SAGindie’s Michael Sládek moderated a trio of panels for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s The Business series featuring tips and advice from casting directors, and you can now check out video highlights from each event below!
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Casting Masterclass with Kim Miscia
Casting director Kim Miscia (Mr. Robot, Mad Men) spoke at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in New York on November 20, 2024.
Kim Miscia is a New York-based casting director and a partner at Bowling/Miscia casting. After graduating from Georgetown University, Kim moved to NYC to pursue a career in casting for television and film. She apprenticed with legendary casting directors like Juliet Taylor on Shadows and Fog, Ellen Lewis on A League of Their Own, Gail Levin on Almost Famous and Vanilla Sky, and Ilene Starger on First Wives Club and Sleepy Hollow. In 2000, Kim moved to Los Angeles to serve as Manager of Casting at HBO films under Carrie Frazier. Upon her return to NYC, Kim partnered with Beth Bowling on a television series for Glenn Gordon Caron.
Today, Kim and Beth pride themselves on mentorship of their team – which include gifted long term associate casting directors Michael Rios, Josy Rodriguez, and Freya Krasnow, as well as talented assistants John Weicher and Bailey Reed. Career highlights include Medium, Gossip Girl, Shameless, Mr. Robot, Mad Men, Sleepy Hollow, Gotham, Dr. Death, The Flight Attendant, Blue Bloods, and FBI. Kim has enjoyed being an industry guest at Yale, Syracuse, NYU, Juilliard, and Rutgers and feels privileged to be able to help actors launch their careers.
Casting Masterclass with Allison Estrin
Casting director Allison Estrin (Inventing Anna, Mass) spoke at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in New York on December 10, 2024.
Allison Estrin is the recipient of the 2022 Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award for the film Mass directed by Fran Kranz along with casting partner Henry Russell Bergstein. Estrin and Bergstein were nominated for an Emmy in 2021 for their work on Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix Limited series Inventing Anna. Allison cast all 7 seasons of the hit series Billions on Showtime, and in 2016 was instrumental in casting Asia Kate Dillon as the first non-binary actor playing a non-binary character in a lead role on Television. Allison also cast the popular series The Other Two on HBO Max, Bupkis starring Pete Davidson on Peacock, Super Pumped and The Loudest Voice on Showtime for which Russell Crowe won the Golden Globe in 2020 and is currently casting along with Bergstein the new FX comedy series Adults.
Allison’s casting work is often represented at every major film festival, she has cast such prestigious films as Black Bear starring Aubrey Plaza and Chris Abbott; Small Engine Repair starring Jon Bernthal; Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore in her Academy Award winning performance; Z for Zachariah starring Margot Robbie and Chris Pine; Win Win directed by Tom McCarthy and starring Paul Giamatti; and Compliance directed by Craig Zobel and starring Ann Dowd. She previously worked with the Casting Directors Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee on such prolific films as Winter’s Bone, The Help, Pitch Perfect, Dallas Buyers Club, and the TV series Inside Amy Schumer. Allison got her start working for the legendary Broadway casting office Binder Casting where she was a part of the revival of A Chorus Line and Gypsy starring Patti Lupone.
Casting Masterclass with James Calleri
Casting director James Calleri (Love Life, Dickinson) spoke at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in New York on December 18, 2024.
James Calleri is one of the leading casting directors in the country and has given first jobs to some of New York and Hollywood’s greatest actors including Elisabeth Moss, Adam Driver, Jessica Chastain, Sterling K. Brown, Kieran Culkin, Rosemarie DeWitt, Rainn Wilson, and Jeremy Strong to name a few.
Broadway casting credits include The Piano Lesson with Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington, Topdog/Underdog starring Yayha Abdul Mateen II and Corey Hawkins, Burn This starring Adam Driver and Keri Russell, Fool for Love starring Sam Rockwell and Nina Arianda, Hedwig and the Angry Inch starring Neil Patrick Harris, The Elephant Man starring Bradley Copper and Patricia Clarkson, Of Mice and Men starring James Franco and Chris O’Dowd, A Raisin in the Sun starring Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad, and Venus in Fur starring Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy. Television credits include Love Life (HBO Max), Queens (ABC), Dickinson (Hulu), The Path (Apple +), Lipstick Jungle, Army Wives, Monk, Hope & Faith, and Ed. Film credits include Another Earth, The White Countess, Heights, The City of Your Final Destination, and Trouble Every Day. James is the author of Acting Professionally: An Essential Career Guide for the Actor. He is an Associate Professor and co-heads the MFA Acting program at Columbia University in New York City.
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Moderator Michael Sládek is a filmmaker whose feature-length credits include the docu-comedy Con Artist, the narrative comedy Devils Are Dreaming, and the documentary BAM150. He’s also made numerous award-winning short films, music videos, branded content, industrials, and live theater pieces. Currently serving as the NY Consultant for SAGindie, Sládek also teaches in the film department at Wagner College and is a member of SAG-AFTRA.
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About SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s The Business
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s The Business Program provides SAG-AFTRA artists with essential information and advice from entertainment industry professionals. From the latest conventions in auditioning and signing with an agent for the first time to managing finances, The Business program covers relevant topics performers need to know to enhance their professional skills in and around the industry. Learn more about SAG-AFTRA Foundation programs at sagaftra.foundation.
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