Actors: the headshot is the thing. Headshots make your first impression for you. They represent you as amateur or professional, confident or unsure, ready or unready. A picture does speak a thousand words, and as you build your career, nothing should be more important than seizing control of what your headshot says about you.

If you’re like most actors, your budget is tight for every expense, from rent to take-out Thai. But this isn’t the moment to be frugal. If you have the choice between having a friend take shots for you this weekend or saving up for four months and using a professional, go with the latter option. Agents, managers, casting directors and even student film directors are used to seeing professionally taken photographs.

And professional photographers are like directors (at least, the good ones are). They bring out something special in you, a performance captured in a single snap of the shutter. You want to do more than have a flattering photo taken, though of course that won’t hurt. Casting professionals look at pictures of very attractive people all day long. In order to stand out, you want your photo to haunt the viewer. The most eye-catching shots give a sense you’re looking at a real person with something actively on their mind.

How do you find the right photographer? Start with personal referrals. Ask all your actor buddies to show you their headshots and take note of any you really love. With personal referrals in hand, go to Reproductions in Hollywood and pick up a headshot book (they’re free) that will show you sample headshots from some of the best photographers in the city. Compare indoor, studio shots to those taken in natural light and decide which you prefer. Then start making choices. Weed out any photographers whose work is not technically perfect. (Focus should be sharp, especially the eyes.)

The next step? Meet with three to five photographers, minimum. Most will have you meet them at their studio, where you can see more headshots, learn about where they like to shoot and get a sense of what it’s like to spend time with them. Choosing a photographer should feel like choosing an audition monologue-you want to be shown off at your best and most natural. Spending time with them shouldn’t feel like work. What if you love someone’s photos, but your rapport with them feels awkward? Thank that photographer for his or her time and move on.

Going with a professional photographer usually comes with the added bonus of a great makeup artist. Good makeup makes the photographers’ work look better, so they’re likely to have a small number they recommend and trust. (This is another expense, yes, but listen well and often to this advice, actors: cut back on drinks at the bar before you cut back on your headshot fund.) Makeup in general should look natural, not heavy. Advice for actresses in particular: if you like a photographer but think the makeup in sample photos looks a little too “night,” ask if he or she can recommend someone whose work is more “day.”

You can also discuss with your photographer whether to go with color or black and white headshots. Color is quickly becoming the industry standard, even in New York (it has been standard in LA for some time). If you are planning to look exclusively for work in the theater, black and white may suffice, but color is the recommended choice by most casting directors and agents.

The next step? Wardrobe and hygiene. You want to look perfect on your day, so plan to wear new clothing or items that don’t show their age. Anything that droops, shows wrinkles or has to be readjusted too often? Make another choice. Remember, this is your one chance to make a first impression. If you wear something ill-fitting or faded, you risk the unconscious thought (or maybe the conscious one) that you lack attention to detail and aren’t serious about your career. Talk with your photographer about what color choices will go best with your skin tone. Plan to bring two to four “looks” to your shoot so you’ll have plenty of choices later.

For the week ahead of your shoot, drink 10 glasses of water a day and get plenty of sleep. These simple steps will reduce red-eye and under eye circles and do wonders for your skin. (Supermodels swear by daily naps to keep their complexions clear.) Avoid fried foods, chocolate or any other treats that have ever led to breakouts. Use a gentle exfoliating soap, preferably something you’ve tried before, every other day to be sure your skin looks clean and fresh.

And on the day of your shoot, have fun! Challenge yourself to be brave in front of your photographer and work with them as you would any other creative collaborator. Don’t wait for your photographer to tell you what to do, strike some of your most comfortable and familiar poses. The more you bring to the table, the more your photographer has to work with. He or she will get a good sense of you and may direct you to try things you wouldn’t have expected. The result? Your shots won’t be boring. They’ll be like you. Be sure to ask for a variety of looks so that you have some face-only photos and some body shots (which show at least 2/3 of your entire body).

It’s important to keep remembering that your presence is enough, especially when you get your proofs from your photographer. Now that you’ve had professional headshots taken, the final test is having the good judgment to make the right picks from a great day’s shoot. First, weed out any shots that aren’t in perfect focus, no matter how much you like them. Then cut any that make you look not-quite-ready for the photo to be taken, or shots in which you look bored or generically “intense” or “happy.” Once you’ve done this, you’re down to your real choices.

Avoid the urge (strong though it may be) to go with the photo that makes you look the most attractive. Instead, show your final contender shots to your closest friends and family, along with any industry contacts who are willing to look at them for you. What photo looks the most like you, as you look every day (and not from that perfect angle)? Auditioners want you to look like your headshot when you walk through the door. They chose the person in the headshot, and if you’re not that person, you’ve disappointed them before you’ve said a word of your monologue.

Even more importantly, what shot gives the viewer a true sense of you as a person? The people who are hiring you will likely only get two minutes with you in the audition room or at a casting call, but they’ll look back at your headshot later as they consider their casting options from the day. A photo that exudes your personality will help them remember the person who came in the room and gave such a strong reading.

And finally, consider retouching-but not too much. A heavily retouched photo will make you look painted and unnatural, and improve the odds that you won’t resemble your headshot as closely as you should. Save retouching for things like removing distracting hairs that fell across your face or for softening a shadow here or there. Specify “light retouching” to any technician you work with and be sure to personally approve everything they plan to do. Most duplication houses that specialize in headshots (and remember, you’re not scrimping so that’s where you’ll go) will supply light retouching services for a minimal fee if you also use them for your reproductions.

There’s much in the actor’s life that the actor can’t control. But headshots are an important exception. There are great photographers, there are good makeup artists, the right wardrobe is hanging somewhere, and a fun afternoon can be had even as you take this serious step toward moving your career forward. The importance of a headshot can’t be overstated. But every actor willing to take these steps purposefully can have a great headshot.

For more acting tips or info on audition notices & casting calls be sure to see my other articles.

Shine On!

Ryan

If you catch yourself doing a double-take and asking, ‘Is that….?’ You’re not alone. Atlanta is quite the hot spot for celebrity sightings these days. With the increased film and television production and our already established stranglehold on the hip-hop industry, the citizens of Hotlanta are seeing stars – literally!

In the past twelve months alone I’ve been able to meet and/or work with a proverbial who’s who of Hollywood. Last Spring the Farrelly Brothers filmed their #1 comedy, “Hall Pass”, with Owen Wilson, Jenna Fisher, Christina Applegate, and Jason Sudeikis and that’s just for starters. As we rolled into Summer two made-for-tv movies and two feature films fired up production: “Marry Me” with Lucy Liu, “The Lost Valentine” starring Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt, “Wanderlust” with Jennifer Anniston, and last but not least, “Fast 5” with Vin Diesel. I know right?!! Wait it gets better…

As Summer slid into cooler temperatures and the leaves started to fall from the trees; production began on”Footloose”, with Julianne Hough, “My Future Boyfriend”, co-starring Sara Rue (that girl from all those shows and current Jenny Craig spokeswoman), Barry Watson, and Fred Willard…and “The Change-Up” co-starring Jason Bateman and ‘People’s Sexiest Man Alive’, Ryan Reynolds. (I think they had the wrong Ryan, but I digress)

Need more? Well it gets sweeter than the tea at Cracker Barrel –

Current productions include “Wettest County In The World” with Shia Labeouf, “Hail Mary” with Minnie Driver, “Joyful Noise” with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifa, and lastly, “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” with Jennifer Garner.

Like any good infomercial… insert your own ‘BUT wait there’s more!’ here. Production of ‘Mississippi Wild” with Dakota Fanning, Mickey Rourke, Robert Duvall and Forest Whitaker is about to get into full swing. And now we’ve come full circle with the Farrelly Brothers; they’re coming back to Atlanta to shoot “The 3 Stooges”. The final cast hasn’t been announced, but you can bet that there will be some good stargazing associated with it.

OH you thought I was done? Ha-Ha silly you. I haven’t even mentioned: ‘MTV’s Teen Wolf”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “The Vampire Diaries”, and A&E smash hit “The Walking Dead”. Yeah, they all film right here in the Peach State!

It’s a great time to be an actor and there are auditions and casting calls happening daily. I’ll be sure to write about those very soon!

So keep your eyes peeled as you zip around the largest city in the South and you just might convince yourself that you took a wrong turn off of I-285 and ended up in Hollywierd.

Shine on Georgia!

If you have an interest in acting or staying up-to-date with casting calls and auditions be sure follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCastingExchange

Being an actor is a lot like being a temp worker. Each and every job an actor lands is only for prescribed amount of time and every actor hopes to snag the ‘big one’. To that end, actors are continually going on an endless string of auditions. Oh the nerve-racking, sweat-inducing, pulse racing audition – love ’em or hate ’em you gotta nail ’em!

You’d be amazed at some of the things I’ve seen during auditions. Casting directors can be quite intimidating and they aren’t your friend. They see hoards of actors and they don’t remember 99% of them. Word of advice…make your audition count. Here are the 5 MUST do items to make your audition worthwhile:

1. Be Prepared

Sounds easy right? You’d be surprised how many actors I see at auditions that are still memorizing scripts and/or working out the kinks. Typically an actor has 2 or 3 days to prepare for an audition. That’s more than enough time to memorize a scene and get it in good shape. It might not be perfect but it needs to be workable BEFORE you get in front of the casting director for your screen test. If you need to pull an all nighter in order to figure out the scene, then by all means pull an all nighter – you’ve only got one chance to make your impression so do whatever it takes.

2. Be Professional

Most people wouldn’t consider going to a job interview without a resume and a list of references. However, actors aren’t most people and we can be a little weird. I’ve seen my fair share of actors come to auditions without anything to present to the director. Really? Yeah, that’s gonna go over well… (insert you’re own NOT! here) So what should you bring? If you need to ask, you’re not ready to audition, but here’s the standard list: current resume, head shots, business cards, and references.

3. Be a Warrior

At most auditions you’ll be competing with at least a 5 other actors and it could be as many as 5,000 actors. Sounds daunting right? It is! The other actors at your audition are not your friend. They are there to steal your role, squash your dreams, and make sure you never work again. Don’t let them. You know what you need to do. You’ve stayed up all night, you’ve got your scene perfected, you’ve got adrenaline coursing through you like tiger blood coursing through Charlie Sheen – now bring it! The audition is not the time to be timid, fearful, shy, bashful, or a pansy. It’s your time to SHINE! Be the actor you were meant to be and leave nothing out. As they say, ‘Go Big or Go Home’ – in Hollyweird this couldn’t be more true.

4. Be Ready for Anything

I’ve auditioned for some great directors. Unfortunately, I’ve also auditioned for some cooks who had no idea what they were doing. With that being said, you never know what a director or a casting director is going to throw at you. Perhaps my hardest audition came from one of the aforementioned ‘cooks’ who would yell instructions at me every 30 seconds and expect me to run the full range of emotions at the drop of a hat. I went from happy to tearful to overjoyed to terrified all in 90 seconds flat. The audition literally wore me out and drained me emotionally. But that’s the price you pay so be prepared for it.

5. Never Give Up

You may not (and often don’t) get the role you auditioned for. But if you’ve done your job then you’ve made an impression and you’ll be rewarded for it. Casting directors are a tight-knit group and they like to share stories with one another. Believe me if you’ve made your mark…word will travel. There have been several occasions where I’ve been contacted by a director who told me they’ve been referred by another director. Why? Because I made my mark! For one reason or another, I didn’t get the original role I auditioned for, but weeks later I find out that I made an impression and end-up landing another role. That’s how the biz works sometimes…you have to roll with it and never give up.

While these 5 tips are just the beginning, they should help you as you go out and fight for your living. Always be prepared, be professional, be a warrior, be ready for anything, and never never never give up. Now get out there and nail it – unless you’re auditioning against me (in that case forget everything I just said). SHINE ON!

To stay up-to-date on the film and TV projects be sure to follow me on Facebook: HERE –  I post information about local shoots and casting calls. – Ryan