Outliers (book) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I've been in the business for just about half my life & Casting Solutions just turned 14, so it's no wonder many have mentioned this concept. Simply put it means success can be achieved as a synergy of cumulative hours & consistent action with intent. In my world it means staying in my lane & keeping it moving.
I'm definitely aware of this shift & I am un-phased every time I pass on a project which doesn't feel right. For about the last 6 months this practically happens weekly. I'd rather grow with indie filmmakers & be part of a creative team supporting a vision than stress over the corporate anxiety of a national commercial casting. I was never in this for the money, if that was the case I certainly chose the wrong profession. I am recognizing that along with the 10,000 hour theory, if you hang in there long enough & are passionate about the work, money does indeed follow.
I have streamlined & simplified all areas of my life including my diet (I've been freestyling a detox for about a month now, incorporating more organic & raw foods, yet mama still needs her AM coffee and trust me I will not turn down the platanos my Mom will make on Thanksgiving cause I ain't that stupid ). The day to day at the home office is streamlined with my clarity of vision & the increase of producing opportunities. I'm involved early on, way before the casting phase. I'm relying less on the breakdowns & being more selective about who comes into audition. I bring in actors with agents & without, union & non. Those of you with out websites or reels, I highly recommend you get them as they are used often as a pre-screen tool with clients. I prefer to work mostly on my own & rely on an amazing roster of interns when I need a support team. For those of you who love Cahill Connolly my long time associate as I do, like any good mentor I am filled with pride at her evolution. She will always be part of Casting Solutions but is coming into her own as an on set stylist and art director for many major commercial clients. I couldn't be more proud. She still takes the best head shots in town (www.cahillconnolly.com) as well as on set stills for several of the films Casting Solutions has cast & I've helped produce. A very cool recent moment was going on set for film that I was a producer/CD on & she was the Production Designer/Still Photogrpaher & Casting Associate, talk about a full circle.
The projects I'm accepting & the direction the office is going in is very creative & exciting. The films are all beautifully written & the production teams are bursting with potential. The nature of indie film is tenuous at best & I haven't been immune to projects falling apart & dealing with chronic emergencies. I accept this fact head on, knowing that becoming a bit of a "thugette" by default just makes me stronger. I'm also working on TV pilots with more out of state clients & 2 of my indie film directors are based in LA. The next horizon would be the international market so I can work from anywhere as a producer, consultant & instructor.
My passion for diversity & inclusion is stronger than ever & with a producer hat the message has even more impact where it matters most, with the decision makers. I still love teaching & shedding light on many of the illusions actors have about auditioning & what happens behind closed doors in production.
It is my hope you embrace your expansion & if you'd like to share it, please feel free to post it on the wall of the Casting Solutions facebook group page. I am so gratified that it has grown to 1,600 members worldwide, as a forum to share information as a virtual community. I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season with the anticipation that the best is yet to come for all of us. Love- Liz
