07 Mar Commercial Acting Prep: Three Questions
Here at 3-2-1 Acting School in Los Angeles, I do a lot of commercial acting prep with my students! As actors, it’s important for us to have diverse skill sets. Sometimes, students come to me and say they are mostly interested in television and film roles, but I always emphasize the importance of commercials and commercial acting prep. First of all, we can make great money doing commercials! Secondly, we can build great connections; often the directors and producers working on commercials are also working on films. Thirdly, and importantly: commercials are fun!
When my students are preparing for commercial auditions, I always ask them the following three questions:
What is great about the product?
This is perhaps the most important part of commercial acting prep. Do you understand what is great about the product? If not, it’s time to do some research — and to even watch previous commercials for the project (or try it, if you happen to have access to it at home). What do you personally love about the product? Be specific.The more that you can genuinely connect with the product, the better.
What problem does it solve?
Commercials are always presented as ways to solve our problems! What do you get if you purchase the product? Do you get smoother hair? Feel healthier? Enjoy a relaxing break from work? Look so irresistible that you attract the person of your dreams into your life?
Get very specific; what problem could this product solve for you? As the star actor in the commercial, your audience will be relating to you directly, wanting to solve problems of their own. So, if you can really tap into the truth of the issue that the product is addressing, you will be more magnetic to your audience!
How do you feel after using the product?
As actors, we really want to get in touch with the feeling that a product gives us when we are doing commercial acting prep. How are you meant to feel by using this product? Relaxed? Happy? Satisfied? Ready to take on the world?
Does it “solve” the chaos of your life and make things easier for you? Does it make you feel fresh, clean and happy? Pay attention to the language in the commercial copy; there are often subtle (and not so subtle) hints regarding what kind of feeling the product is supposed to give you.
Remember: don’t be too salesy!
Now that you’ve done all of your exploring and preparing, make sure that you incorporate the feeling that a product gives you — with a sense of total ease. These days, commercial casting directors are looking for very conversational and natural reads, during which you speak as though talking to a good friend, casually, over coffee. Stay away from the “announcery” approach to commercial copy (unless, for some reason, you are specifically asked to do this).
Most of all: have fun!
I hope that you enjoy your commercial acting prep and that you’ve found these tips that I give my acting students to be useful! I am wishing you all the best. Good luck with your commercial audition!
