Nov. 6, 2025 - 11:00am
Name: Elle Thompson
Major: Cinema studies, graduating June 2026
Internship: Casting intern at Cast Iron Studios PDX
Internship Duration: Late July 2025–present
What company are you an intern with, and what is your job?
I am currently interning with Cast Iron Studios as a casting intern. We do film, TV and commercial casting with award-winning filmmakers and well-known distribution and production companies.
How did you find this internship and what was the process to secure it?
The first time I heard about this company was during the CINE 340: Production Studies class. I had an interest in casting, but I had no idea there was a casting company in Portland. I reached out via LinkedIn, but they told me they weren’t hiring. Later, I obtained the casting director’s email address from film instructor Alissa Phillips, and I sent a cold email with my resume and an expression of interest in interning. She initially said there wasn’t work available but encouraged me to check in weekly. Midway through the summer, she needed an intern, and I’ve now been with the company for more than two months.
What is a typical day for you as an intern (or what were some common and then uncommon things you do if every day is different)?
My internship schedule differs from a typical 9-to-5 workday. The casting director will let me know a few days prior about an audition or callback that she is doing, and I will then work from home on Zoom during the audition. At the start, I meet with the directors, producers, agency members and the casting director before running the lobby. In the lobby, I greet actors, give them any material they might need, make sure their cameras are set up properly, and then place them in separate waiting rooms before they’re sent to the audition room. If everyone is set and there is downtime, I usually join the audition room and get a feel for how callbacks are run, and sometimes I get to help run them.
What has been the best part of the experience?
The highlight of my internship at Cast Iron Studios is all the insight and hands-on experience I’ve gained from being in the audition room. During this internship, I’ve been able to observe real auditions and casting sessions, seeing the entire process while helping out with an ongoing feature film. Another important part of my job as a casting intern is consuming media. I go to plays, watch movies with unknown (or little-known) actors, and talk to filmmakers and actors. Whether or not we’re actively casting, we are always scouting for new talent to add to a large database of actors for future projects.
What do you think you want to do when you graduate?
After I graduate, I hope to continue following the casting path and find work as a casting agent or assistant and hopefully work my way up to casting director.
How did this internship shape your plans for the future?
This internship is in the field I want to pursue, so it is extremely helpful in shaping my plans for the future. All of the experience I am gaining from this internship will open doors to jobs in this field.
What advice would you give others who are looking for an internship?
Send that email! If you see an internship posting on Indeed, Handshake, LinkedIn, etc., odds are hundreds to thousands of other applicants are seeing it as well. If you do your research, find emails/contact info, and send a cold email introducing yourself, talking about what you’re looking for, and attaching a resume or cover letter, your chances of working for the company you want are much higher. I’d definitely still apply for jobs on career websites, but sending an email never hurts. That’s how I got my internship!
Also, professors are amazing resources and often know people who can help you. Professor Alissa Phillips, with cinema studies, is an incredible professor and has a lot of experience as a producer in Hollywood. She helped me out so much, and she is a great person to talk to about internships.
—By Harper Wells, College of Arts and Sciences