The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

JOE ESTEVEZ'S ADVICE FOR ACTORS

David Patrick Green, a private acting coach and entrepreneur, had the pleasure of speaking with the well known actor Joe Estevez. During their conversation, Joe shared information from his 30 years of experience in acting and gives insight on how to have a long lasting career within the industry.

As with most secrets in life, being a talent boils down to "things your mother told you." Even though he might not tell you this, I would say that one of the reasons Estevez has been successful must be due to the fact that he is such a kind and generous man. Actors take note!

He boils his success down to the following three factors.

1. Positive Thinking. Estevez has acted since high school. At first, he didn't take it that seriously and not much happened for him Shortly after returning from military service, he lost nearly everything and found himself in a small, sparsely furnished room in the Hollywood Hills wondering where his next meal would come from. He was feeling dejected. Fortunately for him, the Beatles had begun experimenting with meditation and positive thinking as a result of their exposure to some of the gurus in the Far East. Estevez decided to immerse himself in any material he could find on the subject of positive thinking. He turned it into a way of life. Everything suddenly changed. A small movie role turned into a huge voiceover contract. He noticed that if he kept the positive energy flowing, he didn’t have to look for work. Work was finding him.

2. Commitment. Estevez wasn't always an actor. After returning from military service, he moved back to Ohio and started doing factory work, which he soon found he hated. Taking a leave of absence from the factory, he left for California and never looked back. He committed himself completely to his craft. He said humans need to open themselves to all of the possibilities of life. We are a spiritual entity far more than a physical one. If you set a timetable for yourself, if you give yourself an out or have a backup plan, eventually you will take it and never realize your true potential. You have to be willing to ride the highs and lows. He believes the universe recognized his commitment to acting and the results were inevitable.

3. Helping Others Without Reservation. Estevez believes that if you read for a part and you can think of someone else who might be good for it (despite you wanting that job), you must tell them about it. The universe will reward you, not necessarily how you might think, but the reward will come. Wish other people well. While it can be difficult, the practice of being happy for others can help us pass through negativity. Joe believes he is often hired because he is easy to work with and people enjoy being around him more than anything else.

Estevez realized another reason he kept getting work was that people kept referring him for projects. He started to realize that if you treated everyone well, everyone would always be happy to recommend you. So from the gaffers to the grips, to the casting director and the production assistants, Joe treats everyone with equal import. As they say, your reputation precedes you.

One final piece of advice I got from Estevez - and this may be a downer to some - is that you have to "live" life. He believes that if he hadn't felt dejectedness and lived in squalor, he wouldn't have realized the need for extreme positivity. You have to face your demons to destroy them.

The only real regret I could get out of him is he wishes he had been nicer to people, including his first and second wives. He said that if someone had told him at eighteen this was the life he was going to have, he would have taken it in a second. To me, that is the real sign of success and a complete person. The trappings of fame and fortune do not make you happy inside. They do not reveal, but instead disguise the truth. It is what is inside that really counts. And Estevez's insides are made of gold.

Are you really living your life in a way that will aid your career?

 

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THE MUST HAVE CAREER SITES

Taryn Southern, provides great advice from backstage.com; on what websites are best to use in today's marketplace. Whether the goal is to socialize, promote your work, or just to be current with the latest trending technology, these sites are worth considering. 

Q.: I want to start building a presence online, but I’m so overwhelmed I don’t even know where to start. Do I need to have a Twitter page? What are the “must haves”?

A.: There are no musts, and maintaining a social media presence simply isn’t of interest to some talent. But if you want to optimize your brand, industry relationships, and work opportunities, you should strongly consider investing your time and energy in the following sites:  

Facebook Fan Page Unlike a personal Facebook page, a fan page is a place where you can safely and shamelessly promote your work without confusing potential fans and collaborators with photos of you knocking back margaritas last Friday. Once you create an account, upload your headshots, press photos, and demo reel, and update the page with posts about new projects.

Personal website This is the only platform over which you have complete control. That said, a crappy site is worse than no site at all. Make sure it looks professional, can be viewed on a mobile device (no Flash!), and contains the following: contact info, résumé, reels, short bio, social media links, and photos. 

YouTube Account Even if you’re not out there making your own videos, you can still benefit from having a channel page that showcases your demos and/or clips of your work. If there are videos or trailers already on YouTube with you in them, you can create playlists so these videos will automatically show up on your landing page. Confused?  Head to my channel, and check out how I organize my playlists.

Twitter It’s hard to explain the benefits of Twitter to people who don’t actively use it and engage with the community, but it can be a wonderful tool for self-expression, branding, and even networking. It’s the one platform where you can easily reach out to pretty much anyone, as well as read about last-minute filming opportunities, screenings, and events. If you’re going to make the leap, just make sure you learn and abide by proper Twitter etiquette.  

Before you get started on any of these platforms, make sure you register one name across the board (e.g., my Twitter, Facebook, and website pages are named TarynSouthern) to avoid confusion. 

Caution:  taking on too many new sites at once could cause you to feel overwhelmed.  Pick only a couple to start with and commit to becoming comfortable on those chosen platforms before adding new accounts.  And have fun with your social medias!  Just like in the casting room, the industry is drawn to those who express positive ideas and thoughts relevant to our interests!

What social media platforms are you already comfortable using?  How have you already benefited from them?

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THREE OF THE BEST TIPS

 

Amy Jo Berman, a successful Casting Director for 18 years in Los Angeles shares these three acting tips using the great actress Lena Dunham as her muse and inspiration.

1. Be Yourself. I know you’ve heard that a million times. But truth, isn’t Lena just the embodiment of that? She doesn’t have the traditional size 0 body that most female leading women have in Hollywood. (By the way, when did 0 actually become a real size? That just seems wrong.) In fact, she regularly parades around naked on “Girls” despite the fact that she’s not “perfect”. And yet, she doesn’t seem to have a care in the world about it. And it certainly has not limited her success in any way.

She doesn’t think, act, look, or talk the way our common perception of a leading lady in Hollywood “should." And yet, there she is. So how is it that she is such a success? This leads us to…

2. Follow Your Passion. Lena did not sit idly by and complain about her crappy agent and wonder why she was NOT a success. What she did do was CREATE. She wrote and created shorts and did creative projects. This led her to create her indie film “Tiny Furniture” which she wrote, directed, and starred in. That film led her to her deal at HBO, which led to “Girls” and here we are.

What is YOUR lesson in this? Do what you’re passionate about while being yourself. Maybe that’s filmmaking. Maybe it’s writing. Maybe it’s totally outside of entertainment. Maybe you like baking pies. Whatever it is, do it passionately and with joyful enthusiasm while being you.

As a casting director, what I noticed from meeting thousands of actors over the years, was that many of the ones that were the most successful always had something else fulfilling and creative in their lives. I’ve talked to actors who had antique businesses, who are passionate about doll-making, skydiving, owned and rented out villas in the Italian Riviera, record MP3 meditation CDs, etc. The list goes on and on.

So, do those passions guarantee a successful career as an actor? No. There are no guarantees in show business. The only thing they guarantee is that you will be way more interesting, more passionate, and more creative and connect with way more passionate, interesting, and creative people in your life AND career.

Do you think that that passion and flowing creativity might give you an edge in your next audition or meeting over the other actors out there who aren’t?

My experience says a resounding YOU BETCHA!

3. Make Authentic Connections When Meeting “Players." When I was working on the L.A. casting of the pilot for "Girls," there was one thing that certain actors did that lit Lena up like a Christmas tree. If you do this regularly, you will give yourself a great advantage in this business.

Find out a little about the people in the room BEFORE you get in there. Sure, it's easy to know about the Aaron Sorkins and JJ Abrams of the world and all their projects.

But many times, when you audition for a pilot, the Creators are NOT that well known, like Lena Dunham when we did the “Girls” pilot. For goodness sakes, GOOGLE THEM! IMDB THEM! Find out what you can.  

Will it get you the part? Probably not. But will it make the beginnings of a CONNECTION with a mover/shaker in this industry? Abso-freakin-lutely!

Lena lit up like a Christmas tree when someone came in to our producer sessions to audition and genuinely told her what a fan they were of "Tiny Furniture."

Genuinely.

Be genuine.

Be authentic.

Don't kiss up.

Just do your homework and find a bridge to make a connection or just make someone's day.

Keep planting seeds like that and watch the amazing harvest you will have in your career.

These three simple ideas can change your perspective; can change how you are received and viewed; and can change the direction of your career to a smoother and more fulfillling road!  Which idea might be the most difficult for you to implement?

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HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST FOR THE STILL CAMERA

Bryce Buell, a international professional model gives tips from his experience on the best way men can prep for a photoshoot. Not all of these tips are just for the guys, though.  Listen up ladies and heed some good advice!

As a full time fashion model throughout the 1990’s, fitness took a vital role in my career. While I was a fashion model and not a “fitness model” per se, my ability to maintain a lean, fit body led to many opportunities that my thin but unfit counterparts could not partake in such as underwear ads, Men’s Fitness articles, swimwear, romance novel covers, etc.
The secret was to maintain a body that looked very muscular in underwear or swimwear, but still allowed you to wear standard catalog industry suit sizes (40R – 42L) nicely and other clothing for my more mainstream work in catalogs. The secret to achieving this balance was simple: definition.

Definition is achieved through maintaining a very low body fat percentage. A high degree of definition makes you appear very muscular when in fact you may not carry a lot of actual muscle mass on your frame.

Once you achieve a low body fat percentage through proper diet and exercise, your biggest enemy to looking as defined as possible is water retention. Water retention makes one look “soft” and less defined. Fortunately there is an easy, natural solution. If I knew I had a body shoot coming up, my trick was to drink at least a gallon of water a day for at least four days before the shoot, five days is even better.

Drink more water so your body looks less bloated? That doesn’t make any sense… or does it?

The reason may seem counter-intuitive at first -- but the science behind it and the real-world results are sound –- the more water you drink, the less water your body will retain. Why? Because unless you are already drinking at least a gallon of water a day, your body is in a state of dehydration. Anytime you are thirsty, your body is heavily dehydrated and desperately needs water – hence it signals you, “Hey, I am thirsty!” As a result, any water your body receives it will hold on to, often under the skin, making you look smooth.

When you drink at least a gallon of water a day, after a few days your body realizes it is getting enough water and therefore it no longer feels the need to retain as much as it can and it dumps it. The end result is your musculature will look sharper, feel tighter and will photograph much better. When you drink that much water your urine should be very clear – so clear that as my dear friend and model colleague Jonah Taylor used to say “you could re-bottle and sell it.”

Working the still camera as a talent is imperative!  There are many reasons as models cross into on camera work and actors continue to do still shots to learn the other side of your industry as a talent.  What other tricks have you found that make you look your best before a shoot?

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Lets Get Personal

POSING TIPS THAT COUNT

 

Everyone knows that there is more to modeling then just taking pictures. The best models don't just look good for the photoshoot but they also know how to pose for the camera. Chris Calumberan,a professional photographer has great tips on how to practice enhancing your poses for a photoshoot.

It’s a common misconception that naturally beautiful models take naturally beautiful photographs. The truth is—without modeling poses and modeling tips, perfect photographs are harder than you think.

If you are a professional model, a photographer will most likely guide you through a variety of model poses throughout the photo shoot. But if you are an inspiring model and are still working your way up to the top—you may have to control your poses to ensure great headshots and sample modeling photographs.

Live show models, promo models, photographic models, and runway models all rely on professional model poses to succeed. Whether you aspire to appear in print magazines or fashion shows and Hollywood movies; if you want to be a model, pay special attention to this insider guide to modeling poses.

Breathe
Although sometimes concentration enhances a good photograph, obvious concentration can distract and often ruin a good photograph as well. Do not hold your breath for a modeling pose; always remember to breathe and appear at ease.

Posture
Bad posture is an unrecognized flaw in many people. However, for models, posture is a harmful flaw. Always remember to keep your back straight and your shoulders up. Slouching affects the mood of the photograph and enlarges the appearances of your stomach. In addition to your back and shoulders, always remember to flex your stomach muscles. Despite your weight or state of shape, your abdomen will appear more toned if you flex.

Limbs
Symmetry is officially out in the modeling world. When posing, make sure to differentiate your arms and legs with asymmetrical poses. If you have one arm long and straight by your side, make sure the other arm is bent. Whether a big or small angle, the bend will make the modeling pose look more real, less artificial. Continue the asymmetry to your legs. If one leg is locked straight, give the other leg a casual bend.

Camera
Although the camera is the ultimate focal point of a modeling photo shoot, great models do not look directly into the camera. To enhance the quality of your photo shoot, look away from the camera with a mix of head and eye poses. Looking off to the right or left side, or tiling your neck to either side can help you avoid direct eye contact with the camera. In many cases, your head and neck can remain stationary in your modeling pose—and your eyes can do all the work. Head and eye positions, coupled with personable facial expressions make for great model poses.

Sitting Poses
If you are sitting down during your photo shoot—don’t think it’s ok to slack off. In fact, sitting photo shoots require a lot of extra work. If you are sitting down or reclining, it’s important to put your eight on the back of one thigh, rather than distributing your weight equally on both thighs. If you roll one hip up from the ground or surface, shifting your weight will be simple. This pose results in a slimming effect that you don’t want to miss out on.

Cleavage – (Sorry guys I have no samples for this one)
To make sure your best assets shine, there are a few basic guidelines to follow. Based on two distinct poses, a forward lean and a backward lean, any model with any breast size can maximize cleavage. When leaning forward, either bring your arms together at your waist, keep your arms straight at the elbows and clasp your hands together below your waist, or simply cross your arms. When leaning backward, raise your arms about your shoulders and head, keep your arms apart, and always slouch for the best cleavage results.

Smile
If you have a naturally beautiful smile—show your pearly whites with pride, just not every time. If you smile in each modeling pose, modeling agents will notice your lack of versatility, not your smile. To add variety to your modeling poses, try switching up your smile with a cute frown, a bratty bout, a friendly laugh, or even an edgy scowl. Your facial expressions can make or break your modeling poses. Let your smile show, but make sure to show what else you can do.

In addition to these personalized tips for modeling poses, every model should be aware of the basics of posing. There are 4 main types of model poses: lifestyle pose, movement pose, portrait pose, and body pose.

Lifestyle
The lifestyle pose evokes a sense of everyday living with common body movements and facial expressions. Throughout the day, moments of happiness, love, anger, and hope arise. To succeed at the lifestyle pose, each model must be able to recreate these everyday emotions.

Movement
The movement pose captures a specific action, such as running or jumping. Because this pose is most often used for a marketing photo shoot—the model is used to promote a product. Each model must be able to smile and laugh when using the products in the photo shoot.

Portrait
This modeling pose emphasizes the face of the model—and relies purely on facial features. The model will be in modest makeup and relaxed hair and should pose with a casual, genuine smile. Many portrait photographs are close up and emphasize details of the model’s face. If you are scheduled for a portrait photo shoot, make sure to pay extra attention to your skin and drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day.

Body
Full-length photographs require body poses. Models are encouraged to shift weight between hips and make arms and lengths into asymmetrical stances. Although many body poses do not require specific facial expressions, putting your entire body into character during full-length poses helps your body find a natural balance.

Keep these insider model posing tips in mind during your next professional model photo shoot to ensure you blow the photographer away. Whether you’re a trained expert or an ambitious beginner, all models have the ability to excel in photo shoots. Focus on your posture, attitude, and facial expressions to succeed beyond your wildest expectations.

In your opinion, what is your strongest pose? Describe or post it!

USING TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

As you prepare updating your audtion tapes, Youtube videos and ect., here's an option you may want to consider. The following advice comes to us from Sean Kane, who gives us some insight into perfecting a taped audition by boosting the quality of your technology.

Cell phone cameras are getting better every year, and while they still pale in comparison to purpose-built cameras, you can shoot decent video using an iPhone. However, most iPhone footage you'll find online is shaky, underexposed and too blurry to watch. But with a few simple steps, you'll be able to shoot passable footage with any modern smartphone. The iPhone 5's camera can record high definition video in 1080p and also has built in image stabilization, so it's certainly capable of recording high-quality footage. But unlike an actual camera, shooting on a smartphone grants you a lot less control and stability when shooting, so you'll need to figure out a way to keep your phone steady in order to capture as much light as possible from the iPhone's small sensor. First, since your "camera" is so small and light, you'll want something to secure it in place while you're shooting. If your hands are steady, you could probably keep the phone stable for decent shooting. But for the best results, you'll want some sort of tripod. With a little creativity, you can make your own tripod to hold your phone with some combination of household objects and rubber bands. You can also buy a cheap mount system that will attach a smartphone to any tripod for about $15, or for the fancier, the iStabilizer Dolly is a great option. Downloading an iPhone video app will also improve your footage. The Camera app that comes with iPhones is very basic, and specially made video apps, like FiLMic Pro, give you a lot more control over how you're capturing images. For $3.99, FiLMic pro offers three different modes for focus and exposure, allows you to shoot with different frame rates, use different aspect ratios (4:3, 19:9, 2:35.1) and even features an audio meter so you can see how loud your footage is while you shoot. Before you shoot, make sure to back up your existing photos and videos on your phone somewhere. You'll need the extra storage space in the phone so you'll be able to shoot for as long as possible. Finally, always shoot horizontally. Shooting vertically will give you tall, skinny footage that won't fit nicely on any screen (and give away the fact that you're shooting on your phone).

Successful talent in the southeastern markets are highly mobile, moving from market to market as the work dictates -- sometimes on short notice!  Travel-friendly technology is one way to be sure you don't miss any great opportunities and traveling light is always preferable.  Unfortunately, talent are not always up on the latest gadgets or technology, and it reflects in their auditions.  Which tip helps you perfect your taped auditions most?

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PARENTAL TIPS FOR CHILD ACTORS

Pamela Goldman, a Youth Commercial Agent provides advice for parents who have children who aspire to act. 

Most of the time, the process by which work is secured is easy. Agents send out appointments, and actors prepare for the audition and do their best to book. However, in the youth market, there are things that parents should remember so we can always remain on the same page without encountering any problems.

1. Stay out of the child-actor gossip grapevine. The waiting room of a casting office can be an interesting place. Some parents love showing off their children, discussing what they’ve booked, and loudly coaching them on the material. It is easy to overhear the parents who compare their child’s audition ratio to others, or mention what their agent is sending them out on. My advice is to go to the audition with your child and bring a book or an iPod and stay out of everyone’s business. A lot of things can be misinterpreted, misconstrued, and can turn off even the most positive and supportive parent and child. Calling the agent after overhearing comments, which may be hearsay and may not be relevant, is a distraction and is not appreciated. Information relevant to your child’s audition will be disseminated by the casting director and feedback will come from the agent.

2. If you live on the East Coast, it's not necessary to move to L.A. right away. One of the most consistent frustrations we deal with is new clients thinking that in order to be a “star,” they have to pick up and move across the country. It is very intense to take your child out of school and alter their daily routine and chances are – in all reality – that moving there without a manager or any credits could end up fruitless. A good rule of thumb is to give your representation a solid year or two before making the leap if that’s the end goal. Let your agent cultivate relationships for you, get some nice credits on your resume, and find a manager to help you through the daunting task of West Coast activity. As well, in this age of technology, it has become easier for an actor to book L.A. television series and film roles from the comfort of their own homes with tools like Skype or your taping room.

3. Don’t lose faith in us. As youth agents, our main goal is to develop young talent so they can graduate to become successful adult actors. If we are keeping you on the client list, we have faith in you. We believe that one day (hopefully soon!) we will get that call that you booked your first commercial or guest star role. As discussed in past columns, this business isn’t easy and will take time. We need our clients to keep the faith that we are working hard every day and are doing our best to make things happen. Even if you haven’t had an audition in a month, chances are that we’ve pitched you for potential jobs a good number of times within that period, and if it were up to us to choose, we’d send you out on every appointment possible. We believe in you, so believe in us that the commitment we’ve made is important to us.

Heeding advice from an outside party when it comes to the success of your child's career is one of the hardest things a parent has to do in the world of entertainment.  Last year, for example, The Avenue Agency had a child actor seen for a major soon-to-be released movie.  The child had been overcoached and it showed in the initial audition.  When the parent finally learned to step back and let the child do what they were there to do, the pieces fell into place.  The child actor ended up working alongside major celebrities.  The parent's still struggle not to get caught up in the industry heresay from other talent parents, other agents, and a variety of other opinions, but their experience keeps them focused and driven to support their child. 

Aside from child actors and models, this is also great advice to heed for the adult actor!  The same is true about not getting caught up in the casting room showmanship or gossip meant to intimidate the competition.  It's true that an agency committed to your best interest believes in you long before he/she ever gets paid.  Honoring that commitment and showing that you are doing your part to help the partnership is crucial to your long term relationship and success -- minor or legal adult!

How do you show your agent that you value their hard work and your partnership?

ARE YOU COMMITTED?

James Devereaux, a dedicated stage and screen actor from London, shares a great understanding on how to commit to the process of becoming an excellent actor.

As an actor, you’ve only got yourself to commit to – people enter the arena casually, and leave casually, because there is apparently no investment, no capital outlay.  There are, apparently, no tools of the trade; there are no material necessities. Filmmakers have their cameras, musicians have their instruments -- even writers, at the very least, have a pencil and paper -- but actors require no such material objects, anyone might get up from their armchair, and declare that they can walk proficiently, that they can talk proficiently, ergo they can act proficiently, and so put themselves out there, vying for work.

Further, it is easy to walk away from the business (and re-enter again), because it is just a question of ceasing to use yourself, which is very different to, say, somebody who sets out to become a pianist.  If they walk away, they will forever have their piano in the corner of the room as an aching reminder of their failure. All that an actor possesses is himself; his body, his personality, his imagination. What would happen to one who set out to become a filmmaker but failed to learn about light? Or one who set out to become a playwright but failed to learn about dramatic construction? Certainly they would not reach a level of excellence that would suffice for an audience to pay to experience their work. Why should somebody think that they could be an effective actor without a sustained focus on practicing and improving their craft?

“Ah”, I hear you say, “what about the Hollywood star, paid millions, but has problems with articulation such that, in some scenes, we cannot make out what he is saying? Is this not akin to watching a film where the camera is, at times, out of focus, or the instrument out of tune? And what about the genius “non-actor”, plucked from some street corner to star in the role of a life-time?” These are valid points, and they certainly do happen. But I say, so what? These things should not be used as an excuse to not strive for excellence, to not work hard, to not acknowledge that acting is an ancient and important craft and that one must learn to serve it. Acting then, becomes an investment not in material goods, but an investment in the self. The usual howl of derision will go up as it always does, that actors are narcissistic and selfish and self-obsessed – but nobody complains about the filmmaker obsessed with his camera, they say he is dedicated, and it would be absurd to criticise the pianist for ensuring his piano is in tune.

We see submissions daily at The Avenue Agency from talent with no experience or even training.  They always say, "someone suggested I should be a model or actor".  That someone is usually a close family relation who does NOT work in entertainment!  Sometimes a new face has potential and we want to help them get started, but they aren't willing to put their best efforts behind their start.  Maybe they aren't willing to get quality headshots that make a great first impression or they aren't willing to take the time to invest in coaching despite the fact that they want to book a movie.  A lack of commitment on any level -- and the flippant attitude that one can start or stop any career immediately -- is one of the reasons that the turn over is so high amongst actors.

Have you fully committed to your craft?  What used to hold you back that you are now fully committed to in your career?

 

UNDERSTANDING RESUMES AND HEADSHOTS

Commercial Print Instructor, Scott Powers provides us with an understanding of the resume and headshot controversy.

There has been this lingering great controversy/debate simmering under the surface that needs to be addressed once and for all.  Closure.  End of discussion. 

Namely, how to attach your résumé to your headshot.
 
Assuming you have a dynamite glow-in-the-dark headshot that looks just like you on your best day AND is 8"x10", in color, matte finish (not glossy), with borders and name on front; you would like to keep the elegance of your promotional material.  Interestingly enough, a bad job of attaching your trimmed 8"x10" résumé can gum up the works, pun intended.  And cheapen the product - you.  What are the options, plusses and minuses?
 
1.       Glue stick.  No.  Glue sticking a   résumé can dry out and a résumé separates and floats to the bottom of a file drawer, joining the other orphan résumés bearing traces of glue stick.
 
2.       Rubber cement.  Will create more wrinkles and lumps than you ever thought.  Old before its time.  How you will look when you're 85.
 
3.       Staples.  Long considered the industry approach.  Often because they are not aware of a better, simpler, more elegant alternative. [Coming up on that.]  Think about this: you have a beautiful headshot and it gets punched through by clunky staples.  AND, if you update your résumé and remove the old staples, then add more staples and more holes.  Starts to look a bit chewed up.  Also, a hard copy headshot/résumé could get filed in a file drawer usually overstuffed with other headshots/ résumés.  Forced in, ripped out.  And every other one in front and behind yours gets the same treatment.
 
What, oh, what to do in these perilous times to solve this crisis?
 
4.       Permanent double-sided Scotch tape.  1" on each corner is all it takes.  No lumps, no bumps.  If you have to replace your résumé, just peel off the old one, put the new one on.  AND, it preserves the elegance of your costly headshot.   Beware: there is now a removable double sided Scotch tape version now on the market.  Be careful not to buy this by mistake.  It will not hold your resume and make for résumé rage.  Make sure what you buy is permanent double sided Scotch tape.  Staples has it; Duane Reade has the one you don't want.
 
As they say, the devil is in the details.  People are either consistently superior on all fronts, or consistently mediocre on all fronts, or consistently substandard on all fronts.  Being consistently superior on all fronts presents a professional actor, one that shows that they are competitive and hirable.  This is just one little contributing factor that cumulatively adds to your luster.
 
Of course, this advice is only helpful generally speaking.  There are always cases where a particular casting director will rather you use staples or some other method, so always follow the advice of your agent prior to an audition. 

Does your presentation meet the standard that makes us happy to pass your headshot along to the decision maker?

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HEY, GREAT HEADSHOT!!

Nancy Berwid, the founder and acting teacher of First Take; provides teaching and coaching for aspiring actors so that they can advance in their careers while in Los Angeles. Nancy, who is known best for her insight about the industry, has provided insight into what makes a great headshot.

So what is a good headshot?

A good headshot captures your essence, your uniqueness, your personality, and your specific type.  It makes it easy for a Casting Director or agent to see what roles you would be right for.   A good headshot looks like you.  It should not be overly glamorized, and you should [always] look like your headshot when you walk into the casting office.  If your headshot has been airbrushed to make you look ten years younger and you can’t produce the same look in the audition, the Casting Director will not be amused.  In their mind you just wasted their time and took a time slot another actor could have filled.

A good headshot shows your face but your entire face doesn’t fill 100% of the frame either.   A good headshot has good lighting, is in focus, does not distract with odd clothing, costumes, patterns, accessories, or any other potential oddity that could take the attention off of you.  The headshot should be pleasing to look at and convey information about the actor, such as a specific type that could be easily cast right now.  The goal should be to move the Casting Director to say something like, “I could see her playing______”.

Taking the time to ensure you have a good headshot is crucial to your success.  Your headshot is the first impression you make and can open or close doors to casting quickly; but it is also the LAST impression you leave when decision makers are ready to book.  If they feel confident that you are professional and the perfect fit, they may pass on another talent with a less professional or reassuring headshot -- even if that other talent may have given a better read in the casting room.  By this point, nuances in delivery have been long forgotten!   Nancy gave great suggestions to consider while working towards getting headshots taken or retaken.

Do your headshots set you apart?

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