When actors decide to get into the industry the first thing they do is put together their headshots.
That’s usually the first big mistake they make.
Few actors actually get their headshots right and it usually causes them to spin their wheels for a long time. Not only is that demoralizing, it’s just a waste of time.
The actors that are able to make big progress in the industry are the ones that put the right pieces together early on in their career.
Your headshot is your first impression and if your first impression doesn’t match what the industry expects to see, building an acting career is going to be an incredibly difficult task.
Professional actors don’t leave things like this chance. They put a lot of effort and planning into putting together the right headshot that can help their acting career.
If you want to make progress and get your acting career on the right track, you need to figure this out too...
For starters, there’s no such thing as having “the right headshot.” You can only have the right headshot, for a particular moment in your career.
I’m not talking about reshooting your headshot every so often, to make sure it stays up to date with your current look.
It goes beyond that.
When you are doing your headshot, you have to make sure that it turns out to be congruent with the types of characters you want to read for.
Here’s what I mean...
Every actor has a certain character type they are best suited for, your headshot must match that.
The right headshot for an actor playing a girl next door character is going to be completely different from an actor playing seductive roles.
A headshot for an actor playing an action hero is going to be very different from an actor playing a corporate executive.
That’s not to say that the same actor can’t play both types, but an actor still in the building stages of their career is going to have an easier time focusing on one side of the spectrum.
This might sound harsh, but submitting a girl next door headshot for a role that is written as a seductress makes you and your agent look unprofessional and incompetent.
Not only is it a wasted effort, it can erode your industry credibility. If CDs are constantly seeing your headshot for things that don’t make sense, at some point they will just start to ignore it.
So let’s talk about creating the perfect headshot because it starts long before you step in front of the camera...
We just went over how your headshot must be congruent with the roles you are reading for. That’s something you have to decide before you ever meet with a photographer.
Sit down and work with your agent to get specific about the types of roles you should be reading for.
Most actors, and most agents, will simply go for anything and everything that might be a remote fit, but actors that make career progress quickly tend to have a much more narrow focus.
When you get clear about the types of roles you want to read for, it translates to having a headshot that matches those roles.
When casting directors look at your headshot and see a terrific match for the character type they are casting for, not only will they call you in, they will be eagerly waiting to see you because you are such a great fit already.
Just like actors have particular biases for the characters they play, photographers also have biases for what they shoot.
Look for a photographer that is skilled at shooting for the types you want to play. Some headshot photographers are great at coaching actors to get a certain look out of them.
The problem is that if you choose a photographer that is great at pulling the wrong look out of you, your headshot won’t match what you are hoping to read for.
So, be selective about the photographer that does your headshots. Don’t just book a shoot with someone your friend used because they may not be the right fit.
Look through their portfolio pieces and see if they have worked with other actors in the same categories as what you and your agent have settled on.
Your headshot is too important to simply think it’s ready, just because you look good in it. Work with your agent to make sure it matches the criteria we talked about today.
This is just one of the tools you need to give your agent, so they can help you be successful. I also created this tool to give actors like you another advantage.
We’ll talk about the rest of them another time.
Take a look at your current headshot and think about how well it matches the criteria and consider whether it’s time to get it redone.
Even when you do get it right, the perfect headshot won’t do much for you if it never gets in the hands of the right people, so you have to make yourself visible to the industry. Here’s how I can help.
Having a great headshot and being visible to industry decision makers can do wonders for your career.
Take your time with this and don’t just jump to getting your headshot redone without the proper planning.
If you struggle with it at all, remember, I’m always only a comment or an email away and I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott