In conversation with Jessica Jefferies
1. Introduce yourself
Hello! I’m Jessica Jefferies, mum of one very lovely and boisterous toddler.
2. What is your job title?
I’m a Casting Director and mainly specialise in casting actors for VFX and SFX projects.
3. Who looks after the kids when you are working?
Myself and my husband manage the childcare between us. He’s a freelancer too (actor and director) so we’re constantly juggling. Occasionally, we now have the support of family, but it’s rare.
4. How long did you take off work after having your baby?
Not long at all! My little boy was born a week before the first lockdown in March 2020, when everything came to a standstill. All my husbands work was put on hold or cancelled and with rent still to pay, I continued to take work and cast projects ready for productions starting up again. Performance capture and VFX shoots were able to recommence by last summer as they could be done with skeleton crews and only one actor at a time. I was lucky that the world was ‘working from home’ as it allowed me to continue being a mum whilst holding auditions remotely!
5. Would you say that you have a good work/life balance?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Some days I can be good at compartmentalising and switching off from work to focus on the family time, whilst other times (such as when holding auditions) I can hand the reigns over to my partner and focus purely on work. However, some days I have to juggle childcare with admin work and do both simultaneously. Those days are tough!
6. Are you job sharing or working flexibly?
I guess as a freelancer, I technically work flexibly. I can mostly move my work around, but days where I’m holding auditions, have meetings or tighter deadlines are much less flexible. I can take on as much work as I want and can balance and I also have a lovely assistant who can share some of the admin weight and also run auditions for me when needed.
7. What do you think is the hardest part of being a working in film/tv industry and being a parent?
Everything has to be planned across both my partner’s day and mine and we inevitably have discussions, where we have to decide who’s work, needs priority that day or who can get away with having the toddler with them! It’s impossible to have spontaneous, in-person meetings, and the mum-guilt which kicks in as soon as I have to prioritise work is a killer!
8. What are your tips for any other women out there wanting to have kids and keep a career in film?
You just have to go for it, if it’s something you really want. Working in the entertainment industry can be great and for many people it can feel like their life calling. But it’s also a tough job and a tough life which can feel like their life calling. But it’s also a tough job and a tough life which can feel overwhelming, lonely and unforgiving. If you get to the point where you want a family, then you may have to re-jig your priorities. Unfortunately, this is less of a ‘thing’ for fathers, however as mother’s we take the brunt of these changes and it’s our lives which are upheaved from the moment we get pregnant. I was an actress before becoming a casting director and it was my desire to start a family which prompted my career change. I knew I needed to keep working and I wanted a job which I felt I was more in control of and could also work more realistically with being a hands-on mum. I made that choice, which many people may say I shouldn’t have had to make, but it was the best thing for me and my family. I love my job and the ever-tipping balance between mum life and work!
9. Any advice for anyone about to return to work after maternity?
It may all feel overwhelming or like you’ve been ‘out’ for ages, but this industry has a whole swarm of mamma’s just waiting to welcome you back! Remember, we’re all just trying to do our best as professionals and as fellow mums and this whole industry ticks along a lot better when we’re all open and collaborative. Never feel ashamed to discuss things like childcare issues with agents, casting directors, producers etc. It’s everyone’s job to keep this industry as open, fair and welcoming as possible.
10. What advice did you wish someone had given you?
I was so lucky when I got pregnant that it felt like I had a little army of fellow casting directors that were already mums who were ready and armed with support and advice. A few of them told me how they held castings with their little ones in tow, whilst other’s offered to hold my casting sessions for me whilst I had a maternity leave (obviously, due to lockdowns, this never happened).
Being a mum myself now has made me even more aware of how tricky something simple like attending an audition can be, and I endeavour to be as supportive and flexible to all other mums as possible.