Congratulations are due to actress and young talent Jasmine Saint-Clair! The child actress recently starred in a commercial spot for Playstation “Knack,” a role with several beastly scene partners. You can see Jasmine and her Knack for acting below. We caught up with the active nine year old after one of her acting classes for kids here at 3-2-1- Acting Studios to ask about her experience.
Jasmine, great to have you. Tell us about this commercial you shot. What was it for?
Jasmine: For the Playstation “Knack.” It’s like a video game. I had to go try out for it.
Yes, Playstation is a major brand. And congratulations! What was the audition like for that?
Jasmine: It was fun. And I like to do it because I like doing acting. I was just by myself, and then two other casting directors. There was just one casting director and then another one. They had me just be like a tomboy. I just had to be like…talk.
By talk do you mean there were sides, like lines from a script? Or did they ask you to improvise lines?
Jasmine: Improvisation. Like you just have to use, like, facial expression. And you just have to pretend he’s really there. And you’re like, “what am I going to do next?” This and that. So, yeah.
In the audition, they gave you different scenarios, and you just had to act them out right there?
Jasmine: Yes.
Were there any callbacks, or did you go straight from that first audition to booking the job?
Jasmine: Just straight from the audition to booking the job.
You must have really impressed them! Tell us about the shoot and being on set. How many days did you work?
Jasmine: One day.
For those who haven’t seen your Playstation “Knack” commercial yet, we’ve embedded it above. You play a young girl being bullied or intimidated by some tough older kids who won’t give you back your basketball. You also get to interact and play against a computer generated image (or C.G.I.) character.
Jasmine: Knack. That’s Knack.
We see “Knack” in your backpack and standing beside you. What was it like to act in a scene with a character on your back and then right there next to you but not really there at all?
Jasmine: That was actually fun, getting to imagine it.
With real-person scene partners, you can see and hear what everyone is doing in a scene. With a C.G.I. character, you really have to use your imagery, geography and visualization skills to react and respond well. How did you work that out on set? What did they tell you was happening?
Jasmine: They just put like a box that looks like a tube, they stuffed it in my backpack.
To give your backpack some weight?
Jasmine: Yeah. And then they cut a hole through, and then the guy put his hand in my backpack and then jiggled it around.
So the backpack became kind of like a puppet?
Jasmine: Yeah.
Knack also stands next to you, and the two of you seem to look right at each other. Did they give you anything to help you visualize that?
Jasmine: Yeah. They put like a little stool. This big of a stool. (measures how high with her hand)
And that was about the size of what the little beasty guy was going to be?
Jasmine: Yeah, Knack. Yeah, that was exactly the size.
Your other scene partners were played by real, live actors, but they’re in separate shots in the commercial. Did you guys perform all together, or did they shoot you separately.
Jasmine: Yeah, it was shot separately, and then they put us together.
“In post.” A common, joking phrase you may hear on set is “we’ll fix it in post,” which refers to the “post production” phase of something like a commercial when the shots are cut together and sound effects and music are added. In this case, a whole new character was added, Knack, and the stool was removed or painted over by the CGI team. That’s part of the magic of shooting and on-camera acting. It takes a lot of imagination and skill to bring those elements together so they’re present in your performance sometimes days or even months before they are finalized digitally. That’s a lot to be doing at just nine years old, and you make it look so easy! Jasmine, what got you started in acting?
Jasmine: My brother did. He pushed me, and then I finally realized that it was fun. He’s 12 years older. We’re 12 years apart. So, he’s 21, and I’m nine.
How did he help you get into acting?
Jasmine: He just started submitting me. And my mom helped. Because he has a friend, his name is Ethan, and his sister is (actress) Chloe Moretz (Chloe Grace Moretz) the star of the big hit movie remake” CARRIE.”
Yes, knowing people always helps. Referrals are some of the most powerful ways to get a foot in any door, and the more contacts you make professionally, the better the chance you’ll hear about an upcoming project or audition. And the more you audition and work, you’ll start to get to know other actors in your peer range because you’ll see them there or on set. Working actors who maintain and advance their training with acting classes keep their skills sharp while “networking” with other working peers. How did you come to be at 3-2-1-? Was that your brother’s doing again?
Jasmine: My mom was trying to look for Improv classes. So we looked up Improv classes, and there you were, right there. And it was pretty close by, so we picked 3-2-1- Acting School. If I wouldn’t have gotten to this school, I wouldn’t have gotten that job.
How did acting classes at 3-2-1- help you book the Playstation “Knack” commercial?
Jasmine: Because that job was improvisational acting. And I didn’t know very much Improv until I started taking this class and started learning more and more.
Improvisation (making it up on the spot with no script) is an essential acting skill to develop, especially now. Improv has become a major component of commercial and even theatrical auditions. So you really felt the Improv you trained for in class gave you the tools you needed to ace your audition and do what you needed to do?
Jasmine: Yes. And all the people here are sweet, too.
What would you tell other kids who want to act or become professional actors like you? What’s a good first step toward acting careers for kids?
Jasmine: Well, I would tell them just – I’d just say just work hard. Practice makes perfect. And for those who have a camera, use it. And those who don’t have a camera, buy one. It really helps. Because you can start getting comfortable in front of the camera, because as soon as you get used to going in front of the camera, you can go in front of the camera anywhere.
It sounds like you really get a lot out of being on camera in your 3-2-1- acting classes and at playback at the end of each class when you get to watch yourself and see what you did.
Jasmine: Yeah.
Here at 3-2-1- acting school in Los Angeles, we operate on exactly that belief that practice and repetition builds can-do confidence so students can freely access and show their talent and personality. Do you practice with the camera at home too, outside of class?
Jasmine: Sometimes. If I were them (new to acting), I’d do it like one day do it, one day don’t, one day do it, one day don’t. It’s important to take one day break at least.
Moderation, professionalism, practice, training – Jasmine, you are full of excellent advice! We look forward to seeing more of your work and sharing it here. In the meantime, we’ll see you in class.
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