Does Your Headshot WORK?

[jerimaier]

Does Your Headshot WORK?

Are You Getting Called In?

by Bob Fraser

Many actors tell me that they love their headshot.

Unfortunately when I ask them if it's 'working' - the
response I get is not so hot.

"I'm not sure."

"I don't get a lot of calls."

In order to end some of the confusion around the
entire subject of headshots, I've put together a
a few important tips about what constitutes a 'good'
headshot.

This is the mnemonic phrase (memory device) you can
use, to keep in mind the PURPOSE of your headshots
... and the critical importance of your picture to
your acting career results:

SYSTEM CORE

S = SALES - It's of utmost importance to know the
MAIN PURPOSE of your headshot: TO SELL your acting
services.

Your headshot can best be described as an unsolicited
ad - a piece of paper you send in, that gets a casting
director to call you in for an audition.

Your headshot has a job to do - it has to get you in
the door. If it doesn't do that job, then it doesn't
WORK.

Y = YOU - Your headshot must look like you.

Many actors, unfortunately, choose headshots that
(they think) make them look like stars - or at least
someone else. This is a very bad strategy. Why?

Because if you are called in - from a headshot that
doesn't look like you - you will lose the audition
the minute you walk in the door.

If you are 'picture-picked' and you arrive looking
different than the photo they have in their hand,
they will be irritated at best, and royally ticked
off at worst. You will have gotten in the door by
using 'false advertising.' Think about how you feel
when you've been tricked in this way.

S = SUBMIT - You must submit regularly if you expect
to have any results. You would be shocked to know
how many actors get 100's of headshots ... and six
months later they still have 100's of headshots ...
sitting in their closet.

You must submit for every role you are right for.

(Don't submit for EVERYTHING - that's a waste of time
and money, because you are not right for EVERYTHING -
no matter how talented you may be.)

Submit. All the time. Every day, if possible. If you
do this part, the next part is easy:

T = TESTING & TRACKING - The only way to tell whether
your headshot works, is to test your results. That
means keeping records of all submissions and tracking
the number of 'call-ins.'

Since this is unsolicited advertising, there IS a way
of telling how well you are doing. Most advertising
gurus say that an unsolicited, direct mail ad, must
get at least a 3 to 4% response to be considered
effective.

This means that if you send out 100 headshots and
you don't get at least 3 or 4 call ins ... you may
need another headshot.

E = EDIT - Your headshot can always be improved by
cropping. This is a process of eliminating parts of
the picture that take away from the main purpose of
your headshot - selling you. Don't just print up
what the photographer hands you. Always take the
time to fix your headshot - editing out those things
that don't contribute to your goal.

(Side Bar) I have seen, and so have you, a tendency
towards pretty or artsy or interesting headshots.

An actor at the edge of the picture, a partially lit
face, flashy black borders, lots of white space, etc.

These are extremely poor strategies. Remember, you
are trying to sell your face and physicality. Those
elements are the only things the buyers want to see.

Photographic flare is not only incidental to your
desired result - it is often detrimental. Casting
directors are not looking to hire the photographer.

What you want is a good, clear, picture of yourself
- as you really are.

Nothing else will do.

M = MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS - A lot of actors have
been told to ask other people which headshot they
should use. Unless you have a friend who's a casting
director, you will probably be getting advice from
someone who doesn't know what's important and
generally doesn't really care which shot you use.

Pay careful attention to this: YOU know exactly what
YOU are trying to accomplish, so YOU are in the best
position to know what steps have to be taken, to make
that happen.

This is YOUR business. YOU have to decide things.

C = COLOR - Digital photography has made this decision
(to get color shots or black & white shots) obsolete.

Get your shots taken in color and if you happen to need
black & white shots (for your particular market), you
can get B&W prints made from the digital files.

O = OBJECTIVE - When picking which headshot you'll
submit, you must make every effort to be objective.
This isn't about having a "pretty" picture - or even
one that you like - it's ONLY about selling your
acting services.

Sometimes, a picture that you don't like, is the very
picture that gets you called in. Try looking at your
pictures from the perspective of the person doing the
casting - and make your decisions based on that point
of view.

R = RESEARCH - Take time to do your research before
booking with a photographer. Interview, take notes,
and make observations BEFORE you pick a photographer.

Is it worth doing this homework – when all you really
want to do is get going?

The simple answer is ... yes.

E = ENDURE - One of the most important traits any
actor can have is the ability to persevere. What this
means is try, try again.

If your headshot doesn't work (get you called in),
guess what? You have to get another one. And if that
one doesn't work, you have to get another one. And
another. And another ... until you have a headshot
that gets you in the door.

If you are concerned about the cost of doing this,
you are thinking about the cost of doing business.

That's a good thing.

But if the cost is keeping you from doing the things
that need to get done ... just know that your business
will probably suffer.

Keep in mind that it is only your willingness to
persevere (to endure) that gets you to the red
carpet, and complaining about what it may cost
to get there, won't change anything.

Those actors who get to the top are those who are
ALWAYS willing to try, try again.