Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Hughes Thomas.
Hi Elle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my business not knowing I was starting a business. My 13-year-old daughter wanted to be a model and we had no clue on how to break into the modeling industry. We went to one of the largest agencies in Houston and after 2 years, no gigs. I started looking for auditions and castings for my daughter and that is when she began to land major gigs, and from there I was helping to book friends and family in major commercials, film, and television. I knew I had a niche in this industry and seeing my friends & family succeed made me feel like I could turn this into something else, and that’s when Hughes Casting was born. My first casting experience was assisting on a short film called “Wise Love” filmed in Conyers, Georgia. This was an amazing experience because I got to break down how everything would typically work when casting. Since I started my business, I have had the pleasure of working on projects such as “Mo” (Netflix Series), “The Coast”(Feature Film), “Trapped”(Feature Film), “VH1 My True Crime Story” and many other projects. The business of entertainment gives me so much joy, that I began writing my first short film called “McCarthy Tree” and it’s currently 5th place in Sci-Fi fantasy in Filmmatic. I’m truly excited about the future!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Some of the biggest challenges as a casting director are scheduling talent because the talent can cancel anytime, and you will need to be creative if you’re thinking of a career in casting, it requires innovative and unconventional sources to find that needle in a haystack. If you don’t have the patience or like to read this is probably not the field for you, you will be reading scripts and reviewing auditions and that requires those essential skills. The reward of finishing the project and seeing it is so much greater than any challenge at the end of the journey.
We’ve been impressed with Hughes Casting, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Opening its doors in the greater Houston, area in May 2020, Hughes Casting is a subsidiary of Gritty Entertainment, LLC, which was founded in 2015. Our focus is on providing quality professionals and the right talent for the roles you are casting. We will engage any actor you’d like for your project and have an exclusive online talent base that includes National and Local acting veterans. Over the past 2 years of working in the industry, we’ve built strong relationships with the top talent agencies as well as a broad knowledge of the ever-changing talent pool.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My best childhood memory was when I was 15- years old. My dad purchased and installed bikes for the entire family. After we decided to try out our new bikes and we went down a hill and realized we didn’t have any breaks, we all managed not to fall, everyone; except my mother. She went into the field and fell off. She was okay. She laughed and we laughed. It was one of those moments you never forget, fear mixed with laughter.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.hughescasting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSH3AOzH2Xw/?igshid=NmNmNjAwNzg=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hughescast2
Image Credits
Trapped – Director + Writer + Producer + Image Credit _ Joan Montreuil
Wise Love – Director Tomeka M Winborne Image Credit _ Tomeka M Winborne
Camera _ ARI Camera _ used in production of Wise Love _ Credit Elle Hughes
Other photos taken by Elle Hughes Thomas
