Working with the top ad agencies and producers in the country on over 15,000 union, celebrity, foreign language and non-union projects continues to make them one of the busiest voiceover casting facilities in the world.

Huck Liggett is the owner and head of casting at the Voicecaster, and has worked in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles both in front of and behind the microphone. Huck takes pride in bringing clients the most competitive talent available for all casting projects.

Do the preparation.

We at the Voicecaster get calls or emails on a regular basis from aspiring talent asking us “How do I get into voiceovers?”

Get the proper training; lay the right groundwork. This means taking voiceover classes/workshops from a reputable facility…even better…study with a casting facility, if possible. Why? Because casting companies are on top of the current trends & changes in the market. We’ve got an inside edge by dealing with ad agencies and producers daily. So we know what advertisers are looking for.

And by studying with a casting facility, you’ll be ‘getting your foot in the door’ of a place that could possibly consider you for casting projects. Part of our job is to seek competitive talent for our clients and we often find new talent by working with actors from workshops.

Do your homework to find the right facility first, so you’re not wasting your time and money. There are far too many people charging for instruction who just don’t deliver.

Once you’ve done the prep, you’ll need a competitive demo…key word here is ‘competitive’. Go to the right people to get the right product. Again, this is where experience prevails.

Part of our process as a casting house is to screen demos on a regular basis. After decades of experience, we know what the agents are looking to hear. Finding the right ‘fit’ with a demo producer is important. Make sure you work with someone you trust. After all, your career will depend on the result.

If you don’t know what should be on a commercial demo…get into a class to find out.

Submitting a demo:

Today, demos are submitted to agents and casting facilities either by CD or online via MP3. The VORG (Voiceover Resource Guide) is a great resource for information on these places in LA. You can access the VORG online.

When contacting an agent or casting house, be brief and precise. Mention reputable instructors and/or facilities with whom you’ve studied or worked, in order to bring positive attention to your submission. If you don’t get a response initially, then a follow-up via postcard or brief note is advised. Be positive and professional. Often it’s a matter of timing.

The good news is that our clients and the agents are always open to NEW TALENT. The ‘catch’ is that talent needs to be COMPETITIVE. And that can only happen by doing the proper preparation. You can get successful results if you put the time and honest effort into it. Don’t be in rush, as this does take time.

Home Studios:

As voiceover continues to evolve, home studios are popping up everywhere. This allows talent to be a part of the audition process regardless of where they might be located. The majority of auditions outside the larger cities tend to be non-union

Most major casting houses require you to audition at their facility for hands on directing. Some may be open to outside submissions depending on the specs for the job. This could bring opportunity to talent outside the big cities.

The advantage to having your own recording equipment is the convenience of auditioning on your schedule, day or night, and simply submitting online. Some actors even record the actual jobs from their home studios.

The challenge with recording at home is the sense of isolation and absence of outside direction. This can cause a redundancy in actors’ auditions. Find a way to keep your choices fresh. Always follow the specific direction supplied with each piece of copy.

There are a number of LA actors with home studios. In an effort to avoid repetition of delivery and to stay current, many of these voiceover actors will come to the Voicecaster and other facilities to record their auditions. Some come occasionally for fine-tuning, and others (who don’t have home studios) utilize our service on a regular basis. It’s an effective way to stay on top of your game. It’s important to find someone in your area who can help you in the same way.

We offer a service called “VO ‘n GO”, where actors can bring their audition copy to us for an extra set of eyes & ears, and our expert direction. We direct, record and immediately send those auditions via email.

There is certainly opportunity for those seeking work in voiceover …but, like anything else, it takes dedication, persistence and diligent preparation.
The Voicecaster offers voiceover workshops on all levels: Beginning, Intermediate, Audition/Pro and Animation/voice-matching. Classes are taught at their facility in Burbank, CA. They also offer commercial demo production.

Learn more about the Voicecaster on their website at www.voicecaster.com

Be the first on your block…!

Pussyfoot.Com, the brainchild of The Two Matts (Dillmore and Alsberg ), is a brand spankin’ new (8/29/08) web radio TAM (Talk And Music) show, featuring a hilarious film review segment hosted by BLAKE EVERETT (see Blake’s success story on our home page), celebrity interviews and some really cool music. This month’s reviews of “Mirrors”, starring Kiefer Sutherland, and the video release of “Blood Rayne II” are well worth the price of admission (meaning, like everything else here on Hollywood Passport, it’s FREE!!!).

We never cease to be amazed by young (and not-so-young) actors who arrive in Hollywood with resumes replete with film and television credits, yet minus the video clips to back them up.  “Why?”, we ask them, “don’t you have any tape?”.  The answers invariably fall into one of two categories:  1.  “I never asked the producers for it”, or 2. “I couldn’t track it down after the shoot was finished”.

If your answer is #1, above, we’re inclined to say “shame on you”, but then we have to remind ourselves that novice actors may never have been told that acquiring tape for a demo is a necessity in the Big City.  Apparently, acquiring it for posterity doesn’t compute, either.

If you’re in the #2 category, though, you have lots of company.  The most common reason for losing track of your on-camera work is that it was a student film and the student graduated (or washed out) without ever completing it and/or without giving you your much-deserved copy.  It doesn’t seem to matter which university was involved; student filmmakers everywhere suffer from the same lack of focus on the people who made their masterpiece possible in the first place:  The actors!

While there is no sure-fire way to safeguard your access to a copy of your work, we do have a suggestion:  Before agreeing to appear in any student film, have the producer/director/writer (often the same person) fill out a form giving you not only his current contact information, but also a phone number (possibly of his parents) where someone will always know how to reach him.  BETTER YET, make him give you the name and number of the professor in charge of his project.  The implied threat is that if he disappears on you, you will go directly to his professor to complain and track him down.  (We don’t suggest that you say this overtly.  It’s really not a good idea to intimidate the person who is “hiring” you, even if you aren’t receiving a dime for your work…!)

But let’s face it:  Aside from a learning experience, the main part of your “pay” is the demo you receive from a student or independent film.  Why would you not make every effort to obtain that footage?!

WHAT GOES ON THE DEMO?

Your best work, that’s what.

Most professional demos begin with the actor’s name on a title card, often accompanied by a still photo (so that the person viewing it knows instantly which actor in the first scene is the actor in question).  There was a trend some years ago of actors opening their demos with a montage of stills or short film clips, sometimes accompanied by some pretty wild music, in order to “get the ball rolling”.  The only thing this did was annoy the people who had to sit through it, waiting to get to the meat of the demo – the acting!  Save your time and money (and the possibility of irritating the wrong person), and go right into your scenes after you’ve “slated” your name.

On a demo, it’s quality that counts, not quantity.  If you only have a couple of pieces that show your work off to its best advantage, that’s perfectly fine.  Don’t worry about “filler”.  The more you work on-camera, the more footage you’ll have to edit in, but in the meantime, just show off your existing good scenes.  If you’re unsure of their demo-worthiness, ask someone you trust (no, not your mom or best friend!) to give you an honest opinion.  We’re more interested in your acting ability than the production values, so try to keep that in perspective.

Some people label the scenes with the name of the project.  Unless it’s a feature film that was actually released or a TV show, don’t bother.  Nobody cares.  If you really think it’s important, you can always list the scenes on the packaging, in the jewel case.

Speaking of the packaging, it’s a really smart idea to show your current headshot on the front of the jewel case and your resume on the back.  That’s easier to do than you might think.

HOW LONG SHOULD A DEMO BE?

There is no hard and fast rule, but we wouldn’t go longer than 5 minutes.  Have your most recent and strongest work at the beginning of the demo.  That way, if the viewer gets bored or has seen enough in the first couple of minutes, it won’t matter that the remainder of the demo isn’t being watched.  We’ve seen plenty of really strong demos that were less than 2 minutes long.

If you’re fortunate (and talented) enough to have both dramatic and comedic material, you’d be well-served to create separate tracks for your demo.  That makes it much more convenient and pertinent for the audience.

WHAT MEDIUM SHOULD A DEMO BE ON?

DVDs are the medium du jour.  Most agencies and casting offices do still have access to VCRs, but you’re going to look rather dated if you present a VHS tape nowadays.

You should also try to provide an on-line link to your demo on a website somewhere.  If you don’t know how to do that yourself, ask a friend or pay someone to do it for you.  It’s definitely worth it if you’re serious actor.

As new media is evolving, who knows what’s next?  Keep your eye on the industry and try to evolve with it…eventually.

INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT INFO

Most demos end with a repeat of the actor’s name and his contact info.  If you have an agent or manager, now’s the time to list them.  Ditto listing your own website, if you have one.

Remember:  Your DVD may become separated from its case.  Both of them should show your contact info.

WHERE CAN YOU HAVE A DEMO EDITED?

Well, that depends on where you are, of course.  Editing is editing, but producing a great looking demo usually requires that the editor have a good eye for cutting together various disjointed scenes and making them look interesting.  If you can wait until you’re actually in L.A. or New York, you’ll probably have to pay a little more, but it may well be worth it to work with a professional demo editor.  Once you’ve settled here (or there), you’ll find loads of them.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MATERIAL FOR A DEMO?

Don’t worry.  You will sooner or later.  It is rarely a good idea to “create” demo footage and taped stage plays generally look awful.  That’s another reason why we highly recommend trying to book student films.  They may not turn out to be “glorious Technicolor”, but their entire raison d’etre is to try to look professional.  Hopefully, you will, too.

As with most aspects of show biz, there are companies in existence who continually come up with clever ways to separate actors from their money.  Among them are companies that will shoot footage of the actor “just being him or herself”.  We’ve seen dozens of these so-called “actor slates” and they scream “amateur” to us, as in “I don’t have any other kind of tape to show you, so ta-dah, here I am, folks, just hoping you’ll think I’m cute!”.  We generally don’t.

How and when did you get started in casting?

It was an accident! I actually just fell into casting. Let me explain: I wanted to be an actress growing up in NY. I never thought about casting or any other area of entertainment. I got accepted to the High School of Performing Arts, but never went. My dream was to be in show business. My parents sent me to college in Los Angeles, so that I would be closer to achieving my goal. When I graduated, I got a job working in a production company as a receptionist. My uncle, Arne Sultan, who was a successful comedy producer and writer, was working on a show at the time and set up the interview. Needless to say, I got the job. During the season the casting director quit and the assistant took over. I became the casting assistant. Thus I fell into the casting arena. I loved reading with the actors since it gave me the opportunity to act. I enjoyed the whole casting process and felt excited by it. When the show went on hiatus, I left the company and found a job with a casting company that worked on feature films and television. That was even more exciting. I worked for the biggest casting director at the time, Lynn Stalmaster. I started on the bottom, doing contracts and paperwork and gradually made my way to casting director. After four years with Lynn, I was offered a job at ABC where I became a casting executive, overseeing shows like Dynasty, Loveboat, Fantasy Island, Bosom Buddies, Three’s Company, Happy Days, Too Close for Comfort to name a few . At ABC, I had the opportunity to work with amazing people who have become some of the biggest producers, top television executives and movie moguls in entertainment.

You Seem To Specialize In Kids. How did that evolve?

After ABC, I left Los Angeles and moved back to NY for personal reasons. Upon returning to LA in the early 90’s, with a 3 year-old daughter, the business changed drastically and there were more casting directors moving into the neighborhood. More casting directors meant more competition. I freelanced when I realized I couldn’t go back to a corporate or staff job. I worked on movies of the week for Vin Di Bona and Kushner Locke. I took on a number of partners, but after a few years realized that I wanted to try it alone. I did independent features, also. One of the movies we did gave Denise Richards her SAG card. Also, Scott Wolf and Sean Whalen, to name a few.

About 8 years ago, a manager friend of mine set up a meeting for me to meet Sharon Chazin-Lieblein, who is the head of casting at the Nickelodeon network. A month later, Sharon called me and gave me the opportunity to work on a movie with her. I did and the rest is history! She hired me continuously and gave me the chance to work on wonderful kid-oriented projects. Thus began my niche of specializing in kids. I cast Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, Unfabulous and the pilot of Drake and Josh. I did a few movies of the week for Nickelodeon as well. Acting schools across the country asked me to come out and audition their students and teach workshops. I have been doing that ever since. On one of my trips I found an amazing 8 year-old girl named AnnaSophia Robb. After one month in LA she booked a national commercial and after a few more months she booked the lead in the movie “Because of Winn Dixie.”

About 4 years ago, I started my relationship with the Actorsite in L. A., where I teach workshops; I just finished teaching a week-long actors camp for kids. I realized that so many of the kids auditioning for me here in LA weren’t prepared for their auditions. I found myself spending more than 5 minutes with many kids, coaching them and getting them in audition mode, while others who were prepared anxiously awaited their audition in the next room. That’s when I started teaching in LA. Agents started to call me to coach their clients as well. I cast, I coach and I teach.

What problems do you have dealing with stage parents?

I don’t have an issue with stage parents. I cast the roles and I’m rarely on the set. I have wonderful relationships with the parents of the kids I cast but remember – once they’ve been cast my job ends. I get along with almost everyone, but if I feel someone is overstepping boundaries, I handle it diplomatically.

How can stage parents be the most helpful to their kids and to the casting world?

We all love our own kids and want to see the best happen for them. This is a very competitive business and we are dealing with children. Remember they are kids and you are their leader! When your kid makes a decision to be an actor, he or she must have a tough exterior, because there is so much rejection. A good stage parent should be supportive of their child’s career. Be their biggest cheerleader and build a healthy support system for them. It’s an acting career so when they aren’t acting or it’s slow for them, keep them in acting classes so that they can continue working on their craft while they are trying to get acting work. It keeps them fresh. When you take them to auditions, be excited and positive. Don’t make a big deal about the audition. It’s just an audition and not brain surgery. If they do well, pat them on the back and move on. If they feel it didn’t go well, then reassure them that there will be other auditions and it’s not the end of the world. When your kid gets an audition, make sure you get them all the material they need. It’s up to them how long and hard they prepare for the audition. You can only remind then once, but really shouldn’t have to remind them at all. If it’s truly their passion, they will automatically work hard to prepare.

Many parents obtain information from other parents about auditions. Roles that are right for your child might not be right for another child who is the same age, same hair color, etc. One might have an edge where the other might not. If you trust your agent or manager, let them make that decision. It’s not yours to make. Hopefully you have a representative that can get your child into any audition he or she is right for. Leave the pitching to them and just be a parent.

You also manage. Is that rewarding?

It’s very rewarding. I love to find new kids and watch their growth as an actor. I love to see where they go. Between my travels and teaching, I am constantly seeing amazing talent and I try to help them all. I don’t actually manage per se. I don’t call casting directors and pitch. I don’t deal with the daily activities of the clients. I’m more of a talent scout. I work directly with one management company. I bring them clients when I find someone terrific. They make the choice as to whether or not they want to work with them. If they don’t, then I might suggest another company, but I don’t work with other companies. I want to help everyone. I just can’t. I do coach my management clients for auditions if it works with my casting schedule.

What are you casting and for whom?

I have been working at Warner Bros this year with their new division, Warner Premier. We are casting the new book series The Clique. It’s a tween book series that has set the teen world on fire. Alloy Entertainment, which does Gossip Girls, is also producing. We cast the first movie early this year and we are starting the 2nd and 3rd in the fall. We just finished casting “Scooby Doo, The Prequel” with Warner Premier and the Cartoon Network. We also recently finished a few roles on a George Lopez movie for WB. We are starting a new series for Nickelodeon next week called “True Jackson V.P.”, with KeKe Palmer, that we are so excited about.

Producing:
My goal (and passion) is to produce features. I have 3 projects that are currently in development. The first one is “Stand By Love,” a romantic comedy written by Vincent Angel and being directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. We’re also working on film versions of two books, “A Summer of Kings” with AnnaSophia Robb and Corbin Bleu, and “Bloody Jack” also with AnnaSophia Robb.

How can actors reach you for coaching, etc.?

I teach workshops at the Actorsite in Sherman Oaks once a month. I don’t take more than 16 kids in each class, so you have to sign up early. We do 2 classes a day. I take children who can read up to 11 in one class and 12 and up in the other. The Actorsite email is: actorsite.support@gmail.com. If anyone is interested in private coaching, I can be reached at either harrietgreenspancasting@gmail.com or 818-601-6698.

Despite what the handbooks may tell you, it really isn’t all that difficult to look after a domesticated talent agent. They require very little maintenance and only eat as much as you’re willing to give them. Here are a few handy-dandy dos and don’ts:

- Whining noises (“Why aren’t I going out more often?”, “My neighbor down the street has an audition. Can you get me in on it?”, etc.) are like fingernails being run down a chalkboard to agents. Do it too often and they will bolt, and even if you’ve inserted a LoJack chip, they may never return or love you again.

- Not keeping them well-supplied with the materials they like and need (your headshots and resumes, bookout dates, new phone/cell/email info) tends to irritate them to no end. It’s so much more fruitful to simply give ‘em what they want without having to be asked

- Ringing phones remind them of their former lives as somebody else’s put-upon assistant. Try not to call them unless there’s a very good reason to do so. Particularly grating are those “I’m just checking in to see if anything’s going on” calls which imply that you think the poor creature has completely forgotten who you are.

- Behaving as if you are their only master. Even though you were very proud of yourself for having caught this agent, you have to face the fact that there are probably several hundred others in his “stable” who feel the same way about him. You must learn to share!

- Come the holidays (or when you just plain want to pat him on the head), don’t be fooled into thinking that yet another box of those same chocolates is going to make your Snooky-Ookums of an agent feel special. Put some thought into gifts. Ask his assistant what he prefers: Scotch or apple cider; blue mittens or movie tickets; coffee or tea. Get the idea? And while you’re at it, for heaven’s sake remember that more than likely it’s his staff that’s doing the lion’s share of the day-to-day work on your behalf. Ignore them and you’ll regret it. (Also bear this in mind: Agents and their young, when no longer out in the wild, tend to sit around on their behinds all day, thus gaining weight. Do not encourage this by only bringing them sweets. A nice fruit basket says the same thing and is a lot healthier.)

- Although your agent may appear to be lonely, don’t provide a mate (meaning a new manager) without consulting with him first. There needs to be some chemistry in any new family arrangement and blind dates don’t always turn into love affairs.

- At some point down the line, you may feel the need to enact the “release” part of “catch and release”. Be nice. If you have the guts, do it face-to-face. If your guts are tied in a knot (yes, we know this is stressful), then phone the agent. But please, please, please do not send a perfunctory “per SAG rule such-and-such” drop letter unless, that is, you absolutely detest said agent and never want to hear that voice again. Always thank them for their efforts on your behalf, even if you don’t think there were any (!).

- Should you be on the receiving end of the release program, continue to be nice and don’t start bad-mouthing your former agent. Dropping clients is usually just as hard on them as it is on the dropee and sooner or later, that bad-mouthing gets back to them. Then guess who develops the bad reputation…!

There, now. Don’t you feel better? If you follow this advice, we just know your agent will be purring and your reputation as a very good client will be forever intact.
We will leave you with the following:

My Agent? I Love Him, Man!

I always ask my agent
Lots of questions about him –
Like “How’d you like my photos?”
Or “Ya think that I should join a gym?”.

I don’t ask how his weekend was,
Of if he has the flu.
(Though I worry ‘bout his nasty cough –
If he drops dead, my career is through!)

I heard he just got married
And I even know the bride.
Did I send a card to say congrats?
Are you nuts? I’ve got my pride!

He’d think I’m kissing ass for sure
If I show him that I care.
Treat my agent like he’s human?
Nah! – I’m really not that square.

But in every conversation,
I am sure to let him know
He’s not doing quite enough for me
And I just might have to go.

Yeah, man – that keeps him on is toes
And interested in me,
His most important client…!
And I’ll book my first gig someday –
It’ll happen – just you wait and see!

- K.D.W.

Jackie segued into casting when she was hired by MTM Productions, in the 1970s. Her very first show was “WKRP In Cincinnati”! From that auspicious beginning, she went on to cast the pilot for “The Bob Newhart Show”; “Gloria”, starring Sally Struthers, for the great Norman Lear; “Valerie”, starring Valerie Harper; “The Hogan Family”; “Perfect Strangers”; “Midnight Caller”; 5, count ‘em, five Danielle Steele Movies of the Week; and countless other pilots and episodics. In 1999, she took the plunge into daytime television as the casting director of NBC’s wild and crazy soap opera, “Passions”, where she has remained ever since. (This candid shot was taken on the “Passions” set. You’ll just have to guess which actor has his arms around Jackie.)

Needless to say, Jackie has witnessed both the sublime and the terrible in her casting offices over the years. When asked to share some of her thoughts on the dos and don’ts of auditioning, she didn’t hesitate.

At the top of her list of don’ts…too much perfume or cologne. In fact, like most of her fellow CDs, Jackie would really prefer it if no one ever entered her office smelling of anything but fresh air! Even after an actor is hired, the problem can persist. Many a time she has had to go to a set and as diplomatically as possible request that an actor refrain from wearing any more of his or her way-too-potent cologne, because it was giving everyone else a headache.

Chewing gum during an audition. Don’t.

Props are never necessary during a cold reading. They make the actor look amateurish and they distract from the performance. She said that the same applies to “indicating” with one’s hands. The moment an actor starts using a prop or his hands to indicate something, the casting director, the director, and the producers will all find themselves looking at the prop or the hands, instead of where they should be looking: The actor’s eyes.

As a matter of fact, Jackie emphasized several times that in her opinion, the eyes are the most important tools that an actor has at his disposal. The people who will decide whether an actor is hired or not - the casting directors and the people who hire them - want to see what’s going on behind and through those eyes. She also noted that if a “reader” has been provided at the audition (someone who is there to feed the cues to the one who’s auditioning), the actor should make eye contact with him or her.

Another distraction for both men and women is too much or just plain unusual jewelry. Ditto clothing that’s so eye-catching it almost forces the viewer’s attention away from the performance. Never wear clothing that has words or logos written on it; even a pro like Jackie has found herself more interested in interpreting what’s written across an actor’s chest than in how he is interpreting his scene!

Actors should always have their sides in their hands during their auditions and should be turning the pages as they proceed. There’s nothing more embarrassing than going up on the lines and not being able to locate them on the page, as well.

Ask questions before you start the audition - that is, of course, if you have any. Jackie knows that not every single casting director will offer to answer questions, but the actor should take the initiative if it’s a pertinent, serious question.

Always be on time. If you know you’re going to be delayed, have your agent call the casting office and let them know. Or rather, ask if that’s going to be all right. If you were scheduled for the last slot of the day, guess what: It will NOT be all right to arrive late.

Remember to always take a headshot and resume with you, even if you think the CD already has one. Do not put your home address on the resume - it’s dangerous. If you don’t have representation, just put your cell phone number (not the home phone) on there; otherwise, you should have your reps listed.

Now, here’s a suggestion that a lot of actors, both young and old, should take to heart: Stop talking so much. A lot of actors, perhaps out of nerves or perhaps in an attempt to ingratiate themselves with the CD, rattle on about totally inconsequential things that have nothing to do with the task at hand, which is their audition. Nobody really cares if there was a lot of traffic on the way over, or that you had to take your cat to the vet this morning, or how tough it is to be…an actor! Just enter, be polite and warm, do your job and try to exit gracefully. If the CD wants more conversation or to ask questions, let him or her take the lead, not the other way around.

Jackie says that most actors are good judges of how they did in an audition, be it good, bad or indifferent. “Over the years, I’ve had many agents call to tell me how well their client thought he did and how excited they were. That is, until I had to tell him how awful his client was. On the other hand, I’ve had agents call to apologize for a client who was sure he’d done horribly in the reading and I had to interrupt to tell the agent that I was just about to call to hire that client!”

Jackie’s advice is to simply do your best, say “thank you” and move on.

• At the top and most prominent will be your name. You representation can also go here, although it sometimes appears at the bottom of the page. It’s up to you. You will also put your height, eye and hair color (we’d avoid weight) at the top.
• The sections should be in this order:
  • TELEVISION
  • FILM
  • THEATER
  • COMMERCIALS
  • TRAINING
  • SKILLS

Under film, TV and theater, there will be 3 columns:

Do NOT give a list of commercials. Theatrically, nobody cares and commercially, if they see any specific products listed, they will worry that you might have a “conflict”.
Simply say it this way: COMMERCIALS (conflicts available upon request)

(If you don’t understand “conflicts”, you will. Basically, in the commercial field, you may not appear in commercials for competing products, i.e. a Burger King ad and a McDonald’s ad, or a Coke ad and a 7-Up ad. Those are “conflicts”. They don’t last forever, so don’t panic. Once an ad has been dropped, you’re free to work for the competition.)

Now, when listing the roles under Film and TV, do NOT mention the name of the character. Only list the credit – Supporting, Co-star, Lead, Principal, Guest Star.

Under Theater (or Stage), however, DO list the name of the character.

Training should be pretty obvious: Classes and teachers that pertain to acting, NOT your accounting class!

Skills include anything physical, musical, vocal, languages and dialects, medical, military, etc. Please don’t include things that anybody could fake, such as reading, cooking, good with kids, etc.

Trim your resumes to the same 8X10 format as your headshots and attach them securely to the back of the photos. That means either staples top and bottom, or glue-sticked (glue-stuck?). As long as they’re neat and won’t easily tear off, you’ll be fine. We do not suggest printing your resume directly onto the back of the headshots. If you do that, every time you book a job or change anything else on the resume, the headshot becomes obsolete, whereas you can easily change a stapled-on resume.

Finally, a word of warning: DO NOT LIE. About anything. It may (most likely will) come back to bite you on your cute li’l ol’ derriere someday and that’s an “ouch” you really don’t want to experience.

RESUME EXAMPLE

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
MICHELLE PEARSON	www.michelleepearson.com
RICK STOCKWELL	www.stockwellphotography.com
VANDIVEER	www.jvimages.com
GUY VIAU	www.guyviauheadshots.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?

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…!