Headshot Or Not To Headshot?
Actors get a bum deal : A 95% unemployment rate average and an expense list of must- haves in order to even be considered for roles.
(Taken by @ammonite on our first date- this one is too close up. Headshots need to include head and shoulders)
The headshot is a crucial part in all of this. Moreso than your CV, your professional profile shot is what casting directors and directors look at to confirm whether or not they will call you in or not. However, I know from personal experience that the cost can break any jobbing or resting actor's wallet. I have paid anything from €500 to €0 for my headshots and no matter what I have paid or not paid, there has always been some industry professional who has told me that they "can't use these as you are too fat, too old, too young, too thin, too intelligent, too gormless" or whatever. This is so frustrating as once you have paid for them - it is way too expensive to justify getting more. Besides, other industry professionals "love them".
So you end up with a variety of headshots - each cherry-picked for the various casting directors and directors that you are looking to work with.
Recently, an acting friend of mine has trained up as a portrait photographer and now he specialises in Actors' Headshots.
This is the one which he took of me:
(Photo by Eddie Murphy at www.edshots.ie)
I know deep in my gut that there will be at least one casting director or director saying "you look too XYZ"! So, taking the camera into my own hands I have decided, after a painful consideration, to send my own headshot as a professional backup:
(Taken by myself, in my pram)
Please do let me know what you think as advice from peers and professionals is key to anyone's career path.
Thank you for reading and letting me share a small part of what it is like 'Behind the scenes' as an actor/actress.
Kisses x
You always want to headshot! Otherwise you'll need multiple hits for a kill. And the voiceover guy will never celebrate "torso-shot!" for you.
There is always the highly successful Tequila Shot!
Being able to try and match a shot to role would be great but having watched casting in action, you never know what it is that the director has in mind on that occasion. A crapshoot, really
Hi @nikv, thank you for your comment. All three photos are from three separate shoots. The article is meant to be tongue in cheek so "crapshoot" does the job!
Have a good headshot with you at all times, and a sharp black magic marker. Give them out, signed, everywhere you go - it's part of your brand. I knew an A-list actress who only did Black and White headshots, and sent then to every casting agent once a month (like clockwork) with her theatrical resume. It will serve you well, and is the mandatory business card of the working actor. PS- make sure you contact information ALWAYS is on the back of the headshot.
Break a leg -