When we sit down to watch a movie or a TV show, we see a complete piece of art. Yet, when we watch the latest episode of The Heights, or Mystery Road, or when we watch Judy & Punch in a cinema, we forget that there was more than just a writer, a director, a cinematographer, and the actors behind the scene pulling the strings. In fact, before cameras can even roll, the casting process needs to take place.
Which is where a company like Australia’s Creative Soul Management comes into play. Founded by Hallie McKeig, who spent more than a decade at the helm of Perth’s Filmbites Talent Agency, Creative Soul is a company that, as Hallie says, ‘feels like the natural next step as we work more closely with actors on building rewarding international careers and lives in the film and television industry’.Â
When I chatted to Hallie about Creative Soul, it was obvious that her passion for art and entertainment was the driving force behind what the company stands for. The team at Creative Soul will work with casting directors, with a brief for an upcoming film or show being sent out to agents, saying ‘this is what we need for this up and coming film or show’, and then, the company will look within their actors, recognising who is going to ‘hit this brief’. As Hallie says, ‘sometimes you just have this feeling right from the get-go that they’re a natural alignment’.
Creative Soul is, as Hallie says, a place that is surrounded by authentic storytellers, and authentic people. ‘Everyone works from the point of view of loving the story’, Hallie says. Not only will these great actors be put on a national stage, but the world stage too.
The rise of the internet has made it possible for self tape auditions to be sent in from anywhere in the world, with Creative Soul representing people from all over Australia and overseas, allowing actors to be promoted from everywhere.
And what actors too! Creative Soul is the talent management company representing some of Australia’s most exciting new talent, with Phoenix Raei (Netflix’s Clickbait), Shannon Berry (Offspring), Cooper Van Grootel (Go! and the upcoming YA adaptation One Of Us is Lying), Kate Lister (SeaChange), and Daisy Axon (H is for Happiness), plus Priscilla-Anne Jacob and Fern Nicholson who are both starring in Itch.
As Hallie mentioned to me, ‘these are grounded actors who are coming to the material from a great place, and that’s clear in the industry as a whole. We have some of the finest actors working today.’
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Hallie wrapped up our chat by saying, ‘there’s talent who actually get to shine, and do what they want to do, which is tell stories, and get out there and tell Australian stories and international stories. We’re lucky to be at this point where we can look around and find these gems of actors who will be right for the story and set them on that path.’
And honestly, as someone who loves and lives for Australian film and TV, I’m thrilled that there’s a company like Creative Soul out there. This is a company that clearly has the end goal of telling the best story in mind at every step of the way.
I’ve already fallen in love with so much of the material that the actors at Creative Soul have worked on – H is for Happiness is a treat of a film, Go! is a superb family film, and The Heights is transforming storytelling on Australian TV – that I simply cannot wait to see what comes next.
