Couldn’t think of a better way to get back into this “Behind The Scenes” of my acting accomplishments than by talking about the first thing I ever booked after moving to Los Angeles.
My first year in L.A. wasn’t the best. Up until the point of booking this particular commercial, I’d already moved twice, burned through the money I’d saved up for LA just trying to keep up with the cost of living, and had recently ended a 5 year relationship… and not on the best of terms. On the scale of industry accomplishments, this commercial wasn’t big enough to be a career changer for me in any way, but at the time of me going through all of those things, it was EVERYTHING to me.
I don’t remember the exact details of the casting process but I remember how it felt to get that “We would like to cast you” email that followed a few days afterwards.
I won’t bore the casual reader with all the specifics of what I learned about how commercials work in the industry, but it was amusing to learn that most car dealership commercials don’t even bother getting testimonials from actual people who have bought a car from them, all they want is a “type” of person who seems like they’d either buy from the dealership or at least appeal to their consumer base.
As I’m writing this and looking back on this commercial, I still remember how nervous I was the day it was shot. I will always be thankful that there was such a patient and kind crew for this shoot, I’ve definitely had experiences since this that would’ve made for a terrible “first time” on a professional set. Overall, I view this first gig as a tangible example of perseverance, and it would become a reference point that would motivate me to do even more in the years to come.
-Anthony
