27 Feb 2010, Posted by Susana Baker in Acting,Articles, 0 Comments

Casting Tips for Actors: Headshots

Now we get to move on to probably the most important of your “getting a job” tools. Your headshot serves as a stand-in you. Before you get the audition, your headshot is there in your place, letting directors look at you to see if you are what they are seeking. After auditions, your headshot is there to remind them what you looked like and who you were. If you have your headshots done right, they will be a great help to you. If you do them wrong, they will lose you countless jobs.

Headshots

1. Most importantly: your headshot MUST LOOK LIKE YOU. If it doesn’t they won’t remember your audition when they look over the headshots later.
2. Your eyes must be in focus. Also, be thinking something secret rather than “I’m smiling for my picture” or else your eyes will go dead.
3. Have something in the background, but don’t let it be distracting.
4. Keep your hands away from your face. They know you have them. They don’t need to see them.
5. Don’t use a glamour shot. Glamour shots look like you on your best day. Headshots should look like you on a good day at best.
6. Decide between natural light or artificial light, each casts different shadows and produces a different look.
7. Know your type.
8. You must have a border around the photograph with your name printed clearly at the bottom.
9. It must be in color. The age of black-and-white headshots is over.
10. It must be 8″x10″.
11. Have a head shot and a ¾ body shot.
12. Don’t wear white.
13. Don’t wear close or distracting patterns.
14. Don’t wear big jewelry.
15. You must own your own image. Make sure the photographer doesn’t retain rights to your image so that after your initial payment to them, you can make as many copies as you like.
16. Make sure they are taken by a professional photographer. Good headshots run from about $400 on up. If you have a friend who is a good photographer, take advantage of that, but make sure they know what they are doing.

Next, we’ll discuss resumes!