YouTube Can Help You Book Commercials 

By Webmaster

  • YouTube Can Help You Book Commercials 

    Using YouTube to prepare for commercial auditions…

    (by Kesha Tyler)

    (Photo: Freestocks.org | Pexels)

    I was about to audition for a commercial for a national restaurant chain. It was a comedic spot and I thought I had the thing nailed down. Then, I checked YouTube and realized I was completely wrong!

  • I’m old enough to remember when YouTube was just a way for “Broadcast Yourself”, as their slogan went back then. Ordinary people used it as a way to post wacky or interesting videos about their lives….

    Today, you can find all sorts of videos on YouTube, about all sorts of things. One of the things you can find on YouTube is old commercials. You just type in the name of the brand plus the word “commercial”, and you can find old commercials from almost any brand.

    How can this help you as an actor? Well, let’s say you get an audition for a Brand X commercial. You may not know how to approach the sides when you receive them from your agent.

  • You could end up spending the night preparing for a subtle comedic spot, not realizing that Brand X only does commercials where the comedy is over-the-top, not subtle. As a result, you enter the audition completely blind as to the tone and texture of what the casting director is looking for.

    But, had you taken the time to research Brand X’s commercials on YouTube, you would have known how outrageous their commercials were. And you would have been properly prepared.

    This happened to me recently. As I said before, I was preparing for a commercial for a national restaurant chain. I got my sides and read over them the night before.


    I thought I had the thing nailed down. Then, I checked YouTube and realized I was completely wrong!


    I thought I was well prepared. I was playing the comedy the way I always play comedy: right in the middle. Not too subtle. Not too over-the-top. Just reading the sides and finding the humor it.

    Then, I looked at some of the company’s commercials on YouTube. All of the commercials I could find for them were outrageous and over-the-top.

  • It was clear that they liked spots that stand out and catch the attention of the audiences who view them. They booked actors who didn’t hold back on their facial expressions and movements.

    I quickly adjusted my audition prep. I started playing my actions bigger and more expressive.

    And I got a callback. And was put on avail.

    There is an unwritten, golden rule when it comes to auditioning for television: watch the show before you audition for the show! A similar rule can also be applied to commercials. Watch the commercials before you audition for them!

    As a matter of branding, companies tend to do all their commercials with a common and consistent tone and feel. Knowing the types of actors a brand has booked in the past can give you a good idea of what can get you booked in the future.


  • You Might Also Like:
    Prepare for Your Auditions and Then Just Throw It Away


     

    Recommended Posts

  • Ad

  • 20 Good Acting Tips

    20 Good Acting Tips Important advice and tips every actor should know (By AM Staff) (Photo: Emre | Pexels) 1. You don’t have to make your acting performance “bigger” to make it memorable….

    10 Tips for Making Bold Choices in Acting

    10 Tips for Making Bold Choices in Acting What it means to make acting choices (By AM Staff) (Photo: Klaus Nielsen | Pexels) Your character is screaming at her father who abandoned her…

    QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots?

    QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots? (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Min An | Pexels) QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots? ANSWER: No! Do not shoot your own headshots. Leave the photography…

    13 Words of Encouragement After a Bad Audition

    13 Words of Encouragement After a Bad Audition How to bounce back after a bad audition (By AM Staff) (Photo: Yan Krukau | Pexels) So, you had a bad audition? So, what!?!? You…

    How Do You Use Lighting for an Audition Self-Tape?

    How Do You Use Lighting for an Audition Self-Tape? Which kind of lighting is best for self-tapes (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Ivan Samkov | Pexels) No matter how good your performance is, if…

  • Ad

  • How Do You Network for Your Acting Career?

    How Do You Network for Your Acting Career? 5 tips for networking in the film industry (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Jopwell | Pexels) The best acting jobs don’t always go to the best…

    What Should You NOT Do in a Demo Reel?

    What Should You NOT Do in a Demo Reel? 10 things to avoid when putting together your show reel (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Ali Pazani | Pexels) Don’t do these 10 things when…

    10 Tips for Submitting Your Self-Tape Audition

    10 Tips for Submitting Your Self-Tape Audition What is a self-tape submission and how do I do it? (By AM Staff) (Photo: Beci Harmony | Unsplash) What should you do when you’re finally…

  • Ad

  • 20 Things You Should Never Do in an Audition

    20 Things You Should Never Do in an Audition Follow these 20 important rules during your next audition (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) There’s a million books and articles out there…

    Headshot Do’s and Don’ts

    Headshot Do’s and Don’ts 9 tips for acting headshot success (By AM Staff) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) Should I smile when I take my headshots? Yes, if it’s a headshot to be…

    QUICK TIPS | How to Create a Convincing Character

    QUICK TIPS How to Create a Convincing Character 11 steps for building your character (By AM Staff) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) What is it called when an actor is in character? It is…

    10 Self-Tape Mistakes You Should Avoid

    10 Self-Tape Mistakes You Should Avoid Get your self-tape game rockin’, by avoiding these common mistakes! (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Anna Shvets | Pexels) Casting directors are going to go through hundreds of…

    3 Easy Ways to Market Yourself to Casting Directors

    3 Easy Ways to Market Yourself to Casting Directors How to reach out without being pesky (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) When you’re swimming in a sea of actors, you…

  • Ad

  • 5 Things Every Actor Should Have

    5 Things Every Actor Should Have If you want to be considered a professional actor, get these 5 things asap! (By Javier Guerra) It’s ok to not have all your sh-t together when…

    22 Easy Things You Can Do to Prepare for Your Audition

    22 Easy Things You Can Do to Prepare for Your Audition Read this list and act accordingly! (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) #1: Celebrate Celebrate getting the audition. Get excited! A…

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel?

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel? (By AM Staff) ANSWER: Yes, it’s possible. But you’d be better off pursuing a reel before pursuing an agent! If you’re a beginning actor,…

  • Ad

  • How Do I Know If Acting is Right For Me? 

    How Do I Know If Acting is Right For Me? Ask yourself these 5 questions (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko | Pexels) Are you thinking about becoming an actor? Are you considering…

    The 10 Most Important Questions You Should Know About Your Character 

    The 10 Most Important Questions You Should Know About Your Character They’re the same questions you would ask a stranger whom you were trying to get to know (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Pixabay…

    7 Ways to Be Less Nervous and More Confident During Auditions 

    7 Ways to Be Less Nervous and More Confident During Auditions Confidence is the magic ingredient for an actor entering an audition (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Christian Buehner | Unsplash) Go ask any…

    5 Essential Items You Need for Self-Tapes

    5 Essential Items You Need for Self-Tapes Make sure you have the proper equipment for your self-tape studio (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels) What equipment do you need for self-tapes?…

    ACTING TECHNIQUE | Identify the Moments

    ACTING TECHNIQUE Identify the Moments Knowing where the moments are will give you a form and structure for your acting choices (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Alex Green | Pexels) Every scene will have…

  • Ad