November 8, 2017

Meet Kina Bale-Reed of Cast-O-Matic

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kina Bale-Reed.

Kina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in west Texas and graduated from Reagan County High School in 1994. I was a performer from an early age, singing and acting and getting involved in UIL in Junior High and High School. I read poetry, performed duet acting, one-act play, and had a leading role in just about every play or musical the school put on.

After graduating from High School, I attended Tarleton State University and studied theater for a few years before moving to Dallas. I worked for 2 different recruiting companies over the next few years, where I recruited contractors for the tech industry. I missed the theater and performing and decided to try to get back into it, which is when I discovered KD College. I was planning to just take some night classes to ease back in, but ended up enrolling in the acting conservatory program instead. I left my job as a technical recruiter to start the conservatory in the Fall of 1999.

During that time, I also attended an improv school and got involved in several troupes. After graduating in January 2001, I began working at the school’s front desk and performing in theater and improv shows at night. Part of the front desk job was to help coordinate casting sessions, so I had the opportunity to work with some of Dallas’ busiest casting directors. Also, when you work at a school full of aspiring actors, casting opportunities present themselves, on occasion. One of my first casting “gigs” was to find actors at the school willing to work as extras in a Nike commercial starring Dirk Nowitzki. I made up flyers and hung them around the school, got maps and instructions together, signed people up, and sent them on their way. The production company paid me a small fee for my help, and I was hooked.

It planted the seed and I began doing everything I could to learn that side of the business, including assisting established casting directors, getting involved in local industry organizations, and volunteering at film festivals to meet young filmmakers. With my recruiting background and love of acting, it seemed like a perfect fit for me. In the Fall of 2005, I decided it was time to leave KD and pursue a career in casting full time. Within the first year, I had a handful of small clients, and was working on the TV series Prison Break as a casting assistant. I left the show after one season to pursue my own projects and Cast-O-Matic was born in January 2007.

That Fall, I met with the producers of Barney and Friends and they offered me a full-time position as the casting and talent coordinator which I held until the show ended production in 2010. After the show ended I put all of my efforts into building up my commercial casting business and that is what I have been doing ever since. These days, I primarily cast commercials, print, and industrials, with the occasional indie film or TV pilot.

Has it been a smooth road?
There have definitely been struggles along the way, but I had a “do whatever it takes” attitude and never waivered. And I had a lot of help along the way with the encouragement and support of my family and friends. When I was first starting out in casting, I had several part time jobs and side gigs to make sure that when I got the call I was needed, I could be there. Remaining flexible is key in this industry. My previous employer KD College continued to employ me on an as needed/part-time basis. I waited tables on weekends, taught acting and improv classes at after-school programs as well as weekend workshops and summer camps. I did promotions gigs, and signed up with all of the market research companies (they pay in cash). I missed nights out with friends, didn’t take vacations, lived in a tiny but cheap apartment, and drove an older car, but that’s what you do when a passion burns inside you.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cast-O-Matic story. Tell us more about the business.
I have been casting in DFW and all over Texas for more than 12 years. Some of my commercial clients include Toyota, Lays, Martini and Rossi, Uncle Julios, Smoothie King, Pepsi-Tostitos, Baylor Scott and White, Raising Cane’s, Nike, Reebok, Doritos, Ford Mustang, Mazda, Mary Kay, Main Event, Academy Sports and Outdoors, NutriSystem, Texas Oncology, American Heart Association, US Army, Western Union, Walmart, Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops, Sam’s Club, Nokia, Acura, and many others.

My film projects include principal casting and executive producing the recently wrapped feature Goodnight Charlene with director Chris Zuhdi starring Daniel Ross Owens, Melanie San Millan, and Larry Jack Dotson. Other film casting work includes Occupy, Texas with director Jeff Barry starring Lorelei Linklater and Peri Gilpin, Upstream Color with writer/director and Sundance winner Shane Carruth, Ace Wonder: Message from a Dead Man with award-winning director John Robert Moore. I have also done extras casting for feature films Sironia, The Final, A Mind of Its Own, and Midgets vs Mascots.

My TV credits include casting three seasons and numerous home videos for “Barney and Friends”, the ABC True Crime series pilot “Final Witness: The Kids Aren’t Alright”, and extras casting for the FOX series “Lone Star” starring Jon Voight, David Keith, and James Wolk. I also held general auditions in Dallas for Tyler Perry Studios.

The project I am most proud of is Barney and Friends, hands down. It was such a joy and honor to work on the show and everyone there – producers, cast, and crew – all felt like family. I will always look back on those 3 years as some of the greatest of my life and career.

I think what sets me and Cast-O-Matic apart is my background in not only recruiting, but in acting and performing. I bring a special combination of the ability to find the most unique talent through my research skills and social media savvy as well as being relatable to the talent coming in to audition. I have been in their shoes and do my best to put them at ease, which makes both of our jobs easier. I often have clients say things like “You are so wonderful! I really appreciate all your work and attention. And you were so great with the talent.” That’s a direct quote. Ha!

I feel very proud of all I have accomplished in the last decade and we continue to grow and expand the business each year. Hard work and persistence really does pay off.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The internet and ability to upload audition footage from anywhere has changed the casting industry entirely. Technology keeps getting better and easier to use. I hope my job doesn’t someday become obsolete, because I am literally a middle (wo)man between production and agents/talent. But if it does go away, I’ve had a fun ride, learned a lot, and had some success along the way.

My hope is that Texas will become competitive again and attract more film and television work to the state in the coming years, keeping production and talent here at home. The commercial industry continues to thrive and that’s my bread and butter, so I hope that continues and that my casting company continues to grow and deliver quality talent to meet my client’s needs.

Contact Info:

Website: http://www.cast-o-matic.com
Email: kina@cast-o-matic.com