Hanging out at The Casting Couch is like being in a sorority house between classes. Sande Alessi, Jennifer Alessi, and Kristan Berona each have their own office, but only retreat there when it becomes too busy to gather in the central office, fielding phone calls and faxes between sips of coffee and riotous outbursts of laughter. The pace of the coffee talk is as rapid as the filling of jobs for countless extras. Sande Alessi, involved in every element of her company’s operation, is a vibrant mix of energy, know-how, and chutzpah. Without a doubt, her goal of focusing even more on principal casting in the future should be easily met. Registration Line: 818.623.7040.
Road to This Position
Alessi came from the recording industry. “I was in the music business in the ’80s. Big hair, good times!” she recalled. “I did some non-union extra work, and then worked as a SAG extra, did stand-in work, and then became a set coordinator,” Alessi continued. “I liked being a wrangler for the extras,” she said of her position as set coordinator. “I was a waitress on Seinfeld but I was too shy. I preferred casting. It’s creative, like shopping.”
Before starting her own company in 1996, Alessi worked as an intern for Bill Dance. “In order to see if I had an eye for it, he gave me some tiny films. Bill taught me how to create a palate of actors, sit on the floor with headshots all over and know when there were too many blondes, that sort of thing.”
Coolest Casting Gig
The feature AI. “We needed exotic amputees. We did a huge search. Most of the folks we found were from out of state and had no acting experience. We got to give a crash course on acting. I worked with Avy Kaufman to do that. It was a major thrill. These are strong, amazing people.” For her work on AI, Alessi was awarded the Stan Winston Award of Excellence. “I’d like to see more minority representation [in casting] of all kinds,” she shared.
Key Things She Looks for in an Actor
Accountability. “When you go in for your photo, show up in wardrobe. Know your look and go with it. Dress up-to-date. We need more upscale people than not, so dress up, and we’ll let you know when to wear a t-shirt,” Alessi laughed.
Her Take on Extras Casting
“The principal casting director moves on to the next job before shooting begins, and I’m still on duty, finding extras. That means, I sometimes cast [last-minute] principals too. I remember who [as an extra] is reliable and easy to work with, and will bring them in for auditions.”
Advice for Actors
“Don’t join SAG and then learn how to act,” Alessi advised. “Do your learning first. Work out with other actors.”
Further advice from Alessi included staying in acting class, studying improv, and working in student films. “Work for free. That work will lead to other work. Too many actors get their vouchers, get an agent, and still don’t know how to audition,” Alessi commented. “We’ll always remember if you’re a bad actor. You have one shot. Make sure you’re ready for it.”
To that end: “Read the entire breakdown before your audition so you know the characters. Staple your headshot to your resume and please just bring one headshot. Don’t make me choose the look for you. You should have one picked out, stapled, and ready to go, when you come in.”
Regarding acting itself, Alessi advised, “Make a choice that’s deeper than what’s on the paper. Be ready to take direction.”
Pet Peeves
“No shows, lateness, saying you have certain wardrobe and showing up to set without it, and random calls to the office to say you’re looking for work,” Alessi listed. “We know you’re looking for work. We’re looking [for the work] for you!”
If an actor encounters a problem on the set, Alessi hopes the actor will call her first. “I’m a SAG member, so I understand wanting to let them know that something’s not right, but there’s no need to make calls so that, four months later, I’m getting a call from SAG that the head of a studio is mad for having to deal with this issue. Call me, and I can get you that $12 for a fitting,” Alessi concluded simply.
An audition-level pet peeve for Alessi centers around lack of common sense-behavior. “Don’t look over my shoulder to see my notes. Don’t leave something behind so that you can come back into the room to get it. Don’t add a monologue of your own to the sides you’ve been given. Don’t bring your gun, your knife, your buddy, a selection of hats to your audition. Really.”
Alessi’s opinion on headshots: “8x10s should come with an expiration date,” Alessi stated. “People are using ten-year-old pictures and it’s just not right. I’d rather have a recent color photo.”
Her Favorite Extra Tale
Alessi had cast a gentleman based on the clothing requirement: upscale elegant suits. The actor showed up to the set wearing sweats and carrying a gym bag. “When the AD asked him about the suit, he pulled this rumpled coat and tie out of the bag. They hung it up, steamed it, tried to make it work. When I called the guy to find out what happened, he said, ‘The strangest thing happened. I was driving down the 405 and my suits flew out the window!’ The worst part,” Alessi continued, “was that he’d pulled the same stunt on another set [booked through another casting director] just the week before. I was like, ‘Man! Get a new excuse!'”
How to Register
“Hollywood OS is where registration happens,” Alessi summarized. A $15 one-time fee puts you in the fully-searchable online database that Alessi and her staff use to populate the worlds of every project they cast from feature films to music videos and from TV shows to commercials. Once registered, actors submit their availability on jobs listed on the Casting Couch hotline. “By submitting when you know you’re right and when you know you’re available, you’re not going to show up and not fit the part,” Alessi explained.
Best Way to Get Seen by Her
Send your headshot and resume. “I’d prefer a small color photo, though,” she emphasized. Alessi lists casting notices in Back Stage West and attends theatre, especially in the Valley. “Submit your photo, send a flyer, send a postcard with your photo on it, let me know about your improv group,” she said. “I’ll see you.”
Her Opinion on Alternative Submission Methods
“I use online services. I love ’em,” she quipped. “It eliminates [the task of] opening headshots for hours. We use the Extras Casting Guild website, do a search for what we need, email the sides out to the actors, and basically are saved the work of the first audition.”
Highlight of Her Week
“Late night wine runs to Trader Joe’s,” she said with a laugh.
Most Gratifying Part of Her Job
“To see the work I did on the big screen. Calling people to tell them they got the job. It’s such a competitive business, that part is really nice. Also, I hired my best friend and my sister. We have fun all day here.”
This interview was conducted on January 3, 2002, and it originally appeared in Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews by Bonnie Gillespie, available at Amazon.