Chad Darnell
Savannah, GA USA
"You've got to create your own opportunity. Don't ever let anybody tell you what you can or can't do. Don't let anybody tell you who you can or can't be. "
Career Roadmap
Chad's work combines: Film, Acting & Theatre, and Being Creative
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I struggled early on getting people to take my opinion on certain actors and projects seriously. There were many instances when I wanted to cast a particular actor or work on a project that my bosses passed on and down the road that actor or project became the next big thing. I realized that I do have an eye for these things and not to give up. In this business, you have to keep pushing and making your voice heard.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Film/Cinema/Media Studies
Georgia State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Has been acting ever since he was a kid doing community and school theater.
2.
While in high school, he participated in the Georgia Governor's Honors Program and subsequently won an acting scholarship.
3.
When he took the ACTs, they accidentally switched his scores, affecting which colleges he got accepted to—Georgia State University was the only one that would accept him.
4.
Worked as an extra in film and television to help put himself through college, but one day he was asked to help in the casting department and he’s worked in that field ever since.
5.
Decided to move to Los Angeles and got a job working for Central Casting, where he worked for almost 10 years casting projects such as “Spider-Man,” “White Oleander,” “Alias,” and “Crossing Jordan.”
6.
After working extremely long hours on multiple projects, he decided to leave Central Casting and move back to Georgia in order to focus more on pursuing his own projects.
7.
Says the worst moment in his life was when he was misquoted in an article calling actors in Georgia “lazy”—calls this his “turning point” and it subsequently inspired him to start his acting camp.
8.
Says working in Georgia has given him unique opportunities in the film industry—when he started in the ’90s, there were only five shows in production in Georgia; now there are over 100.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
No, you can't cast that actor because nobody will know who they are and you can't pitch that movie because it's not what we are looking for.
How I responded:
I struggled early on getting people to take my opinion on certain actors and projects seriously. There were many instances when I wanted to cast a particular actor or work on a project that my bosses passed on and down the road that actor or project became the next big thing. I realized that I do have an eye for these things and not to give up. In this business, you have to keep pushing and making your voice heard.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
The ACTs switched my test scores on accident, which resulted in me having to enroll in remedial classes, and it affected which colleges I was accepted into.
While working for Central Casting in Los Angeles, I was working extremely long hours on dozens of projects and I couldn't keep up with the pace of it all.
I have always been an outspoken person and that has gotten me in trouble with higher-ups before. The worst moment in my life is when I was misquoted in an article and it nearly destroyed my career.