Commercials. You know it’s pretty funny, because had you asked me a few years ago about this part of the business, I would have had a completely different answer. Some might even go as far as to say I’ve made a complete “180″ or “sold-out.” But, I think that the stance I had on commercials years ago has helped me book them thus far.

When I first moved out to LA everyone said I had to get a commercial agent as well as a theatrical agent. (As a side note, I think they should NEVER be at the same place. “Across the board” they call it) My first couple of commercial auditions were very strange. I’d go into the room, say my name and they would ask me some random questions on camera. Or my favorite was eating a twizzler on camera. That’s it. Just ate a twizzler. After each of those auditions, the camera operator thanked me for coming and and it was over. Just like that, I thought? What? You don’t want to see me act or show you what I learned in my 4 years of acting school? HUMP.

I had a few more ridiculous auditions like that before I came to the conclusion that commercials were just not going to be my thing. Within the group of friends I hung out with, I was the only one not booking them. But, I kept going on the auditions that my agent got for me still secretly hoping some would click. Then something strange happened. I booked my first commercial.  A Verizon Business national commercial. (I didn’t say anything…I simply walked by the frame in a nice suit looking at the camera and looked damn good I might add.) Then shortly after that I booked another and another…and then a big Japanese commercial with Brad Pitt! What the!?!? The guy who hated commercial auditions slowly started booking.

What was different? Well, i can’t give you ALL my secrets, but the one I will tell is this… When I started being myself in the audition rool, I started booking. Seriously. I know, I know…it’s so damn cliche that I want to barf typing it. Also, I, slowly began to stop caring so much about auditioning correctly and booking the job.  I still went to the audition prepared as possible and ready to rock, but I made a conscience decision NOT to obsess over it.

In a nutshell, I came to understand that there is only so much you can do for a commercial audition. (or any audition for that matter) Show up, do your absolute best & then leave it at the door. They’re either buying what you’re selling or they’re not.

Finally, I will say this about taking all the commercial acting classes or workshops out there. I think they have their place and I’m sure there are some that I haven’t tried that are amazing, but once you’ve taken ONE good one – that should be good enough. NO need to go around to more than that. They can show you the camera tricks and the technical sides of it all, but really…it’s all YOU! And taking it a step further, I’ve found that the class I took only prepared me on how to book the job…not for what happened when I  got it. I was totally unprepared…

But, that’s another blog. Thanks for reading and check back next week when I post some of my in & outs about commercials post booking! Especially some stuff GUYS should do that we probably don’t always think about!