Friedman understands the reality of her industry better than most. She has a vast amount of experience, having begun her career as a journalist and expanded her horizons into editing, production, television, and more. In her work as Manager of Development at Studio Lambert, she earned herself crucial roles behind the scenes of hit television shows like Second Wives Club on E!, and Undercover Boss on CBS. She was also a major contributor to Global Television Network’s, The Morning Show. She is an asset to any project she works on and is the reason that viewers catch themselves tuning in to her work again and again.
Despite the fact that she has developed an unparalleled reputation as a producer in her field, she remains humble and continues to contribute her best effort to every project she works on. She embraces every aspect of the job, not because she has to but because it’s what she loves to do.
“You have to love it. If producing is just something you kind of want to do, you won’t be able to put up with the long hours, the pressure, and the struggles. Plus, it's often a thankless job. But if you’re passionate about it, it is extremely fun and rewarding. There's nothing like seeing a project through from conception to air, and then seeing the response from the audience. There really is no way to describe it, it's just something you feel when your work airs,” told Friedman.
In 2013, when Friedman was working for the The Morning Show, she pitched the idea of producing a Child Safety Awareness Week to the show’s Executive Producer who absolutely loved the idea. At this point, Friedman had been working with The Morning Show for a year and the entire production team were aware of the calibre of work that she is capable of generating. They trusted her to carry the week’s segments successfully and gave her full reign to make it the best it could possibly be. To their satisfaction, she did exactly that.
Friedman was absolutely essential to the project and can be credited for its tremendous success amongst viewers. She saw the project through from concept to air with her own unique production style and despite the challenges she faced, she came out on top. She heavily researched possible topics and tirelessly searched for fitting guests to discuss each one. Beyond that, she liaised with her guests, handling all of their booking requirements, pre-interview preparation, and much more. For Friedman, the hard work and dedication that the project entailed were simply stepping stones on a path to expanding her knowledge and experience in her field. She considers this type of work to be meaningful to her and while some producers might’ve faltered under the pressure, she was empowered by it. This profound commitment to her work is one of the many reasons that make her such an exceptional resource to any team.
For viewers, Child Safety Awareness Week was an extremely important one. Not only did it outline essential information to parents of children of all ages, but it helped display the dynamic nature of The Morning Show. “The show is more than just hard news, lifestyle and celebrity. It also teaches our viewers practical lessons and life-saving skills. It is the perfect example of using storytelling to make a difference, which is what I always strive to do as a producer,” said Friedman.
While Friedman relished in the honour of receiving full creative liberty over the program, her production team were simply honoured to witness her excel at what she does best. Global News Toronto's News Director and former Producer on The Morning Show, Mackay Taggart was astonished by Friedman’s prowess as a producer so early on in her career.
“Cassie's drive is perhaps the most compelling quality that lends itself to her success. She joined our staff as a junior member of the team, but was quickly taking on production related tasks that went far beyond her rank. It was her hunger for experience and learning opportunities that proved Cassie was destined for success in our industry. Producing live TV takes a great deal of precision, patience and passion, but also a large degree of urgency. Cassie seemed to grasp these qualities almost immediately. Her ability to balance those traits is key to making her such a talent. She is also an outside of the box thinker, with effective leadership skills that compel people to want to work with her. Our colleagues were always quick to support her ideas, in part because they were inventive, and in large part because our team knew that Cassie has the skills to execute projects well,” remarked Taggart.
With talent like Friedman’s, it is exciting to imagine the sort of quality she will bring to the field as she continues to mature and expand upon her already esteemed career. She is a natural story teller and the passion within her to share her talents with the world is burning. She hopes to continue producing enjoyable, intelligent content wherever possible and pursuing all of her interests for the benefit of her audiences.