In any situation where a talent is given direction, the first stage of dismissals usually involves those talent who were not able to follow the requests. In this case, grace may be shown to some who have built a stable reputation as being easy to work with in the past, so this ability is especially important to the green talent or those who might have become complacent and made a few more mistakes than usual lately.
One simple direction that every talent should know and follow is the manner with which they present themselves through their headshot. And in the case of an actor’s headshot, size does matter. If you have a great image and choose to print it through a quality printer, the size of your image shouldn’t be anything to concern yourself with. But if you would feel better knowing it’s correct, get your ruler and measure each side. It should be 8 in. x 10 in. If you chose a route other than the quality printer in your area, do yourself a favor and measure it. If it is too large, you will need to cut each image down to the appropriate size. If its too small, you will need to have your image reprinted in a larger size.
Most commonly, I see images that are 8 ½ in. x 11 in. since this is standard paper size. I’ve heard talent tell me that it gives them an advantage to have their headshot sticking out from the others because it’s more noticeable. What they don’t understand, though, is that it’s not noticeable for the right reasons. In reality, that headshot is likely to not fit in the 8 in x 10 in folder that production uses to tote the options around. Honestly, most talent who have this issue have deviated from the system and their best interest several blogs back, which farther complicates their plight.
Once your image is the correct size, it’s equally important to have the resume fit that same size, as well. Remember that your resume and headshot together are supposed to be one material. The director should be able to pick it up and see your shining countenance on one side and then flip it over to see your resume on the other. Most talent print their resumes on plain white computer paper and then affix them to each headshot. In this case, be sure to cut the paper down to the correct size.
Compare your headshot presentation to your favorite restaurant – a large part of what appeals to the masses is presentation when it comes to food. Your headshot presentation is no different and like a restaurant, you want repeat customers!
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