When Brittany Sullivan transitioned from marketing into casting, she brought with her a sharp eye for talent and a love of strategy. Today, as Casting Director at Drescher Visuals—a creative video agency known for its standout branded content—she combines both every day.
Her recent work was on a comedic, high-energy commercial centered around a young family searching for the perfect neighborhood. The concept called for a believable, engaging cast: a lead child aged 5–10, two parents, and background kids to round out the setting.
And the client needed them fast.
“Backstage helps us connect with the right talent faster than any other platform,” Sullivan said.
“It’s miles ahead of the competition when it comes to ease of use.”
A platform built for pace and precision
Drescher Visuals frequently works under tight timelines, so Sullivan needed tools that were intuitive, flexible, and efficient. Backstage delivered with a streamlined interface, rich filters, and tools to help find and manage talent with ease.
“From standard filters like hair color and ethnicity to more niche options like unique skills or keywords, it makes finding the right talent incredibly efficient,” she said. “I’ve cast everything from rock climbers to Leonardo da Vinci look-alikes using those tools.”
Building a believable world
The project called for a full cast that felt cohesive and authentic. Through Backstage, Sullivan and her team cast:
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Ava Threat as the lead child
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Keith Chatman as David, the father
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Kiandra Richardson as Kelly, the mother
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Trey Russell as a neighborhood kid
“The talent search features on Backstage make it so easy to zero in on exactly what we need.”
Casting on the go
Sullivan also credits Backstage’s mobile app as a key part of the production workflow—especially for her producer, who was often on set and needed to review submissions and communicate on the go.
“Since we work closely together on talent logistics, the app makes it easy for him to stay on top of communication wherever he is.”
Another standout feature for Sullivan is the ability to invite talent to apply for roles, an essential tool for keeping a long-term casting pipeline warm.
“Sometimes someone isn’t the right fit for one role, but with just a few clicks, we can reach out when something more aligned comes along,” she said. “It’s been a game-changer.”
The result: A charming, well-cast commercial
With a well-matched cast and fast-moving workflow, the Drescher Visuals team was able to bring their concept to life with style.
Want to see the final result? Check out the commercial here.
“Do it!” Sullivan said when asked what she’d tell someone considering Backstage. “It’s like having casting superpowers… minus the cape. You’ll wonder why you ever tried to wrangle talent any other way.”
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