[Headshot Photos by Vanie]
We all know acting headshots are submitted digitally these days…
and since the thumbnails online become really, REALLY small when casting directors are scrolling through thousands of submissions, the smartest thing to do is to shoot close-ups. Pretty obvious, right?
You don’t want your face getting lost in the thumbnail, which is sometimes the ONLY thing casting directors see, unless they click on your profile.
One exception to this rule is the commercial fitness look 💪, which requires a 3/4 shot because they need to see you’re fit!
Jianna Bergen: Student /Chris Ansoff: BBQ Dad
Mirlande Amazan: Hip Urban / Upscale Business / Blue Collar
Joe Capucini: Blue Collar / Edgy Mob or Villain
HOWEVER! Headshot photographers already know these rules, and crop in-frame as they photograph you, so it’s important you don’t make the mistake of additionally cropping your photo after you upload to casting sites– you know, with that little tool they have to bring the crop closer? 🧐
When you do this, you completely lose any negative space which allows the viewer to identify your character.
This happens because once uploaded, your photo automatically gets cropped due to the aspect ratio of the box being smaller than the aspect ratio of the image straight out of a DSLR camera.
Susan Rimmel: Heroine / Intern
Butch Hammett: Outdoorsy /Fiona Lakeland: Hipster
Most importantly, you want to leave your close-up intact so that your wardrobe and a bit of your body is visible to clearly communicate your target market.
Otherwise, there’s no point spending so much time and energy preparing wardrobe for different looks if you’re not going to allow casting directors to see your characters in whole.
Kayla Esmond: Young Professional / Edgy Down and Out
If you don’t leave your close up intact, casting directors may not be able to identify your looks at all, which makes it that much easier for them to move on to the next photo. 😬
Your face alone can not say Young Dad vs. Detective.
You need to leave some context in place– a bit of clothing, backdrop, and body language.
Don’t cause friction. Make it easy for them to say “yes” to you!
Shani Atias: Fahionista / Girls’ Night Out
Jenni Wu: Office Girl / Heroine
___
I love helping you by putting out this free information (often written on weekends and evenings) so please help me spread the word by commenting and or sharing this post on your social feed! 🙏
0 Comments