Meet Tanya Bershadsky | Influencer Marketer, Casting Director, Writer and Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Bershadsky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
I know you said 1, but I’m going to give you two. 1- While outsiders often mock influencers, what they may not realize is the hard work and consistency required to maintain their fans. . Influencers are an incredibly dedicated and diligent group of people who must consistently produce engaging content to achieve and sustain success. However you feel about their work is your own taste, but know that they work really hard to keep that

2- Outsiders also often overlook the strategy involved in selecting influencers for campaigns and in casting influencer talent for projects. Success relies on aligning the talent with the brand or specific project, considering factors like demographics, engagement, authenticity, reputation, and creative vision. Understanding the target audience and industry trends is crucial. It’s not just about popularity, it’s about creating authentic connections between the talent, brands, and audiences..

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I was a writer/producer who fell into digital very early. I was working with YouTubers before that was a term. That lead to me helping transition Larry king from TV to Hulu’s first original show. After my time with Larry King Now, I transitioned to working for digital-first production companies seeking someone knowledgeable about digital talent. Once the rest of the world caught up to how valuable online creators were, acquaintances approached me regularly to connect them with influencers for their projects. I did this informally for a while, realizing I was essentially providing a free service. To formalize my work, I registered Casting Influence, LLC, created a website, and began offering influencer casting and marketing services. To spread the word about my new business, I embarked on a marketing campaign and secured my first official project casting influencers for Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s digital production studio, New Form Entertainment. From there, I collaborated with major studios and various production companies on casting while executing influencer marketing campaigns for numerous brands.

Undoubtedly, I faced challenging periods where some months were great, while others were difficult. I found myself lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, contemplating how to keep going, and in those times, would call Jim McCarthy, the CEO of the first company I worked for in LA, Gold Star Events. He assured me this was normal and I was in the dip, and it would pass if I kept going. Somehow it did pass, and I kept going.

I also used the downtime to write some scripted and create new unscripted projects, as I have always been a creator at heart and continue to feed that part of me.. I’m pitching those as soon as the writer’s strike is over.

In the meantime, I’ve launched another service that will allow studios, production companies or anyone with a VIP event to get influencers to their openings, Beinvluted.co

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love activity based entertainment. I won’t go to a bar to drink or anything like that, but I’ll go see comedy at Largo, roller skate, learn a new skill like archery, axe throwing, you get the point! 🙂 I’ll also pet every dog in my way.

For sight seeing – I love the Venice Canals, and the view from Yamashiro in Hollywood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people I could mention here. No one does anything alone, no matter what you think or their PR says:)

I would like to start by saying Randy Frank was integral to my career in this particular industry. She gave me my first job hiring influencers for brands, we became friends, and have done many other things together, not to mention picking me up from that floor when I was on it.

Website: castinginfluence.com and beinvited.co

Instagram: tshadsky

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyabershadsky/

Image Credits
David Tenenbaum