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As co-founders of Soulstice Casting, the first casting company to be run by two Black women, casting directors Jazzy Collins, CSA and Kaymie Mattison are on a mission to champion stories of marginalized individuals in the media. Between them, their casting credits include Survivor, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Love is Blind, Married at First Sight, The Circle, Love Island, and Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrls, which garnered Jazzy a historic Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
Soulstice Casting continues to promote diversity in the media while always staying on top of the ever-evolving world of casting. Long gone are the days of mailed-in tapes and open casting calls. Casting has grown more personalized, and social media platforms and Zoom collaborative calls have become the new frontier for casting. Despite the changes, the duo maintains that at the end of the day, casting is about connecting with the person on the opposite side of the screen.
In this interview, we go inside the casting “Zoom” with Jazzy and Kaymie as they discuss the new landscape of the business, a typical day as a casting director, and their company, Soulstice Casting.
Did you both always know that you wanted to be casting directors? Was there a specific show that inspired you to pursue this profession?
Jazzy: I didn’t even know casting was a career choice! I went to Quinnipiac University for film and the positions that were always talked about were Directors, Producers and Cinematographers. It wasn’t until I went in for an interview for an office production assistant for a game show called Let’s Ask America and was offered a casting assistant position that I heard about the casting profession. I started working there and haven’t looked back.
Kaymie: I studied culinary arts, sociology, and legal studies before I fell into casting. My plan was to be a lawyer but after some familial coaxing, I ended up in the casting world. My mother is a professional singer so it was only right I ended up in entertainment. I can gleefully say that I’ve always been a TV junkie, since I was very young. MTV was everything and shows like Made, My Super Sweet 16, Real World, Punk’D, and Cribs were everything to this 90s/2000s kid.
What is the casting experience like? Does it stay relatively the same or vary from project to project?
Kaymie: Casting is ever changing. The early days were mailed in tapes and open casting calls. I started on the tail end of that, street recruiting. Casting has become more personalized and also steadfast in the way we produce the talent. Every project calls for a different version of the producer. If it’s a deep, emotional show – you have to get up close and personal with talent. With game shows, it’s light and fun! At the end of the day, you must always be able to connect with whomever is on the other side of the screen.
What has been your favorite part of starting and co-founding your business, Soulstice Casting?
Jazzy: My favorite part of running Soulstice is being able to collaborate with others who are also very passionate about casting; both Kaymie and I love our jobs. Soulstice Casting is the only casting company run by two Black women, and that’s been important to our story. We will always continue to champion for stories of and by marginalized individuals that are so often overlooked to be shown on our TV screens.
What responsibilities fall under the Casting Director role that our readers might be surprised to know?
Kaymie: Great question! Readers may not know that casting directors utilize many social media outlets to find our great cast members. We constantly utilize all social media platforms in our search for talent. Potentials, look out for those random DMs, it could be your big break! We also create our own marketing materials, make deals with management, run background and psychological evaluations. Safety and support is #1 for casting. Casting is like the walker before you take your first steps.
Is being a casting director a collaborative, or independent experience? Does it vary and if so, do you prefer one way or the other?
Jazzy: Casting is a very collaborative experience from the start. Once one of our Casting Producers meets with a potential cast member, they present them to Kaymie and I. From there, we pitch them to the production company and network. Many believe the casting team has final say in who gets selected – that isn’t the case! We discuss decisions with the production company and network that’s involved, and while we’ll always push for those who we think are best for the show, they make the final decision.
What does the typical day as a casting director look like?
Jazzy: Our days have changed quite a bit since the pandemic. Instead of being in an office and having in person auditions we have fully switched to being virtual. All of our meetings are via Zoom or on the phone. We love to start the top of the day with a team Zoom meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page for our current project. The team consists of myself and Kaymie as Casting Directors, followed by our Casting Producers, Casting Associates, a Manager and a Casting Editor. We then go into auditions with potential cast members, meetings with production companies and/or networks, and round out our day working side by side with our casting editor to make sure the tapes we present are coming together.
How do casting directors handle disagreements on who to cast?
Kaymie: I wouldn’t honestly say we have disagreements with who to cast. With clients, they typically start out with specific requests and tend to broaden their horizons to see what’s out there. So for the casting directors, we like to provide the specific requests first and then provide some options they didn’t originally think would fit the bill. So even if there’s opposing opinions on cast options, we still say “why not submit them, they could be perfect!”.
What advice would you give to any aspiring casting directors?
Jazzy: If you’re ever in a room with colleagues you look up to, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Even if you think they’re stupid questions! There’s always room to grow in spaces you think you’re an expert in and there’s no better way to learn than by picking someone’s brain.
Kaymie: Network, network, network! Any and every event could be your chance in meeting the right person to break into the industry. Be prepared with your contact information. Dare I say, even have some business cards ready! Social media is everything nowadays, even in the casting world. Make sure you have a professional social media page on all platforms. I’ve even found some amazing aspiring casting directors on TikTok!
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Thank you for reading! You can learn more about Soulstice Casting on their website.
