TV commercial actors sell products and services, promote messages from individuals or organizations, and may work in national or local commercials. They audition, memorize scripts, and may belong to unions. No education is required, but actor training and special skills can be valuable.
Most often, a television commercial actor helps sell products and services on television. Sometimes TV commercial actors promote messages from individuals or organizations, such as politicians or advocacy groups. A TV commercial actor may run 30- to 60-second commercials or mid-length commercials called commercials, which can last 30 minutes or up to an hour. Television commercial actors also do commercial dubbing, which is basically announcing, narrating, or speaking in a commercial without physically appearing in it. A TV commercial actor can work in national or local commercials.
Some commercial TV actors specialize in commercial acting, and others act in commercials as part of a broader career in acting. Like television and film actors, commercial TV actors often have agents who help them find auditions, although some choose to find work without the help of agents. When looking for work on their own, TV commercial actors often look to television industry publications, newspaper advertisements, and online to place calls. Television commercial actors may also belong to unions, such as the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA) in the United States.
An audition for a TV commercial actor involves reading a script to a casting director to see if he or she fits the director’s vision of the character. After a TV commercial actor lands the role in a commercial, he or she must learn the phrases through memorization in order to be fully prepared once filming begins. Filming can be a long or short process, depending on the number of shots needed and the number of locations. Some commercials are filmed in a single location and others involve traveling to multiple locations.
Long days are typical of acting, and a TV commercial actor is no different. A commercial TV actor’s career can involve several days or weeks of work, followed by long periods of no commercial work. Having another job to help pay the bills is typical of commercial TV actors. They may work in acting-related fields such as teaching acting classes or working in professions completely outside the realm of acting.
There is no education required to become a commercial TV actor, but many actors take acting classes or graduate. Actor training can help a commercial actor get in the door of an audition and can, of course, improve acting skills and hone natural talent. Having special skills, such as a talent for dancing or singing or excellent athletic ability, can also be valuable for TV commercial actors.
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