Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassidy Gard.
Cassidy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Florida; my parents were both very non-conventional hippies. I didn’t have a television growing up. I was mesmerized by movie stars. Having such limited access to it only amplified my interest in film and television. I remember going to see Grease in movie theaters in 1998 on the 20th anniversary of its release. I fell in love with Danny Zuko aka John Travolta.
I remember a couple of months later being in a store, and a television was on with an interview of John Travolta talking about his life. I remember watching the reporter ask questions, and I thought how lucky they were to be meeting Danny Zuko! It was the first time I ever saw an actor doing press. From then on, I always had it in my mind to be a reporter.
I was especially interested in entertainment journalism because I felt like it was especially meaningful to help give the actor a platform to share about their own personal stories. In 2008, I was living in New York City, and I started working for a company doing red carpet interviews. I felt so alive because I was doing exactly what I had always envisioned myself doing.
From a very early age, I had a vision for what I wanted to be, and I was determined to make it happen. I have a journal entry from around that time that reads, “I think I found my calling. I want to work in broadcast journalism…” That was only the start.
Instagram post:
https://instagram.com/p/BPasSAIBx9K/
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The launch of YouTube created a platform that served creators to also create their own opportunities. Many studios were starting to pay attention to the digital sites. They saw the value in the audience that was being cultivated in online communities. If you find a niche and grow it, that shows the studio you have a built in audience that serves their market. For me, it was all about female empowerment so I got to cover a lot of films with a strong female lead that like Rachel McAdams in “About Time” or Amy Schumer in “Trainwreck.
Even my earliest videos were shot well, edited precisely, and I took the time to make them look as high budget as possible. For me, even though the original goal was to end up on network television, I never stopped working just because no one hired me on E! or Access Hollywood. I just kept going. I have over ten years worth of footage now interviewing hundreds of celebrities for movie and television releases.
I appreciate the freedom not to feel pressured to get a noteworthy interview every single time. Sometimes, I do a candid, off the cuff interview and it gets 500,000 views. Then, I prepare extensively for another one and get a sit-down press junket, and it only gets a couple of thousand views. It’s all so unpredictable. For me, letting go of any and all expectations is what set me free to just go, try and make a meaningful conversation, and hit publish on YouTube.
In 2016, I launched CiGi TV and branded all my videos under my production company. I just named it my initials because that’s me, a one-woman band doing it all. I produce, shoot, and edit all the content on my page. C is for Cassidy, G is for Gard and the I’s were the phonetic pronunciation. CiGi TV. All mine and I get to make all the creative decisions for the company.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the CiGi TV story. Tell us more about the business.
CiGi TV launched because in college, I majored in Women Gender Studies and Media. To be able to create content that goes beyond asking a woman what she’s wearing, how she dieted for a role, and her life as a Hollywood Mom was very important to me. There are so many questions that women in media get asked that never even get presented to a male in media.
I avoid those outlets because the fluff of those interviews aren’t thought-provoking or interesting to me. Everything is about reading the person you are interviewing. I can tell when an actor really doesn’t want to do an interview and is only standing there because of a contract or a publicist forcing them to do press for a project. I don’t take it personally anymore because I know there are so many moving pieces behind the scenes.
I’ve interviewed people where at the start of the interview, they are stiff and quiet and by the end, we are both laughing because we found a common thread that connects us. CiGi TV is candid. It’s off the cuff. I live for humor. We can’t take what we do so seriously all the time. Those moments that are a funny one-liner, surprising answer, or candid admission are the moments that get the most clicks. It’s what I want to watch, and it’s what I try to provide the space for to happen on CiGi TV.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
My eyes are always wide open. I look up. When I walk past people, I smile. Try it. It surprises people. It’s fun. I look for a bit of sparkle wherever I go. I meet people nonstop all day long. Walking my dog. In the line at Starbucks. Crossing the street. I am a lot — endless energy. People have told me this.
My friends, the ones closest to me are amused by it. Someone can be having the most monotonous day and if you look them right in the eye and ask them, “How’s your day going?” They feel seen. That is not luck. That is human connection. You never know who is next to you. That’s half the fun of Los Angeles. When you walk in a room, you never want to be the one that sucks the energy out of it. Be warm.
Los Angeles is sunny, but the people can be icy. My life is yin/yang. Balance is sustainable. Luck, when it happens is magic. But you can’t let your whole day fall when you don’t get what you want. Half the time, when I look back, I’m relieved I never got the things I so desperately wanted. I only look forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.cassidygard.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassidygard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassidyrainforestgard
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cassidygard
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
