Have you ever wondered what goes into filming a commercial? We see commercials all the time but don’t realize they are concise films. A lot of time, effort, and creativity is put into the process.
An actor’s first thing to do to get in a commercial is the audition. An actor will get a notice from their agent to try out, usually sending them the script ahead of time. The actor then has to prepare their lines and what their character in the commercial will be. It is best to try and dress the part. Here, Mr. Miles was playing a cheesy game show host, so he dressed in a wacky suit coat that he bought from a thrift store for his audition.
Once the actor gets the role, their agent gives them the day, time, location, and wardrobe. Actors must bring their clothes to a commercial shoot, not just a few items. Often, actors need to get 5-10 different options for shirts and pants to give the director lots of choices.
Once the wardrobe is picked out, it is on to hair and make-up. The camera picks up everything, so makeup is essential to ensure an actor does not appear “shiny.” The make-up artist will touch up the actors constantly throughout the shoot. They are also responsible for fixing any wardrobe problems (they always have lots of safety pins on hand!).
Then it’s time to rehearse. An actor has to have their lines down perfect for the commercial. When a director hires you, they assume when you show up, you will be off-book. If an actor can’t remember their lines, it puts the entire production behind schedule. So actors practice over and over again to make sure they are word perfect.
Now the filming begins! Actors will film the scene repeatedly, often for hours on end. There are so many elements to making a commercial, the lights, the camera, the background, and the acting. Directors like to do many takes until everything is just right. Then they will shoot one or two extra takes, just in case. These are called “safeties.”
As the actor, once the director likes how you are playing a scene, you need to repeat that process repeatedly. They want you to be fresh but not to change anything significantly.
There are always snacks on hand to keep everyone’s energy up. The catering on commercial shoots is usually really good! Most commercials film in one day. So you show up, get ready, act, and then onto the next!
If you want to learn the art of acting to get into commercials, you can start at our Summer Camp near Overland Park. We will take you through the craft of acting. With our camp, you don’t have to audition. We include every actor in the show equally. Our drama classes near you are all about equality. All of the performers get an equal-sized part, so everyone works together to tell the story.
We are proud to be the only acting class near you that takes this approach. Director Mr. Miles has been writing all of the TI plays at our Overland Park summer camps for over twenty years. He works hard to include every actor in the drama class, no matter what their level of experience. We want our acting classes near you to be as fun as they can be!
Come try out our Overland Park summer camps! We want your child to be engaged and have fun being dramatic. We write shows to the reading levels of your student. At our drama classes near you, they get enough lines to keep them engaged but not too many so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. We think that every student in our Overland Park summer camps should feel comfortable with their role.
Come to our Summer Drama Camps near Overland Park. Registration is now open at www.Dramakc.com. It is time for you to get the drama out of your house!