The following institutions and individuals specialize in training for commercial work. Many of the larger institutions listed under "Acting Schools and Classes" and "Acting Coaching" also offer commercial training; check those listings for a complete look at training in this area.
CAROLYNE BARRY'S COMMERCIAL ACTING WORKSHOPS
In her 30-plus years in the commercial business, Barry has appeared in more than 400 national television commercials, and she's been an acting coach for the past 20 years. Barry and her staff of coaches teach 12 separate commercial workshops, including beginning, intermediate, and advanced acting, as well as specialized classes for improv for commercial and packaging. Classes are between six and 12 weeks long; fees vary from $355 to $495. Class sizes are limited, and an interview is required. Barry also accepts private students on a very limited basis. www.carolynebarry.com. (323) 654-2212.
TERRY BERLAND'S COMMERCIAL WORKSHOP
"The commercial is actually the purest form of film," Berland told Back Stage West. "It tells a story and evokes an emotion in a very short time." Berland should know: She's been casting commercials for more than 20 years, co-authored Breaking Into Commercials (Penguin USA), and is now called on nationally to teach commercial acting. In L.A., she offers a six-week on-camera commercial workshop, limited to 14 students, for $350, as well as voiceover in association with The Voiceover Center. In her workshops, Berland wants actors to "learn on-camera how to create dimensions in this one-minute commercial medium." www.terryberlandcasting .com. (310) 571-4141. See ads on pages 8-A and 10-A.
CRAIG COLVIN & JORDANA CAPRA
With their commercial audition technique class, Colvin and Capra teach "every aspect" of the commercial process, from concept to airing. All students work on-camera every class. Students are taught what goes on behind the scenes. (818) 286-9347.
MICHAEL DONOVAN CASTING COMMERCIAL CLASS
Busy film, television, theatre, and commercial casting director Michael Donovan teaches a three-week commercial technique class. Classes are small and taught on-camera. Donovan, whose background is as an actor/director, also offers private coaching both commercially and theatrically. www.michaeldonovancasting.com. (323) 655-9020.
JEFF GERRARD CASTING INTENSIVE FOUR-WEEK COMMERCIAL WORKSHOP
Jeff Gerrard Casting has been offering this commercial intensive class for the past 22 years. This four-week workshop is offered only five times a year. Class size is limited to 10 so Gerrard can work one-on-one with his students. The workshop covers the business and technical side of commercial acting, including specific kinds of commercial demands: eating, singing, m.o.s., props, cue cards, dialogue-driven spots, and improvisations with fellow actors. (818) 752-7100.
BEVERLY LONG
Long has worked in casting since the mid-'70s, and has worked as an actress, agent, and teacher. Probably best known for her work with James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause and for her recurring role on Father Knows Best, she strongly believes in "being there for those she cares about." Classes are small and everyone works on-camera two to three times each week. (818) 754-6222. See ad on page 35-A.
SANDRA MERRILL COMMERCIAL CLASS
Merrill teaches on-camera commercial classes out of Westside Casting for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. A former casting director and talent agent, she offers actors insight into finding an agent and into successful audition techniques. Areas of focus include comedy dialogue, spokesperson, personal interview, and working with other actors and product. Special emphasis is on developing improvisational skills—the cornerstone, Merrill believes, of most commercial bookings. Classes are small, and each student is guaranteed work on-camera every class. (323) 934-5477.
Hey, I Saw Your Commercial!
According to instructor Michael Pointer, this 4 week commercial workshop is considered the "#1 course in Hollywood for actors looking to learn all of the important aspects of the commercial audition process." Some students, he said, book jobs after only 1 or 2 classes. That may be because the class instructors are currently active in the commercial industry auditioning and are booking commercials themselves. (877) 835-9809. See ad on page 35-A.
SHINING STARS
This studio teaches commercial acting workshops for children and teens. Dinah Kessler was a children's/teen talent agent for seven years at Cunningham-Escott-Dipene, a casting director at BCI Casting, and has been teaching her workshop for 12 years. Kessler has developed what she described as a "program geared to giving actors all the necessary tools for a long and successful commercial acting career." Kessler also emphasized that she individually tapes students' on-camera work. Classes include on-camera work, audition technique, improv, cold reading, script analysis, individual taping of each student, and marketing advice. It's $250 for five weeks. shiningstars22@aol .com. (323) 651-1131.
STUART STONE
Stuart Stone is a casting director, primarily for union and non-union commercials, as well as voiceovers, film, print, and television. He has created a commercials workshop and a soon-to-be-published book on how to audition for commercials and how to develop an acting career. The workshop usually has a waiting list. It's four weeks, one class per week, and costs $325. It's an intensive, not an ongoing class. www.stuart411.com. (323) 866-1811.