The Perfect Headshot and CompCard!

Tuesday, January 1st @ 1:43 PMpost viewed 2201 times

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The Perfect Headshot and CompCard

ARE YOUR RESUME AND HEADSHOT KILLING YOUR ACTING CAREER?

Are you tired of not getting called in to audition for those great acting gigs? Your problem could be a flawed headshot, resume, or cover letter. The following information will give you an idea of what producers or casting directors are looking for in a headshot.

What is a headshot?  A headshot is a photograph taken from the top of the shoulders up and REALLY LOOKS LIKE YOU.

Headshots are one of the most important tools every actor should have. It is your business card, your calling card and your most essential job search tool.

The right headshot can make a difference between getting a call for the audition or not. Even before an agent, director or a producer has looked at your résumé, he would look at your headshot and immediately say, "Yes, this is the look I want". Every actor needs a headshot unless you are by now famous enough to be recognized by the cashier at Wal-Mart. To make sure you have the perfect headshot you should make sure you go to a professional photographer that specializes in actors' headshots, not your best friend who just bought the latest, fancy camera.

WHEN SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR HEADSHOT TAKEN?

Before you race off to have your headshot taken ask yourself the following questions:

Is this a good time to have headshots done?

Am I looking my best?

Do I need a haircut?

Is my weight at a level that will project the image I want?

Do I have the right selection of clothing for the shoot?

Can I get some decent sleep and look fresh for a shoot

Do I know a good photographer that specializes in actors’ headshots?

How much does the photographer charge?

How much money do I have to spend on headshots?

How much money can I afford?

How far am I willing to travel to have my photo taken?

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HEADSHOT?

Your headshot should look like you so that casting people will recognize you when they meet you face to face. Nothing irritates casting directors more than when an actor's headshot looks nothing like the actor in person or on camera. Don't ask your mother, your friends, your grandma or your girlfriend if your headshot looks like you. Ask your agent, acting coach, a professional photographer, an actor who is not a close friend or the guy begging at the traffic lights. So don't go crazy with retouching photographs and don't use photos that were taken 10 years ago.

Represent the real you. A nice glimpse of your teeth will show the casting director what you've got in there. If you've got braces, crooked teeth, a big gap in the middle, smile anyway. Don't hide anything. Don't try to hide the gap between your teeth - it made Lauren Hutton famous. Don't hide the mole on your cheek - it made Cindy Crawford famous. The best judge would be your talent agency.

Let your headshot reflect the image or character type you want to portray.

Don't take glamorous and fancy dress headshots.

People may differ in their opinions about what makes a great headshot. But everyone stresses the importance of the EYES in a headshot. The phrase: Your eyes are the mirrors to your soul" is still true. Communicate your soul through your eyes. A good photographer will capture that soul. Don't try to look good for the camera. It must look like the camera caught you unaware; deep in thought, thinking about something specific. Let what you were thinking about when the photo was taken shines through your eyes. If you smile, the smile must match the smile in your eyes; otherwise it just looks plain phony.

Actors are always worried that they will never get a great picture of themselves. This is an extremely common concern. The best thing you can do is to forget about how you look and concentrate on something while the camera is clicking away. Think about something confident such as, "I’ll be an Oscar winner within the next five years" or something intimidating like "You ain’t seen nothing yet!" or something cocky like, "What this town need, is me!" If you can’t concentrate while the camera is clicking away try multiplying large numbers such as 1056 by 103 in your head. The photographer will snap you in a state of concentration. The real you usually come through when you are concentrating. The photographer will direct you during the shoot, but this overall concept can help you out.

Headshots should be crisp and clear. Lighting and focus should be just perfect. Don't use soft focus or special lighting techniques. Stay away from artsy effects.

Use a simple, non-distracting backdrop for indoor as well as outdoor shots. Some professionals can make a white or black backdrop look great but most can't. The most popular backdrops are off-white, gray or light blue.

Cropping is important. A great photographer should select the ideal margin around your face. Some are better at it than others, and this is one reason to meet photographers and see their books before you set up your shoot.

To smile or not to smile. Try both during your sesion. Relax, let it come naturally; don’t force anything; don’t fake a smile - it will show on the final print.

You are not a model putting a portfolio together. So, don't flip your hair, lean your chin on your arm, or any other kind of theatrics. Most casting directors want to see a straight head shot; they want to see you, not someone trying to be cute.

HEADSHOTS WITH PERSONALITY

I just want to add something here. There are thousands of great headshots there but many lack a distinct personality. Sometimes you may just need something extra to make your headshot stand out. I once send a photo of mine dressed up in Victorian clothes to a casting director. The role was for a nanny whose actions were pivotal to the plot. I have a British accent and I thought casting the nanny as British would bring a nice twist. I wanted my photograph to be noticed. I took a gamble - either the casting director would be irritated and threw out my photograph or he would be amused. He was amused and called me to audition - and I got the role. Now I am not suggesting that you should all do this - it may cost you the role. But if you are prepared to take a gamble - go for it! But make sure that it is a good quality photograph and that it looks like you! It also seems that Chicago casting directors likes some personality, a little bit of of quirkiness and a traditional Chicago-style picture.

Select the best shot by using a magnifying loupe or a magnifying glass to pick up small detail such as stray hairs, or an uncomfortable look. Get advice from your photographer, agents and someone whose opinion you trust.

WHAT IS A COMPCARD?

 

A comp card is industry shorthand for "composition sheet" and is also commonly known as a "zed card." These are indispensable for an aspiring actor or model. Comp cards are generally 5 x 7 inches. The front side is composed of a clear headshot on the front, and two or more different photos on the back. The photos on the back should represent the kind of style you'd like photographers to see from you, ranging from a serious, dramatic actor or a comedic actor. You can represent as many styles as you feel you are able to portray.

www.usafilmproduction.com if you are serious in becoming an actor!