Sunday, April 23, 2017

The Changing Landscape Of Headshots

Zach got new headshots earlier this year and I finally had a chance to visit a photo lab and get them printed. I went there Friday night and arrived about 15-minutes before they closed. I was the only customer so I was able to chat a bit with the guy working the front desk. I noticed that the photo lab seemed to have more video recording equipment than in years past. He said video production is one of the ways they pay the bills these days because "headshots aren't as big as they used to be."

I never thought about that fact before but he is right. Headshots are still important but they are not as important as they were in the past.

Let me explain.

When someone mentions an audition, one of the first things you probably think of is the image of an actor with his or her headshot in hand waiting to see the casting director. While this still happens, it doesn't occur as often as it did in the past. Many auditions are now recorded and instantly emailed to the casting director. There is no need for a printed headshot because the agent or manager used a jpeg of the photo to send to the casting office.

Even if the audition is in person, there will be times when the casting team have the headshot pulled up on their computer so there is no need to hand them a printed headshot.

Zach did two auditions last week and none of the casting directors asked him for his headshot.

If this is becoming more of a trend, why did I get new headshots printed? Because there are some casting directors who still want the actual headshot (with the resume on the back) even though they already have the photo and resume information on their computer. It might be a habit for them to ask for the headshot or they might want it because "that's the way it has always been done".

Plus, you still need a good headshot to showcase your personality. It doesn't matter whether it is a printed copy or an emailed version of the photo. You need to invest the time and money to find an experienced photographer who can convey what you bring to the table as an actor with your photo that (hopefully) serves as a good first impression.

A headshot is much like a business card in Hollywood. You present it to casting directors as a form of introduction as well as something for them to keep so they will remember you in the future.
This is another reason you need to use an experienced photographer for your headshots. A good photographer takes into account how the photo will look on the printed page as well as digitally. He (or she) will make sure the lighting and touch-ups on the photo work well in any format.

Plus, a good headshot is something to give family members who like to show off “their actor” to friends and other relatives. It's worth the money to make mom and dad happy!
















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