Unionization!
In many cases, actors are able to achieve their SAG-eligibility by obtaining vouchers for being in commercials. There are no guarantees that you will ever get these vouchers, but many actors have received them in the past. And if they like you enough, a producer can Taft-Hartley you on a commercial that will bring you immediately from non-union to SAG-eligible. That is ideal because then you can choose to join whenever you want. Actors can opt to wait until the next union job comes along, allowing them to continue to book non-union jobs.
Many commercials are now non-union, which means actors can make their rent without paying a fortune to the union. You can do many commercials without having to weigh in on the joining process and how it could prevent you from participating in non-union projects. Since this is all that is available to non-union actors, they can now profit from commercial income without giving up the right to work on non-union films and web series.
The money!You can supplement that survival job nicely by working a handful of days per year, which will go a long way towards paying for headshots, classes and other acting essentials. If you are successful at commercials, you can survive comfortably so that you don’t even need another job, leaving you free to devote your time and energy to a career acting in film and television.
Everybody’s doing it!
Commercials no longer carry the stigma they did in previous generations. Twenty years ago, there was a much bigger price paid for actors doing commercials that isn’t the case now. Today, respected actors can be seen in commercials. Why not you? We see Samuel L. Jackson, George Clooney, as well as other big names doing commercials touting everything from coffee to credit cards and everything in between.
Exposure!
Industry members will see you, which is a good thing. So many actors over the years have come to the attention of industry members from commercials. Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Rudd and Meg Ryan all did commercials prior to becoming household names. Many stars began their career in commercials as well as many working actors who are not huge stars, but still make a living in film, television and commercials.
Relationships!Many of us in the casting world do a little bit of everything. I might cast you in a commercial and then years later, bring you in for a feature. A large part of this depends on you and your ability to stay connected. Social media will be a huge part of this. Once you work for us, you should definitely hit us up on social media. Make the most out of every relationship.
Representation!
It is much easier to land a great commercial agent than one for film and television. A great agent can help you make a lot of money on commercials and you may be able to convince them to represent you across the board. I usually advise my students to sign with commercial agents who also have a strong theatrical department for this very reason.
Whether or not you embrace the idea of commercial work, there are just so many benefits and no strong arguments against them anymore. It has definitely moved from a question of “why?” to “why not?”