Commercial Improv Intensive Notes

This workshop was great and I recommend it to anyone thinking about getting into commercials! It was $99 for an all day intensive from 10am - 5pm.

Where: Actors Connection
Who: Barry Shapiro

We started out with a game called "Blank a Blank"- I was basically charades but you had to act out a phrase like "Bury a Body" or "Draw a Map" or "Change a Diaper".
This was great because it really got us going and was a great ice-breaker.

"Audition" 1 was for KMART. It was a speaking exercise. All we were told was to walk into the store, take it all in, and decide what we wanted to do.
What we learned was:
-we needed to establish a relationship when working with a partner.
- If you decide to go in the improv- go! Don't stand there waiting for the camera to turn off.
- Don't break character, just do what you say you're going to do.
-When speaking about a product or company in a commercial improv, don't use the work: cheap.
- Keep the joy throughout the commercial, stay positive

Exercise/ "Audition" 2: Facial Expressions
We were told that we would hear a voice-over with certain emotions, and we needed to convey them one right after the other as we heard them, within about 30 seconds. It was a close-up shot on our faces.
The emotions we had to convey were:
-Lost, smart, sweet, jealous, hopeful, horrified, ashamed, snobby, relaxed, whatever, sleepy, curious, tense, brave, grumpy, hurt, insane, sick, duh, in love, exhausted, zombie-like, secretive, conceited, confused.

-On callbacks:
- Do what got you there, don't change or decide to do something different unless you're told to make a change.

Pepto Bismol Commercial:
A: Uh-Oh...you have that look again.
B: What Look?
A: The diarrhea look
B: It's that obvious huh? I can't be more than 10 feet from the bathroom.
A: Pepto Bismol, my friend. Problem solved.
B: I think I'm gonna listen to you this time.

Instructions were given when we got in the room:
Sit down in the two chairs. Improv one line each before you start the written dialogue, then improv two lines each after the written dialogue is finished.

A note about auditioning:
-Questions can be annoying to the Casting Director because he's been doing the same thing all day. Listen first, but if you're really unsure about something, then definitely ask.

KRAFT Commercial:
You were sitting in a chair, driving, and there was a voice-over you had to lsiten and react to, telling you what was going on.

Notes:
- If you are given a prop, use it!
- If you use a prop and move it in the scene, put it back in it's original place when you're done! (You'd be surprised how many people didn't think to do this- I was one of those people! oops.)
- When driving in a scene, make sure you don't go overboard with your hands, while pretending to drive. You hardly have to move them at all.
- Make sure you know where your rear-view mirror is, it should be to your right and up a little.
- If you get an idea, they need to see the light-bulb go off on your face.
- Play the road to the side of the camera.

Note: Let them tell you, you're doing too much. Let them bring you down. If you don't give enough, then you come off as being a bad actor. They will tell you to take it down a notch, but they won't ask you to give MORE.

Haagen Daz Commercial:
We saw the script for 30 seconds, then we were told to get the basic idea of the script across, but make it our own.

Group Eating Exercise:
We were put in groups of 5 or 6 and told to eat a bowl of Sunchips.
Notes:
- The biggest mistake you can make when eating on camera, is the "furrowed brow". It comes off as negative, and looks like you HATE what you're eating! Your eyebrows should go up in satisfaction and/or surprise at the wonderful flavor!
- Stop and enjoy each moment of eating- which is not how you'd normally eat, but is good for the camera.
-Stay positive about the product
- Small bites are best, so you don't have to worry about chewing too much.
- Keep eating, don't take too long to talk.
- If the food isn't there and you have to mime, still take time to react.


That's all the notes I have for that workshop, I really recommend it! Everyone gets something different out of it. For me personally, it took me until after lunch to really get the hang of things. Because I had been told for so long to be careful about giving too much on camera, I was so afraid of giving too much, that I didn't give enough, and it didn't read well at all. SO I think that definitely still goes for tv/ film, but I think for commercials, you can always give a little more than you think. It was very enlightening to see myself on camera. I really enjoyed it, and will keep taking some of these great classes!