Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Pay rate for local commercial

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Expert: - 1/8/2009


Question
Recently my 2 year old daughter was contacted by a casting agent about a screen test for a TV commercial.  I do not have an agent nobody even knows how they got her name. She is seriously being considered but I do not know how much to ask for in pay.  It is not a national commercial but it is for a very big company in the Pittsburgh area?  What pay rate should she expect if she is chosen.

Answer
Hi Sue,

Very STRANGE! Usually people have to hunt and submit for an agent, and then the agent submits the talent's photo and resume to casting directors for consideration.

The beauty of having an agent is that they can handle the money worries because they know the rates for a commercial. A commercial could be union, non-union, regional, local market, national, buyout or union scale. Depending on what the talent does in the comercial, there could be "wet pay" for a shampoo commercial, etc.
The rates also apply to the area of the country you are in and how often the commercial is "renewed" or cycled (rerun), because unless it's a buyout (one large lump payment, not renewed) you would get paid each cycle...

I would be very cautious...if they start asking for money to put her in the the commercial....RUN!

Best,

Taylor

Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing

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Taylor Sheppard

Expertise

I can answer questions: on starting a career in acting, mistakes in acting, etiquette when dealing with industry contacts, finer points on how to act, and things to avoid in the field.

Experience

I have been a professional actor 21 years, with appearances in TV, Film and commercials. I have made good decisions and potentially damaging mistakes. I believe anyone who has a dream deserves to explore it, and I take their aspirations seriously. That being said, I do not pull punches. I try to be tactful, but I will not lie to someone, honesty is more effective. My last film role was in "Teeth" which was picked for Sundance in January 2007. It was sold to Lionsgate and Weinstein Co. for somewhere over 2.5 million. The role was "Mr. Griffith", a sex-ed teacher.

Organizations
Ciao Agency-Austin/Georgetown, Texas. (Formerly known as Donna Adams Agency. Matthew McConaughey was a good friend and fellow member. I also have belonged to agencies in three other Texas cities, but they have since closed.) TXMPA -Texas Motion Picture Alliance. Various other internet networking web rings as well as Actors Access. I was instrumental in advising actress Krista Allen on getting her career in acting started in Austin,Texas (we worked at the same Health Club in the early '90's).

Publications
Previously wrote on a now defunct website such as this one. I enjoyed helping new actors.

Education/Credentials
I have acted for 21 years. I studied under James Nelson Harrell as well as other talented actors at Southwest Texas State University. After college, I have taken classes with Julliard graduate Mona Lee, Bill Johnson, Van Brookes, Marco Perella and others in Austin Texas. I am constantly attending classes to maintain my edge and explore new directions. In addition to attending strictly acting classes, I have also taken business workshops with respected casting directors, such as Shari Rhodes ("Jaws","Close Encounters", "Raggedy Man".) Barbara Brinkley, Jo Edna Bolden and Donise Hardy, (Castingworks LA).

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