Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramani Leah.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ramani. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started out as a theatre student turned film student. I didn’t know much about filmmaking, nor did I think I had much to bring to the table. But I knew the acting community incredibly well. I became the “go-to” casting girl and eventually decided it might be the route to pursue. It took over a decade of climbing up the ladder/paying my dues, but it helped to create a foundation of knowledge and confidence in the room that I’m proud of. As a casting professional, actors would often ask me for advice on their demo reel. Whenever I had the time, I’d be happy to do it. Time and time again, my advice was something that would have been much more helpful before their reel was edited. That’s when I realized there was a big disconnect between the reels actors were creating and the reels that would actually help them in their career. After talking the idea through with some casting colleagues, The Casting Director’s Cut was born.
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 thing about casting is that everyone has their own unique opinions and perspectives on the process. It took a lot of talking & asking questions with other casting professionals to make sure I was speaking for a large population. Even still, some casting professionals may hold different opinions. It’s important for actors to realize this and to ultimately place their trust with someone who resonates with them and who speaks to their own instincts.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Casting Director’s Cut is the only actor’s reel editing company that has a consulting component with actual, working casting directors. The casting director assigned to the actor goes through all of their footage and uses their knowledge from years of watching demo reels to pull moments/seconds from their best work to create a reel that highlights them to their strongest ability. Many times actors will get conflicting advice on how to construct their reel from agents, managers, other actors, etc. but one thing is for certain: a casting director will know what a casting director is looking for.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was an ocean-loving, list-making theatre gal (the only difference now is that I’ve traded performer for patron). I first discovered the stage by chance at age nine and was consistently performing until 18. In college, I came to a crossroads between a theatre degree and a film degree. I loved the idea of acting but didn’t necessarily see myself pursuing it as a career. Luckily, my film degree introduced me to the world of casting; and I was able to combine my love for all things acting & actors with a career that felt more “me.”
Pricing:
- THE STANDARD REEL: 1 Genre + 20 Minute Consultation; $195
- THE SCENE STEALER: 2 Genres (2 reels) + 40 Minute Consultation; $340
- CAREER CONSULTATION ONLY (no reel): $160/1 Hour; Choose a casting director
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecastingdirectorscut.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecastingdirectorscut/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecastingdirectorscut/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TCDCofficial
Image Credit:
Desiree Keoshian
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