Otterbein senior acting major Jake Robinson was hired to play a quarterback in an upcoming ESPN ad that will air in about three weeks on the network’s channels.
How did the opportunity come about for you to be in this commercial?
I got a call from my agency, Heyman Talent here in Columbus, asking about my football experience, and from there it was just a series of conversations and confirmations on dates and times.
Can you explain your part in the commercial?
Well, basically all I can tell you is that it’s centered around a football game and I played the quarterback, which meant I had to throw the ball over and over again because there was a specific way they wanted the receiver to catch the ball, and if I didn’t throw it just right, then they didn’t get the right shot. So needless to say, it took awhile. But mostly it was like playing a pick-up game of football with very specific actions.
What was your reaction to learning you’d been given the part?
Well, I was definitely excited. But there is a part of me that expects to be cast and get parts. I believe that as an actor, if you are not confident in your appearance and in auditions, then people who are paying money to make the commercial won’t be confident in casting you. I had been going in for commercial auditions a lot recently, and this kind of just fell in my lap. I was just excited that the work and research that I had been doing to make myself better had paid off. Also, I got the part because of my previous football experience, so it was cool knowing that.
What is it like knowing you’ll be on ESPN where thousands of people will watch the commercial?
Honestly, it hasn’t really hit me. I guess it’s something that you always know going into auditions for commercials that you will probably be seen by a lot of people. If you don’t accept that fact right away, then when you decide to start acting you probably wont get very far. I mean, for me it’s extremely exciting especially as someone just starting out in their career … The chance to get national exposure is awesome. Plus, it looks great on my resume. When I actually see it on TV, then that’s when I will freak out a little bit. Hopefully, it looks great.
What was the coolest part of the whole process?
The coolest part of the process was definitely being able to put on full football pads again. I had not played football in full pads since high school. I never really realized how much I missed playing. It was really cool to be able to do two things that I love at the same time, namely football and acting.
Is this something that you would want to continue in the future?
Definitely. Commercials are how most actors really make their money. For every movie star, there are a thousand other actors just trying to make it. Doing commercials is not exactly fulfilling for me from an artistic standpoint, but it definitely is a good way to pay rent. When I move to LA sometime this year, I hope that my agency will look at my resume and say, “Hey-o, this guy does commercials,” and then send me in for a lot of auditions. That’s the main thing: Your agency wants you to get work because they don’t get paid unless you do. So the more stuff that they can send you in for, the more they make. No one is out to get you; everyone who is casting wants you to be perfect for their show or commercial.
