Casting director Deb Aquila (CODA, LA LA LAND, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Deb grew up in an arts-loving family, whose encouragement to enter the field led her to attend NYU and study under Stella Adler. Pivoting into casting, Deb found herself working on the hit series MIAMI VICE for two seasons before growing into a veteran independent casting director. Deb breaks down what really goes on in the audition room and how she works with actors to bring out their best performances as she hunts for the right choice for a part. We learn how she works with directors after being brought on to a project, and she shares how a character can evolve over the course of the audition process. Deb later shares what her responsibilities are as a studio executive at Paramount and how she balances those with her responsibilities as a casting director. Towards the end, we discuss “casting” personalities, when hiring both the cast and crew, and the value of creating a safe space for actors to give their best performances during the shoot. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure Instagram: @aputure.lighting