How to Get Commercial Auditions

Thousands of television commercials are cast each year in Los Angeles alone. That's a lot of opportunity for actors looking to become known, gain experience, and make some money. But before you land a commercial, you have to get the chance to audition. This article will tell you how to do that even if you don't have an agent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use online casting services. Casting directors (CDs) for many commercials accept submissions from unrepresented actors through casting sites. The ones most used by commercial CDs in Los Angeles are LA Casting (www.lacasting.com) and Actors Access (www.actorsaccess.com). You will need to be a paid subscriber to create an online profile and make submissions (or, in the case of Actors Access, pay a per-submission fee).

2. Fill out your profile as completely and honestly as you can. Make sure you check off every special skill and attribute that you have, because CDs do look at this section. But don't claim any skills you don't have, or you'll end up embarrassing yourself and upsetting the CD.

3. Post a great headshot on your profile (you can do this from a photo disc). Your headshot is the single biggest factor in whether or not you get picked to audition. A great commercial headshot is generally one in which the actor is smiling and looking straight into the camera. The actor should look happy, friendly, confident, clean, well-groomed and neatly dressed.
   
   You may want to have one photo that shows you in upscale casual clothes and one that shows you in business attire. Some CDs like to see headshots that are even more specific to the role. If they are casting for a police officer, or nurse, or athlete, to give just a few examples, they look for pictures of actors in uniform. Posting multiple headshots adds to the cost, so take the time to think about the kinds of characters you see in commercials and which ones you can realistically see yourself playing.

4. Check the sites frequently and try to submit on projects the day they are posted. Commercial casting happens quickly.

5. Read the casting notices carefully. Do not submit yourself for a role you are not appropriate for. Besides obvious factors like age, gender, and ethnicity, the role may have height or weight restrictions or require a particular skill. The casting notice will usually tell you the date of the audition and sometimes include the dates of the callback (second audition) and shoot. If you cannot make these dates, don't submit. If you make a habit of submitting yourself incorrectly, CDs will learn not to consider your submissions.

6. Include notes when (and only when) appropriate. For instance, if you are auditioning for a role as a circus clown and you did go to clown school, that would be worth noting. "I like clowns!", on the other hand, would not be a useful note.

7. Give your best at every audition you get and behave as a professional at all times. Even if you don't the part, you'll make a good impression and increase your chances of getting called in again.

8. Some casting calls only go to agents, so getting an agent will increase the opportunities open to you. The good news is that there are plenty of projects on which you can submit yourself, and if you book one or two of them, getting a good representation will become much easier. But remember that as an actor, your best representative will always be you.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay on top of your voice mail and e-mail so you don't miss any messages from Casting directors.
• Having a flexible schedule and people who are willing to help you with job and home responsibilities is important, as you will usually have less than 24 hours notice if invited to an audition.
• Have headshots and a change of wardrobe in your car so you'll always be ready for an audition.