My computer is going to be tied up the rest of the night by rendering some new trailers for the Nerds film, which I'll be sharing with you tomorrow, so I just have time to share some tips for actors about headshots:
1) Look natural and comfortable. In one headshot the actor had his arms tightly crossed so he looked cold, and that was all the Director I was working with could remember about him. Every time this actor's name came up for a role, the Director would say "you mean the cold guy, naw, we'll pass." I'm sure the actor could have overcome this if he'd nailed his first audition with us (indeed, an actress overcame her first headshot making her look like a 1940s starlet and went on to star in several films for us), but anything less than magic that first time and the headshot is going to form the lasting impression. It sucks, but that's the way it is.
2) Look your age. Nothing irritates a casting director more than seeing an actor in an audition who looks nothing like his or her headshot. It makes it feel like you're trying to pull a fast one.
3) Have several looks. It's good to have both a black and white and a color headshot. Or two different headshots where you look completely different. It's expensive, but worth it.
4) Have your resume printed on the back, NOT stapled or taped to the back. If the resume you've stapled to the back of your headshot happens to get ripped off during the jostling and stacking and restacking and mailing, etc ... there's going to be no way for the casting director to call you back in. Just pay the two dollars to have it printed on the back.
5) Don't get scammed. There are a lot of scam headshot photographers out there. A headshot isn't like any other kind of photo, you'll want someone who's done it before and knows what they're doing. And you'll want someone who charges a reasonable price without hidden costs and who is going to deliver in a timely fashion. So your best bet is to get a referral from another actor who was happy with the price and service.
Headshots are expensive, but no other acting expense is going to influence the casting directors you see as much as headshots do. So they're worth it.
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About This Blog
This blog, which will be updated regularly, will cover every aspect of independent movie making, from writing to producing to directing. From preproduction to production to postproduction. After four years of movie making experience, I feel like I've finally learned enough about the business to begin sharing it with the world. So if you're just a fan of indie filmmaking, a long time veteran, or if you're just getting into the business and want to learn a little more about it, there's something for everyone here!
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