The last 3 to 6 months, whether you’ve been watching television, scrolling through social media on the internet, or receiving junk mail - you’ve noticed the spike in political commercials touting issues and candidates. From primaries happening almost every Tuesday through early voting and the general election, we are now in the Midterm election cycle. On the national scale, you are voting for your congressperson - your senator or the house of representatives. On the state level, you have the governor and the state legislature, on the local level, you have county commissioners, judges, and even mayors. Midterms are usually seen as a referendum of the incumbent party of the White House. Billions are spent on the ads you’ve seen. And as the Midterms wind down, companies are always hard at work on advertisements for the next election cycle.

Have you ever wondered if the people in these ads are real people or actors? Well, the answer to that is that both things are true. Some ads are real people, some ads are actors, and some ads utilize both. If you ever thought of how you could appear in these ads or are passionate about a cause you want to support with your acting skills, a role in a political campaign could be for you.

The Objective

When you're taking on a political ad role, you first need to determine the objective so that you can deliver an effective message to your voter. Below are the three common objectives each ad is trying to do and who they are trying to reach.

Pander to the Base

These Ads are like preaching to the choir, throwing red meat to a pack of wolves. If you already voted for this person and 100% plan on voting for this person again, you’ll nod in agreement to all of the things said. Usually, it's a recap of the person’s accomplishments in office so far. These ads should generate excitement and encourage you to vote to keep the “good times” going. People in these ads are thanking the candidate for whatever proposals were passed and how it is helping them in their day-to-day lives.

Appeal to Swing Voters

These ads are made to appeal to regular registered voters of the opposing party, to get them to switch over and vote for their candidate, even if it's just ONE time for this election only. Almost all incumbents piss off a portion of their base through an unforgivable compromise or a perceived retreat from the values that got them elected. Sometimes, it's the one hot-button issue, other times, it's a cascade of actions that make this voter say, "Enough! I voted for this candidate the first time, but I don’t recognize them anymore, this is not my party." People in these ads are angry, disappointed, and frustrated and are willing to give the other person a try.

Convince the Independent

Probably the hardest group to persuade. This is because more facts and information need to be presented to them than just raw emotion. A common appeal tactic is that you don’t have to vote FOR me, but you can vote AGAINST my opponent’s record or values. People in these ads are reasoning out their decisions, probably amongst like-minded friends.

Who are You

We all have a role to play, and while the role you play may not be on this list, these are the most common. Why? These are the people we see in our everyday lives. Ads will target the middle and working class the most because they watch the most television. If we haven’t experienced one of these types below in our lives (we soon will if we live long enough), we know someone probably in our immediate family who is currently in this position.

Issue Specific Person

The neighbor who has seen crime rise in their neighborhood, the teacher who is fighting for smaller classroom sizes, the 25-year-old woman who wants choice over her body, or the cancer survivor who is trying to lower the costs of their monthly prescription.

Union Worker

The construction guy, the hotel housekeeper, the big box retail associate who just saw a new bargaining agreement to raise their wages, expand health care coverage, and provide better workplace protections.

Professional

You have a bachelor’s and a master's degree, you make six figures, and have climbed the corporate ladder at your company for the past 10+ years. All of a sudden, inflation or certain government regulations changes your industry, and massive layoffs are announced. How do you start over?

Retiree

The over 60 people who had seen their IRA shrink in the stock market due to a recession and is constantly worried that there is not enough money for social security. They don’t want to be a burden to their adult children or question what they will leave for their grandchildren.

University Student

The valedictorian en route to graduating magna cum laude but is uncertain what the job market has in store for them. Furthermore, their student loan debt is through the roof.

Military Veteran

Served not one but two tours of duty. Now they have returned home and are suffering through some elevated mental and physical issues that preclude them from obtaining regular work. They are slipping through the cracks of programs that were supposed to help an American demographic that should want for nothing.

What are you Doing/Saying

As the everyday person or role you are portraying. The one thing that is certain, you’ll be talking about the issues, particularly: Economy, Taxes, Crime, and Jobs. If you’re talking about anything else, then the whole ad will be about that one issue, and you’ll be the issue-specific person role I mentioned above.

Role-Specific Items

Like the ones I mentioned in the above chapter, we could see a slice-of-life montage during your daily activity in that role. This demonstrates specifically who you are and why you need what you need.

MOS: Walking/Talking with Candidate

If you are interacting with the candidate at all, this is the most basic action you can be performing on camera. The point is to show the candidate shaking hands with the people, actively listening to the constituent’s concerns and problems, and taking action on them.

Rallies

This is the unintended way of appearing in an ad. When you see people standing on a platform behind a candidate making a speech. Remember, when you agree to be at that event, you consent to your image and likeness being photographed and used in media. A soundbite or phrase that was said is usually spun around by the opponent with a negative connotation.

Testimonial

You could be giving a personal statement on how this candidate’s past policies have helped or harmed your life. This will be demonstrated in either relief and happiness or concern and anger. The relief and happiness want to maintain the status quo and the concern and anger want to change the status quo. You’ll either be (things get really elevated here), “I was about to die” or “ I was about to send my children to college.”

What is Your Value Set

Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or even Libertarian - know your value set and where you lie on certain issues. It is not a guarantee that you’ll know WHO this ad is for and for WHAT stance this ad is for. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and glean as much information as you possibly can. If you feel you don’t have all the facts of the production and don’t feel comfortable moving forward. Decline your invitation or participation.

How to Get Into Political Ads

This is not an arena where you go to your agent and ask for submissions. It’s not lucrative for them, and most agents want to stay politically neutral in their work. This is a self-submission, self-hustling adventure.

Production Company

Because there are politicians in every single state and every major city, there are independent production houses that are out there doing the work of casting, shooting, and editing these ads. Google indie production companies in the nearest major city to you. Send them an email or pursue their website for any information.

Ad Agency

A higher-profile candidate running for nationwide office might spend the bigger bucks and hire a Madison Avenue-esque firm. There are ad agencies that specialize only in political work since, for them, it's a billion-dollar business. They still will hire out the production company or the extras casting, so pivot to one of them.

Extras Casting

Sometimes for bigger ads, extras casting can be called in. It will look like a regular extras breakdown, with the archetypes needed, ages, and races. More than likely, this will be MOS work, doing everyday activities, walking in the park, working at your job, etc. Most of these postings can be found in your regional sections of Actors' Access.

Just a reminder that the terms for political ads are a lot different than regular commercials. Because they want to use real people and at least give the illusion of using real people, all of this work is non-union. Also, any terms will be for unlimited use, no cycles, and no residuals. Think about it, the ad you appear in could run several times a day, every day on every channel in a market for 120 days leading up to election day. If residuals were paid for that...MAN. The highest rate I’ve seen (and I can be corrected) was around $500. The average hovers around $150-$250. This is not rich or lucrative work at all, but a great way to get experience in front of the camera or advocate for causes you truly believe in.

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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