OUR STORY
aboutus
Deaf Talent® Casting (DTC) assists domestic and international BIPOC deaf actors find great roles. We also work with casting directors and industry professionals in their casting search. Our mission is to amplify, spotlight, and elevate marginalized gems.
Deaf Talent® Casting, a division of Jade Films and Entertainment, LLC, is in a special position to help companies navigate through transformative change during this age of "representation matters." With hundreds of projects involved in parts of the entertainment ecosystem, we consult clients on accessibility and creative developments in the arenas of media, entertainment, and technology. Our roster holds a deep wealth of knowledge of Deaf and Disabled experiences and viewpoints involving education, pop cultures, languages, such as American Sign Language and Black American Sign Language, (ASL & BASL), History, literature, design, space, art, fashion, music, and more.
Deaf Talent® Casting also collaborates with producers, writers, directors, casting directors, and executives to ensure that our cultural representations with Deaf and Disabled characters, that their cultural representations, unique insights, storylines, and distinct points of view are multi-dimensional and authentic. When it comes to Hollywood storytelling, oftentimes, in film and television, we see on the screen that misrepresents and reinforces dangerous stereotypes of POC and Black Deaf characters. This is what we are here for and we look forward to partnering with changemakers within the media, entertainment, and technology industry.
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Deaf Talent® — Origin & Founding
Deaf Talent® was created and founded by Jade Bryan, the first Black Deaf filmmaker, in response to long-standing systemic exclusion of Deaf artists from meaningful, paid opportunities in theater, film, and television.
The Deaf Talent® initiative was established to address disparities in access, authorship, and ownership within Deaf and mainstream entertainment industries—particularly where elite institutions and informal gatekeeping have historically limited who is seen, hired, funded, and credited.
From its inception, Deaf Talent® has been creator-led, Deaf-centered, and opportunity-driven, prioritizing:
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• Paid work over unpaid “exposure”
• Credit and authorship protection
• Independent pipelines outside elite approval systems
• The development of emerging Deaf artists across disciplines
Deaf Talent® functions as both a movement and a trademarked brand, ensuring that its mission, name, and legacy cannot be diluted, misrepresented, or appropriated.
Under Jade Bryan’s leadership, Deaf Talent® has supported, employed, and platformed Deaf artists through original productions, talent development initiatives, and independent media projects, contributing to a growing ecosystem of Deaf-led creative work.
Deaf Talent® is not an institutionally owned program, collective, or generic label.
It is a founder-created initiative with a documented history, defined values, and protected intellectual property.
Deaf Talent® exists to ensure Deaf artists are not waiting for permission to be included—but are building what was never offered.
