BRIEF NOTES ON HEADSHOTS AND RESUMES by Pamela Walker

HEADSHOTS are 8 1/2 X 11 (or 8 X 10) photos, usually black and white, that you send to be considered for an audition.  (It used to be 8 X 10 photos were the standard, but either is acceptable now; I have had casting directors tell me that the smaller ones can tend to slip down in a pile and be overlooked.) People with noticeable disabilities debate whether it is better to show a disability or not.  It used to be that headshots meant the head only.  But now, many casting directors prefer 3/4 shots so that they can see your body type.  In a 3/4 shot, you can show just a bit of a wheelchair or cane without the disability taking over the photo.  Some feel that it’s better if the casting director knows about the disability in advance, because if a disability is going to eliminate them, they won’t waste their time and hopes.  Others feel that they don’t want to get eliminated without an opportunity to show what they can do and so choose to not show their disability in their headshots.  You’ll have to decide what works for you.

Headshots take an initial investment, but are necessary for auditions. There is the cost of getting the photo taken and the cost of having many (500-1000) prints made. Also, you should always look like your headshot; a major change in your appearance often means new headshots. They can be as little as $175-ish ($99 for headshot, $75 for 300 lithographs) up to much more.  See Callboard magazine for advertisers to get a ballpark figure. 

RESUMES should be a 1 page (only!) history of your acting, performing, speaking, acting studies, ect.  It gets stapled back-to-back with your headshot.  A 24-hour phone # is crucial on the resume, either a machine or a pager.  Again, the same debate applies about whether to identify a disability on the resume.  Even if your disability is not one that would be apparent in a photo, if it will be apparent when working, you might consider mentioning it on the resume. This can be done in subtle ways such as listing both wheelchair height and standing height if you use a wheelchair.  Another way is to list something in your interest section, such as “disabled activist.”

List the most impressive works first; don’t list dates.  If auditioning for theater, list those first and give priority space to those. If auditioning for a commercial, change the order so that theatrical experience shows up later.  Never list theatrical experience under Film/TV.  (Note:  If you are auditioning for a commercial, leave any competing companies off your resume—i.e. if auditioning for B of A and you did a commercial for Wells Fargo, leave it off.)  Don’t list extra work unless you really don’t have anything else to list.

Listing directors and teachers is important. It’s a smaller world than we realize and many of them know and respect each other’s work.  Especially if you have taken a class or worked under a well-known director, be sure to list it.  (I went to a panel discussion where one of the panelists was the person who did the voice for the “Got Milk?” ad —that went on my resume as a voice over workshop with him…it may be a stretch, but it ain’t a lie!)

Below is one sample of a resume for theatrical actors:  

Your Professional Name
Any Union affiliations

Statistics:                                                                                           Contact:

Hair:                Color                                                                           Ph # (include area code)
Eyes:               Color                                                                           Street address
Height:            __'__" *                                                                       City, State Zip Code
Weight:            ____lbs

Theater
Title of work                                       Role                                        Theater Company  

Film/Television
"Episode or film name"                  Character Played                 Director/Producer/Network  

Commercials
(current list available upon request) OR list companies  

Industrial Film/Video
List company                         Producer/Director  

Voice Over/Radio
Title of work                                       Role                                        Director/Producer  

Commercial Print
(Current list of clients available upon request)  NOTE: Indicate if portfolio is available.  

Training
Type of training                                   Name of Instructor (especially well known ones)
(indicate if on-going)  

Special skills
List a few one or two word descriptions of activities that create an image or refer to verbal skills, (i.e. licensed driver, wheelchair basketball, fluent French).

  *If you use a wheelchair, you might want to put your wheelchair height and your standing height.  (EXAMPLE: 5’10”/4”3” wheelchair height)

(form developed 1995 © Talent Bridge)

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