Friday, December 23, 2011

Commercial Acting Class - Is it a Scam?

11:53 AM
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 other commercial acting techniques that must be learned as well. One such skill is learning vital on-camera techniques. 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. Although these skills may seem unimportant, they are essential when it comes to setting you apart from other commercial actors.

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. 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. The ability to improvise can also come in handy. This is even more the case with commercials and the characters they portray. Actors should be able to take the character and truly make it their own.

Commercial actors must also be very much aware of the objective of the commercial. Naive actors all too often focus on convincing other people. If this is the case, the result will always be fake. Belief in the product is something that that actor must convey himself. The character must believe in the product so much that he or she wishes to invite others to enjoy the benefits themselves. 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 skills that are required include: Learning how to interact with products as well as how to use stereotypes. 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.

The best actors know that they have never learned all there is to know. Dedicated commercial actors are the ones that will ultimately be successful.




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