By Remy Sisk • Photos By Matt Johnson & Movie Stills Provided
Dwight Turner still remembers as a child watching a local television program in Hazard, Kentucky, and asking his dad how much you have to pay to be on TV. His father explained that it was the other way around; you don’t pay to be on TV – they’ll pay you! At that moment, Turner’s interest in exploring the entertainment industry was born, and now, decades later, he’s a successful actor, director, producer and casting director as well as a true testament to the power of believing what you can achieve, no matter where you come from.
While the spark came early for Turner, it wasn’t until after college that he really dove into the industry. Armed with a degree in communications with a radio and TV emphasis, he made the move to Los Angeles. “I knew so very little,” he remembers. “I was so naive. I had no connections.”
His lack of experience didn’t hinder him, however, as Turner booked a national commercial at his first-ever professional audition. Since then, he’s acted in over 50 projects including last year’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” In addition to acting, he’s also had success in the world of voiceover and print modeling. Moreover, he’s ventured into directing and producing and even heads his own casting firm while also serving on the SAG-AFTRA Nashville Board and as the Festival Coordinator for Louisville’s International Festival of Film. “Turner Casting just cast our first Super Bowl commercial. It’s a regional spot for Clark’s Pump-N-Shop.” Turner shared, “This was an exciting milestone for us, and seeing it air during the game was incredible.”
While the start in acting came uncannily quick for Turner, how he branched into the other areas was a bit less direct. Turner actually found himself working in payroll at Warner Bros. and through being there, was able to land a job as a content programmer with the studio, developing various online shows. From that position, he continued to explore more behind-the-camera opportunities, though, to be clear, he still cites acting as his deepest passion. “I’m still acting and always will be because that’s my first love,” he says “I always love acting. I love being in front of the camera. That will never go away.”
Deep into his career, Turner’s mother, who still lived in Kentucky, started to experience health issues, which led to him making the major decision to move back to the Bluegrass State in what he assumed would be a temporary relocation. But now, years later, Turner admits he’s likely here to stay. “After living out there for many, many years, Kentucky was like a breath of fresh air, I guess is the best way to describe it,” he shares. “And, you know, it was kind of nice to have a change. Will I ever move back to LA? It’s possible, but I’m enjoying being here and all that is happening here.”
Living in Kentucky, Turner continued his acting career, flying out to different cities for different projects, but soon, film began having more of a presence much closer to home. “A lot of them are happening here now because Kentucky pays out 30 or 35 percent depending on the geographic area to productions,” he explains “But what separates Kentucky from a multitude of other incentive programs around the nation is Kentucky actually gives production a check that they can use for the production instead of them having to wait to get it back through taxes. And that is a big difference. And that is really one of the big pulls that is bringing production – entertainment production work – into the state.”
Indeed, Kentucky has seen a major boom as a film destination with frequent celebrity and production sightings across the state. “And it’s employing people in the state,” Turner continues. “I’m so excited to see where all of this is going. And I am so happy that all of this is happening because if it were not, I may have actually at this point moved back to LA once my mom was doing better. But because all this is happening here, I’m very happy to be here.”
In addition to being a part of the on-screen work, Turner has launched his own casting company called Turner Casting where he helps get the right people in for the right projects. On his next horizon is offering acting classes in both Louisville and Lexington, in which he hopes to help those interested in pursuing an entertainment career have more of a leg up than he did when he got started.
In the meantime, a great deal of his time is spent as CEO of Movie Town Productions, a company he launched with colleague Steve Damron upon moving back to Kentucky. The company’s first film, “REP” – directed by Turner – chronicles the lives of freshman state representatives and is currently in post-production. Another directing project that’s upcoming, though not through Movie Town, is the horror film “Deep Within the Caves,” which draws inspiration from Appalachian folklore.
It’s been a multilayered and multifaceted feat for the boy from small town Kentucky, a whirlwind of a career that, to some, could have seemed unlikely. “I’ve had people ask me, ‘Well, how did this occur?’ And you know, I think a big part of it is just having determination,” he relates, “and having a good idea of what it is that you want to achieve. And I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t matter where you begin. It doesn’t matter where you start out. It’s where you finish. And don’t let anybody tell you you cannot achieve things because you can.”
For more information on Dwight Turner, visit dwightturner.com.
To submit to Turner’s casting firm, visit turnercasting.com/talent-submissions.
To contact Turner for casting needs, email dwight@turnercasting.com.
To contact Turner for directing or producing needs, email dwight@movietownproductions.com.
留言