Tipsy Casting

Peter Lawson is a seasoned entertainment industry professional who has collaborated with some of the biggest names in directing, producing, and acting. He worked with our very own Jenn Presser on the film "ALICE" starring Keke Palmer and Common. Lawson got his start with First Look Pictures, Miramax Films, and The Weinstein Company, and has worked on several high-profile films, including The Iron Lady, Killing Them Softly, Spotlight, and John Wick. Today, he runs his own production company called Steel Springs Pictures, with ALICE being the company's first film. The movie premiered at Sundance and was released by Roadside Attractions and Universal Pictures, and Lawson and Jenn could not be more proud. In this episode, the two reunite alongside Jess to discuss the challenges, frustrations, and joys of working in the entertainment industry today.

— Peter's Career as a Producer

— Strikes & Mergers

— Working with A List Actors

— Getting Films Made

— The Lack of Mentorship & Risk Taking

— Moving to Australia from Los Angeles

— Film Festivals & Selling Projects

— The Downfalls of the Hollywood Model of Selling Scripts

— Budgets, Financing, Profits, and Costs

— How Streaming Changed the Industry

— Communicating with Agents/Managers

— The Indie Film Space

— The Best & The Worst of Working with Actors

— Finding the Right Actors & The Right Scripts

Episode Resources:

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In this episode, Jess and Jenn explore the ins and outs of casting's relationship with producers. They share compelling personal anecdotes of producers who had their back during the casting process, as well as ways that producers could have been a bigger ally to Casting Directors in pre-production. They also give their advice on what aspiring Casting Directors should include in their contracts so they aren't taken advantage of, including consulting deals, active casting deals, and a right of first refusal.

— The Impact of Producers on a Casting Director's Career

— Qualities of the Producer & Casting Director Relationship Dynamic

— Positive Support from Producers during Casting

— Casting The Force Awakens

— Packaging Projects

— Saying Goodbye to a Project's Creative Team

— Giving Producers Feedback

— Indie Filmmaking vs. Studio Projects

— Getting Something Greenlit

— Negotiating Contracts & Being Willing to Walk Away

— Putting Consulting Deals and Active Casting Deals Together

— Contract Non-negotiables

Episode Resources:

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Jenn recently attended the Cannes Film Festival for the first time and has plenty to share about her experience. Jess also opens up about her own festival experiences, and the two discuss all the different ways to approach festivals — including networking, pitching projects, attending panels, and connecting with fellow filmmakers. They explore the importance of forming connections with industry professionals and making genuine friends in the process. Tune in to get a Casting Director's perspective on the world of film festivals, why they are hidden gems, and what to expect when attending events like Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, and other major festivals that happen every year.

— Attending Film Festivals

— Networking at Festivals

— Casting Actors & Securing Financing

— Supporting One Another's Work

— Panels & Parties

— Seeing Fans, Industry Professionals, and Celebrities

— Representing Casting Directors at Festivals

— Plans for the Future & Staying Engaged in the Industry

— Which Festivals Jess & Jenn Look Forward to Attending

Episode Resources:

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Eleanor "Elle" Cairns is a Talent Manager/Agent at 42 Management & Production, a fully integrated management and production company with offices in London and Los Angeles. The company produces film, television, and content, and represents actors, writers, directors, comedians, presenters, producers, casting directors, and media book rights. In this sit down with Jess and Jenn, Elle discusses the current climate of the industry, the differences between the UK and the US in terms of agents and managers, and what actors need to know about getting representation in both countries.

— Elle's Journey to Becoming a Talent Manager

— Agents and Managers in the UK Market

— Finding New Talent

— How US and UK Reps Work Together

— The UK Casting Director and Agent Dynamic

— The WGA Strike's Impact Overseas

— Spotlight, Breakdown Services, and Casting Networks

— Stories About Actors and Boundaries

— Why Get a US Agent as a UK Actor, and vice versa

— Pitching Clients

Episode Resources:

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⁠Visit the official Tipsy Casting Website and join our newsletter to stay up to date with all the Tipsy Casting news! ⁠

Welcome to Tipsy Casting, the podcast where we take our drinks seriously and our life in casting even more seriously. Unfortunately, we don't have a full episode for you today due to some scheduling conflicts (what, with Jenn being at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time and all), but we promise to be back soon with more exciting content.

In the meantime, we want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite cocktail recipe that you want to share? We're looking for new drinks to try and feature on our social media and in our upcoming episodes. Head over to our website, https://www.tipsycastingpodcast.com/ or check us out on Instagram @tipsycasting for more information on how to submit your recipe and have your cocktail featured on our show. Cheers!

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In Part 2 of this 3-Part series on Tipsy Casting, Jess and Jenn are breaking down the casting life. In this episode, they sit down with Manager Louise Keshaviah worked with Gersh as a talent agent for 10 years and moved to Echo Lake Entertainment where she is now a manager. With her cup of coffee in hand, Louise sits down with Jenn and Jess to learn about why she made the decision to be work on the representation side over the casting side, how she looks for talent in the post-pandemic digital age, and what she is doing to break down the gatekeeping nature of the industry.

— Wine of the Week

— Louise's Start: From Casting Intern to Agent to Manager

— Working at Gersh Talent Agency for 10 Years

— Choosing the Representation Side over Casting

— Shifting from Agent to Manager & Defining the Difference

— What Louise Looks For In Talent

— Keeping Up with Clients through Self-Tapes

— Industry Gatekeepers

— Social Media & Actors

— Talent Crushes

— Changing Markets

Episode Resources:

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You may know Brigitte Muñoz Liebowitz from her work on People of Earth, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cigarette Candy, Abby's, Diary of a Future President, and One Day at a Time. A prolific writer, producer, and showrunner, Brigitte joins Jess and Jenn to talk openly about the current Writer's Guild of America strike, which started at 12:01 am on May 2nd, 2023. They touch on what Brigitte feels are some of the key demands of the strike, why she is so proud the Writer's Guild, and when she thinks the strike might conclude. Brigitte also shares her journey from producer to staff writer to showrunner, how she advocates for diversity and representation, and what her experience with casting is like.

— Brigitte's Wine of the Week: The AMPTP

— A Lifelong Pursuit of the Art & Getting That First Writing Job

— Being a Half-Latina, Half-Jewish Writer

— The Writer's Room Hierarchy

— Agency Campaign of 2019

— Responsibilities of a Strike Captain

— Key Demands of the Writer's Guild

— When & Why The AMPTP Might Start Listening

— The Disaster of Mini Rooms

— Artificial Intelligence

— Support from Other Unions

— Casting & Representation

Episode Resources:

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In Part 1 of this 3-Part series on Tipsy Casting, Jess and Jenn are breaking down the casting life. They are opening the curtain on all things Casting Director related, and inviting their listeners in to learn more about the casting process within the ins and outs of the industry. In this episode, they discuss the relationships between Casting Directors and agents or managers, cultivating a decades-long career, and what they wish agents would do better. They even shout out some actors who blew them away, and give us a handful of their favorite agents and agencies.

— Casting Director and Agents & Managers

— A Casting Director's Agent

— Indie Films: Funding & Finding Coverage

— Attachments and Name Talent

— Cultivating Potential in Actors

— Producer Credit

— A Business of the Bottom Line

— What Happens when Your Rep Fights For You

— The Long Game

— The Actor-Agent Relationship in the US & the UK

— What Agents Could Do Better

Episode Resources:

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Christopher Chung is an Australian native who relocated to the United Kingdom in early 2012. He has worked in theatre, film and TV, alongside institutions such as the National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, and various stages on the West End. From Heathers the Musical on the stage, to Horizon Forbidden West in voice over, to Slow Horses on your Apple TV+ screen, Christopher is a prolific working actor. Today he joins Jenn and Jess to discuss his journey, booking a series regular role, and how the industry in the UK differs from the industry in the States.

— Diversity in Casting

— Choosing London as a Home Base

— Australia vs. United Kingdom vs. United States

— Transitioning from Musical Theatre to Film/TV

— Booking Slow Horses

— Staying Grounded

— Being Married to an Actor

— The Process of Casting Commercials

— Meeting Nina Gold

— Casting Stories from Producer's Sessions

— Choosing Sides for Auditions

Episode Resources:

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Jess and Jenn sit down with their wine of the week in hand to dissect everything that is going on in the casting community. The recent controversy with self-tapes and Casting Directors has caused an industry upheaval, affecting Casting Directors both small and large. With so many projects going to the same select high-volume casting offices, they tackle the issue of qualifying for health insurance and being able to provide for one's associates. They also open up about the tremendous amount of workload being put on casting associates these days, and how that lack of proper support and compensation may eventually lead to the death of the art of casting itself.

— Casting Directors & Self Tapes

— Breaking Down the Casting Process

— The Generational Divide in Casting

— The Role of the Studio Executive

— Gatekeeping Projects

— Health Insurance

— Losing Clients Despite Long-Term Relationships

— Indie Films

— The Workload of Casting Associates

— Losing the Art of Casting

— The Above the Line Hierarchy

— Discovery Stories: Star Wars The Force Awakens + American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules

Episode Resources:

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Learn More About Jess & Jenn's Casting Journeys

Get Casting Life Away Merch here!