So You Want to Book More Commercials?

Let's cut straight to the chase. Below is a list of ten things you should start doing right away to increase your chances of booking commercials.

1. Take some improv classes. It’s absolutely crucial that you learn improv really well. Why? Because most commercial directors are looking for an actor who can add something unique to the production. Even if you think you’re naturally good at improv, you have to remember that most casting directors are looking for someone who has lots of improv training on their resume.
2. Watch commercials. You need to get an idea of what’s currently going on out there, so doing your homework is crucial. The more familiar you are with what’s currently selling, the more you’ll be “in the know” on what casting directors are currently looking for. Go onto YouTube and check out popular commercials.
3. Target something specific. As they say, without a clear goal, you’ll just drift. It’s extremely important that, rather than just saying you “want to book a commercial,” you specify a certain company and/or product line. It makes it much easier to start targeting your training and networking to them. Let’s say for instance that you want to be in a Coca-Cola commercial. Check out their most popular current commercials on YouTube and then look for patterns in the actors they use. What do all the actors have in common? Now you’ll know the "recipe" they're looking for and you can figure out how to give it to them. You can also find out which casting directors or agencies are working on those commercials so you know who to focus on networking on. Keep in mind, however, that you need to be relatable and similar to the company's target market. If you're not, you’re wasting your time. For instance, a company that typically does commercials featuring 25-year-old men is unlikely to hire a 50 year-old woman because it doesn't fit their brand, so you'd be better served targeting your marketing at a different company.
4. Find a commercial agent. Did you know that, in general, it’s easier to land a commercial agent than a legit agent? The reason is because there are so many more commercials being cast than there are television shows or films, and they are always looking for new talent. Search online for agents, attend agent meet & greets or pay to play auditions, and do anything you can to get yourself seen by commercial agents. And remember that the more improv training you have on your resume, the more likely they will be to take you on. They'll also be more likely to push hard for you to get a role because they know casting directors want actors with tons of improv training.
5. Make sure your screen acting is up to par. Some actors try to transition into commercials from theater without the proper training, believing screen acting is similar to theater. This couldn't be further from the truth! Screen acting for commercials is exactly the same as screen acting for film - meaning if you’re not fully trained, you’ll never book jobs. In fact, you might even ruin relationships with casting directors because they will be annoyed at you for wasting their time in the audition. Take more screen acting classes and stay as up-to-date as possible in your training.
6. Shoot a spec commercial for your reel. Shooting spec commercials for your commercial reel can definitely help you get in the door with agents and auditions, especially if your commercial reel is weak. If you shoot a spec commercial where you’re the star (and you do a fantastic job), you can instantly push your commercial acting career ahead by a year or two! And it should go without saying your reel should be specifically focused on commercial work. Try not to use a reel that contains both commercial and legit work - it's better to have two SEPARATE reels. There are tons of directors that are shooting spec commercials and need actors, or you can check out a company like www.actorscreenershoot.com if you want to shoot your own (although note that depending on what you want to shoot, they can be a bit pricey).
7. Set up commercial marketing materials so you look like a specialist. Take a set of headshots specifically for commercial work with a colorful, blurred background or a white background. Make sure you have a huge, toothy grin and look very friendly. Your smile MUST be real - no fake smiles! Create a commercial resume (don't post it publicly - instead say “available upon request”) so that commercial agents and casting directors can see your commercial work. You can also write a bio and create an entire webpage on your site devoted to your commercial work. Remember, the more of a specialist you seem the be, the more likely casting directors and agents will want to work with you. They don’t want a jack of all trades!
8. Get those special skills listed on your resume. Special skills can be a huge differentiation factor when it comes to whether a casting director will bring on an actor because it narrows the playing field drastically. If you can juggle, handstand, flip pizza dough, or do any other out-of-the-ordinary thing, be sure to list it on your resume. Occasionally casting directors will jump onto Actor’s Access to search for actors who have very specific skillsets, and who knows, you might just be invited to audition for the next Papa John’s pizza commercial!
9. Check out Stacy Gallo and study with her! A quote from professional actor Nimo Gandhi (who just booked a national commercial - check out his website at www.nimogandhi.com): "Stacy Gallo is an NYC commercial casting director. She offers a class from time to time where you train with her and she sees your base skills and guides you to improve from there. She is the eyes of what gets an actor hired by a client. I.e. Verizon, Geico, Coca-Cola, etc. So she is teaching from that vantage point. In the last class she invites commercial agents to watch you do an actual commercial scene. Actors get signed commercially from these sessions!"
10. If you want to aim for a national commercial, be sure to closely follow the Big Three casting houses: Beth Melsky Casting, Stacy Gallo Casting, and House Casting. Those three companies occasionally post national commercial opportunities on Actor’s Access and Casting Networks, and if you’re watching closely enough, you might be the first to respond to a casting call. And if you didn’t already know, the actors who respond most quickly have a higher shot of being invited to audition than those who respond more slowly. Why? Because many times these casting companies need to get auditions done same-day or next-day. If you take 24 hours to respond, you might miss out!

The Takeaway

You need to be highly targeted in what you want and you need to put in the effort. Booking a commercial (especially a national commercial) isn't something that will just happen by random chance. You need to set yourself up for success, and not just hope that someday you'll start booking these jobs.

​I've discovered something interesting.

Strangely enough, the most successful actors I've interviewed all seem to have three specific traits in common that lead to more bookings and work. Click here to learn what they are.