Thursday, December 29, 2011

Finding A Commercial Acting Class

By Maggie Flanigan


All actors that have undergone Meisner training have already done a large part in preparing themselves for commercial acting. Commercials are fast paced productions that require actors to adopt their character's persona immediately.

Because a commercial acting class that utilizes the Meisner technique focuses on imparting students with a vast arsenal of imagined experiences, actors become very well prepared for commercial auditions. This ensures that students are able to provide the director with a genuine performance within minutes.

There are also other skills that must be acquired through a commercial acting class. The actor's on-camera skills must also be improved. This skill is especially vital due to the fact that the actor only has a very limited amount of time to bring a character to life during a commercial. Commercial actors must also learn how to interact with a third party, the "product".

In order to create a connection between the character and the product, actors must learn correct product placement. These subtle skills can make all the difference between landing a commercial role and being rejected.

Everyone, from agencies to producers, put a lot on the line when they choose a commercial actor. Producers, agency executives, as well as casting agents have a huge investment in choosing the right actor for their commercials. Not only do actors need to develop professional skills but they also must be experts at interacting with others as well.

Actors must also always be ready for the camera as auditions and call backs can occur at any time. The ability to improvise can also come in handy. Despite the fact that commercials are scripted, the roles typically call for more on-the-spot actor improvisation. Some actors are able to take the roles they are given and impart them with personalities that even the producers did not anticipate.

Being aware of the commercial's objective is essential to a genuine performance. Amateur actors may be under the impression that the goal is to convince a third party to purchase a product or service. If this is the case, the result will always be fake. The character that the actor creates must genuinely believe in the product. Only when the character believes in the product can they attempt to convince others to reap the benefits as well. Some commercials will call for the actor to portray a character who has lost out due to not using the product. Being prepared for both types of characters is essential.

Other skills that are required include: Using stereotypes and being knowledgeable about how to handle products. Creating storyboards, framing, product placement and highlighting, scooping, triangular technique, and how to play different types of characters. Actors also need to learn to interact with the camera as they would another actor.

Expert actors know that building a strong foundation and constantly working to improve are both essential to success. Taking commercial acting seriously and staying dedicated can help actors advance their way up the ladder.




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