The lovely and talented Ms. Tiffany Mak was born in “Winterpeg”, Manitoba and moved to Vancouver in 1998. She achieved a degree in Criminology from Simon Fraser University and planned to pursue a career as a lawyer. Even though Criminology doesn’t seem to have anything in common with casting, she says it’s helped her a lot with the job and environment.
“You learn to be able to read people quickly, be analytical about everything and appreciate that nothing in life (or casting!) is black and white.”
Outside of Criminology, Tiffany’s had some pretty crazy life experiences – some she can’t reveal in writing! But she says the most challenging and rewarding life experiences happened when she allowed herself to be outside of her comfort zone and really tested her emotional and physical limits – some may think they were reckless decisions but she thinks of them as character?building adventures.
That’s as far as the fascinating Ms. Mak is willing to go with her history so on with the interview!
Why did you choose to go into casting and tell us a little about your journey so far.
I’ve always been obsessed with the film industry and actors in particular. I knew early on that I wouldn’t be a very good actor, but that I had an eye and an appreciation for good acting. I worked in a variety of other positions (production assistant, background actor, extras wrangler, sandwich getter) and continued to read books and scripts and create my dream casts in my head. (This was a tip given to me by Lauren Schuler?Donner when I was a production assistant, and she remains one of my producer idolsto this day, even though she probably doesn’t remember me!)
As luck and hard work would have it, I had the privilege of assisting for two of the top casting directors in Vancouver for a couple of years and it was during this time that I opted to stay in casting instead of going to law school. The journey so far has had a lot of ups and downs but I still think it’s the greatest job in the world – the downs make the ups that much more rewarding!
There is a bit of mystique about casting directors amongst new actors. Could you explain what exactly it is that a casting director does and how much of a role they play in an actor booking a role?
You can simplify a casting director’s job by saying we’re basically glorified HR directors! We’re the gatekeepers who showcase actors to directors and producers. A lot of my job is getting the best performances possible from the actors I consider and really sell the ones I believe in to the powers that be…ultimately the final say lies with the producers but a casting director can make or break who gets considered and who doesn’t. At the same time, I want everyone to have the best audition they can so I try to keep my audition room relaxed and comfortable.
Many of you know Stuart Aikins as the Emmy nominated and Casting Society of America Award winning Casting Director who is busy with many Film & TV productions that come to Vancouver. What you may not know is that he has a MFA in Directing and a faculty member at Capilano University’s theatre department.
Stuart is currently directing Reality Curve Theatre‘s production of Asymmetry by Rick Robinson which is running from Oct 25-30 2011 at the Havana Theatre.
We had an opportunity to ask Stuart some questions about working on this theatrical production and his thoughts on the current state of Vancouver’s film industry.
What is it about this production that got you interested in directing it?
I loved the fact that it was a six hander and that each couple could be rehearsed separately. I wanted the reveals to be just as exciting for the cast as the audience. It also seemed the perfect vehicle for The Havana and a great way to get my feet wet in that space.
Last week we featured the spotlight interview with 12 year old actor Julia Stone who stared in the feature film, The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom. We are continuing the interview but now with Julia’s mother, Sue Chappel, about the reality of parenting a young film actor.
How did you feel about Julia getting into acting?
Sue - Julia was 9 years old when she stated that she wanted to be an actor. I say “stated” because she just walked up to me while I was making dinner and made her announcement, as if it was old, factual news that I’d heard 100 times before. A bag of emotions bombed my brain.
Surprise! Julia is an incorrigible introvert. How could such a shy, quiet, thinking/observing kid who preferred books to TV, desire such a public, extroverted career? How does an arts child come from a math genius and science nerd?
Scared! I was worried about her big heart being crushed before she really started living! I was even more concerned that she would change who she was, to pursue something that seemed to contrary to her personality.
Panic! She was serious. I felt the winds of change blowing on my face with each uttered word. Supporting her meant overcoming my own misconceptions and fears. There’s also the hypocrisy of being a big supporter of the arts, but blocking my own child from creating it. Finally, I couldn’t make personal peace with the duplicity of telling a kid that they shouldn’t chase impractical dreams.
So, I did what most parents do when their 9 year old scares them witless with intense proclamations: I delayed the inevitable for as long as possible by blowing it in another direction.
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Recently I interviewed Julia Stone and her mum, Sue Chappel about each of their journeys in the process. Julia is a student I began coaching a few years ago just before she booked her first job the much acclaimed feature, The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom. Julia is much lauded for her work in this film and was called “remarkable” by Ken Eisner of The Georgia Straight. Not bad for a 12 year old in her first work!
Since then Julia has had non-stop success booking leads in features and series. Her parents have been an integral part of her career. Her dad (Wayne) has been left to hold down the fort while Julia and her mother have spent the last year traipsing around making movies in the bustling and glamorous film communities of Winnipeg and Moose Jaw.
How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an actor?
Julia – I think always. I have always loved stories whether they’re in books, movies or plays. Ever since I can remember, whenever I read or watched something, it was like I was in it feeling and going through what all the characters were experiencing, not just watching as an observer. Then, when I was about 9, it finally came to me that instead of just watching, maybe, I could actually be an actor for real. It took a lot of persuading my mom (about a year), but when she was convinced I was ready to do this, she helped me get an agent. From there, I started taking as many classes as I could, and getting as much experience as possible.
Your parents have been incredibly supportive – what have they had to do to help you?
I’m really grateful that I have such amazing, supportive parents. I think that they see that this is what I really want to do, and that it gives me joy. The most important thing my parents have done is to be realistic with me about everything. They don’t sugar anything up and they put the work and outcome in my hands. They taught me that people can achieve nearly anything they put their mind to, but that it also takes a lot of commitment, work and time. You have to believe in your dream, but you also have to commit to it and work at it. They’re also strict about school and life balance – so they’ve helped me learn the value of time, fulfilling responsibilities and having a lot of fun along the way. They’re there for me no matter what and are always making sure that I’m still really happy and balanced in life.
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