The Casting Director Association (CDA) Awards have become a highlight of the year for us at Backstage. We’re proud to showcase an industry body that’s tirelessly pushing for a safer, fairer and more diverse commercials casting, and the awards are a great opportunity for performers to get to know the movers and shakers in casting. As with previous years, 2020’s winners are the casting directors (CDs) going the extra mile and working on bold original projects with the best creatives around. Backstage caught up with the winners to get into their process and find out what makes an award-winning casting. Here’s the rundown:
Anna Stark, Stark Casting
Best Casting of a UK Commercial: M&S “Go Jumpers for Christmas”
Anna Stark worked with her long-time collaborator, the acclaimed music video and ad director Jake Nava, on this bold and memorable commercial for M&S. She says working with Nava is “always epic” and that “he trusts me in sourcing great talent to fulfil his vision,” adding: “It was a big cast, featuring old and young, but all had to have some sense of rhythm, creating a vibe and energy to make an upbeat, fun, put-a-smile-on-your-face Christmas ad. I love this because it’s full of diversity which is so vital to show in mainstream advertising. We as CDs have to champion inclusivity and the true beauty of the diversity in our world. It also really helped that the music was Jump Around by House of Pain, as that’s just the best tune!”
Kate Evans, Kate and Lou + Ro Casting
Best Street Casting: National Lottery “25th Celebrations”
Kate Evans reveals how much effort goes into great street casting for this moving ad: “It took five weeks, with a team of assistants working tirelessly. We cast over 150 people from across the UK, it took a lot of organising but we met some incredible people with amazing stories.” As chair of the CDA, Kate’s been talking to members throughout lockdown and reports that “we have all given each strength and support through difficult times.”
Why Actors Need to Know the UK’s Casting Directors Association Kharmel Cochrane
Best Casting of Film and Drama: “End of The F**king World”
Open Media: Water Wipes “This Is Parenthood”
The brilliant Kharmel Cochrane took home two awards, one for a powerful short film with Water Wipes, and a well-deserved gong for the casting of cult series End of the F**king World. She tells us: “It feels great to be recognised by my peers. Often, casting is such a thankless task so it’s wonderful to have a pat on the back for all of the hard work we put in.” Speaking of End of the F**king World, Kharmel says: “The award is super cool because it took so long. It was six years from the pilot – even though we had Netflix on board, we didn’t have any money. And it was hard to convince agents. The director was known as a commercials director and people can be snooty about that. Loads of the actors came from a commercial background, even in the second series. So, this award really means something – it was a real labour of love.”
Anna Kennedy
Best Casting of Online Commercial: Teva Hairspray “Act of Love”
Best Casting of Charity/Public Awareness: Anthony Nolan “Anthony Nolan”
Anna was another CD picking up two awards, and she spoke about the challenges of both projects, foremost being working with small budgets and directors with a big vision. Both castings required self-taping, bringing actors and non-actors for recalls, and making both feel relaxed and comfortable working together to deliver “natural, subtle, and believable performances.” But it was all worth it to Anna and her team, who “discovered some fabulous new talent in the process.”
Ali Coffey, Ali Coffey Casting
Best Casting of an International Commercial: Vodafone Ireland “The Joy of Connection”
Ali describes how casting this beautiful Vodafone commercial meant leaving no stone unturned: “The older male age group can be difficult to cast, but eventually Gary Lilburn came to mind and we had a strong feeling he’d be perfect.”
4 Casting Directors on How To Get Cast During COVID-19 Sue Odell
Best Casting of Short Film: “My Brother Is A Mermaid”
Best Children’s Casting: “A Short Film In F Major”
Industry legend Sue Odell was honoured twice, and she states her hope that both projects “show my pure love for actors.” And after feeling “totally unrecognised” despite 35 years of casting projects, Odell says: “I’ve gone unmentioned in awards ceremonies, often for award-winning campaigns that are literally just the faces of extraordinary subjects I’ve found! It’s heavenly to be recognised by a group of wonderful casting directors who I’m proud to call my friends.”
Jody Furlong, The Eye Casting
Best Casting of Stills Campaign: Tena “Tena Woman”
Jody Furlong, who you may recognise from BBC Three series Find Me A Face, picked up an award for his stills campaign for Tena. He admits this particular casting was “really simple, great brief, great client, great choices,” adding: “At The Eye, we have always prided ourselves on pushing for diversity and this campaign personifies that. It was a perfect job for us.” But, as with the other CDs, he is grateful for “an acknowledgement of all the hard I've put in over the years in an industry where we don’t often get any acknowledgement.”
And perhaps echoing the sentiment of all nominees, he says: “Being nominated by my peers for a campaign I’m very proud of is special.”
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