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| Actor Jeremy Ryan Brown. Represented by CAM TALENT AGENCY |
If you’ve been an actor for any length of time you’ve probably heard at least one of these phrases: “Your headshot is the most important tool you have.” “A headshot is the one thing that will make or break your career.” “Your headshot is your calling card.” “Your headshot is your first impression. It’s why you get cast or why you don’t.” That’s a lot of pressure to put on an actor looking to get their next best headshot! So, the million dollar question is how do you get a great headshot? Or for that matter, what is a great headshot?
Headshots are first and foremost marketing tools. They are all about casting. Never forget that. Most actors think the purpose of a headshot is merely to show the casting director or agent what you look like. But, it’s so much more than that. Headshots are all about casting! And, great headshots should answer these primary questions: what’s your look, what’s your personality and can you act? And, all three of these of these must be addressed or your headshot will be of little value.
Before we dive into the three questions let me address what the industry calls “Rule #1 of Headshots.” Rule #1 is your headshot must look like you. Simple as that. It has to be real and natural and show us what you really look like. If you ask any casting director what’s their pet peeve, chances are they will say, “I hate when an actor comes into the room and they don’t look like their headshot!” Keep it real. Stay away from high-fashion, high-styled lighting, dramatic shadows, disproportionate or goofy poses and anything else that makes the shot more about the photographer’s artsy style than about you.
On to the three questions. First, your headshot has to show us “what’s your look?” Your look is your “type.” If you don’t think typecasting is an integral part of this industry then you’re sadly mistaken. LA is a typecasting town! Very few casting directors have the time to think outside the casting box. I have heard it said many, many times that most casting is done the second you enter the room. It’s true. In less than a second a thorough assessment is made, the first impressions are locked and they’ve sized you up (for more on this topic read Malcolm Gladwell’s brilliant book, “Blink”). If that first impression is anything other than what you’ve shown them in your headshot, you’ve not only broken Rule #1 but you’ve lost them entirely. Their first impression is probably, “This actor is a liar! They sent in a shot that looks nothing like them and doesn’t at all tell me about their type and image.” Don’t forget, the casting director called you in from your headshot. They matched your type to the character’s type based on what they saw in your photo. That’s how casting works.
Most of the typing work I do with actors is based on a simple statement I have heard several casting directors say. They said they usually think of actors as being able to play one, maybe two and at the most three things. Agents want to say their actors can play anything, like any good salesman would, but they know full well how casting directors think. They know the roles their actors will book and the ones they won’t. Whether you like it or not you’re going to get typed. Why not take advantage of it? If you do, you’ll be far ahead of the pack. Once you’re famous you can do anything you want. But until then, take the path of the most success with the least resistance.
How do you find out your types? Ask a successful manger, agent or casting director, take a “Type and Image Class” or do the following exercise. Print these 27 basic types on a piece of paper: All-American, Artists, Bad Boy/Girl, Bitch, Businessmen/Woman, Collegiate, Comic Relief, Cop/Military, Dad/Mom, Doctor/Nurse, Hottie, Ingénue, Intellect, Lawyer, Laborer, Psychotic, Quirky One, Regular Guy/Girl, Seducer/Seductress, Slacker, Socialite, Rebel, Teacher, Victim, Villain, White Trash and Wise One. Now, make 50 copies. Next, get together with a friend and go to a public place like a mall, a park, a train station, etc. Have your friend go up to a stranger and hand them one of the papers with the types on it. Then have them ask the stranger to circle only the words that are absolutely appropriate for you. Stand at a distance and don’t say a word. If you talk to them they’ll be less inclined to be honest. Do at least 50 surveys. When you’re done tally up your scores and see which types come up the most (there should be about three that rise to the top). Those are your primary types. One final note, don’t ask family, friends or even fellow actors. They are biased. They will be more likely to tell you what they think you want to hear instead of being brutally honest.
Once you know your types the best way to capture them in a headshot is to assign each one a scenario and/or some dialogue. In other words make it an acting assignment. Come to your headshot session prepared to “play” as an actor. For example, if one of your types is, “Best Friend,” think about a situation where you would be with your best friend. Come up with some dialogue, something you might say to them. When the photographer starts snapping your picture, play with that scene or that dialogue in your head (or even out loud). You might say something like, “You look amazing today! I love that shirt on you.” Or, you might imagine yourself sitting on the edge of a mountain, one that you just scaled with your best friend. Smell the air, feel the breeze and enjoy the mutual accomplishment as the photographer snaps away. Do this kind of work and you’ll be amazed at how specific your headshots get.
Second, your shot has to tell us “what’s your personality?” I have a saying that goes something like this: Acting, it’s all about YOU! David Nutter, the brilliant TV director, once said, “Acting is autobiography.” In other words it’s revealing bits and pieces of yourself and who you really are in the lines and movements of someone else. When an agent or casting director looks at your headshot they should instantly be able to see your personality. Show us something about yourself. Show us how hard your life has been and how you’ve prevailed anyway. Show us how you love, how you are at a party or how you handle a challenge. Are you analytical, sweet, charismatic, parental or philosophical? We want to know, we really do! And, we want to see it in your shots.
The secret to capturing your personality in a headshot can be found in these two simple words, HAVE FUN! Have you ever noticed that our best pictures are always the ones that our friends take when we’re just hanging out, having a good time? Why is that? It’s because were not trying to be something were not. We’re simply comfortable being ourselves. Chances are we’re around friends who accept us as we are. This is why it is so important that you find a photographer who you connect with. Make sure you meet with potential photographers beforehand. Make sure you have good chemistry with them and can relax and be yourself. If I see someone having fun in a headshot I can’t help but like them. It’s called, “the likability factor.” Indie casting director Stephen Snyder said, “When I look at a headshot the first thought in my mind should be, ‘ I’d love to hang out with that person.’” Even if your primary type is the bad boy, the bitch or the psychotic, if you’re having fun we can’t help but like you. Anthony Hopkins said his favorite characters was Hannibal Lecter. Because he loved playing him so much we can’t help but like him, even if he is a cannibalistic serial killer.
Finally, a great headshot has to answer the question, “can you act?” Can you act simply means this, can you connect to the camera and have something going on in your head? Again, if you bring in lines or scenes and play around with the photographer while he or she captures those moments, we’ll look at your shot and say, “That’s a great actor!” I once heard a commercial casting director say,” My favorite headshots are the ones where it looks like the actor is messing with the photographer.” Why? Because that actor has something interesting going on behind their eyes. Get specific, play around and make it an acting assignment. I’ve had stand up comedians do their routine while we shot. I’ve had dramatic actors do Sam Shepard monologues. I’ve even had a well-known sit-com actor drop his pants (not to worry, we were in a studio and I was shooting chest up). I say, do whatever it takes. Be active and have something going on in your head. If you’re too busy “posing” without a thought in your brain we’ll be bored out of our minds and doubt your acting skills. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Great shots are all about the eyes.” It’s true. They are the windows to the sole, they tell us who you are. If your eyes are dead your shots are dead.
Next time we’ll get into the technical and logistical secrets of getting a great headshot, things like wardrobe, makeup, lighting, etc. In the meantime remember this, like great acting great shots are all about “YOU!” Show us your types, your personality and who you really are and we’ll love your shots above the rest. But more than anything else, have fun... that’s the key to just about everything in this business.
Mark Atteberry is an award winning actor, teacher and photographer.
