Depressed? Skip the pills and go out on a commercial audition. There you'll find a roomful of people who are up, bright and happy. (If they want to work, they'd better be.) Just being around all that enthusiasm will brighten your day. "In commercials," says commercial casting director Beverly Long, "You have to be willing to make a fool of yourself. To jump in and say, 'Oh, I get it. This is all a game. Okay, I can be a fool too and have a good time doing it." Or, as commercial casting director Estelle Tepper says, "Just go out and have some fun."
And sell.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Unlike movie/TV auditions, where you "dress to suggest," in commercials, dress as close to the part as you can without visiting a costumer. Cowboy hats, jeans and boots are perfect for a Western commercial, but not six-shooters and spurs - that's too eager. As one commercial actor put it, "I once went up for a commercial in which there was a writer. I've never seen such a profusion of pipes in one room in all my life."
When your agent calls with the usual when, where, and for whom information, press him to be specific about how you should look. "Don't let him blow you off," urges Beverly Long. "Just say, Tm really not clear about that. Could you call them and find out what I'm supposed to wear and then call me back?' They [sponsors, etc.] can't see beyond what you are wearing. If you come in for a truck driver in a suit and tie, that's it. Goodbye. You're history."
Many commercial actors keep these "audition clothes" in their car, along with a box of probable props (boots, sneakers, eyeglasses, and - yes - pipes, etc.), in case they're out of the house when the call comes in. Their portable equipment also includes photos, resumes and a clipboard (you'll learn why later). And they keep their cars gassed up. Casting director Kathy Smith advises, "Always have at least one casual and one 'up-scale' outfit in your closet. When the call comes in, that's no time to try to run to the dry cleaners." And Beverly Long adds, "All the guys should have a sweatshirt in the back of their car because a sweatshirt goes with a lot of things - a jock, a guy playing softball, an auto mechanic, a jogger. Or a plaid shirt. Or a tie in the glove compartment just for emergencies."
Once again, arrive early to the audition with composite in hand. Then find the table with the "sign-in" sheet which requests your name, Social Security number, agent, the time you were told to arrive (called "Player's Actual Call") and the time you actually got there. Leave blank, for the moment, the next box that says "Player's Time Out"; put your initials in the next box and circle the number that corresponds with whether it is your first, second, third or fourth audition for that commercial. In commercials it's very possible to be called in three to four times. (They must pay you for the third and fourth.) These sheets are sent to the unions, so if you don't want to inconvenience the casting director, don't forget to sign in and out.
In addition to your composite/head shot, they'll often want to take a photo of you with an instant camera.
What you do next depends on the kind of audition you'll be doing, but it's almost certain you'll be videotaped. After screening out inappropriate candidates, the casting director sends these tapes to the advertiser, often in another city. He chooses what actors he wants to cast or call back. "Remember," says Beverly Long, "There are fast-forward buttons on those videotape machines. You don't want to be a 'fast forward.'"
EXCLUSIVITY/CONFLICTS
What is the advertiser buying for what he pays you, besides your services as an actor on the day of shooting?
As your contract states, he's buying the right to keep you "exclusive" to his product - whether or not he ever airs the commercial.
Do a commercial for Maxwell House Coffee, and you can't do another for a competing product such as Yuban. That's called a "conflict."
If you do the second commercial, both companies will become perturbed - but Maxwell House can become perturbed enough to sue your agent and you, and force the two of you to rob your piggy banks to pay for a new commercial sans your presence. Figure, oh, about $100,000 or so. Plus the loss of your agent. Plus trouble with the unions.
Never try to get away with doing a conflict, even if your commercial for the competing product is only being shown in Dry Prong, Nebraska. Keep careful records. If your agent calls with an audition for a conflicting product, remind him and pass. Voice-over agent Don Pitts says, "It's very important to keep records of conflicts, and not to assume it's the agent's responsibility."
If it's a gray area (is a cereal commercial a conflict with a bread commercial?) and if you're both not sure, have him call the casting director. Don't fool around with nitroglycerin or conflicts.
How long does this exclusivity last? As long as the advertiser sends you a repayment of what he paid you for your session (called a "holding fee") every 13 weeks, it can continue for 21 months - called the "maximum use period." Again, the advertiser doesn't have to air the commercial.
Four months to 30 days prior to the end of the 21 months, you/your agent must notify the advertiser that your commercial is coming up for renegotiation. Fail to do this and, if the advertiser wants, he can start a brand new 21-month period. If you do notify the advertiser and he wants to continue to use the commercial, he negotiates a new deal with your agent. You're not obligated to agree. If you say no, his rights to that commercial end at 21 months.
USE FEES (COMMONLY CALLED "RESIDUALS")
"Don't ask me about residuals," says a commercial agent, "I've been in the business for 13 years and I still don't understand them."
Yep, they're complicated. Mighty. To avoid turning your brain into Grey Poupon, we'll only take a look at the basics.
First, understand that what you're paid for the use of a commercial has long ago been dickered over down to the last nickel. And it's based on a combination of two factors:
- Where it's shown
- How it's used - what kind of commercial it is.
