JOCKEYS

To my surprise this has become a minor Youtube favorite.

Quick casting story. The Jockeys are the real deal, Chris McCarron and Alex Solis are very famous jockeys, I think retired now. Because the comedy of this commercial was written into the script, I didn’t want the actor, or the jockeys, to act wacky... or funny... rather I wanted them to be as serious as possible. I felt this would play much better against the absurdity of the situation, and in the end it did.

So when casting the cop, we told everyone BE A POLICE OFFICER. Don’t be a wacky cop, or a southern cop, just play it as straight and normal as possible. MANY did not listen. It was like a goofy cop parade regardless of how many times we said “Normal Please”. Finally we found the right guy, and ironically I learned later that he USED to be a cop before he started acting.

The point is, and all casting directors tell me this, many actors do not listen. They get so nervous and have run through their plan of attack so many times in their head, that when they get into the room they tend not to hear any adjustments. This makes it look like you can’t take direction, when in fact it’s usually just a case of the nerves. Remember to listen, especially on a callback, to what is being said.

Some of you who have been doing this for a while may wonder why, when you get in the room, so many things have been changed since your first call and nobody told you. The reality is, (as far as commercials go anyway) this is usually the first time the ad agency and director have been in the same room together, and watched the script actually come to life in front of them. So naturally, lines are added, or cut, and actions are changed. It’s part of the creative process, and often it’s happening so fast the casting director out front isn’t even aware of it. So go in with a plan, listen to adjustments, and roll with it.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel