Lying Gets You Auditions; The Truth Gets You Cast

I learned a long time ago that if you want a relationship to fail, all you have to do is pretend you are someone you are not. It might sound crazy, but a lot of us do it all the time, and it holds us back. When people "put their best foot forward," they are typically exaggerating, and when you stretch the truth, your chances of success all but disappear.

Act Yourself

With actor headshots, I see this way too often. Actors come to me all the time, asking me to make them look younger and more attractive. Last month I was asked to take 15 years off someone's age. They wanted to play roles two thirds their age. 

Your Headshots Should Tell The Truth

It pains me when someone asks to have their age dropped so unrealistically. Imagine you walk into an audition, and the casting director is expecting someone half your age. Unless you look like your headshot, you are not getting cast. 

One of my clients came to me because after submitting a headshot, they were chosen to audition for a one-line role in Tyler Perry’s TV show "The Haves and the Have Nots." When the actor got in front of Tyler, they did not have the opportunity to speak. Tyler asked for the casting director and promptly told the casting director the actor was not heavy enough.

This actor was using an out-of-date headshot. By doing so, the actor lied to the casting director. The misrepresentation might have ruined any opportunity the actor had to work for the casting director in the future.

A Question of Character

The actor, at this point, had a choice. They could have felt they were unfairly dismissed, or they could ask themselves whether they represented themselves unfairly. The actor decided to get new headshots, and they have been cast four times since the reshoot. I am proud of them for turning a tough experience into an opportunity for growth.

The measure of a headshot is not the number of auditions it lands you. The purpose of acting headshots is to represent you on a good day, and more importantly, to represent your acting type. As Jenna Fisher professes in her book The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide, actors should pick five adjectives that best describe the kind of characters they might easily play, and then ask whether their headshots convey those five adjectives effectively.

I couldn't agree more with her chapter on headshots, by the way. 

Think about the roles you are trying to land and whether they make sense for you--not just in terms of age or attractiveness. If the parts you are auditioning for make sense for who you are, then take a good look at your headshot and determine if it is representing you and your type accurately.

I’m passionate about helping my clients succeed in their acting career. My priority as a photographer is to use my expertise and experience to represent you in as flattering--but honest--a way as possible. I am here for you if you need me.