Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Ultimate Commercial Acting Class

By Maggie Flanigan


Through intense Meisner training, many student actors find themselves well equipped for commercial acting. Because commercials are cast so quickly, it is necessary for actors to be able to adopt the appropriate persona spontaneously.

Actors who are trained in the Meisner technique acquire necessary commercial acting techniques including the ability to spontaneously "create" their character. 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. Because the commercial requires a character to come to life in a short period of time, learning how to work with the camera correctly is essential. Commercial actors must also learn how to interact with a third party, the "product".

In order to successfully sell a product, actors must also learn how to effectively utilize product placement. Although subtle, these skills are essential when it comes to separating you from the other aspiring commercial actors.

Selecting the right actor for a commercial is absolutely essential to all involved including agency executives, casting agents, and producers. Along with acting skills, a commercial actor should develop their interpersonal skills.

Another essential part of being a commercial actor is always being ready for the camera. As is the case with other types of acting, improvisation is key as well. This is even more the case with commercials and the characters they portray. An excellent commercial actor can take a role and make it come to life in a way that even the producer did not expect.

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. This is no way to create a realistic performance. 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. Depending on the commercial, the actor may need to portray someone who has neglected to use the product and has consequently lost out. Make sure that you are prepared for this as well.

Other required skills include: Learning how to interact with products as well as how to use stereotypes. Framing, the formation of storyboards, how to highlight products, triangular technique, how to create certain characters, and scooping. Being a commercial actor also requires that the camera be treated and interacted with as another character.

The best actors know that they have never learned all there is to know. The commercial actors who remain dedicated to their work are the ones will gain the experience necessary to become truly successful.




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