Do your headshots make you look GREEN?

[LA Headshot Photographers by Vanie]

I recently attended an event at the Screen Actors Guild Foundation

where five panelists, including Chris Game Casting, discussed elements of a quality headshot.   This event was live streamed and the archive can be seen HERE.

Two of the attendees were casting directors.  Chris, with whom I’m personally acquainted, teaches an incredibly effective auditioning class, so he’s got cred if you know what I mean.

Chelsey Maus: Young Professional / Outdoorsy Girl

Nani Bergman: BBQ Mom / Office Girl

Anthony Kung: Villain / BBQ Dad / Doctor

EVEN THOUGH I’VE BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER for over 15 years,  to my surprise, I walked away from this event having learned something new about headshots!

I’ve always known that quality headshots are important–in fact, HERE’S a blog I’ve written about it. but what I didn’t realize is how non-quality headshots are judged by casting directors.

Savanna Cummin: Anti Heroine / Best Friend / Student

Mia McArthur: Best Friend / Hipster

AS YOU WILL WATCH IN THE ARCHIVED EVENT, actors were allowed to submit their headshots for the panelists to comment on, and each time a clearly unprofessional headshot was displayed, the casting directors immediately assumed the actor was green.

“You’re too GREEN.”

That’s the dreaded judgement actors are constantly having to overcome!  Who knew that not just your lack of experience auditioning can label you as green, but your headshot can too?

Kyle Ochs: Army / Hero / FBI or CIA

Courtney Lin: / Aaron Tyler: Gamer / Hero Love Interest

APPARENTLY, IF YOUR HEADSHOT DOESN’T LOOK PROFESSIONAL, the experience from the casting side is that if they call you in, you’ll likely be green, thus deterring them from calling you in at all.

Daria Pressley: Creative Professional / Anti-Heroine

SO YET ANOTHER REASON to invest in your headshots– because it means you’re invested in your craft, which in turn means you’ll be taken more seriously.

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