No matter where you currently reside, other than L.A. and New York, it’s pretty much a given that when you land in Hollywood, you’re going to need brand new COLOR headshots. Your local photographer was probably perfectly fine for weddings, bar mitzvahs and high school annuals, but not for professional, Hollywood-caliber headshots. That isn’t something that you, the actor, would necessarily recognize, but the people who will judge you here in Hollywood will. Poor-quality headshots can stop your career before it ever begins, fair or unfair as that may seem to you.

All headshots are done in color now, thanks to the popularity of online submissions. When you line up a dozen or so thumbnail shots on a computer screen, the lovely old black & whites just can’t hold up next to color shots. It’s that simple. Besides which, if you’re still using black & whites, you will appear to be so far behind the times, that casting offices will avoid you like yesterday’s egg salad.

We’re going to give you a list of some of the best photographers in town – but not any who charge an arm and a leg. If you think that spending half again as much (or more) for a photo shoot provides you with anything better than these guys can come up with, there are plenty of gougers to choose from. We just won’t recommend them. On the other hand, we have known some fabulous photographers who were so inexpensive to begin with that we wanted to hand them a few bucks just to keep them going. They were smart enough to realize that in order to build up their own portfolios, they would practically have to give their work away. Several of them are on our list and fortunately for them, are able to command “normal” prices now. Our point is merely that you might just luck out and find someone who seems too cheap to be true, but if his or her portfolio matches up with what you need, feel free to give it a go.

Before we get to that list, here are a few pointers, in no particular order:

- This should be obvious (but apparently isn’t): For color shots, be sure to wear…a color! And we don’t mean those dull, boring browns, grays and khakis. We mean something that’s bright enough to draw the viewer’s eye to your headshot and which is complementary to your own coloring. The darker you are, the stronger the color should be.

- No wild patterns in your clothing, please, and no jewelry.

- Little or no makeup, and if you do wear makeup, be sure you can duplicate it yourself for auditions.

- Keep your hairdo as “everyday” as possible, so that (as with makeup) you can do it yourself.

- No costumes, at least not for theatrical shots. It’s still considered OK to suggest a costume for commercial shots.

- Make sure your photographer understands the use of dramatic lighting and try to avoid outdoor shots. It’s too hard to control the lighting and bad lighting can ruin a great face.

- Guys – if you can grow a scruffy beard in a couple of days, but usually are clean-shaven – start your photo shoot with that scruffy look, then shave and continue. Don’t bother with this if it takes you a week to grown pale, weak or semi-hairless facial fuzz.

- Show emotion in your face and especially with your eyes. Blank stares may work for fashion models, but not for actors!

Remember – your headshots are your calling cards, the very first thing that most agents and casting directors will see. They must, must, must look like you – not some glamorized, one-day-out-of-the-year version of you.

One other word of advice: After checking out a potential photographer’s portfolio, please make it a point to meet with him prior to hiring him. It’s really important to “click” (no pun intended) with the person behind the camera. If you don’t like them much, or they seem intimidating, you will not produce relaxed, inviting headshots.

Here’s that list…

CHARLES FRETZIN	www.fretzinphoto.com
ARMEN ASADORIAN	www.armenasadorian.com
LISA BEVIS	www.lisabevis.com
JOHN CORBETT	www.johncorbettphotography.com
DENICE DUFF	www.duffimages.com
KENNETH DOLIN	www.kennethdolin.com
FRICK PHOTOGRAPHY	www.frickphotography.com
MARY ANN HALPIN	www.maryannhalpin.com
ROBERT KAZANDJIAN	www.kazphoto.com
DAVID LAPORTE	www.davidlaporte.com
JOE FEDIO	http://jfediophotography.com
VANDIVEER	www.jvimages.com
GUY VIAU MARK BENNINGTON JEROME DUCHANGE	www.guyviauheadshots.com www.benningtonheadshots.com www.jeromeduchange.com

There are loads of other photographers listed in the display ads in Backstage West. You have plenty to choose from now, so no excuses!

TOUCHUPS AND DUPLICATION

Once you (and your representation, if you have any) have chosen the headshots you wish to duplicate and/or use online, check them carefully to see if they need any touchups (stray hairs, dark circles under the eyes, that stupid pimple that erupted the morning of your shoot, etc.). We suggest that you only touch up things that the makeup artist on your next film or TV show could easily cover – not permanent “flaws” that no amount of stage makeup can disguise. No matter what you order to be touched up, instruct the technician to go lightly. You do not want to completely change the shape of your features or “erase” 15 years of “maturity”. No, no, no. Your mantra should be “keep it real”.

Decide which of the photos will only be used online and which will also be duplicated in hard copies. Then shop around for the best prices for duplications. The quality nowadays is fairly standard, but play it safe: Make sure the duplication house stands behind its work and will re-do the photos if there are any serious problems with them.

Be sure that you only get 8X10s. We’re still astounded that once in a while, someone is using an oddball-sized headshot. That’s really ridiculous; if nothing else, the duplication house should have warned them not to do that.

NOTE: In our opinion, there is no reason to order more than 100 of any shot to start out. For one thing, with the proliferation of online submissions, far less hard copies are used (which is saving actors a ton of money). For another, you may find that what looked great six months ago really isn’t working for you, so why kill an extra tree just to have a pile of unusable headshots in the back of your closet?

ANOTHER NOTE:  If you’re going to send out jpegs of your headshots for any reason (and there are plenty of ‘em!), for heaven’s sake, take the time to put your name on the label of each one.  There’s nothing worse for an agent or casting director than finding a jpeg floating around your computer of someone you vaguely recognize and the only identifyer is the number of the photo.  DON’T BE LAZY.  Do a cut-and-paste of your name and add it to the photo number.  That way, each shot can easily be identified.

Unless your agent specifically instructs you otherwise, you should only have your name on the headshot. All other information should be found on your resume. (Suppose you switch agents and have their logo plastered all over your headshots, of which you still have a couple of hundred left…!)

Many people really detest having their photos taken. It isn’t easy and it’s not designed to make a person feel at ease. If you’re one of those who freezes during a shoot, think about taking a good friend with you, someone who will act as your security blanket, and with whom you can laugh and have a good time. Ask the photographer if you may bring your own music, if that’s your favorite relaxer. No matter what, try to have a good time. After all, if nothing else, you are an actor. Act as if…!

Talent Agents: In California, talent agents must be licensed and bonded. The various guilds also provide franchises to agents, although at the current time, many of the largest agencies in the business are no longer franchised. That’s a long story and so silly, it’s not worth wasting much space over. The unions will try to tell you that, once you become a member of that particular union, you may not hire a non-franchised agent. Strangely enough, that admonition hasn’t prevented any of these huge agencies (nor the smaller ones) from continuing uninterrupted. Actors want to work and as long as they trust their agents to not be ripping them off, apparently they do whatever they want to do, unions be damned.

By state law, an agent is not allowed to take more than 20% commission from a client. By tradition, they do not take more than 10%. However, there are exceptions to that rule: Many times, non-union work provides for a 15-20% commission that is tacked onto the actor’s fee – the rationale being that, since there will never be any residuals for non-union work, an agent has little incentive to provide his clients’ services to a non-u production. So, the producers up the ante. (Franchised agencies are not supposed to do any non-union submissions, but…a lot of them do. Shhhh…!)

Agents seek employment for their clients. That, of course, means trying to obtain auditions; it’s up to the actor to book the job. If an offer of work is made, the agent can negotiate the contract, meaning try to get more money, although nowadays, that is a very difficult thing to finesse. It is also the agent’s responsibility to make sure that his client’s best interests are served if there is a non-standard contract (as opposed to a standard union contract) being offered.

Is there some law somewhere that demands that an actor have an agent? No. But the producers and studios will not want to deal directly with an actor, so if you happen to book a union job on your own (a.k.a. “a miracle!”), you will probably have to beg some agent to represent you (not unheard of – you might ask your friends to refer you to an agent, or just call some up cold). The alternative to that is to hire an attorney to handle the contract.

Every actor in Hollywood wants and needs an agent. Hiring one (yes, folks! YOU hire the agent, not the other way around, even though most of them act as if they’re doing you a favor taking you on!) is far easier said than done. The first thing you should do once you land in Hollywood (or even before) is hie thee to the nearest Samuel French Bookstore, www.samuelfrench.com, and pick up the most recent “The Agencies” book. It’s updated constantly and gives invaluable information on all of the local agencies. Of course, they rarely, if ever, give any truly negative comments (can you spell “lawsuit”?), but at least you will go into your agent search well-armed.

List in hand, you begin the process of submitting to agencies that seem to fit your needs. We suggest you start by sending a postcard with your headshot on it and a short note, stating that your 8X10 will follow shortly. Then send it. We strongly recommend that you use the type of mailing envelope that has a clear window on one side, so that your face is clearly seen before the recipient even reaches for the letter opener (or trash can).

Be sure to include a short, friendly note of introduction, that is personalized to each agent or head of the agency to whom you’re sending it. No note – or worse, one addressed to “Dear Agent”! – equals lazy actor and guess where that lands you…!

Unless you have a truly distinctive speaking voice (one that in and of itself might garner attention), do not make follow-up calls. You will only get the standard response from whomever answers the phone: “If anyone’s interested, they’ll call you.” Click. Those types of phone calls just annoy agencies and waste everyone’s time.

If you are fortunate enough to have a personal referral to the agency, write it on the outside of the envelope, too. That’s in case the envelope was destined to never be opened.

Most agents do attend showcases and really prefer finding new talent that way. Once you land in Hollywood, you’ll find ways to join showcases. Do consider doing that – if you’re good enough to be allowed to perform in one, you never know where it may lead.

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF WILD AGENTS

Managers: There are hundreds of managers in Hollywood, many of whom are truly fabulous and worth their weight in gold. Unfortunately, due to a lack of regulations, there are also a bunch of worthless ones, whose only interest lies in getting enough unsuspecting actors to supply them with a monthly stipend (“Gee – we have to spend money on postage and envelopes on your behalf. You have to cover those costs, honey!”). Run, do not walk, from anyone who asks you for money up front.

How can you tell the difference between the good, the bad and the ugly? It ain’t easy, pal. Your best shot at culling the useless ones from your list of potential managers is word-of-mouth and…”The Managers” book, also at Samuel French Bookstore.

By definition, managers have only a small handful of clients (usually less than 25). It is their duty to coddle, mold, advise and generally speaking, smother their clients with individual care and attention. (Talent agents, on the other hand, can have literally hundreds of clients, so there’s no way they can give each one that kind of personal attention all the time.)

Managers are not allowed to solicit work or negotiate salaries, unless they also have an agency license or are attorneys. Of course, many of them do it anyway, and if it results in work, we have never understood why anyone would object. But there have been plenty of actor vs manager lawsuits to prove that it can, indeed, become a problem.

Managers do not have to be licensed, bonded or franchised, but many of them do belong to a very fine organization, the Talent Managers Association (TMA). You can always check there to see if someone you’re interested in is a member: www.talentmanagers.org

It has become a “trend” in Hollywood for actors at every stage of their careers to boast that they have an agent, a manager, an attorney, and anything else that makes them look more important (maybe in their own eyes?). In our opinion, not every single actor needs or benefits from a manager and we often wonder why a particular manager would take on an actor with little or nothing on his or her resume. Could it be the potential for that 15% commission…? NOTE: If you have both an agent (10%) and a manager (15%), you are losing 25% of your gross salary in commissions (all tax deductible, of course). Be sure you really can afford to do that before making any decisions. NOTE #2: Most managers ask you to sign a contract that is basically written in stone and, unlike agency contracts, is virtually impossible to break. So, again, be very, very sure before signing anything with anyone that this is truly what you want to do.

Seeking a manager is exactly the same process as seeking an agent (above).

Good luck!

Since each of the acting guilds (unions) has its own website, there isn’t much need for us to go into a lot of details about their rules and regulations here. We will, however, give you a very brief overview of the differences between the three main unions that will ultimately affect your career now and in the future.

SAG (Screen Actors Guild): This guild handles any project that is shot on film, including feature films, television and commercials. It is by far the most difficult of the three guilds to join.

There are a number of ways in which an actor can become a member:

Taft-Hartley: If a producer wishes to hire a non-union actor for his union project, he has to justify to the union why he needs that particular actor, as opposed to one of the thousands who are already members. Don’t worry – it’s not quite as impossible as it sounds and they are rarely turned down when they request the Taft-Hartley waiver.

Being Taft-Hartleyed is the ideal way to get into the union. It shows that someone really, truly wanted to hire you. It doesn’t cost anyone a dime – not the actor and not the production. It’s simply paperwork. Under this, the actor is permitted to work both union and non-union for 30 days from the date of his Taft- Hartley (that’s the date of the job it relates to). As of the 31st day, the next time he books a union job, he’s considered a “must join” and is expected to pay his initiation dues. There can be one more delay in forking over the (current) $2,400, however. At this point, the actor is considered a “must pay” and will not be allowed to work another union job until he does, indeed, pay those dues. Until he actually is a paid-up member, he may continue to work non-union jobs.

Vouchers earned from “extra” work: At the present time, 3 vouchers are required in order to make an actor “SAG eligible”. If you work as an extra (or “background”) on a SAG project, you just might earn a voucher. These are limited and you must request it from the A.D. on the set. Once you have 3 of these (and it can take a long time to accumulate them), they entitle you to join the union and you may label yourself (and your resume) “SAG eligible”. The vouchers do not expire for a long, long time, but you must make sure they remain viable. Do that by checking on them every so often with the Membership Department at the union.

Crossover from a sister union: The rules for this vary, so it’s best to check with SAG to find out the exact requirements. The basics are that if you’ve been a member of either AFTRA or Equity for at least one year, you may “cross over” into SAG.

AFTRA (American Federation of Television & Radio Actors): This guild handles radio and anything on-camera that is shot on videotape. All soap operas and many commercials, industrials and web-related projects fall into this category. AFTRA is the easiest guild to join, since it is an “open” union, meaning that anyone can walk in, hand them his money and walk out a card-carrying member. They also have a very actor-friendly payment plan, as opposed to SAG, which demands everything in one payment.

Taft-Hartleys also apply with this guild, but are probably used far less frequently because of the ease of joining. Still, it’s nice to not have to come up with any dues (approximately $1,400 in 2008) on your first AFTRA job.

AEA (Actors Equity Association): This guild handles live theater (stage) only. They have completely different requirements for joining than the others. Since you really aren’t coming to Hollywood to become a theater actor, there’s no need for us to go into details here.

For further information, check out their websites:

SAG (Screen Actors Guild)
AFTRA (American Federation of Television & Radio Artists)
AEA (Actors Equity Association)

Being a member of a guild guarantees you absolutely nothing, except that you will be allowed to work on projects that fall under their jurisdiction. It also guarantees that you will be prohibited from working on anything that is non-union (the exception being student films). If you earn enough money over your lifetime, you will probably qualify for a pension; health insurance, on the other hand, must be earned every fiscal year (you have to earn enough union wages to keep that insurance, once you have it, every single year). It’s terrific insurance, by the way, but if you lose it due to lack of income, it can be disastrous.

Should you join once you become eligible? In our opinion, you should keep the funds for the initiation dues in an interest-bearing savings account and only hand it over to a guild when you absolutely must pay. It can be a long wait between union jobs, so why hand over your hard-earned cash today if your next union job (the one that makes you a “must-join” or “must-pay”) may not happen until next year? In the meantime, change your resume to reflect your potential union status and relax, knowing that you have the money in the bank, working for you!

As you can well imagine, there are scores of acting teachers and schools in Hollywood. For a newcomer, it’s a daunting task to try to determine which ones to consider studying with. The list that we are going to provide below is just the tip of the iceberg, but it is comprised of some of the best-known teachers, coaches and schools in town.

It’s up to you to figure out which ones will provide you with the type of class that you need most, but if you are coming from a strong stage background, or have just finished studying somewhere that doesn’t offer on-camera training, we urge you to seek out at least some classes that are geared to film and television acting. How do you find out? You ask!

Most, though not all, classes allow you to audit, so by all means take advantage of that if it’s offered. In fact, we kinda feel that it’s a mistake to just jump into any ol’ class without knowing if you’d even like the teacher. After all, unlike high school or even college, no one is forcing you to study with someone you detest, or whose methods are off-putting to your own acting instincts (which, of course, are not always correct…ahem!). And these classes cost money, which is all the more reason to look before you leap. So, again – ask!

First, the “private” teachers/coaches, for film/TV/etc.:

Now, it’s up to you to contact the teachers or schools and ask as many pertinent questions as you may have. Don’t let the ones with snotty-sounding receptionists throw you off. Remind yourself (and maybe them, if they’re too obnoxious) that you are the paying customer here and as such are entitled to some polite behavior on their part. You won’t always get it, of course. This is, after all, real life as it exists in Hollywood, like it or lump it.

One other point: We urge everyone to sooner rather than later take some improv classes, in addition to all other types of acting classes. Even if you aren’t the funny type, you must learn to think on your feet and nowadays, most casting people expect to see improv training on all actors’ resumes. There are a number of excellent improv schools and classes in Hollywood; once you establish yourself here, you can easily locate them, since virtually all of your new actor friends (you know – the ones you will so happily be acquiring from your acting classes…!) will already know about them! Just (here we go again) ASK!

Before we explain these to you, we want to warn you: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COMPETENCE, WHICH YOU CAN ONLY ACQUIRE AFTER HAVING TAKEN SOME SERIOUS ACTING CLASSES IN HOLLYWOOD. (See ACTING TEACHERS/COACHES/SCHOOLS.)
Here’s how these all basically work:

1. You audition in order to be allowed to join the workshop. Do not join a group that doesn’t ask you to audition; it means they’ll let anyone in and that can lead to disaster.
2. Once you’re a member, you will receive a calendar of events, usually a month to two months per calendar. Each “event” is a session with a casting director, talent agent, or occasionally, a producer or director.
3. You choose the ones you wish to attend and sign up as quickly as possible, since they tend to fill up rapidly. Each session is paid for separately (the various groups offer different ways to pay and some include discounts if you buy “tickets” in advance).
4. The casting people (CDs) usually bring their own sides and after a relatively short Q & A (by law in California, they cannot take your money if they don’t give you a “lesson” in return, thus the lecture or Q & A), they hand out the sides, pair you up with a scene partner, and give you about 15 minutes to rehearse. You return to the room and perform your short scene for the CD.
5. In the case of agents looking for new clients, they are not expected to provide the sides. The group may provide them from a stash they’ve kept, or allow you to bring in your own material.

 
It’s that simple. The purpose is obvious: To give actors a controlled way to meet casting directors who might otherwise never call them in for an actual audition, since they have no idea whatsoever what the actor’s talent level may be. The hope is that the workshop will eventually lead to a real, live audition. Many actors are disappointed when they begin to realize that it can take months, sometimes years, before these workshops start to pay off, but for the well-trained, diligent actor, they almost surely will. A single booking at the day player rate (upwards of $750 in 2008) will pay you back for the 15 or 20 workshops you may have taken.

Look at it this way: There are no guarantees in life. You have two choices – you either do these workshops and hope for the best, while doing your best, or you don’t and let your competition (yeah, that’s what they are, folks – the competition) do them, without you to impede their upward climb. The casting people will get to know whomever of you actually shows up for these very necessary workshops. So, who’s it gonna be? Them or you?

Another little warning: There are a lot of whiners and nay-sayers in this business. You will hear the occasional high-and-not-so-mighty moaner and groaner grousing about what a “rip-off” these workshops are – how actors shouldn’t have to pay to audition – blah, blah, blah. Well, guess what: We ALL thought that same thing when they first started back in the 1990s, but there have been far too many positive results for us to continue to worry about any of that.

You came to Hollywood to act, right? Well, these workshops are an opportunity to do just that. If you’re going to attend them, do it with the right attitude, because if you walk in the door with a chip on your shoulder, you will blow any chance you had to favorably impress the casting person, agent, or director who is spending his or her time to get to know your work. So what if they’re making a little money at the same time. That is really none of your business, now is it? After all, you don’t think you’re the only person who wants to earn a little bit more money, while still doing what you love, do you…?

As for our first warning…casting directors are like elephants: They never forget…a bad performance or an unpleasant attitude. That’s why we urge you to wait until you are truly ready before participating in these workshops.

A few of the best:

ACT NOW! www.actnownetwork.com
ACTORSITE www.actorsite.com
IN THE ACT WEST (ITAW) www.itaproductions.com
ONE ON ONE www.oneononeproductions.com
SIGNATURE STUDIOS www.signaturestudiosla.com

Please note: There is no good reason on earth to pay a high fee just to join one of these groups. Most of them charge a nominal processing fee after they accept you into the group, but there are a couple out there (not on our list!) who charge several hundred dollars just to join. We’re not talking about paying in advance for the workshops; we’re talking about a fee to join. Shall we say that one more time? A. Fee. To. Join.

Do. Not. Do. It.

Needless to say, your own cold reading skills must be excellent. If they aren’t, start working on them now, so that when you are really ready to start meeting the people who will influence your entire career, you’ll know and they’ll know that you are, indeed, a pro.

BLAKE EVERETT is originally from a small town in Virginia. According to Blake, “When I was 4 years old, I saw the movie that would change my life forever: “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”. I knew from that day to this that entertaining people was the life I was destined to live.

I performed the Abbott and Costello routines on stage for years, but it wasn’t until I competed in the AMTC (American Model & Talent Convention) competition in July of 2003 that I was finally able to start living my dream. Despite my age at the time (mid-40s), a well-known agent from Hollywood, who was one of the dozens of professional judges at this competition, took interest in me and thought I had “the look” and the talent that would get me noticed.

At the agent’s urging, I made my plans to finally fulfill my dream of moving to Hollywood. I saved money for the next six months (I must admit, though, that I totally misunderstood how expensive life in L.A. was really going to be – I should have come here with thousands of dollars more than I did!) and made the move in 2004.

I won’t say it hasn’t sometimes been a difficult journey, but I have met so many kind and giving people out here, most of whom have encouraged me to keep going, that I feel it’s all been worthwhile.
Whenever I get down and feel like giving up…I book something!

I have booked a number of short films and commercials, including a commercial for the Belgian Lottery (See? Now I’m “international”!); a music video for the Australian group, Bumblebeez, “Dr. Love” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=novN-7Qzt_o – you really start to see me at 1:50 on the counter – I’m the “telephone”); a bunch of pretty weird shorts (playing the wacko/zombie/nut job); and now I’m a member of the sketch comedy group, “MyBlueCollar.com”. I also booked a feature film, “Funeral Director”, but unfortunately, my role was cut. That booking, however, did put me in the position of becoming a union member.

I guess my most exciting accomplishment so far was the day this spring when I got to go down to the Screen Actors Guild and hand them a check for (gulp) $2,400. I’d been saving up for that moment the entire time I’ve been in Hollywood and now I’m a proud, card-carrying member of SAG! It “only” took 4 years, but I’m told that’s about average, especially for someone in my age range just starting out here.

I’ve managed to get into some great acting classes and man! do they help! I would never have learned what I know now back in Virginia, that’s for sure. In fact, my booking rate has really gone up thanks to the one I’m currently taking at A.C.T. (Actors Certified Training) in North Hollywood. My first teacher here was the casting director, Craig Campobasso. No one could have been more giving and encouraging for someone like me and I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me a chance to learn from one of the best.

2010 update: I’m a big believer in “giving back”. That being said, I now teach a COMMERCIAL ACTING CLASS: 4 weeks, extremely inexpensive, with basics that are real eye-openers. If you’re interested, call me at (818) 669-3649. (Mention that you found me here and you’ll get a 10% discount.)

www.myspace.com/soyouwanttobeanactor

Or simply go to www.myspace.com and enter “So You Want To Be An Actor” in the search box.