By Katie Chambers
As an independent casting director based in New York, NYWIFT member Bess Fifer has played a key role in shaping numerous careers across film and television. Her commitment to authentic, diverse, and inclusive casting has made her an in-demand collaborator, an Artios Award Winner, and an Emmy Nominee. Fifer specializes in ground-breaking independent features, such as Lingua Franca and The Light of the Moon, and hugely popular television shows, including the Apple TV+ series Severance, It’s Bruno! (Netflix), and Escape at Dannemora (Showtime).
Fifer’s latest project – prolific music video director Barnaby Clay’s feature directorial debut, The Seeding – will be scaring up audiences at the 2023 Tribeca Festival. When a hiker gets lost in the desert, a gang of feral children propelled by haunting legacies traps him in a sadistic battle for survival with a frightening endgame. Tribeca describes the film as “a stone-cold nightmare that confronts our fears of isolation and unchecked toxic masculinity headfirst.”
Fifer talked to us about her process casting the film.
NYWIFT Member Bess Fifer
Congratulations on your premiere! What does inclusion in the Tribeca Festival mean to you?
C’mon it’s Tribeca! Iconic! I’ve been lucky enough to have several films premiere at Tribeca and it’s always so exciting. Being able to show your finished project to a festival of your home town peers… amazing.
Tell us about The Seeding. How did you get involved in the project?
I had worked with Producer Brian Etting previously on a feature called Tuscaloosa. He sent me The Seeding. I found the script to be fresh and [director] Barney Clay to be absolutely fascinating. I wanted the opportunity to work with him and I’m glad I did.
Still from The Seeding
Do you as a casting director approach the horror genre any differently than other genres when looking to cast certain roles? Some of these characters, I imagine, have to be scary! The official description of the film from Tribeca calls it a “stone-cold nightmare!”
In general, no, it’s the same process. We start by working with the rest of the creative team to get a good understanding of the world we are looking to create. Then Casting goes to try to populate that world and find the talent who will tell our story. It’s the world and the characters of horror that are different, not the process.
Many of the characters in The Seeding are children and teens. Is your approach to casting young actors any different in how you approach working with adults?
I love casting kids, they are constantly changing and growing (literally and figuratively) and it’s so important to keep seeing them and who they are at this moment. I also find “child actors” to be incredibly professional. They are a joy.
Still from The Seeding
What was your favorite moment working on the film? And the biggest challenge?
Casting our female lead was definitely a challenge. It’s very easy to see her simply as a victim. We are so lucky to have the incredibly Kate Lyn Sheil.
What’s next for you?
City On Fire is currently airing on Apple TV+ and we are in the middle of Season 2 of Severance.
Connect with Bess Fifer on Instagram @castingbybess and her website www.fifercasting.com.
Katie Chambers
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