Big TV role for Toby as he makes move from Cannock to cobbles of Coronation Street
A Cannock-born TV producer has secured a role working behind the scenes on some of Britain’s best known television programmes.
Toby Talbot has joined Manchester-based agency Industry Casting, supplying supporting artists for productions including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Sherwood and Brassic.
The 21-year-old's role involves sourcing and scheduling walk-on performers and background artists, a key part of keeping long-running dramas and new series on screen.
Toby graduated last autumn from the BA (Hons) Filmmaking at MetFilm School Manchester and within weeks of finishing his degree, he had secured his first job in the industry.
He said: “I worked throughout my degree, cleaning carpets and in my final year, I spent every evening searching for media jobs.
“For an hour a day, I applied for runner and casting roles online.
"Eventually, I saw a casting assistant post on Facebook, applied, forgot about it, and months later got the call offering me the job.”
He said his route into the industry began unexpectedly at school.
He said: “I ended up on a media course because I was terrible at French and got moved into another class.
“I loved it. I started writing film reviews at home and realised I wanted to work in film and television.”
He said he moved from Staffordshire to Manchester to study at MetFilm School’s then-new campus, joining only the second cohort to graduate there.
He said: “The campus was small, which meant close contact with lecturers and practical teaching. You were treated like someone preparing for the industry, not just studying it.
“I realised I enjoyed finding the right people and shaping stories through characters. That was the moment it clicked.”
He said his interest in casting grew from years of analysing performances on screen, with one film in particular standing out.
He said: “Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler is a perfect example of casting done right.
“He completely embodied that character. It showed me how the right casting choice can define a whole film.”
Alongside persistence, Toby said he credits one unexpected skill as vital to breaking into the industry.
“My first goal after graduating was to pass my driving test. When you apply for entry-level film and TV jobs, one of the first questions is ‘can you drive?’.
"Being able to get to locations reliably makes a huge difference.”
Now commuting from Staffordshire while preparing to move to Manchester full-time, Toby said he believes opportunities in the region are growing, with the UK screen sector has expanded strongly in recent years, with production increasingly based outside London.
Manchester, Yorkshire and the North West are now recognised by industry bodies as one of the fastest growing regions for film and television production, anchored by long-running series and new returning dramas.
He said: “Manchester feels like the heart of filmmaking in the North.
"Major shows are made here year-round, and that creates real entry points for new people coming into the industry."
Tomas Quezada, Deputy Course Leader said: "Toby's success at securing a role so soon after graduating is wonderful news, but hardly surprising.
"He's a diligent, hard-working individual who grasped every opportunity we offered at MetFilm School Manchester.
"Whether it was an Industry Q&A or networking event, Toby would be there to win you over with his friendly manner and great sense of humour - two qualities required for success in this industry which Toby has in spades."
