If you were to make a list of the best and hottest up-and-coming casting directors in Hollywood, Jamie Ember would have to be at the top of that list. After working for years with casting director Joseph Middleton, she earned an Artios Award nomination in 2024 for her first solo casting effort, Thelma. Pretty good start.
While she continues to work with Middleton on some projects, she also keeps working on her own stuff. The latest of those is Bone Lake, a horror film set at a secluded estate. It follows a couple on a romantic getaway, forced to share the mansion with a mysterious couple. The dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies and manipulation, triggering a bloody battle for survival. Mercedes Bryce Morgan directs the film, which will be released on October 3. Ember talked to us from her home office in LA.
Insights From Jamie Ember
- Focus on building strong working relationships with casting directors and production teams to increase your chances of being considered for future projects.
- Be adaptable and open to working on smaller, ensemble-driven films where chemistry and collaboration matter more than star power.
- Prioritize projects that are fun and creatively fulfilling, as this can lead to more enjoyable experiences and stronger performances.
How did you get attached to Bone Lake?
It’s the same production team, LD Entertainment, that did National Anthem, which was an indie I did with Joseph Middleton in 2022 and came out last year. They had this — it was just four roles — and they asked if I was available. I read it and it was really fun.
What was it about the script that was so good?
It’s a psychosexual thriller that’s just ridiculous. It’s heightened, it’s campy, but then there are some real deep relationship moments, family moments. I’m trying to prioritize working on things and with people who are fun right now. I’m not sure that this movie has a larger message other than that movies should be a good time. I think they’re very much hoping it’s gonna be a good date night movie. Reading it, I could see my husband and I going to see this and having a great time and laughing, but also being a little spooked.
There are no known names in this film, which must have been a different experience from Thelma, where you needed to find names to justify the financing.
LD Entertainment funds their own stuff, so there wasn’t any kind of, “We need this name to get cash flow starting.” They bought the script and fully financed it because it’s four people in one location. It’s not an expensive movie.
Alex Roe was already attached when I came on, and there was another actress attached to play opposite him. She ended up dropping out, but yeah, that was something I liked about it when they came to me, that I didn’t need to go through the star meter and pick people that just mattered for financing. I could find people who were fun and worked well together because, again, it’s only four people in one house, and it should be four people you want to hang out with for two hours.
When you don’t have to worry about name value and can expand your net a bit more, is that a more enjoyable casting experience?
It’s both freeing and complicating. Putting together puzzles like that is my favorite thing to do. I love working on ensemble pieces like that, so yes, we could see so many actors, but at the same time, they had to be actors who worked together. We had that structure to help guide us as I was making lists and starting to request reads, and that’s really interesting.
Did you have people do chemistry reads? Did you start putting them in the room together to figure out how it was going to go?
No chemistry reads, but we did meetings, and they met with the director and talked about the roles, and they read for her. I don’t think we did work with the four of them together before they were all cast, but everyone was someone that somebody had worked with before.
I had worked with Maddie Hasson on The Recruit, and LD Entertainment had done this movie called High Tide with Marco Pigossi. Mercedes, our director, had worked with Andra Nechita before on a short film. We were having trouble finding that role because it’s very complex. It was the last one that we cast, and Mercedes said, “Can we bring this girl in?”
I worked with her. I think she’s really special. We all knew what they were like, and the vibes that they brought, and who would go well with each other, because we had all worked together before in different iterations.
All kinds of small movies come and go. What was it about this one that worked?
We were all willing to admit what we didn’t know and be open to hearing what other people said. Like bringing in Andra. She’s not someone I had ever known or someone I had put on my list, and if I had a bigger ego, I would have said, “Well, I didn’t think of her, so ‘no.’”
Everyone at LD Entertainment was really collaborative and open to discussions. They’ve been around for a while, so they have knowledge, and if you’re willing to listen to their knowledge, they’re willing to listen to yours. I think that was why this movie came together, because we all really wanted to make it, so we were able to hear each other’s notes and figure out how to do it.
When you finish a job like this and feel you’ve done it well, do you take a moment to appreciate it and give yourself a pat on the back? Or do you just say, “On to the next?”
What I’m trying to work on is actually appreciating the moments of success and the moments that feel good and exciting, as opposed to just looking for the next thing. I don’t think I’ve succeeded yet. As I continue to build my credits and my career, I’m still very much like, “Okay, that one’s done. I think I did a good job. Hopefully it’ll do well. What’s up next?”
This is the second movie that’s going to come out in theaters with just me as the casting director, so hopefully, as more of those come along, I will be able to enjoy those moments more. But no, I’m not particularly kind to myself, so when I’m done with something, I say, “Okay, great. What’s up next?”
It’s been really exciting with Bone Lake, a movie that we finished a while ago, as it started to premiere in festivals and then [with] an actual national theatrical release to say, “Oh, yeah, that was really fun.” This is a really good group, and I’m very excited to see it because I haven’t seen the completed cut yet, so hopefully I’ll be able to make time to be excited about this.
Final Takeaways
Breaking into the industry means more than just talent—it’s about connection, collaboration, and staying open to new experiences. Casting director Jamie Ember’s work on Bone Lake shows that chemistry and teamwork often outweigh big names. Here are a few tips for new actors looking to make their mark.
- Build genuine relationships with casting directors and filmmakers you work with.
- Be willing to take on smaller, ensemble roles that showcase your ability to connect with others on screen.
- Stay open to feedback and be flexible during the casting process.
- Focus on projects that excite you and offer a fun, creative environment.
- Remember that chemistry with your co-stars can be just as important as individual talent.
