MysticArt Celebrates Another Stellar Employee!
We wanted to feature a very special member of our team today, Talent Associate Max Goldcamp, who as CEO Katy Wallin says has quickly proven himself at MysticArt Pictures with a gift of discovering and identifying talent. He fits in perfectly with the MysticArt culture and community with a positive, perseverant personality, and he shares our motto of relentless optimism, which is one of the key attributes that is required to work at MysticArt Pictures. We’re delighted to have met him on Dance Moms, and want to congratulate him for work well done being part of our team that discovered the new minis for the Dance Moms franchise. He has worked on Finder’s Keepers for History, and is currently working on our show that we created and are producing called Teen Entourage. Max shares his beginnings in entertainment and invaluable tips for how to grow in the industry!
1. Where did you go to school, and what
did you go to school for?
I went to
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) for Communications Media.
2. Where else did you work in the
industry before becoming interested in casting?
I started with an internship at a great company in
Pittsburgh called New Perspective. They showed me a world of media production I
had never seen before and I loved it. After my internship, I started
freelancing with them and some other freelancers I met during my internship doing
corporate videos short films. I eventually got in with the production crew on
the Pittsburgh based TV show, Dance Moms.
I worked my way from a Production Assistant to an Audio Assistant and then
eventually Talent Coordinator over the course of 2 years. In between seasons of
Dance Moms, I worked other reality TV shows like Breaking Amish, Return to
Amish, Sticks to Bricks, and a
show called King of Pittsburgh. Once Dance Moms moved to L.A., I had the
chance to move with 10 solid weeks of work, so I took the opportunity. Since
moving out here, I’ve worked as a production assistant on the shows Face/Off, Hatched, and was a Production Coordinator for the Go90 show, Chachi’s World. I’ve also worked for a
post production house, Electric Theatre Collective, during the editing of
Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour and was a production assistant for a Hunger Games documentary.
3. How did you first get your foot in
the door in the casting world?
I heard about an opening at MysticArt Pictures
through a work friend who couldn’t take the job. They were casting Dance Moms at the time and with my
experience on the show, I was able to contribute that to the team.
4. Do you always want to be in casting?
I’ll be in casting as long I have the work. For me,
I like to do it all so it’s nice to be able to cast and jump back into
production when the opportunities arise. I’m still finding my place in the
world so who knows where I’ll end up!
5. What are some shows you have worked
on at MysticArt Pictures?
Dance Moms,
Finders Keepers, and Teen
Entourage
6. After working at such a broad range
of companies, what would you say sets MysticArt apart?
Their dedication to their employees- here, you don’t
feel like an employee, but a necessary piece to a whole casting powerhouse.
There’s a strong sense of family that brings everyone together and a loyalty
unlike anywhere else I’ve worked in the industry.
7. What advice would you give to
someone who wants to get into the industry?
- Use your ears, not your mouth. You know nothing, there's always something to learn.
- How many hands do you have? Offer one to anybody who could use it.
- Keep in touch. If someone gives you a business card, follow up with a thank you and your availability.
- Opening doors for others will open doors for you. Manners go a long, long way with people as well as a consistently positive attitude.
- Ask questions. Again, you know nothing.
- The best tip, early is on time, on time, is late, and late...don't be late.
8. What are you currently working on?
Right now I am a talent associate for Teen Entourage, a show MysticArt is producing, and I am looking for super intuitive and opinionated kids and tweens to star in the show. Any parents who have kids who are extremely charismatic, outgoing, and everyone's best friend should definitely reach out to me. I'm also looking for 11-15 year old beauty gurus and aspiring home designers for the show. If you know of someone or would like to nominate your kid, email me at max@mysticartpictures.net ASAP!
