Most actors want to begin their career in commercials because it has less amount of work, and it pays well. Acting on TV commercials has a lot of advantage for budding actors such as:
- Exposure: It exposes you to a wide range of audience among whom are your potential employers.
- Experience: You will always gain experience and sharpen your acting skills.
- Popularity: Popularity is also an advantage that should expedite gaining more acting roles.
- Connections: Being on set will also open the door for you to increase your connections with professionals and people who work in the industry.
- Payment: A mouth-watering pay is not excluded in the field of commercial acting.
You do not need to be as hot as a model to feature in an advert, Commercial agents and casting directors always need new faces and actors of different shapes, size, color, nationality to help promote their brand and products depending on the role requirements.
Table of Contents
- 19 Tips On How Do I Get Into Commercial Acting – A Complete Guide
- 17 Things You Need To Know Before Commercial Auditioning
- How Much Does An Actor Make On A Commercial?
- Conclusion
19 Tips On How Do I Get Into Commercial Acting – A Complete Guide
Do you want to act on TV commercials? Here’s how to Get Started:
- Sign up for a Commercial acting class.
- Get your headshots ready.
- Put your resume together.
- Sign up for casting websites.
- Go for Outside Jobs.
- Join Improv Classes.
- Work on everything.
- Attend auditioning Classes.
- Get a commercial agent.
- Get experience.
- Prepare your demo reel.
- Active your Social media.
- Search for auditions Online.
- Build your Personality.
- Your looks matter.
- Join an acting Union.
- Take auditions Seriously.
- Get some commercials in Technical Skills.
- Pursue Bigger projects.
Sign up for a commercial acting class – Acting classes will help you improve in your Talent and skills although they can be expensive, you will definitely come out better. Before you enroll in any acting academy, be sure to reach on the studio and coach, so that you will be able to make a suitable choice based on your Finances and Personality.
Get your headshot ready – Having a great headshot can help you get your next commercial acting spot. It should portray the particular role that you are applying for. Commercial casting directors and producers always look for the body and personality that will be able to advertise their brand and increase the sale of their product.
Put your resume together – Prepare your resume, avoid listing other commercials jobs you have done in your resume this can be a potential threat to you, write your training classes and any other acting class you have completed.
Sign up for casting websites – Get a good web designer to create your website for you where all your necessary components such as your demo reel, resume, social media, and contact information are readily available.
Go for outside Jobs – If you have the time to do some non-commercial acting such as the high-quality graduate student film and the likes of it. This will make your resume better and make you attractive to the casting director.
Join Improv Classes – When you are done with your commercial class, get yourself into a well-known improvisation class or group. Casting Directors like to see things that they are familiar with on your resume.
Work on everything – Do not select the types of job you will do or audition for, do every and any kind of acting Job that comes around you, this would expose you and sharpen your skills.
Attend auditioning classes – When you train to a point where you are strong in commercials and have the skills required, the next line of action is to build your auditioning techniques and scene study if you can afford it enrolling into a professional class to improve your acting chops would not be a bad idea.
Get a commercial agent – Find a decent agent who can push you further and connect you to TV commercial auditions, hand you over to casting directors, protect you from dubious people who take advantage of budding actors.
Get experience – It is important to have experience in commercials although it is not a criterion for casting directors, it will help you to be familiar with the system and the way things are done.
Prepare your demo reel – Having a lot of on-camera credits to your name will give you the ability to create your first demo reel. In this time and age, your demo real is as essential as your headshot, it shows what you are capable of in secs and highlights some of your best works.
Active your Social media – True, your website is active, but that doesn’t mean that you should quit social media. You have to also be active on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. Social media builds your Fan base; It is a major source of information that makes you aware of what your favorite casting directors, agencies, brands, and actors are up-to and makes your fans know what you are up-to.
Search for auditions online – You can get auditions from online casting websites, you will need to create a membership profile, pay registration fees to register on casting sites. These sites easily post available jobs for commercial actors, and you can easily apply for it.
Build your Personality -Your Personality is a very vital part of getting a Job in the commercials. You have to be Positive at all times, Simile and treat everyone nicely; this would help you keep a positive and joyful mood when you are acting or not.
Your Looks matter – Casting in commercials is based on looks most of the time. You should consider whether your looks and built fit the role, for instance playing the role of a high school girl for a Sanitary pad advert. If your looks don’t suit the role available, do not bother there will always be a role for your looks.
Join an acting union – Joining an acting union like SAG-AFTRA supports actors, helps them find new roles offer workshops to sharpen their acting skills.
Take auditions seriously – You have to take every audition that comes across you because without them you may almost never get a Job in the commercials, so all auditions matter and do not turn anyone down.
Get Some commercial, technical skills – It is Not Just about being a good actor, you need some technical skills that will help you do your best in the commercials like:
- Knowing where to stand.
- How to move during a shoot.
- Learning how to look and speak at a camera during a commercial.
- Ready to take direction and adapt to instructions.
- Knowing how to stay relaxed and natural when filming.
Pursue bigger Projects – As your auditions increase and you get busy often, it is now the time to select jobs you should do and should not do. Choose your Jobs wisely.
17 Things You Need To Know Before Commercial Auditioning
Commercial acting is hectic and stressful. You as an actor has a lot of work to do in just a short period of time. Your rehearsal and auditioning should be strong, These Tips below will Educate you on things you should know before you go for commercials:
- Be Early, to avoid stress.
- Master the script as much as you can.
- Rehearse your diction, articulations, and enunciation exercises.
- Know the words as well as possible.
- Get different interpretations ready.
- Be attentive when you are being directed.
- Be sure to read the casting spec before you show up.
- Get ready in case you are asked to improvise.
- Show your Strengths.
- Have your headshot and resume in hand.
- Select the character appropriate clothing.
- Have fun.
- The director and the ad agency’s creative team will decide whether you get the job or not.
- Present Yourself well-Your looks matter.
- If you don’t get this one. You can get the next one.
- You will get into trouble if you talk more than you listen.
- Ask questions.
How Much Does An Actor Make On A Commercial?
Commercial actors make more money than other actors; they are being paid after the shot and are also being paid every time the advert airs. If casting directors cast you on union SAG-AFTRA commercial productions, you stand a chance of making cool cash.
SAG-AFTRA Commercial Average Rates
On principal camera talent (per spot):
- 8 hour weekday: $671.69
- 10 hour weekday: $923.57 (2 hours overtime)
- 12 hour weekday: $1,259.41 (4 hours overtime)
- 8 hour weekend/holiday $1,343.38 (double time)
- On camera tags (each tag): $198.22
Extra Performers (per spot):
- 8 hour weekday: $366.37
- 10 hour weekday: $503.75 (2 hours overtime)
- 12 hour weekday: $686.93 (4 hours overtime)
- 8-hour weekend/holiday $732.74 (double time)
- 8-hour hand model/scale $559.02
- 10-hour hand model/scale $768.66 (2 hours overtime)
- 12-hour hand model/scale $1,048.18 (4 hours overtime)
Conclusion
Commercial acting can open doors of becoming a Movie Star, because you get exposed, build connections, and sharpen your skills. A good commercial actor listens to directions and instructions, approaches situations differently, thinks fast, accurately interpret the material and are good improvisers as a commercial actor you need to relate to the camera and have an idea of how to market the product.
Professional acting training is essential for an actor. Any training that will sharpen your skills will improve your Commercials career.
Share this article below if you believe people need to know about it … 🙂
