What is a headshot?
A headshot is a photograph used by actors and actresses in order to get them work. headshot are 8 x 10 prints of the actor where the face is clearly shown. This does not mean that the image is just of the head. But, the point is to have a clear image of the actor or performer. Also on your headshot will be the name of the actor. This is usually in the bottom right hand corner. Included with your actor headshot you will staple a resume (facing outward) to the back of the actor headshot.
Currently the trend in actor headshot photography has been horizontal shots of the performer, making the image a little more “film like.” Also, because digital submissions are popular, a great many people are taking character shots. These can be useful digitally, but are not needed to print. Going that far on your character headshots, especially for print don’t really pay off.
But what do you do with your actor headshots in Los Angeles?
In Los Angeles, actor headshots go through quite a journey. For people just starting out you will need to get an agent and submit yourself for any open calls you can. An open call is when anyone can submit themselves and they do not need an agent in order to get an audition. Once you have an agent they submit your headshot for anything you fit on under the breakdowns and any other projects they might know of that are in pre-production.
Let’s talk about getting your agent and submitting yourself for open calls. For getting an agent you would want to send out your los angleles actor headshot to various agents with a cover letter, resume and contact information. You do this over and over until you have an agent. You can get a list of agents to mail off to in various books at boutique book shops like Samuel French, a bookstore specializing in the performing arts. When an agent calls you in for an audition then you need to take your 8×10 actor headshots with you.
You will also want to go ahead and submit yourself for anything you can until such time as you have an agent working for you. There are a few papers like Backstage West, Hollywood Reporter, and even Variety that will give you information on what is called “open call” auditions. This means that you do not need an agent in order to submit yourself for a role. There are also companies that have websites that provide this information to you. An example of this is LA Casting. You can put your profile up on their site for a fee. You can give them as many images as you can afford to post. They will alert you to any open calls that fit your profile and you can submit yourself electronically. However, for the audition you will still need your 8×10 headshot.
When submitting yourself by mail you send an 8×10 headshot, resume and simple short cover letter. Your resume should have your contact info. These headshots for open calls come into casting directors by the hundreds, sometimes even the thousands. Casting directors sort through these and separate them into piles. Casting directors throw out any that don’t fit for what they are looking for. Most casting directors don’t have the time to consider novice looking headshots with the amount of professional actor headshots that are sent in.
The cool thing with electronic submittal of actor headshots in los angeles is you can have many shots in your profile that show your range and you can select the image that you want to send. This is a great tool. You can have all sorts of defining shots of your casting. To print headshots with that much selection in casting is often too expensive. So, electronic submittals offer that for you. But remember little things can communicate character shots. You need not go to extremes.
Now, when you have an agent the only difference is that your agent submits you for all of those casting calls that are not open. Meaning that instead of thousands of los angeles actor headshots being sorted through, there are usually not as many being looked at. Casting Agents will call specific agents sometimes to isolate it down to an even smaller amount of people to sort through. As you move up ladder you are up against fewer and fewer people to a point where people are building scripts around you and all of the other slots are going through the casting ringer. Does this mean an “A lister” doesn’t need professional actor headshots? Nope. Even Tom Cruise has eye catching headshots. But primarily his get signed and sent to fans and posted on the cast board in the production office. He does not have to submit for roles.
So, that is the journey of actor headshots in los angeles. For any beginner you need professional looking headshots that stand out. You can get creative with your casting to add defining touches, but don’t go over board on it. Simple things will do. Check out the pages on Casting, wardrobe and Commercial vs. Theatrical to get more information to help you shape your goals for your headshot photo shoot.
Thank you to Jessic a Petty John at headshots 101 for this incredibly informative article and all the help for actors in Los Angeles and around the world!
Lauren Hurt is a top headshot photographer in the Hollywood / Los Angeles California area. She specializes in eye catching entertainment industry and actor headshots. Lauren’s central hollywood studio location makes her headshot sessions easy and accessible to all Hollywood and Los Angeles area actors looking for amazing headshots. Her rates are so reasonable that even a starving artist can have great headshots. Whether you are looking for affordable headshots in LA or to be pampered like a top celebrity, Lauren’s headshots exceed all expectaions. Contact her Hollywood studio for availability and booking information. Lauren also shoots business headshots and real estate headshots in the Hollywood and greater Los Angeles area.
