5 MINUTES WITH CHARLIE CAVE
5 Minutes With is back…and this time, we’re catching up with a member of the extended LPA family: the brilliant stylist and founder of CAA, Charlie Cave.
With an impressive portfolio and more than a few iconic behind-the-scenes stories, Charlie was the perfect person to sit down with for a quick-fire catch-up on life, work, and everything in between. Her portraits were captured remotely by the ever-talented Tim Dunk, and they perfectly reflect her effortless cool.
Background
How did you first get started in the industry?
My third year at Uni was a work placement year, I got to work on some brilliant placements with different designers, one of which was for the Jewellery designer Tom Binns in New York and I was lucky to have visited the studio of David LaChapelle through of a friend of mine whilst there. So I met a few incredibly cool and slightly frightening fashion stylists who had me in ore and the exciting idea of getting into styling was planted. After graduating (BA Jewellery design) I then worked in window display at Liberty’s & Habitat and doing a lot of work experience, building up my skills, contact list and figuring out what area I wanted to go into. I tried working on films (crazy hrs), fashion (Intimating), finally interiors & lifestyle which became apparent it was the area I wanted to pursue. Slowly the assisting work grew and over a few years I started styling on my own jobs. Nearly 25 years later I’m still here & loving it!
Did you always know this was the career path you wanted to take?
Career advice, either at school or university, was very limited; at the time I knew very little about all the fantastic creative jobs that were out there. However from a young age, I was always very creative and focused, I had zero idea about stylists and the work they do, but I guess it was a natural path for me.
Were there any pivotal moments, mentors, or experiences that shaped your journey?
Once I had decided I wanted to become a stylist, I was very lucky to assist two wonderful Interior stylists & journalists, Vinny Lee and Margaret Caselton, I learnt so much from them and I am still incredibly grateful that they took me under their wings. They taught me the building blocks of the role and how to channel my ideas and creativity into each project. I try to be that mentor now for others starting out. Another key moment and step up the ladder was being represented by LPA (nearly 16 years ago!) for about 10 years. Through LPA I gained so much experience and support, worked on some brilliant shots with so many talented people and made some true friends.
What challenges did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?
When I was starting out, the industry was mainly male dominated and it was at times intimidating I had to very quickly adjust to the environment and grow my self confidence and presence on set. That meant not being afraid of presenting my ideas or opinions to more senior crew or clients. Growing in confidence, which comes with experience & age, has definitely made me a better stylist.
Shoot Essentials
If you could only bring three things to a shoot, what would they be and why?
It totally depends on the shoot, but in general, a good doubled sided tape, hand steamer and my trusty leatherman.
Are there any specific brands, tools, or techniques you swear by?
The Fridja hand steamer is excellent, a uv marker & uv torch are super useful for marking props when you need to re-set.
Have your essentials changed over time as you've gained more experience?
Not massively, although my essentials that I bring has definitely grown. You always check out what others bring in their kit. I often look at other departments kit, for example such as HMU department might have a really good brand of spritzer bottle. I always love checking out what’s in the drink stylists kit, they always have some interesting stuff.
CAA
What makes CAA stand out in the industry?
Professional, bright and fun is at our key. We provide amazing team fast for any project. CAA is all about the team, we only work with talented and lovely people.
How does it support creatives, talent, or clients?
I am so proud and lucky to have such a great team of freelancers that we can work with, covering all creative roles from Stylists, HMUA's, Photographers and runners, from assistant to lead roles across the UK and contacts now in Europe and the States. Community and trust are absolutely key in order to grow and support, especially when we are not selling a product but working with people. So support is key. We have 100% transparency with our team and do our very best to support them.
What kind of work does CAA specialise in, and how does it impact the industry?
We provide assistants and lead roles for primarily lifestyle adverting & still-life stills shoots, but we also cover ecoms to TVC, we are growing all the time.
Can you share any notable projects or success stories that showcase what CAA does?
There have been many over the last four years since we started. For me the biggest perks of the job are the people you get to meet and work with, the often exciting locations and the fact that every job is different. Probably for me one of my favourite shoots was for Nokia a few years back, shot at the iconic Pinewood studios; this one allowed creativity from the Art department. They had to create a set where an explosion had just gone off, large piles of fake rubble, broken helicopter parts and SFX smoke, a couple of Aston Martin placed (carefully!) within the rubble and the new James Bond girl seated on a motorbike showcasing the new mobile. Some of the team have just finished on a Gangster set up shoot, which looked awesome, its not launched yet so can't share the details yet.
A special part for me is seeing some of our crew who joined as assistants, just starting out, seeing them flourish and move to lead creatives and seeing the stunning work they help to create
Assistants
In what ways do assistants contribute to the success of a shoot, production, or project?
I feel very passionately about the role of assistants within the Stills and Film Industry; it is such an important role and their contribution to a shoot needs to be valued. I would absolutely struggle to get the job done without a great team behind me and this is echoed by many creative leads.
Do you think their work is properly acknowledged, or do they tend to go unrecognised? -
I think if you ask anyone who works with a good assistant, the answer will be a resounding positive recognition to their value, but in the wider aspect of the Industry I would say their role absolutely needs more acknowledgment. I believe that being an assistant is a key job role in itself.
What advice would you give to assistants trying to break through and gain more visibility?
If you have a dream, go for it, keep focused, don’t be afraid to ask for help & advise. It takes time if you wish to move up the ladder in any creative role, but if you are hard working, don’t mind the stress, the long hrs, the uncertainty of this industry, have talent & good with people you will flourish.I have a love hate relationship with social media. It wasn’t around when I started out, but I now encourage them to use it for showcasing their work and connecting with others.
