Stephenson on StreetStars

The rise of reality TV and the internet have proved anyone can be a star and talent can be uncovered in the most humble of places. Pair that with a need for genuine performance on affordable budgets in the creative marketing industry and the possibility of street-casting becomes all the more appealing.

Barry Stephenson has been an innovative agency director of broadcast for years and with his first-hand experience of producing and consulting internationally on leading campaigns, such as Dove Dove Real Women with Ogilvy and Mather, he brings invaluable knowledge and insight to the casting process.

In fact, it was his involvement with Dove that led to him to announce a new business venture recently, modelled on the method, art and rising demand for street casting. StreetStars is a company with aims to simplify the process for productions up and down the UK and Stephenson’s strategy will seek to source local teams in major cities as part of the set up.

“Earlier this year I had a hair care commercial production that needed a cast of 10 ‘real women’ but without enough budget or lead time,” he explains. “So, I found a local team and cast it where we were going to shoot. We did it in two and a half days and under budget! I thought this was something that would be useful on so many low-budget productions.”

Providing a fast and effective nationwide service to the creative industry, the company aims to approach the method in a new and innovative way to cater for increasing demand.

“We recognised the need to respond to ever-reducing lead times and budgets in a more effective way,” Stephenson adds. “Although casting ‘real people’ is very much a strategic/creative decision and not just a cheap option, being able to do it quickly, locally and cost-effectively is a real benefit. Our teams have the invaluable advantage of detailed local knowledge to deliver the highest expectations of a casting brief.”

So no matter what the location, StreetStars offers production teams the opportunity to cast locally, which will not only mean a big saving in time and cost but it’ll also create an incentive for the ‘real people’ involved. And in terms of the logistics of working all over the country to deliver, the company’s founder will have a hands-on role.

“My office will be at the centre of it, in direct contact with the local team leaders and ensuring that briefs are really clear and detailed before they go out,” he states. “I’ll work with the team leaders to cover any queries and discuss logistics and specific casting locations with the team on the ground. Results will be assessed during the casting process with the flexibility to maximise the actual opportunities on the day.”

Having worked with some of the best casting directors in the industry, Stephenson says that street-casting is a relatively new and exciting development for him personally as the Dove campaign was his own introduction to the method.

If you’re interested in working with StreetStars on your own production or just want to find out more get in touch here.