Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Alistair.
Hi Stacy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am an actress and creative producer living in dreamy Silverlake, California. I moved here about five years ago from Illinois where I was teaching film studies and working on interesting story-driven indie features. I worked closely with actors such as Kevin Sorbo (a.k.a TV Hercules), Jason London (a.k.a Dazed and Confused), Lochlyn Munro (a.k.a. A Night at the Roxbury), and Tom Green (a.k.a. Freddie got Fingered). These guys were super pro, they would be joking with me one moment, hear ACTION, and I’d see their eyes emulsify into character as they finished their sentence before walking into camera frame.
After four years of teaching one too many film students lacking interest like day old pizza crust glinting with hair, I wanted more. I met up with my genius writer friend to discuss my lackluster enthusiasm. He looked at me dead in the eyes and said “You have one month to move to LA”. Within 30 days, I packed my car and drove across the country to magical California.
I pounded the pavement looking for film production jobs after hitting sunny LA. But the market was insanely too hard to break into. Feeling restless, I started taking acting classes to fill my time, oiling up my Speech Team Acting gears from college…
I was awarded a full-ride scholarship to attend EIU and compete in acting competitions against neighboring colleges. I still remember that one particular coaching session when I felt that spark. The moment I fell back into a character and tore off my own skin to become someone else. It was then I realized my intense desire to act and also my drive to direct actors for film…
Within my first year of living in glamorous LA, I booked a Co-star role on the Lifetime Network. That was exciting and tricky. It was for a raunchy comedy called MY CRAZY SEX. I don’t know how many times I uttered the phrase ‘I’m NOT doing porn’ to my people back at home. In terms of getting to direct, I supplemented a small income by producing and directing short scenes for actors who wanted to beef up their demo reels. In the midst of growing that endeavor, I accepted a job marketing commercial photographers for advertising campaigns. In between auditions and filming, I was formulating expensive budgets for broadcast commercials, developing gorgeous layouts to publish in design magazines, advising creative calls with art buyers, meeting well-known super-fly producers and visiting stunning commercial sets.
After the pandemic hit and with everything shut down, I felt listless. I got on the phone with a film producer looking for career advice and hoping for inspiration. What I got shattered my idea of what ‘living’ actually means. He illustrated a way to revive the SPARK I had when I knew I loved directing, do it for a living, plus have the time I needed to act. I decided to take my chance. I started my own advertising/video production company called SPECIAL SAUCE MEDIA Inc. I produce high-quality, enticing commercials that increase desire and drive people where they are going to see them. I absolutely love what I do! Being my own boss lets me set my own precious hours, focus on acting and directing, and control my own cash flow.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Just navigating a new city is over-stimulating. The popular hotspots don’t look as glitzy as that ‘jealousy-inducing-latte-slinging’ influencer’s Insta feed. Plus, not knowing many people, morbid realizations would creep up like, ‘Who’s gonna find my body if I choke to death alone in my apartment?’ Eventually, I branched out. Taking acting classes really helped me connect with good people. My self-discipline was tested when I felt as if everyone was partying in Hollywood while I was just blissed out to find my favorite cupcake shop (shoutout to Lark). Another bump in the road was constantly having my self-belief challenged when hearing underhanded comments from my people back home (which were meant with good intentions). I ended up self-isolating and rarely letting anyone in for fear of judgment.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
If you can imagine Winona Ryder and Oscar Isaac running a nightclub owned by the mob, that’s a good indication of my acting style. I love drama and everyone else loves my comedy. For instance, thanks to casting director Phaedra Harris, challenging her acting students to do standup, I won first place my first time ever hitting the ‘comedy’ stage. I blame it on my obscene sarcastic awkwardness. I’m known as either the worried yet compassionate girl next door or the aloof hostage that becomes friends with her kidnapper. Changing gears with my company, Special Sauce Media Inc, I specialize in a niche audience that I discovered after hours of research. The commercials I produce are similar to mini-movies that people can’t seem to get out of their heads.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Before moving to LA, I messaged the lead actress of a movie I worked on, wanting to see if she would like to catch up. After a few sentences, she offered me to live with her! Obviously, that was good luck. Here’s an example of bad luck…I finally got my first job interview, BUT it was at the same exact time and date as signing with a career-altering acting agent. Silly me thinking I could make both appointments – I missed the agent meeting. Furthermore, during the interview, I had a cut on my knee from shaving that wouldn’t stop bleeding down my leg. I took it as a sign that I was getting sucked into a job that would make me miserable – so I turned it down. Feeling defeated, I held out a little longer. Eventually, I interviewed for an advertising job where I gained invaluable experience. I also ended up signing with my bomb ass agent at 90210 Talent after becoming SAG-AFTRA. As with anything in life, if we can learn from our past, then even bad luck has a funny way of being the best part of our journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stacyalistair.weebly.com/
- Instagram: stacyalistair
- Other: www.specialsauceinc.com
Image Credits:
Feature Photo: Michael Allen Turner Water Photo: Michael Allen Turner
