Sammy Amiransari has been an on-staff Casting Producer at MysticArt Pictures
for four years. Sammy started out her career in entertainment as a talent agent
after receiving her MBA. In 2003, she began her career in casting and has
worked on many game shows, docu-series, and scripted series, as well as casting
hosts for series of every variety.
1. Where did you
go to school, and what did you go to school for?
I got my BA in Visual Communications at American Intercontinental
University in Los Angeles, near Marina Del Ray. I continued on there and got my
MBA in Business. I thought I was going to do A&R in the music industry, but
life took me down a different path...I'm a big music lover and always will
be.
2. Where did you
work before getting in to the casting world? How did you make the transition to
casting?
After college I got an internship at Interscope Records because I
thought I was going the music route, and from there I got a job at Premiere
Talent & Modeling Agency. I started out as a booker, handling the
promo-models and slowly worked my way up to agent, and during my last year
there was agency director. I was young and learned fast, but slowly realized I
wanted to do more creative and less business, so I left the agency. Shortly
after, a casting director friend of mine asked me if I wanted to try reality
casting. She was working at "Extreme Dating" for FOX and could use another
person. I started as a casting coordinator, which is what associates were
called back then, and loved it! By my next show I was senior casting coordinator
and a few shows later was a casting producer.
3. As someone
raised in Los Angeles, what advice would you have for someone moving to LA with
no contacts who is hoping to break in to the industry, on the talent or business
side?
I was born in Tehran, Iran, but moved here when I was just one year
old. So in my heart and mind I am a Los Angeles Native. I’ve always felt that
LA was a city that welcomed everyone, and the way you succeed in all the beauty
and Hollywood drama is based on how much you believe in yourself, how driven
you are, and why you are doing what you are doing. If you want to be an actress,
reality star or even work on the business side of the industry for instant fame
and disposable money, you will get eaten alive. If acting/reality casting is
what you want to do, start by taking classes or workshops – this will help you
connect with people with the same passion...don't just start going to bars and
clubs hoping to make connections, because you will meet all the wrong people.
If you want to get into the business side, get into an internship program
at a company that interest you. We have one here at MysticArt and have promoted
so many from within the program. My advice would be to make the right
connections, surround yourself with the right crowd, and make sure your passion
is real and not an illusion of what you think the industry is about.
4. As a casting
producer, you talk to some of the most unique people across the country. What
advice would you give to someone who wants to be on a show or star in their own
television show? How should they show off their personality and world to a
production company?
The one line I hear more than any other is, "Everyone tells me
I should have my own show"...yet they can never tell me why. If you have a
business that makes you unique, or if your family is unusual and entertaining,
you should really be able to pinpoint why. Stand out...what makes you so
different from anyone else I may have interviewed?! Why would I not change
the channel when you are on, and how would you keep the viewer interested? We
are always looking for characters, but sometimes I'm just looking for someone
to be real and be who they naturally are. So read the fine print on a casting
call and give them exactly what they are asking for...no fluff...no lies...just
be real and fun to watch!
5. As someone who
works in development, what advice do you have for someone who wants to pitch a
show idea?
Really have your idea flushed out. What is the show? Who is the
audience? What network do you see your show airing on? If your idea is similar
to something that is already on air, why is yours different? One mistake I see
more than any other is someone will have a great idea, but they haven't done
their research, they don't have a cast, and they haven't taken the time to
perfect their pitch. Really sell your show – ultimately if you are not excited
about your show, how can you expect me or any network to be?
6. What can
actors/actresses do to make an impression when they are auditioning for a
scripted series?
Get as familiar with the project and character as you can. Do your
best to be off book. I want to be able to see your face and eyes when you are
reading for me, so if you are looking down at your sides, there is no
connection. Most of all, don't go in for a part you are not excited about or
not interested in; taking an audition just to make a connection is the worst
career move ever...you are wasting my time, your agent’s time, and your own
time. If you feel you are wrong for the part, be upfront and honest with your
agent.
7. You have cast
many unscripted series for MysticArt. What are some things that people who end
up appearing on unscripted series have in common? What did they do in their
interviews to stand out?
When their interview was over, I remembered everything about them!
They kept my interest from the moment the interview started whatever the topic
may have been, and had a personality that was hard to forget.
8. You have worked
with many celebrities throughout your career. In your opinion, what should
actors/actresses just starting out do to help jumpstart their careers and
obtain long-term success?
The celebrities I admire the most are the ones that have stayed
humble and really were driven by their passion for their art. Be a constant
student...you can always continue to grow and learn. Make sure you are grounded
and stay real, and don't lose yourself in the game.
9. What makes
MysticArt Pictures unique?
We’re unique because we’re like a “one-stop shop.” If you work with
MysticArt, you are working with a company that can carry a project from
inception to completion, whether it is scripted or unscripted TV or film. We
also have something that absolutely no other casting company has – a massive
database of people from all over the world and of all walks of life, which
really helps when we are looking for those “needle in a haystack”
personalities.
