How I Booked a Super Bowl Commercial
Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles
So close yet so far away
When I first moved to LA in 2015, I was working as a Cyber Security Consultant for Deloitte. Sony Pictures Studios was my first ever client with the firm. At one point while I was working in the “war room” with my project team, right next door to us they were filming one of my favorite shows: Ray Donovan. There was literally a thin wall separating us from the set. I could hear Jon Voight and Liev Schriber perform their lines.
I had this sting, this hurt of: “I should be on the other side of this damn wall. I need to be acting. I shouldn’t be here doing consulting work, I need to be here doing entertainment work.” And here comes 2022.
Grilled Cheese and Auditions
So, the story goes. I was in Lebanon on a short trip to visit family. I had to cut my trip even shorter when I got a call that we’d be shooting more scenes for “North of the Ten”, in Los Angeles. I booked an earlier flight out to get back to the states. I wanted to make sure that I was spending some good quality time with my family there. My last night I decided to put on a show for the family. I got into the kitchen to whip up grilled cheese sandwiches for the hungry crowd. Music was bumpin, sandwiches were flippin, and I was serving these sandwiches in style for my loved ones. After everyone was fed, I grabbed my phone which I had been neglecting at the cost of being “present” and it hits me! Oh, it hit like a ton of bricks!
I saw an unread email about an audition scheduled that day (evening my time) for a national commercial and I was three hours passed the deadline! Had no idea what the commercial was for, I was making food, had a flight in a few hours, needed to shower, and just a million thoughts running through my mind.
What Happens Next
I get to writing an email apologizing to my agent. I was typing away explaining the scheduling conflict and that I had to book an (international) early flight out, when, BAM, it hits again!
As quickly as the thought arose of the missed audition, it came to me. “Just SHOW UP bro!” I thought to myself in that instant, before sending the email, to open the link to the audition and see if the casting directors were still there and if the link is still active. Casually sitting on that couch, a mess from making the sandwiches, I clicked the link.
The link was active, they were still holding auditions! Suddenly, I’m in and someone calls my name! In a moment’s notice, I’m fixing my hair and setting up my tripod while responding to them in a cool and collected manner LOL! The assistant on the call wasn’t having my tardiness - at all. Though she took a harsh tone with me (understandable for being almost 4 hours late), I kept her on the line and held her attention using whatever charm I had left, all while I got myself together.
I’m thrown into the casting room with the directors.
How I saved the SuperBowl commercial
In that moment, I become fully present. I’m grounded. I’m there. I’ve done this so many times before and I know what to expect. I can’t be thrown off, even though I have an unexpected live audience. My parents were there watching, my fiance is watching, but it didn’t matter. I’m in the zone and that’s what I’ve been born to do. Full focus on the task at hand.
I did everything I was asked to do with calm and ease. I was content with the overall audition because not only was I “real”, but I showed up.
The next day, back in LA, I get an email for a callback audition. But, there was a conflict in my schedule. I had to be on the set of “North of the Ten” all day. Obviously, I couldn’t pass this up, but how could I make it work?
I had a candid conversation with the director of the “North of the Ten”, Rhyan LaMarr and I explained my situation. Out of mutual respect, and appreciation to my dedication to my job, he told me we can make it work! They rescheduled certain shooting times and helped create a quiet space for me so I could get on Zoom to do my callback audition.
In the middle of it all, I went to the designated space. I get focused again, and give it my all. I had a good feeling.
After a long day of shooting for “North of the 10“, (I was up that day at 5am in the gym, to get my workout in before I stop on set for No10) I come back home, exhausted, tired, drained. I was pushing myself to the max. I still needed to perform an audition for another project before going to bed that evening. I started getting cranky, dragging my feet. I set up the lights, camera and right before I hit the record button, I get an email from my agent “You booked Verizon.” It felt as if shock waves flew through my body and I was resuscitated!!
SuperBowl Official
The day of the shoot, I’m driving to the location and I realized its at Sony Pictures Studios and all I can think is, “Oh my God, they’re filming a commercial in a movie studio?!” I’m back at the Sony Pictures Studio lot, and I pull up. Feeling on cloud 9. I’m back here, but this time, doing entertainment work. Then, the security guard checks me in and says, “You here for the Super Bowl commercial?” Needless to say, my eyes lit up and all I said was, “We’ll see.”
