About TV Commercial Actors
For many professional actors, TV commercials are the means to a substantial income. While very few actors actually land million-dollar campaigns, many earn livable wages performing in commercial spots that air in regional and national markets.
Training
There is no standard education requirement for commercial TV actors, although many professional actors have undergraduate degrees in theater from post-secondary schools. Some take on-camera commercial classes to enhance their skills.
The Work
During a commercial taping, an actor must perform dialogue as written and while being cognizant of the camera's framing and lighting needs. Actors are sometimes required to display outlandish comedic skills, whereas other TV commercials require a very realistic, dry style of acting.
Commercial Acting Contracts
TV commercials are broken down into two main categories: union and non-union. In the United States, pay rates for union television commercials are typically negotiated by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) also negotiates rates for some union commercials contracts, but not nearly as many as SAG. A performer's union does not regulate non-union commercial rates, so payment is dictated by the producer's budget.
Potential Earnings
Commercial contracts have gone through many incarnations throughout the years, but as of January 2009, commercial actors covered under SAG contracts receive flat fees of $567.10 per session (i.e., performance), plus any overtime or extra allowances for wardrobe, travel or adverse conditions as determined by production companies. In addition, commercial actors earn residual payments for regional and national airings of union ads. The more a commercial airs, the higher potential an actor has to make a large sum of money.
Depending on market size and medium (basic cable, network, etc.), actors are paid anywhere from a few cents to more than $400 per play. This can add up to several thousands of dollars, even millions, particularly for national commercials that run on network and cable stations across the country. A commercial TV actor can make anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000 for standard use of a national television commercial. Regional commercials can earn an actor several thousands of dollars as well, depending on market size and the number of times it airs.
Because there is no union to negotiate standard fees for non-union TV commercials, these projects can pay actors anywhere from no money to several thousands of dollars. Typically, this is a one-time fee with no residual payments.
Misconceptions
Actors should never pre-pay agents for work. Although there are many "agencies" that ask for money upfront, legitimate agencies only take 10% of an actor's earnings after the work is completed and there payment has been made for a job.
Expert Insight
Submit yourself on legitimate casting websites, such as Actor's Access (actorsaccess.com) or LA Casting (lacasting.com) for commercial auditions. There is a monthly or per-use fee for submissions, but this can be an effective way of landing auditions without an agent.
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