Commercials can be one of the best ways for early-career actors to get work and for actors of any experience level to fund their passion projects. But in order to add the work to your résumé (and get that paycheck), you first need to be cast. For those Los Angeles actors looking for somewhere to start, these commercial casting offices are a great place to get your foot in the door.
How to Get Cast in a Commercial AHC Casting
The team at Alyson Horn Casting casts spots for social causes like the Women’s March, as well as major companies like Planet Fitness. Since Horn’s origins, the team has moved into casting beauty and editorial lifestyle. Horn has also now partnered with Maya Adrabi and Lindsay Bronson to create a team of CDs who specialize in specific genres, finding the best talent for each project with a compassionate, thoughtful audition process.
ASG Casting
ASG does a little bit of everything, but it’s especially known for commercials and branded content. The company searches nationwide, and works in all genres, including comedy, improv, children, and “real people.” ASG has cast commercials for brands like Nike, and a viral Bud Light spot even earned the team an Emmy nomination.
Dan Bell
Bell earned the award for commercial casting director of the year at the 2019 Heller Awards, and despite doing work for big brands like McDonald’s, Macy’s, and Facebook, and casting for big artists like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X, he has always specialized in real people casting. His résumé is proof he knows how to spot the right face for the job.
How to Create A Commercial Reel Danielle Eskinazi Casting
Eskinazi casts for some of the biggest global agencies and has worked with a long list of directors on all manners of commercial work. You’ve probably seen spots she’s cast for brands like Dr Pepper, Bud Light, DirecTV, and more. Eskinazi has a background in casting films and has to date cast more than 3,000 commercials.
Dowd-Roman Casting
Founders Mick Dowd and Michael Roman have a flair for the nontraditional while working in mainstream commercials with well-known brands and directors like Ridley Scott and Bill Maher. You’ll see faces both familiar and fresh in their work for commercials that range from candy company Trolli to Farmers Insurance.
John McCarthy Casting
McCarthy is the current president of the Commercial Casting Directors Association, the commercial answer to the Casting Society of America, for which commercial CDs are not eligible. McCarthy uses his eye for talent in commercials and television, and even contributed to an Academy Award–winning documentary. His acting background also gives him special insight into the audition process, and he is proud to cast kids and adults in union and nonunion projects.
Sanford Johnston Casting
With outposts in L.A. and Atlanta, Sanford Johnston Casting has two of the country’s three major production hubs covered. Founder Michael Sanford has cast more than 2,000 commercials, and now serves the general market as well as Spanish-language commercials, real people casting, music videos, digital content, and even film and TV.
Vicki Goggin & Associates Casting
Goggin has a long history with commercial casting, and relationships with ad agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, where she served as their New York CD. BBDO vet Jim Jordan also picked her to cast spots for big brands like Welch’s and Procter & Gamble. Now she stays on top of current trends in casting, with a specialty in finding talent for docu-style performances and foreign language casting.
This story originally appeared in the May 21 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.
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