In The Know | honest conversations with people in the industry

In The Know goes behind the scenes of the entertainment industry to share, connect and get real. Caneshia and Debbie-Lyn have made more than a show, they have created an environment of inspiration

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Describe In The Know and why you started it.

Caneshia: In The Know is a podcast where we have honest conversations with people working across film, TV, music, fashion and all different areas of the entertainment industry. We talk about their careers, how they got started, the things that have gone well, the things that haven’t, and the advice they can give to people who are trying to get into the industry themselves.

The reason I started it is because I know how difficult it can be when you’re starting out. The industry can be really expensive, and a lot of the information you need is behind subscriptions, paid workshops or courses. Not everyone can afford that, and I wanted to create something where people can get that kind of information for free.

In The Know chatting to casting director Gaby Whyte Hart

I want people to be able to hear from people who are actually working in the industry whether that’s an actor, casting director, producer, filmmaker, musician or someone working behind the scenes and hear how they got started, what they’ve struggled with, what they’ve learnt and what advice they have. Hopefully it gives people a bit of encouragement and inspiration to keep going with what they’re trying to achieve.

Debbie-Lyn: In The Know is an entertainment industry insider podcast, we speak to experts in their individual field, to learn more about what they do, the pros and cons, and the path they travelled to success. We believe strongly in collaboration and passing on knowledge of each area of the industry to inspire and guide anyone new!

How did you and Debbie-Lyn meet, and how does your experience help with making In The Know?

Caneshia: We actually met just after lockdown at the first This Is ICON event. It’s a London Fashion Week event that brings together fashion, music, talent and entertainment, with a red carpet and awards. We met there, got talking and just became friends from that point, so we’ve known each other for quite a few years now.

Debbie-Lyn actually originally came on the podcast as a guest. My previous co-host couldn’t make it, so Debbie stepped in and helped me out, and we got on really well. Over time, there were some differences and disagreements with my previous co-host about where we wanted the podcast to go and what we wanted it to achieve, and it became clear that we weren’t really on the same page anymore.

“We both genuinely want to help people, give people access to useful information and advice, and make the podcast something that can actually benefit people trying to get into the industry.” Debbie-Lyn (left), Caneshia (right)

Luckily, Debbie-Lyn and I have a very similar mind-set when it comes to what we want In The Know to be. We both genuinely want to help people, give people access to useful information and advice, and make the podcast something that can actually benefit people trying to get into the industry. I think our experience helps because we both understand the industry and some of the challenges that come with it, but we also have different experiences that we can bring to the conversations. And I think the fact that we’re on the same page about why we’re doing it makes a really big difference.

Debbie-Lyn: Caneshia and I met at London Fashion Week open event, awards evening and celebrity ball called ICON, and we have stayed in touch ever since, collaborating along the way on various creative projects. I think as we have both been in the industry such a long time, we have contacts and connections in every area we want to cover with the podcast.

Are there themes that run through the conversations, and have you taken any of the advice yourself?

Caneshia: There definitely is a bit of a structure to our conversations. We normally start with who the person is and how they got into the industry, then we talk about their career, what they’ve worked on, things that have gone well and things that haven’t necessarily gone to plan.

It depends on the guest really, because everyone’s story is different. But we always want to get into the real side of their journey rather than just talking about their successes. Then we normally finish by asking what advice and tips they’d give to someone wanting to do what they do. And yes, I’ve definitely taken advice from guests myself. I think that’s one of the best things about doing the podcast. We’re asking these people questions because we genuinely want to know the answers too, so we’re learning alongside everyone who’s listening.

Debbie-Lyn: I feel like I learn something new with every guest for sure! One thing I have noted that every creative we have spoken to struggles with, is imposter syndrome!

In The Know: ‘The Man Behind the Monsters’ episode with actor, creature performer and puppeteer Ross Mullan

Who would be your dream guest and why?

Caneshia: Johnny Depp and Brendan Fraser would probably be right at the top of my list. They’re both people who really inspired me to become an actress when I was younger. I had a very difficult and traumatic childhood. I had to grow up quite quickly and take on a lot of responsibility looking after my younger brothers, and there was a lot of violence and abuse growing up. Watching films became a real escape for me. I grew up watching Johnny Depp and Brendan Fraser and seeing them completely transform into different characters and tell so many different stories. I became fascinated by how they could make you feel so many different emotions through their performances. That’s what made me want to become an actress. I wanted to be able to do for other people what they had done for me, give someone an escape, make them feel something, or perhaps even help them through something they might be going through without ever knowing it. So being able to sit down with either of them and talk about their careers, their experiences and what they’ve learnt would be incredible.

I’d also love to interview Sophie Holland, who is a casting director. She’s worked on so many incredible productions with some amazing directors and actors, and I find the way she casts people really interesting. I’d love to understand more about her process, what she looks for in actors and how she approaches casting. I think that would be really valuable for actors reading or listening to the podcast, but I’d also love to hear about her own journey and how she got to where she is.

Composer wise Hans Zimmer would be incredible too. He’s worked on so many amazing films, and his scores are just incredible. His music doesn’t simply sit alongside a film it helps tell the story and creates so much emotion. I’d love to understand how he creates that and where that inspiration comes from.

So there isn’t really just one dream guest. I’d love to speak to people from all different sides of the industry from actors, casting directors, composers, directors and producers because they all have completely different stories to tell.

Debbie-Lyn: Emma Thompson for sure! She is my favourite English actress, she is so talented but also lives her life away from the spotlight. Emma represents to me what it is to be a true actor — she does it for the love of storytelling.

What are the highs and lows of running a podcast? What excites you and keeps you going?

The biggest high is definitely the people. I love getting to sit down and talk to people from all different areas of the industry, hear their stories and learn things from them myself. Then seeing the finished episode come together is such a good feeling. When people tell us they’ve enjoyed an episode, taken something from it or found the advice useful, that’s probably the most rewarding part, because that’s exactly why I started the podcast in the first place.

There are definitely some lows too. It is expensive to run, and at the moment I’m funding a lot of it myself. I’d love to eventually find sponsorship or another way of making the podcast sustainable, so I can focus on continuing to grow it and putting more into what we’re creating rather than worrying about how I’m going to afford the next episode. I don’t want the financial side to stop me from being able to keep talking to great people and helping the people who are listening. There’s also a lot that goes into each episode that people don’t necessarily see. Researching guests, finding the right people to come on, preparing questions, organising the studio, filming, editing, promoting the episodes and then creating all the content around them. It can be a lot to juggle.

But honestly, the highs definitely outweigh the lows. I’m really proud of what we’ve created so far, and being able to do it alongside one of my good friends makes it even more special. Ultimately, I just want to keep learning, keep having these conversations and keep creating something that can genuinely help and inspire people trying to find their way into the industry.

Debbie-Lyn (left) and Caneshia (right) with chef and food visionary Jameson Stocks

Who should listen to In The Know, and how can they keep up to date?

I honestly think anyone who’s interested in the entertainment industry should listen to it. Whether you’re an actor, filmmaker, producer, casting director, musician, someone working behind the scenes, or even someone who’s just interested in how the industry works, there’s something there for you.

We’re also doing more than just the podcast now. We’ve got articles and Q&As as well, because I want In The Know to become somewhere people can actually go to learn things, hear different people’s experiences and hopefully find some inspiration.

Everything is linked through our Beacons page, so that’s probably the easiest place to find us and keep up with what we’re doing. And we’re always looking for new guests as well. So if someone works in the industry, has a story to tell or has something they think could genuinely help other people, I’d love them to get in touch.

What do you hope In The Know becomes?

I’d love it to become a proper platform for people in the industry, not just somewhere you listen to interviews, but somewhere you can come for advice, information, opportunities and inspiration.

I’d love to eventually make it sustainable through sponsorships and the growth of the podcast, so I can keep investing in it and reaching more people, but without losing the reason I started it, which is making useful information accessible to people.

What would make you feel that In The Know has succeeded?

Honestly, if someone came to me one day and said, ‘I listened to one of your episodes, took something from it and it encouraged me to keep going or helped me get somewhere,’ I’d consider that a success. That would mean so much to me because that’s exactly why I started the podcast.

Of course, I’d love for In The Know to grow, reach more people and have a really strong audience, but it’s not just about numbers for me. If we’re genuinely helping and inspiring people who are trying to find their way into the industry, giving them advice, information or even just the encouragement to keep going, then I’d feel like we’ve achieved what I set out to do.

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