From casting sprawling, ambitious programs like The Amazing Race and a pair of Super Bowl Halftime Shows to several victim-led documentary projects, I've been fortunate to work on an extremely diverse range of films and television series.
It began with an internship at O'Connor Casting in Chicago. It was (and remains) a very busy casting company, often doing two or three commercials simultaneously. After graduating from DePaul University, I moved to New York to continue working in television -- and I'm proud to say that six of my projects became Emmy winners, with a seventh nomination. Highlights of my time in New York include Project Runway, Ellen, MTV's Made, Samantha Brown's Great Weekends, and the first two seasons of the immensely popular Extreme Couponing.
In 2011, I moved to Pittsburgh to be closer to family, but things have remained as busy as ever. From 2014 until Spring 2016, I was the head of casting and talent for M2 Pictures, a full-service production company with offices on both coasts. From Pittsburgh, I worked primarily with the development team, creating and managing new ideas and talent, but I was also responsible for overseeing the casting for any project that made it to production. This role allowed me to combine my previous casting experience and to foster an ability to seek out and recognize deeply personal character-driven stories.
In 2017, I began working with inspirational people to create projects for them to tell their stories. I'm honored to work with people as passionate about speaking their truths as they are, and I'm equally honored that they trust me to help them develop their stories for a wider audience. There are so many people living important -- and, often, difficult -- lives, and I've made it my mission to give them a platform. It has been my distinct pleasure to create and produce Taken at Birth on TLC, and Our Father on Netflix.
It began with an internship at O'Connor Casting in Chicago. It was (and remains) a very busy casting company, often doing two or three commercials simultaneously. After graduating from DePaul University, I moved to New York to continue working in television -- and I'm proud to say that six of my projects became Emmy winners, with a seventh nomination. Highlights of my time in New York include Project Runway, Ellen, MTV's Made, Samantha Brown's Great Weekends, and the first two seasons of the immensely popular Extreme Couponing.
In 2011, I moved to Pittsburgh to be closer to family, but things have remained as busy as ever. From 2014 until Spring 2016, I was the head of casting and talent for M2 Pictures, a full-service production company with offices on both coasts. From Pittsburgh, I worked primarily with the development team, creating and managing new ideas and talent, but I was also responsible for overseeing the casting for any project that made it to production. This role allowed me to combine my previous casting experience and to foster an ability to seek out and recognize deeply personal character-driven stories.
In 2017, I began working with inspirational people to create projects for them to tell their stories. I'm honored to work with people as passionate about speaking their truths as they are, and I'm equally honored that they trust me to help them develop their stories for a wider audience. There are so many people living important -- and, often, difficult -- lives, and I've made it my mission to give them a platform. It has been my distinct pleasure to create and produce Taken at Birth on TLC, and Our Father on Netflix.
It has been my pleasure working with Michael Petrella. He is committed to the vision of our story, making sure that we are not exploited and our experiences are handled in the most respectful and compassionate way possible. It’s hard to find people you can trust, but Michael is that person. Not only has he navigated me through this process with such ease, he has also became someone I fully trust. Someone that truly values human rights and cares as much about the people he works which makes him stand out in the film industry. I vouch for his work ethic, opinionated positions, and attention to detail. He will complement any project he is a part of. Jacoba Ballard, Our Father
I've been fortunate to get cast on 5 different game shows/reality competitions, so I've interacted with quite a few producers in my day. The highlight of these was Amazing Race Season 6. I can honestly say that Michael Petrella distinguishes himself on such a personal level, he is the only staffer I was THRILLED to see the moment my taping ended. He offered the best talent coaching and made me feel more comfortable and confident going into the competition than anyone else on staff. Much like an Indian Medicine Man's approach to healing, he showed a personal interest in me throughout the process, getting to know me on a personal level so that he could offer the best words of guidance at each step of the process. Losing was one of the harshest feelings I've ever had, but no one made more efforts to cheer me up like him. That includes a follow-up email on his own time within a week after taping ended. Character like Michael Petrella's cannot be taught, and I'm thrilled to have been the beneficiary of it. Joe Rashbaum, The Amazing Race
I have had the privilege to work with many casting directors in my short 7 years doing hosting jobs in front of the camera. As the job requires, casting directors, very busy individuals who get to meet so many people who want these type of jobs, responding to talent questions is not always an option. With that being said, Michael Petrella has been the most kind and informative casting director I have ever worked with. He has made my casting process very easy by answering questions and giving me updates. The “waiting” is what most talent go through, but having a casting director like Michael, makes things easier since will let you know about your project “EITHER WAY”, making your experience more enjoyable and practical. Thanks a mil my friend. Neil Fuentes, Chopped