Star Search Casting Resume and Headshot Guide

Saving Money

By joining the Star Search Casting, you've already made a great step in the direction of saving money. Having a profile online can save you a great deal of money. Being able to email your web address instantly to anyone has revolutionized the casting process in the entertainment industry. However, having good headshots on hand is always recommended, especially when attending auditions. Sometimes you won't be able to simply email someone a link of your profile, and you'll need to do things the old fashioned way. Printing countless headshots and mailing them to Casting Directors and Agents can be very costly. This guide will show you how to get started properly and professionally for a reasonable amount of money.

Getting Headshots

a) You can call (don't go into the agency for this, just call) a reputable & legitimate agency and ask them if they know of any photographers that are "testing". Click here for a list of agencies. What "testing" means is when a photographer takes photos of talent to prove to the agency that they are good so that they will refer talent to them on a regular basis. Generally, that costs approx. $25 per roll, 2-roll minimum, $50-$100 to shoot.

b) Or, the cheapest way is to go to a college/university, go to their photography department & tell them that you are a model & you want to shoot for pictures. Either someone will step up for the opportunity or a student will be put to the task. Many people don't know of this option but is a great way to get your foot in the door. It works out to be a mutual benefit.

c) If you have done work in the past, print, commercial, TV, Film, what have you... contact the photographer or photography company that shot for those jobs and request them to send you some prints that they ended up with. It's always a good business idea to get the contact info of the photographer at all shoots you take part in, for that very reason. Look on your call sheets..., even commercials and things that you have been in, when they are filming, they take still shots as well. Really, research past work you've done and you may very well be able to get some great shots that way.

Printing and Duplicating Headshots

If shooting with a photographer, have your rolls of film developed in proof sheet form first. Look through them and pick out your favorites (be sure to get multiple opinions from your friends and relatives). After picking the best, get them enlarged to a 4x5 inch size to get an even better look at them before blowing the up to the final 8x10 inch size. Look them over once again and pick the best of the best of the bunch.

Then you crop the photos so that it shows exactly what part of your face and shoulders, etc. that they should (this process is for final style purposes as well as to make your pictures qualify as "headshots", "3/4 length shots", "body shots" or whatever you are in need of, depending on your field).

Finally, have them enlarged to the REQUIRED 8 x 10 inch size, have them make a couple/few originals. They absolutely MUST be 8 x 10 in size, no bigger, no smaller. You will hopefully end up with approximately 5 great pictures from a few rolls of film. However, if not, don't get discouraged, a lot of people rummage through several rolls of film before finding one satisfactory shot.

You then need to have your best 8 x 10 inch photos reproduced in 300 duplicate sets or so for distribution. An alternate to the high expense of having all 300 reproduced on expensive photograph paper, are LITHOGRAPHS. They cost much, much less while basically the same thing and just as acceptable and effective. Consult our list at http://www.StarSearchCasting.com/printings.php or a phonebook to find a headshot printer to get this done.

Make a Display Folder full of copies of your best shots that you can take with you and show as needed. Black is most used for such display folders and they can be found at your local stationary store. Also while out and about on business, pushing your career, and on auditions, always have some reproductions of your photographs with your professional acting résumé attached that you can leave with Casting Directors, Producers, etc.

NOTE: Always keep the set(s) of originals somewhere safe, along with the negatives.

Resumes, Cover Letters, etc.

Resumes

These are indeed a must as are their standards of construction and format. They absolutely must be 8 inches by 10 inches in size. No exceptions. 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, which is regular paper size is unacceptable. Eight by ten is the same size as your headshot which will appear on the opposite side of your resume. Either stapled, double stick taped, glue-sticked or printed; however you attach them, they both MUST be 8 inches by 10 inches. There are set guidelines that a resume must follow in order to enable you to be considered by those you may be submitting to and those in the position to hire you or call you in on auditions. Those guidelines have been set by the CSA, CCDA, SAG, AFTRA, AEA Unions, as well as the SAG Talent Agents/Managers. If your resume does not display the required level of professionalism, you may not be considered. For an example of a resume click here.

Cover Letters

These are also a must as are their standards of construction and format. They absolutely must be 8 inches by 10 inches in size. No exceptions. 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, which is regular paper size is unacceptable. Eight by ten is the same size as your headshot and resume which accompany your cover letter within your submission. That makes all of the contents of your submission uniform in size - 8 inches by 10 inches, all three items - cover letter, headshot & resume. The cover letter must reveal the required points of interest cover letter are to contain in order to be acceptable and effective, one of which is the contact info of your agent or other contact info that they may correspond with if interested in you. Never put your personal home address or phone number. That is a dangerous and careless practice as this world is filled with people that do strange things. As they say, better to be safe and protect yourself from potential dangers, than to be sorry.

If you do not have an agent at the current time, you may put a P.O. Box and a voicemail number, nothing which reveals your actual physical home or personal home number that may in turn be abused. You can include this directly on the printed cover letter or via your sticker/logo (refer to next paragraph for more details on this aspect). No handwritten cover letters of course, typed and including the set pieces of information that cover letters must include in order to be effective as well as to be acceptable. The cover letter need not be directly attached, however you may put an inconspicuous staple in it to secure it to your headshot & resume so that it will not be separated from them while being passed through the hands you are submitting to. The cover letter must be the first item viewed when opening your submission which means it must be placed on top of your headshot. Then when they turn your headshot over, they see your resume. That is how your submission must be ordered so that it qualifies as professional and acceptable. Then you will indeed be considered for the work, which you are submitting yourself.

Follow these guidelines when writing cover letters:

• Use proper letter format.
• Keep your letter brief - 3 paragraphs on 1 page only!
• Go out of your way to get the name of a person - avoid addressing letters, "Dear Sir."
• Make sure your letter is ERROR FREE - no typos or incorrect grammar allowed.
• Personalize it - nothing turns a casting director off more than a form letter.

For an example of a basic, cover letter click here.

Sticker Logos

Sticker logos are to be placed on the exterior of your submission package/envelope in the Return Address area. They must display your agency's contact info including their name, return address, and even their phone number if desired. If you are between agents, you must put a Sticker Logo with return address info that they may correspond with if interested in you. Never put your personal home address or phone number. That is a dangerous and careless practice as this world is filled with people that do strange things. As they say, better to be safe and protect yourself from potential dangers, than to be sorry. If you do not have an agent at current time, you may put a P.O. Box and a voicemail number, absolutely nothing which reveals your actual physical home or personal home number that may in turn be abused.

Submission Package

FYI your submission package/envelope should be approximately 9 inches by 12 inches so that the 8 inch by 10 inch contents fit lying flat without being folded. It is important the entire package, cover letter, headshot, and resume portray a standard of professionalism, otherwise you may not be considered.

Training

This is a must in order to establish and maintain the edge necessary over your fellow performer. Many people come into the industry thinking that their looks or natural personality will make them a star. It is a lot of hard work and even then, success does not necessarily follow. If you do not have an uncle, father, mother, or grandparent who is an established star, you have to push yourself down every avenue possible. It is what is termed as "Pounding The Pavement", other times called "Paying Your Dues". Research your local area for classes that you may attend. Colleges always offer classes that instruct industry involved subject matter. Also, check out our list of acting schools at http://www.StarSearchCasting.com/actingschools.php. Classes will cost some money, but make sure you shop around so you don't pay too much.

Investing

There are Federal Credit Unions that service members of the Performing Arts Community. One that services the members of the Screen Actors Guild as well as AFTRA union members is THE AFTRA/SAG FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. They are renowned for the money and savings services that they provide to SAG and AFTRA members. Contact Info: If calling from inside CA (800) 354-3728 / If calling from outside CA (800) 826-6946.

Tax Deductions

Acting is a business, so you can write off any and all expenses you spend while pursuing your career. Possible deductions include photographer fees, photo reproduction costs, outfits for your auditions, props, training classes, fees to your agent, gas to auditions/interviews, bus/subway/plane fairs, industry magazines, envelopes, postage, resume costs, cover letter costs and, of course, your membership to Star Search Casting. Basically, all expenses that are industry related, you should be able to deduct on your tax return. Make sure to keep records of your expenses; you'll thank yourself come tax time. Consult your tax preparer for exact deductibility.

With Warmest Regards,