Plastic Surgery

I usually don't post on the weekends, but I am 'on call' so... I guess I'm sort of working.

I started reading an article in the NY Times about Plastic Surgery and castings response to it in our entertainment world. I got a few paragraphs down and saw that Sande Alessi was interviewed. I looked up at the picture for the article, oh! and it was her too.

Click here to link to the NY times article.

What it says about too much plastic surgery is true. It's always best to be yourself (ok...maybe a well dressed, cleaned up, and professional version... but yourself nonetheless!)

Open Call for 'The Gardner' on 4/25

Click the image to go to the Smith and Webster Davis Casting site.

Looking for Client Submissions

As always, anyone is welcome to submit to come on service, but here is a list of our current needs. This isn't to say that these are our only needs, we're just looking to fill our roster in with the following types.

• SAG and/or AFTRA, 18 to-look-younger types: 18-25, men and women, any ethnicity, looking for people who still look like middle/high school or young college students.

• SAG and/or AFTRA Hispanic: any age, men and women.

• SAG and/or AFTRA Hot Types: 18-45, men and women, fit, attractive.

Follow the submission information listed on our website HERE.

Open Call for 'Water For Elephants' on 4/17

SANDE ALESSI CASTING

OPEN CALL THIS SATURDAY (4/17) for "Water for Elephants"

SAG and Non-Union Extra work

• Caucasian Men with very 1930s looking period faces, size 46 coat or smaller.
• African American Men with short 1930s period haircuts. No shaved heads, size 46 coat or smaller.
• Caucasian Women with shoulder length hair or shorter, size 6 or smaller.

No piercings, tattoos, no breast implants, no artificial nails, no highlighted or colored hair (natural looking color is okay.)

Sande Alessi Casting
13731 Ventura Blvd.
2nd Floor
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Saturday, April 17th
12:00noon to 2:00pm

Please bring a 3×5 current color photo OR we can take one for $2.00

Include all information, name, phone numbers, height, weight, all clothing sizes and union status.

(re-posted from their Facebook page)

Open Call for 'The Gardner' on 4/16

Click the image to go to the Smith and Webster Davis Casting site.



General Note: Please respect the CD's time and only attend open calls or submit for roles that fall within what CD is looking for. It does not help you get work if you do not fit what they are looking for OR as we like to say, "no better way to burn a bridge." :)

Not sure if you're an AFTRA member?

AFTRA is open to anyone to join, most of us know that. But what is lesser known is when exactly you become an official AFTRA member and when you can start billing yourself as such.

In the past you could pay into AFTRA by applying your paychecks to your AFTRA initiation dues owed (when you were past your 30 days, you didn't really have a choice most of the time.) They no longer take your checks for background work. Because of that if you were formerly billing yourself as 'AFTRA Willing' if you get booked on an AFTRA production you may be required to pay your initiation fees and any dues owed.

A few clients have run into issues lately becasue if they don't (or are unable) to resolve their payments to AFTRA after getting booked, the casting office that booked them is at risk for getting fined $500 per person, per booking. (no bueno!)

With all that in mind, if you haven't paid your total initiation fees, you are not an AFTRA member. There is a status when you have paid your initiation fees and have had a membership card in the past, but you are just behind on your bi-yearly dues, but this is less of an issue and usually there aren't fines for casting companies that book you on jobs. In that case you may be asked to get paid up, but the amount you owe would be considerably less than having to pay a whole initiation fee.

My best advice ... wait for it ... is to CALL AFTRA if you are unsure of your exact status and how much you owe. (And call us afterward, we're not mind readers - as my mom always says.)

Lets just put it the easy way...

• If you have a current AFTRA card, you are a Paid Up AFTRA Member.
• If you have ever had an AFTRA card, you are an AFTRA Member, but you are not paid up.
• If you have an AFTRA Number, but no card, you are in the system, but NOT an member.
• If you have nothing from AFTRA, you are non-union (and welcome to join - follow the link below.)

AFTRA's main number: 323-634-8100 ext. 4285 or ask for the Membership Department
AFTRA How to Join

Casting Contacts: Websites (updated as of 4/7/10)

I just updated an old posting.

http://jessicasalist.blogspot.com/2009/12/casting-contacts-websites.html

Happy PassEastEnd

To all the christians out there, happy easter.

A belated happy passover to all the jewish folks.

Everyone else, happy long weekend.

We are closed tomorrow for the good friday holiday, and will reopen on monday 4/5.
As usual we will be checking voice mail and be on call for casting.