Hidden Gems: Meet Chazlyn “Chaz” Yu of Set Life Casting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chazlyn “Chaz” Yu.

Hi Chazlyn “Chaz”, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I first was introduced to the film world when I was in high school, when I first started working as a stand in for Margaret Cho on Drop Dead Diva way back in 2011. I would do stand in work here and there and even did a few featured background roles in movies like Ride Along 2 and All Eyez on Me.

From there, I started learning about the casting side of things and then would go on to become a casting assistant and then a lead casting associate on many projects over the years. Some of the bigger ones include Ozark Season 3, Cobra Kai Seasons 1 & 2, and The Glorias.

In 2021, after leading many of projects I decided to open up Set Life Casting

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely not been smooth – but is it ever?
COVID definitely comes to mind as a time of struggle. If you were lucky enough to get work during this time, there were so many new protocols that had to be followed – we were sending people in for tests 2x a week on some projects which added a lot more logistics on our end. And communicating with a whole new department. And then making sure people followed protocols while on set as well, it was a lot! (And we were not getting paid more LOL)

Some other struggles were learning to run a business, because even though I was very familiar with the casting side of things, I did not learn about the business side until I was doing it for myself. For example, things like creating a business, fees & taxes associated with running a business, negotiating, meetings, overseeing etc.

Also, learning to stand up for myself, my business, and the talent. When I first started my company, I was only in my mid 20s, and the film industry, especially in production, is full of people with years or even decades of experience (and mostly men) At times, it was intimidating dealing with producers, directors, UPMs as a younger woman, and I sometimes questioned whether I had enough experience and would have to push a little harder to be taken seriously.

Over time, I learned that confidence comes from doing the work, building relationships, and consistently showing up professionally. Believe in yourself, always. The growth in confidence (both in myself and in my decision making) has been one of the biggest learning experiences throughout this journey!

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Set Life Casting specializes in background/extras casting for film, television, commercials, and digital media productions.

My goal has always been to create an experience that feels organized, professional, and easy to work with for BOTH productions and talent.

What sets us apart is that we truly care about the people on both sides of the process. For productions, I don’t just look at it as filling spots- I’m very detail oriented and put a lot of thought into selecting people who are dependable, professional, and truly fit the role and overall vision of the project. Strong communication and being easy to work with are things I really value, because I know how important that is in this industry.

On the talent side, I want people to feel respected, appreciated, and communicated with clearly. Background actors are such an important part of what brings productions to life, and I never want people to feel like they’re just another submission or number in a database.

One thing I’m especially proud of this year is starting our “Extra of the Month” spotlight, where we feature talent who have consistently been professional, dependable, and positive to work with on set. I think in today’s world people really value feeling seen and appreciated, and it’s been really rewarding to recognize people who go above and beyond!!

At the end of the day, I want Set Life Casting to be known as a company that people enjoy working with- having productions trust us to deliver quality talent AND background actors feeling valued and respected throughout the process- that is my goal.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think risk taking is necessary in owning a business, really for life in general. Opening my own company was a big risk, of course you always have that little voice inside your head telling you you’re not good enough or you don’t know what you’re doing or you’re going to fail, but you just carry on anyway! To me, the real failure is not trying, so I had to try. And I will continue to take risks as this world we live in continues to evolve and change so will my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.setlifecasting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/setlifecastingatl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SetLifeCastingATL