Photo courtesy of Hayley Kastner
Sophomore video/television and business major Hayley Kastner loves all things TV. From writing scripts to audio engineering, she wants to do it all. Now, Kastner is involved in two campus organizations relating to her passion, Thursday Nite Live (TNL) and the WRHU radio station. However, her journey at Hofstra didn’t start that way. Originally an aspiring film major, all Kastner knew was that the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication (LHSC) caught her eye.
“I took the virtual tour and saw [Hofstra] had Thursday Nite Live, which interested me,” she said. “When I got accepted, I knew I wanted to do something in the comm school. It was so big and impressive that it felt like where I wanted to be.”
During her first semester at Hofstra, Kastner auditioned for the Hofstra Entertainment Access Television (HEAT) Network’s sketch comedy show Thursday Nite Live and was cast as an actor. TNL helped her realize that while she enjoyed film, television was more suited to her liking.
“I realized I really liked the way things were running in the HEAT network, and I realized I was more interested in episodic writing,” Kastner said. “It made me think, ‘Maybe I’m more interested in not only writing but producing my own show.’”
Kastner is now a prominent figure in TNL, serving as both an actor and writer. This is no surprise, as her infectious personality and quick wit make her perfect for the role.
“I definitely feel more involved with the TNL process now that I’m a writer,” Kastner said. “I’m not only acting out the content but I’m creating it. I enjoy that.”
For now, Kastner loves being in front of the camera, but ultimately, she prefers to be behind the scenes.
“I have always done theater and I like to perform, but I think that especially with TNL, being behind the scenes and coming up with the sketches – I enjoy that more,” she said. “As both a cast member and writer, I get to write the roles I want to see myself or others in.”
She aims to be even more involved with the technical aspects of media production, having just recently completed training for WRHU. Although Kastner doesn’t necessarily want a radio-related career, there are features of the station that make her eager to begin.
“I haven’t really gotten into it yet, but I’ve been tracking and watching. I thought WRHU would be a good way to get more involved in the [LHSC],” she said. “I have some friends in the television department who are also involved in WRHU, and even though I don’t plan on going into radio, it’ll give me more experience.”
The idea of being a showrunner or producer makes Kastner excited for her future, even though it was unexpected.
“I watched a lot of TV as a kid, but I don’t think I ever thought I would be where I am now,” Kastner said. “I don’t think if you asked me even five years ago, I’d think this is where I would end up, but I’m happy this is what I decided I want to do.”
Kastner expressed that she specifically wants to write for or produce a comedy or sitcom mockumentary. When asked why, she replied, “I’ve always gravitated more towards comedic shows or comedy writing. Honestly, a lot of it is that both my parents are funny people and everything in my house was made fun of. I love how [a] mockumentary is taking real people and making a show about the comedy relating to the absurdity of real life.”
Unsurprisingly, as a video/television and business major, Kastner is very particular about her favorite shows. She especially loves “Derry Girls,” “Fleabag” and the teen drama “Degrassi,” which she calls her guilty pleasure.
Kastner’s passion for the world of television is beyond inspiring. From her desire to be involved on campus to the amount of time she spends writing and reviewing scripts, she’s exactly the kind of creative mind television needs today.
“I love TV,” Kastner said. “I feel like I’m finally turning my dreams into my reality.”
