Does Hollywood Face a Child-Molestation Crisis in Casting?…

HEADSHOTS by Robin Lorraine Photography

A headshot is not just a picture. It’s your calling card & a marketing tool. With today’s online casting your headshot needs to stand out in a sea of 2-inch thumbnails. Gone are the days when the majority of the casting directors get to sort thru hardcopy 8x10 prints. Today casting directors view your 2-inch thumbnail headshot on a screen next to 30 plus other actors. Having a tight, close-up headshot that is vibrant & pops off the page showing the face of the actor is imperative if you want to be noticed.

To achieve this it is a team effort. I like to inform clients a bit so they can participate in creating winning images. Please read the below information and call or email me if you have any questions. My purpose is to provide you with shots that get you auditions, get you in doors & help you attain success. I truly love to hear that my clients are succeeding & winning!

I like to mention that you want to trust your agent & manager & know that they will pick shots that may not always be your favorite, but one that the she or he believes will be the best in marketing the actor. I always try to give a good selection of commercial, theatrical and character looks to ensure the bases are covered. As it is digital I shoot heavy and then edit down the batch to good useable shots. With kids and even some teens it may take time for them to loosen up with the camera & really give natural, non-cheesy or fake smiles. Also, sometimes we have to really work with young children not to tilt the head into very posey shots. I work with kids until we get that no matter how long it takes!!!

COMMERCIAL SHOT VERSUS THEATRICAL SHOT
I will capture a variety of looks but the most important looks that I will be shooting for are the commercial & theatrical headshot.

A commercial shot typically should be very cheerful or friendly showing great energy. Commercial headshots are usually very smiley. A commercial has 20-30 seconds to sell a product and for the most part this is done with big smiles –“Life is so much fun when eating McDonalds”. The shots that radiate “I’m so cute you want to meet me, I’m a lovable energetic cutie pie, I’m a devilish little cutie, I’m a fun & outgoing kid and then of course the “I’m such a character or I’m the full of personality-kid next door.” Typically a commercial shot is a full smile and with "smiley eyes"!

A theatrical shot (TV & film) normally shows confidence & ability. Often the agent will pull a very serious look for a theatrical shot. The shot generally shows strong emotion from the eyes and gets a message across that this kid or talent knows what they are doing. They can look confident, soulful, emotional, intense & dramatic.

Some agents & managers like to have character shots as part of the online portfolio. Character shots include nerdy, goofy, rebel, bully, tomboy, very rich conservative kid, J Crew look, hip urban look, mean girl, bad boy, school girl, skater kid, athlete, sweet & innocent, country girl, comedian, etc. These are done with appropriate clothing, glasses, braids, pigtails, spiked hair & always done with great facial animation. Wife beater tank tops for boys, denim jackets, denim overalls, sports tanks, plaid shirts, sweater vest, hip clothing, ties, etc. A hip look right now for young male tweens & teens is the Jonas brothers look (vest over t-shirt, skinny jeans, loose tie, etc.)

Lastly if an actor is pro level at any sport or ability then that look should definitely be captured at least to give the agent one shot that he or she may use. (skater, baseball, etc).
I have surveyed Casting directors, agents & managers to find out what is needed & wanted in today’s headshots for kids & teens. Although each Agent may have particular preferences the consistent answers are:
The headshot must look like you
The background should be very clean & or blurred with actors face in focus
The hair should not blend into the background, rather contrast with it.
No black, no white, gray or pale washed out pastel colors
Prefer vertical shots to horizontal as they work better online.
Shots should not be lower then the ribcage
Bright eye catching colors work best
Natural looks with very light make-up for teens, no harsh or bright lipstick.
For young kids no make-up
No ruffles, pageant looks, busy patterns & bows. The look is very clean & simple.
You should ALWAYS ask your agent or manager if they want any specific looks & what exactly do they want or don’t want prior to our shoot. You can also ask them if they plan on marketing him or her as a specific type.

*With youth I particularly like to work with very bright colors. Depending on their skin tones & hair I will give personal recommendations. But typically bright blues, fuchsia, teal greens, aqua, turquoise, deep yellow, orange & mid tone purples. Some kids can pull off red. The key is that it brings out the eyes & doesn’t over power the skin. Those with very light, white skin should not have too bold or strong colors or it will be too much contrast. Darker skins can wear the stronger colors, & very dark skin can get away with a lighter color. I can send sample shots of colors that I recommend for your child’s specific coloring.

*Long sleeve snug fitting shirts work great & even better textured long sleeves. Long sleeves throw lots of color in the shot & hide the arms. (Sweaters, thermals, etc) Clean t-shirts work great, no baggy clothing please. You end up with lots of wrinkles in the shot and you can't see the actors real size.

*Please notice how the neckline falls especially for girls. Droopy & low necklines are not recommended. We do not want to have any form of sensuality showing in young girls. And although we may shoot a tank, typically we do not want to show a lot of skin. Loose fitting necklines always fall forward and create a problem when shooting.

*Think layers: yellow tank peeking under a bright orange top, lavender under purple, dark brown sweater over a turquoise tee. Boys can layer a t-shirt under a casual shirt, short sleeve tee over a long sleeve tee etc. Sweaters, hoodies, tanks, jackets all work well for this also.

*Typically we will shoot 4 –5 different looks.

*Having too many outfits is my preference!!! I love it when you have a big selection for me to choose from.

PRINT
If your child will be doing print work & need Zed cards we will shoot some appropriate shots including full length or 3/4 shots. Girls should have a dress included & boys should have a sport coat. Also, hats can be included in this as well. Please check with me regarding this if your child is a model. Pricing can be different depending on what is needed.

FINALLY
There is a lot of information here, but this is only so you can be well prepared. Although there are many basic rules about headshots remember that sometimes we break the rules and it works! If you have something that you want to try I'm open to this. It’s digital—worst case scenario we throw it away!

Looking forward to a great shoot!
Robin
© Copyright Robin Lorraine Photography 2008. No part of this text or images may be reproduced in any form. Please do not forward to others without my permission. Thank you for respecting! Robin Lorraine Photography
Robin Lorraine Photography
Robin Lorraine Alvarez
T. 323 . 317 . 2165
robin@robinlorraine.com
http://www.robinlorraine.com
"Headshots for Kids & Teens"