Out of several thousands of applicants, MFA Writing and Producing for TV student Darnelle “DeeDee” Casimir was selected for The Academy Gold Rising Program, as an intern for Showtime. She was one of two nominated into the program by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ Group Effort Initiative program.
The Academy Gold Rising Program aims to help students from underrepresented communities navigate their budding entertainment careers – and, according to Casimir, it’s effective.
A daughter to Haitian immigrants, the youngest of seven, and the only person in her family to pursue the arts, Casimir never dreamt that her passions could translate into a profession. Now, as she benefits from her success in the Gold Rising program, she says: “I feel like I’m already in the business, and I’m making real and authentic connections.”
During her internship, Casimir was treated like a valued Showtime employee. She participated in meetings alongside executives; was trusted with pitching talent to casting for projects in development; read scripts and developed script coverage, with comedy punch-ups; reviewed dailies for acclaimed series; learned how to provide network level notes; spearheaded the production of an advanced writer and director catalogue, essential for identifying diverse voices; and developed an eye for more effective storytelling through the editing process.
“The Showtime team is very impressive. They’re risk takers and take chances on people,” she says. “They were adamant about hearing what I thought. They were specifically looking for a master’s student because they were looking for someone with a high level of expertise and taste to add to the team.”
Casimir is confident that her experience at LMU has prepared her to excel as a showrunner. Since the writers’ strike prevented her from spending time in a writers’ room or on set during her internship, she was able to focus on other areas of expertise. She gained a new perspective and identified additional ways she could use her storytelling skills to make an impact on a project.
“I learned aspects [of filmmaking] that I would not have been as receptive to under regular circumstances, and I actually learned the most from what I was least interested in” she says.
With a newfound motivation to explore unfamiliar departments, like editing and casting, Casimir expanded her network, too. At one of Gold Rising’s co-curricular educational events, she met Kim Coleman, a governor representing the casting director’s branch at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The casting director, known for her work on Academy Award-winning film “BlacKkKlansmen,” “Lovecraft Country,” “Dear White People,” and “Snowfall,” became the casting director and executive producer for Casimir’s thesis film.
“Last Hoorah at G-Baby’s” is a film about an aimless and apathetic art school grad – after her grandmother dies, she blows through her cash inheritance and has five days to come up with five months of back rent or she risks eviction from her rent-controlled apartment in a gentrifying Brooklyn.
“I am a champion for new voices and occasionally certain stories like this one speak to me in a way that inspires me to get involved,” Coleman says. “It was great to work with such a driven young woman who was willing to put in the amount of time and energy to bring this film to life.”
Casimir credits Writing and Producing for TV Director Mike Daley, instructor Stacee Comage, and professor Patty Meyer for their instrumental mentorship, expressing that LMU has taught her how to be a professional writer and how work with a diverse set of people, across all demographics, which has been key to her success.
“When we keep diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of filmmaking education, our students feel empowered to step into the industry, challenge its stakeholders, and rewrite the script,” Daley says.
This sentiment has already proven true for Casimir. When Gold Rising presented her cohort with an opportunity to join in conversation with talent development officers from industry-leading networks and studios, she spoke up to advocate for higher prioritization of DEI programming.
“I referenced the strike and asked why diversity programs are often the first ones to go. I wanted to know how to ensure these programs will be here to stay, because they’ve played an instrumental role in my career thus far and the next coming up should be able to benefit from them as well,” she says.
