Dear actors (and singers and dancers),
I’d like to take a moment today to talk (write) about headshots (or, bodyshots for you dancer-types). You all need them. And you all get excited when you get a bunch of proofs for new headshots. And you all get excited when your friends post them on the facebook, so you can vote on which they should use. But sooo many of you seem perhaps to not get what headshots should be. If you have photographer friends who do headshots, please share this with them.
Your headshot needs to look like you...how you actually look when you go into an audition. I realize that having someone take beautiful, glamorous pictures of you that make you look amazing (or maybe those quirky “look how fun I am?” pictures), and which you put in front of your audition notebook and see before each audition and get to show everyone who might cast you...all that can be a great ego boost. I really do get it. It’s nice to think that you look amazing. But chances are, oh actor- and singer- and dancer-types, you are, in regular life, beautiful. And in your glamorous-looking headshots your beauty achieves a level of unreality.
But a director doesn’t need to see that. None of the people on the “other side of that table” need to see that. I’m a music director. I’ve been in lots of auditions, and not just over to the side playing the piano. I’ve am actively involved in making casting decisions, so I know what goes on, I know what’s said in those discussions. Waaayyy too many times I’ve heard someone say “what about this person”, and someone else says “who is that?”, and someone holds up a headshot, and someone else says “do they look like that”, and someone says “uh no, not really”, and someone else says “well, what did they look like?”.
Now, I tell you, folks, there is no need for that conversation. The reason you give us a headshot is so we who are trying to cast a show or fill a spot in a company or whatever you’re auditioning for can recall what you look like. We usually see lots of people in auditions, and we can’t always remember. So instead of a headshot that captures the most glamorous possible you, pick one that captures the typical audition-you. If we want to know that you can look glamorous and can’t imagine it in our heads, we can always call you back and ask you to glam up.
The glamorous headshot is great if you have a modeling portfolio. And if you have a buddy who takes pictures for you, it’s great that they can do that sort of thing. That’s what fashion photography is about, That’s what glamor photography is about. I say go ahead and get a couple of those kind of pics, to post on the facebook so your friends can say “wow you look so hot” and to look at daily to feel good and know that you are a beautiful person. But also get some real actor headshots. The more unusual the angle or position or lighting set up or make up required, the more likely the resulting photos aren’t gonna look like “normal” you.
Please, don’t give us the glamor shots. Don’t give us the 2 hairstyles ago pic. Don’t give us the 50 pounds ago pic. Don’t give us a pic more than a few years old. If you tend to alternate between two looks, then get headshots for both looks. For example: guys if you sometimes wear a beard, get bearded and clean-shaven headshots. If you absolutely need us to see you looking glamorous, then fine, get those headshots, but then also come to auditions looking that way. (Of course, chances are we’ll think that it’s kinda odd and maybe you’re crazy or something, and we won’t cast you.) And if you think that we need to see variety (the audition-you plus some other version)...don’t. We probably have at least a normal ability to imagine you in a different costume or hairstyle or makeup. Trust us a little.
I would like to add a reminder that a headshot is only from the shoulders up - hence the name "headshot." Oh, and thanks Chris for reminding me that I need to update my headshot. While I would like to think I look the same as I did at 25, I should probably stop deluding myself and call a photographer.
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