Erin Wilt is a casting coordinator at MysticArt Pictures for one of
MysticArt’s hit shows for TLC and we are very proud that she completed our Internship
Program! She is an amazing addition to our team and MysticArt is so excited to
see her grow through new opportunities within the company.
1. Where
did you go to school, and what did you go to school for?
I received my B.A. in Broadcast Communications from Temple University in
Philadelphia, PA.
2. You
recently completed the MysticArt Pictures Internship Program. What motivated
you to apply?
I had recently moved to Los Angeles from the East Coast and was trying to
break into the industry. I had a few years in production under my belt but I
hadn’t been gaining much traction out here. Mystic’s program was the one and
only Internship I applied for. I think what attracted me to their particular
program was the opportunity for learning.
3. What
skills did you learn during your time in the MysticArt Pictures Internship
Program?
Casting was a whole new arena for me, but within the first few weeks of
the program, I had seen all aspects of the process. I was given the opportunity
to learn about everything from booking auditions to how to log interviews. But
I think the most important thing I’ve learned at Mystic - and about casting
overall - is that everyone has a brand. And understanding that brand can really
open a person up and help you get to know them and their story.
4. How
do you feel the Internship Program prepared you when you were hired with the
company? What additional training did you need once you became a casting
assistant?
For me personally, I think being able to watch in the room with the
casting producers during my Internship; getting familiar with the overall
interview process was the most beneficial. When I was hired, I ended up writing
story profiles for each contestant auditioning for Wipeout. Nothing could have
prepared me for writing literally hundreds of story profiles on Wipeout! But it
was the most fun to be in that room and to get to document that energy!
5. You
are currently coordinating TLC’s Sex Sent Me to the ER. What skills do you
think are important for a coordinator to have?
Coordinators first and foremost have to be organized, there’s no getting
around it! Sex Sent Me to the ER is a huge project and it takes a lot of
organization to keep it all straight. I think a coordinator should be good at
assisting their team, in whatever form that takes. For this particular show,
I’m handling the paperwork and keeping track of the team’s progress, but I’m
also scheduling promotional radio spots and helping with the social media,
among other tasks. A coordinator should be prepared and enthused to wear many
hats.
6. As
someone who was hired after an internship program, what advice would you give
to people who are also in internship programs and are hoping to be hired at the
same company?
The whole point of an internship is to learn, so don’t be afraid to get
in there! I found the more I showed an interest in learning, the more
opportunity I was given to do just that and it certainly paid off.
7. What
are your career goals within the television industry?
I
moved to L.A. with a background in production and with the intention of
working as a Production Coordinator, so I think being a Casting Coordinator is
certainly in line with that. But for me, the most exciting part about moving to
the hub of this industry was the realization that I could explore new
areas. Casting and development were not things I had considered much before
moving here, but now are areas that are truly exciting to me and I can’t wait
to see where I go from here!