first big shows when I first started a 0:04:20.160 --> 0:04:22.839 cast of thousands. One of my first gigs was The 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:24.960 Mole when it came back and we were doing it 0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:27.600 was The Mole Live. To this day, I still remember 0:04:27.680 --> 0:04:30.479 Liz Cantor coming in and she's in a green T shirt. 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:34.480 She's playing green green T shirt jeans, and she's just 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:37.039 someone I will always remember from that moment that she 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:37.880 walked in the door. 0:04:40.680 --> 0:04:43.719 Los Cantor with the latest breach reports every Friday and 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:44.400 Saturday night. 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:45.159 It's a tough job. 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:49.520 Someone's going to do it, lo and behold, she ended 0:04:49.560 --> 0:04:51.280 up winning The Mole and going on and having a 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:54.159 lovely career in television just because of that green T shirt. 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:56.599 All of these people are going to be turning up 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.799 to auditions from now on green T shirt. 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:02.320 Yeah, it's just one of those weird things. It's just 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:04.880 something to It's the idea of first, you know, just 0:05:04.920 --> 0:05:07.560 standing out in something about you. You know, And I 0:05:07.640 --> 0:05:10.600 do bang on about and I've always banged on about authenticity. 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:13.760 I think a lot of people can't maintain the kind 0:05:13.800 --> 0:05:16.280 of character that they've come in thinking that you want 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.320 to see as a casting person. It wears off very quickly. 0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:21.839 I mean your perfect example would be a Big Brother 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:25.279 audition where you're there for hours. It's not like you 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:27.520 just walk in and do a quick audition. You are 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:30.200 being observed for hours and end and you see people's 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:32.920 energy levels change or you know, you think they're this 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:36.839 person and you know they're being watched and you see 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:39.560 a different part of them come out. So it's an 0:05:39.560 --> 0:05:42.039 interesting thing just to see people who are going to 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:43.200 maintain being authentic. 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:44.839 I think you kind of still have to have the 0:05:44.920 --> 0:05:45.600 human element. 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:49.720 Look absolutely you do, and it's just looking at personalities 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:53.200 that you think can maintain or maintain whole series. I mean, 0:05:53.240 --> 0:05:55.440 that's the thing. You don't want twelve of the same 0:05:55.920 --> 0:05:58.680 types of people. It'll make boring television. 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:02.200 Is there a personality trait that you particularly like, you 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:05.520 know that you are looking out for that is something 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:09.279 that in your mind goes that always makes a good 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:10.839 reality TV contest. 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:12.960 I think there has to be layers on them. And 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:16.279 when you say that the backstory, it might not be 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.279 that someone's had cancer, or someone's gone through an absolute 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.560 massive tragedy, But there's always something for me. It's like 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:25.520 the bus driver is an interesting person because they would 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:28.200 be seeing different people and they would be observing people 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:31.240 every day, so there's something interesting about them and their job. 0:06:31.440 --> 0:06:33.400 I guess for me, a lot of people's jobs are 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:36.360 quite interesting. That can always get my attention straight away. 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:38.919 When you read about someone else's jobs, they also my 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:42.240 job's interesting, But I actually find other people's jobs interesting. 0:06:42.400 --> 0:06:45.080 So that's something that jumps out straight away. 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:46.200 Right, What else am. 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:48.240 I looking for? I hate saying it because it just 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:50.599 sounds like you're not giving it a proper answer. But 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:54.240 there is always an X factor. There's always just something 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:56.560 that you cannot put your finger on it until you 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:58.480 get to know them and you walk out of an 0:06:58.480 --> 0:07:00.920 interview or a meeting in you go, gosh, I really 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:03.240 like that personal gosh, that person was like the sand 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:05.440 in the oyster. They're going to be great because they're 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:09.239 going to be that sort of disruptor. It's a quality 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:12.280 of the X factor, that weird quality that you just 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:13.200 know you know. 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:16.360 I would imagine that being good at casting has a 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:19.920 lot to do with reading between the lines. What makes 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:22.840 you do you think really good at being able to 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:25.640 read between the lines? I mean, I have done a 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:28.000 lot of research on you and listen to a podcast 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:32.360 today about your life story, and I thought to myself 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:35.640 while listening to your life story, which we won't go 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:39.320 into all of today, but I can imagine something to 0:07:39.400 --> 0:07:42.960 do with your upbringing and your experiences have. 0:07:43.040 --> 0:07:44.200 Helped you read people. 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:45.920 But a couple of words in your mouth, you know, 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:48.480 you've got to say what beautifully Benjamin. 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:51.920 Look, No, I honestly feel that that is a big 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:55.280 part of where I have come from to how I 0:07:55.320 --> 0:07:57.240 got into this, into this job. I mean, I fell 0:07:57.280 --> 0:07:59.840 into this job anyway. It wasn't something. It wasn't even 0:07:59.840 --> 0:08:03.000 a thing called reality TV casting when I first started 0:08:03.000 --> 0:08:05.960 in television all those years ago. Yeah, look, I grew up. 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:09.160 I'm a girl from the Central Coast. I'm Bogan. I 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:11.120 still live in the suburbs now. I don't live in 0:08:11.160 --> 0:08:13.640 the you know, I'm not an Eastern Suburbs girl by 0:08:13.680 --> 0:08:16.400 any stretch of imagination. I live in the Burbs and 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:20.880 I like watching people. You get to see how people interact. 0:08:20.880 --> 0:08:23.640 And I'm not in the bubble of say a bonder 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:26.200 where you know a lot of the beautiful people live. 0:08:26.480 --> 0:08:29.680 I'm up in the northern suburbs of Sydney where it's 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:30.640 all sorts of people. 0:08:30.800 --> 0:08:30.960 You know. 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:33.560 It's a funny thing my mom. As you're aware that 0:08:33.600 --> 0:08:36.079 my mom passed away when I was sixteen. My neighbor 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:38.560 after she died, and my neighbor had said, your mum 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:41.400 always had an affinity with people, and I feel that 0:08:41.400 --> 0:08:43.240 that is something that track with me. I've always had 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:45.840 an affinity with people, and I guess that's back too. 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:48.360 I think that's why I do read people well. I 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:51.000 have a good sixth sense about people, not in that 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:54.160 psychic kind of way, but just a knowing of people, 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:56.839 you know, knowing what, yeah, what makes people tick. I 0:08:56.920 --> 0:08:58.760 guess I should have been a psychologist. I would have 0:08:58.800 --> 0:08:59.400 been paid. 0:08:59.280 --> 0:09:00.880 Well, have been as much fun. 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:04.000 That is very Actually, you can't really sit back as 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:07.640 a psychologist and well go onto YouTube and see how 0:09:07.640 --> 0:09:08.760 they're going these days. 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:11.120 You know, when you think about these people. 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:13.040 You've cast over the years, you probably think to yourself, 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:15.400 I wonder what that person's doing and just type it 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:17.240 in and you can reconnect. 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:20.280 Yeah, it's funny. I do. I do always wonder about that. 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:23.520 I mean, I've been around for gosh twenty odd years 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:25.760 on things and one of my first projects and I 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:27.920 wasn't casting on it. I was, I guess a production 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:32.920 assistant at the time, and that's scandalous. 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:36.720 The fans anxiously wait for the climax of the show, 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:41.760 their favorite Australia's number one get single Me Myself. 0:09:41.320 --> 0:09:41.400 And. 0:09:45.000 --> 0:09:47.000 You know, they were the second lot of pop stars 0:09:47.160 --> 0:09:50.640 and I was very, very involved in their lives for 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.200 eighteen months and I got to go on. Actually it's 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:55.880 our twentieth anniversary this year. And see how I say we, 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:57.920 It's like I was like the mother hand. It's like we. 0:09:58.200 --> 0:10:00.200 I was with them every step of the way. You know, 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:03.000 we toured the UK and things together and it's been 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:06.439 wonderful to follow their careers over the twenty years, and 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:10.439 you know, different ways that their lives have gone. So 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:12.760 you know, they're one of many that I feel like 0:10:12.760 --> 0:10:15.640 I've got a connection with. And I was, yeah, I do, 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:18.959 wonder how do they go? Like Master Chef for example. 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:20.599 You know a lot of the first few series of 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:23.720 Master Chef, we were very involved with the casting and 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:27.520 it's just amazing to see we change people's lives in 0:10:27.559 --> 0:10:29.440 a weird sort of way, you know, by you know, 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:31.880 just by reading their bio and then you know, going, yeah, 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:33.640 I think I'd like to meet them at the audition, 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:36.840 to then seeing them do their cook off at their 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:39.960 first audition, and then going to michelin stas you know, 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:43.000 restaurants and things and they're cooking and following their passions. 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:49.560 So it's very exciting. Master Chef definitely changed my life. 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:51.199 I've had my own cooking. 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:56.520 Shows, written books, started my own business. It was just 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:59.480 that electricity in the Master Chief kitchen. 0:11:02.120 --> 0:11:04.240 Well, backtracking on something you said as well, I think 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:06.480 is so vital when it comes to what it is 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:06.959 that you do. 0:11:07.240 --> 0:11:08.079 I love the fact that. 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:10.200 You can own that you're a bogun, but that also 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:12.360 that you're living in the suburbs and you're living with 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:15.280 the people that watch the television, which means that you're 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:18.360 not living in some strange society where you don't understand 0:11:18.559 --> 0:11:20.319 the people that are going to be watching Free to Wear. 0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:23.280 You know, you're living amongst it, which means that that's 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:25.520 some of the best voyeurism. 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:29.360 Absolutely, and it's quite funny because I use my sisters 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:31.800 wouldn't mind me telling you this, but they love television, 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:34.200 and you know, there's been times where I've rung them 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:37.080 about a potential host for a show. And one of 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:40.440 the big ones was when we end up changing the 0:11:40.520 --> 0:11:43.360 host of The Biggest Loser from AJ and you end 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:45.360 up going with Kaylee Lewis. And I remember having a 0:11:45.400 --> 0:11:47.920 chat with my sister and talking to her about some 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:49.679 thoughts of who we were looking at, and it was 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:52.040 just sadly to hear her she just thought Hailey was 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:55.040 the best person for the job because everyone loved Hailey. 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:57.240 And then she came on and she was She was 0:11:57.400 --> 0:11:59.560 a much loved presenter for that series, and I think 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:06.280 she was a wonderful edition. Hi everyone, Hi, welcome to 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:12.839 Today's Wayne. Yeah, I use my sister sometimes there's a 0:12:12.880 --> 0:12:15.439 bit of a barometer of what's out there and what's happening. 0:12:15.559 --> 0:12:17.280 So and they've been pretty spot on. 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:20.240 Actually, she's going to call your sister tomorrow and be like, 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:21.559 I was listening to this podcast. 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:23.120 Apparently I got a job because of you. 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:26.760 So how did you. 0:12:26.760 --> 0:12:28.560 Get into casting, because I know that you got a 0:12:28.600 --> 0:12:30.760 job at Channel nine early days when you were starting 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:31.240 in TV. 0:12:32.600 --> 0:12:34.880 How did you get into this casting and find out 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:36.640 that this was your superpower? 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:38.920 It's a funny. It's a funny. So yes, I started 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:41.640 at nine and I worked in facilities, so I was 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:44.440 booking in at the time. You know, VHS takes to 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:47.800 be recorded and so at Channel Army had a number 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.679 of productions happening and it was quite a busy little 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:53.120 beast to call it the factory. It was a lot 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:55.599 lot going on and I just helped in the facilities 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:57.360 and operations side of it. That was that was my 0:12:57.440 --> 0:12:59.960 very first job in the industry. And then I moved 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:04.160 over to special projects and one of the jobs was 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:07.720 for a documentary series called The Waiting Game, and it 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:10.680 was where we were going to follow ten overweight people 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:13.280 as they went on a weight loss journey. But they 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:16.160 did different types of diets and different ways of how 0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:18.640 they Vandaloo's weight. And that was my first sort of 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:21.400 job as casting. But I the researcher, so that was 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:23.000 what you called it in the days. It wasn't There 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:25.840 wasn't a casting person. It was just did research and 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:28.240 you found people to do the show. And this is 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:31.640 well before the internet, young people, and you know, you'd 0:13:31.640 --> 0:13:34.440 have to send letters or you know, you'd make phone 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:37.439 calls and you'd have to wait for information to come 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:40.120 in by mail and crazy things like that. I think 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:42.959 we had ms doss so you couldn't you couldn't email it. 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:47.280 It was all letter writing or faxing actually, So that 0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:49.520 was the start. And then I moved across and did 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:53.280 another show where I was like a research or associate producer, 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:56.240 a show called Playing It Straight, which was a really, 0:13:56.440 --> 0:14:00.920 really horrible show. You can say that, I can say 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:02.920 that now and at the time, you know, at the time, 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:05.160 it was like, well this is it's a bit controversial, 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:06.880 but it's still I just still shake my head now. 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:08.439 I think I can't believe we made it. 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:11.120 Tension viewers. 0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:14.520 The male contestants in this program may be lying or 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:19.280 misrepresenting themselves at all times, including in their interviews. 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:22.920 We had an American producer come over and he was 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:26.080 serious producing it, and I found the cast and again 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.560 thinking that was his research, and he said, look, if 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:30.880 you're in the state, she'd be the casting director. And 0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:33.440 I was like, what do you mean. So that was 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:35.360 kind of a plan of the seed. And then I 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:37.600 think within a year and a half I'd created a 0:14:37.600 --> 0:14:41.040 cast of thousands and it's been going for what sixteen 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:42.160 seventeen years now. 0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:44.320 I think I've been on a date with someone from 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:47.680 that series. Ooh, and that's a really bad because it 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:49.680 sounds really rude. But I'm pretty sure my partner and 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:50.880 I both went on a date with this. 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:57.760 There's only what eight of them that you could choose 0:14:57.760 --> 0:14:59.120 from her really because it was hard too. 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:02.600 Was named John O what may have been? Oh god, 0:15:02.640 --> 0:15:03.800 I feel so bad. 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:07.920 Anyway, Now I'm forty one now, so I'm old, and 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:10.360 it was probably twenty years ago, right, do you know 0:15:10.440 --> 0:15:11.200 what it was? 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:14.560 And it's funny because I'm still friends with beck who 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:17.200 was the main girl, and Simon who was one of 0:15:17.200 --> 0:15:19.480 the boys on the show, who's still a very dear 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:22.720 friend now, which has not really it's actually really nice. 0:15:22.800 --> 0:15:24.840 And then here we are, But what point did you 0:15:24.840 --> 0:15:27.640 want to start? You know, your company a cast of thousand. 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:30.600 Look, it was just timing. I don't know, it just came. 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:32.240 It just was like, I think it was the right 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:34.680 place at the right time. Sort of took the leap 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:36.640 of faith that I could do it, and you know, 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:39.160 within a few months I was given the mole. I 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:42.240 ended up doing the first celebrity Survivor again way back, 0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:45.720 was one with Bobby and Guy Leach and so I 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.280 did that, and then the Biggest Loser came along, and 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:52.160 that again another life change, life changing thing for the business. 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:54.600 At that point, my husband was in He was a 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:58.000 creative services guy in an advertising agency and he didn't 0:15:58.080 --> 0:16:00.240 like it, and we just had kids and he was 0:16:00.360 --> 0:16:02.600 hating going in and out into the city and back 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:05.360 and not seeing us. And just one day I said, 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:07.680 and I was bringing other people in to do some 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:10.400 sort of subcontracting to me, and he was like, why 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:12.920 are we paying other people? I could do this. So 0:16:13.000 --> 0:16:15.800 then he kind of quit his job and we went, shit, 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.600 what have we done? And then literally, I think within 0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:21.520 two weeks we had Biggest Loser, we had Master Chef 0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:26.200 and World Strictest Parents. So it kind of exploded into 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:28.320 a business that was crazy and we got to employ 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:31.400 other people and it was you know, it's been chuggling 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.040 along ever since. It's you know, we've had up and 0:16:33.120 --> 0:16:35.560 up and down times, but we've cast some pretty amazing 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:38.480 shows and I've been really lucky to have traveled all 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:41.520 over Austronia meeting people from all walks of life. 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:43.840 Isn't it funny where you say to yourself, oh shit, 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:46.880 It's usually when something really amazing ends up happening. 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:47.400 It's funny. 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.440 It's those times where you take a massive gamble and 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:53.560 sometimes it pays off. And I do tell people sometimes 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:55.520 you need to have the leap of faith if it's 0:16:55.560 --> 0:16:58.880 in line with something that you're truly passionate about, because 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:01.280 if you're truly passionate about it something you know you'll 0:17:01.320 --> 0:17:01.600 make a. 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.960 Work absolutely absolutely. And look, some days you think, oh 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:06.959 what am I doing this for? And you know, and 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:09.320 you work. You don't sleep at night sometimes because I'm 0:17:09.320 --> 0:17:12.120 worried about gosh, I haven't set that person that document, 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:14.520 or this person's jumping on a plane tonight, and oh, 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:16.919 my good goodness that they have they made that flight. 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:19.240 And you know, I take a lot of things personally, 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:21.159 which a lot some people may not, but for me, 0:17:21.240 --> 0:17:23.159 it's like everything has to be done. This, you know, 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.280 has to be right, and if it's not, I'm the 0:17:25.359 --> 0:17:26.560 panicker and a worrier. 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:28.800 People love that about you, though, because when I was 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:32.679 doing the research for this, that's something your social intelligence 0:17:32.680 --> 0:17:36.200 and your empathy and your emotions, that's part and parcel 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:38.200 of who you are, and that is why people want 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:40.280 to work with you. Sometimes it's good to be a 0:17:40.280 --> 0:17:42.200 little bit emotional and be connected. 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:48.359 Oh absolutely, I've definitely cried in front of do we 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:51.439 talk about Says and our Ill Flavor trip to New 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:54.120 Zealand that was that definitely was me putting my heart 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:55.320 on my sleeve. That's for sure. 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:57.440