Technology Business

What makes a great headshot?

It’s the simplest thing in the world but most actors get it wrong. And photographers get it wrong and ironically, many headshot photographers working specifically with actors get it wrong.

What’s the secret?

Nothing. Doing nothing. All you have to do is be yourself in front of a camera. Simple. And yet very difficult for most actors who are incredibly SHY when it comes to being themselves. If they can’t focus on being another character- something we all spend years learning to do as actors- then there’s confusion, insecurity, fear and tension which makes for a lousy headshot. Adding to that is the frustration of most photographers I’ve met or worked with who don’t know HOW to get an actor to RELAX. So they say things like “Relax, chill, be more calm, stop biting your lip or squinting your eyes!” or “Relax your forehead-there are lines and wrinkles where you’re frowning, lower your shoulders, breathe!” The list goes on. The result? An actor gets more self-conscious, upset, more nervous and more tense. It’s a downward spiral.

What to do?

Five Easy Steps To a Great Headshot

1- Choose a photographer that YOU feel comfortable with not the “trendy” hot guy to whom every actor goes. (“Oh, if only I had a HEAD SHOT with this top guy I would be successful, too!”) NO, not true.

2- Go over your “type” and range-the kind of roles in which you will be cast and play BEFORE you decide on the wardrobe. There’s nothing worse than a generic headshot, one with an actor dressed in a boring white shirt or a black sweater with a phony smile. Know your roles. Doctor, Lawyer, Businessman, Teacher, Mom, Dad? Dress it or suggest it. Wear your favorite colors-solids are generally better than prints. Another mistake? An actress wearing too much jewlery, make-up or choosing outfits that are more suited to a disco, a beach party, baseball game or just hanging out at a bar. That’s OK if that’s what you’re selling as your brand. If not, casting directors are confused about how to cast you or call you in for a role, so they don’t! (Get the advice of a Career Coach if you don’t know your type or what to wear).

3- Explain thoroughly to the make-up artist and hair stylist EXACTLY how you look every day. All too often a stylist will do your hair they way they see you not the way you usually look so you end up with photos that don’t accurately represent YOU. This is especially true for women but may apply to men with longer hair that can be altered with mousse, spray, a curling iron. For women with curly hair-if that’s how you look don’t straighten your hair just for the headshot unless you want to do that everyday of your life henceforth. Casting Directors want to see the real you not how you “could be”.

4- Bring a CD or several with music you love. Create your own “space” and place within the studio. Bring water or your favorite juice, snack, food. Bring your favorite photos of your pets, children, family or partner so you are thinking about positive images and memories. Focus on just being comfortable.

THEN, take a half hour or even 15 minutes to sit still and just be- yourself. Don’t arrive late and rush into a shoot with the stylist fussing, getting dressed, photographer clicking, lights blinking. All that creates tension. Relax BEFORE you sit in the chair or stool on which you will be photographed.

In my experience with over a dozen top headshot photographers in as many years, the best shots I ever obtained were taken by a photographer who was a part of a husband/wife team. He greeted you at the door and offered refreshments leading you to a peaceful dressing room where you could unwind with soothing music. She sat and talked/laughed with you for a full half hour BEFORE you heard a click from her camera or saw a flash of light from the strobe. Of course they knew lighting and were skilled in the art of photography but their success as a team was understanding the psychology of relaxation and harmony for their actor/clients. Brilliant!

5- Use your acting “technique” while you are being photographed. Think Fun thoughts (your subtext or inner monologue). Talk about your life. Tell a story about your family or your travels. Let the relaxation of JUST TALKING show on your face. That’s being You. Talk, tell a story and then let it go. Sit still and “glow” in the memory or the laughter. Then, you are giving the photographer something to capture. YOU. Your energy. Your joy of living. The joy of being YOU.

And THAT makes a great headshot!

 

Happy Marketing!

Gwyn

Gwyn Gilliss is the Executive Director of TAM, The Actor’s Market (www.theactorsmarket.com) a marketing firm for actors. They provide monthly FREE seminars/teleseminars, FREE weekly marketing tips as well as access to top photographers, graphic artists and videographers (www.sizzle-reels.com) who provide every marketing tool an actor needs. Gwyn’s acting career spans several decades during which time she appeared on and off-B’way, in classical roles in American Repertory companies in over 18 contract and recurring roles in Daytime/Primetime TV, Films and dozens of network commercials and V.O.’s. As a Career Coach she is available to work One-on-One with actors at all levels.

Roman blinds can add a nice look to any bedroom and you can give them a custom touch by making them in fabric to match your bedding or other décor in the room. These blinds are basically a panel of fabric with laths encased in channels and cording to draw up the lathes so it simply takes a bit of sewing know how to make them.

When selecting material for your blinds, go with something that is a medium weight and match the colors to those in your bedroom.

Here’s what you need:

Medium weight fabric Curtain lining fabric 1/2″ wood laths 2 X 1 wood batton to fit across the window Plastic rings Angle brackets Screw eyes Nylon cord Tools such as a square, ruler, pencil, staple gun, cleat and screws

First, measure the window height and width from inside the casing. Cut the roman blinds material 2 ½” wider and 4″ longer than that measurement. Cut the curtain lining fabric the same width as the blinds fabric and 2″ longer.

Now you need to decide how many pleats or the size of the pleats. Typically, a roman blind has 6″ pleats so you’ll want to divide the length of your fabric – 4″ by 12 since 6″ pleats would have the channels spaced 12″ apart. So, if you are making roman blinds for a window that is 48″, you should have cut the fabric to 52″ (since you added 4″ to the measurement). Then you have to divide the original 48″ by 12 (the size of each channel) for a total of 4. So you will have 4 pleats in your blinds.

Mark the lining 1 ¼” up from the bottom edge with a hem line and 2″ down from the top edge. To mark your channels for the roman blinds, make 2 lines spaced 2 ½” apart starting 6″ above the hem line. After you make the first set of line, measure up another 12″ and make another set, again spaced 2 ½” apart. Form the channels by bringing the 2 lines together, pinning them and then sewing them to form the channel for the lath.

To assemble the roman blind, put the blind fabric and lining with right sides facing each other and lower edges matching. Stitch the lower edges together. Turn right side out and sew across the blind at the hem line. Pin the lining and roman blind fabric together along the channels and stitch them together. Baste and stitch the sides together, making sure not to stitch up the channels.

To make the pleats in the roman blinds, slip the laths into the channels and slip stitch the openings. Sew the plastic rings on the lining 4″ in from the ends of the laths on each side. Cut the 2 pieces of nylon cord twice the length of the blind plus the width. Tie a cord onto each of the bottom rings and thread up through the rest of the rings to the top of the roman blinds and let hang loose.

Now you can hang your masterpieces! Attach the top part to the batton (you can use a staple gun). Now put the angle brackets at the top of the window and attach the batton to the brackets. Attach a screw eye to the batton on each side above the rows of plastic rings. Thread the loose cord through the screw eyes and over to the right side of the window. Slip a lath into the very bottom of the blind to finish it off.

Viola! Now you have custom Roman blinds for your bedroom!

When you buy TV lift systems for your home you can take advantage of many features. They are easy to set up, quiet, and low profile. No matter the size of your television you can find a lift that is right for you.

One of the great things when you buy TV lift systems is that you can put it together yourself. These are simple to install and they include detailed instructions with pictures. You won’t have any difficulty putting these together. The sets come complete with everything you need like the hardware, controller, remote, and the television mounts. When you are finished installing your TV lift it will look like a professional did it for you.

Another reason you should buy TV lift systems is because they are low profile and compact. Some people think that the lifts are big and bulky. They are not. You would be surprised how simple they really are. You can fit any size television in a TV lift from a 24 inch to a 60 inch and they all fit and work the same. No one will even know you have a flat panel in your home until you press the remote and the television appears.

When you buy TV lift systems you also don’t have to worry about another piece of equipment in your home that is loud and annoying. These lifts are super quiet and they run smoothly. You will be excited to have added this technology to your home.

There are many reasons you might consider to buy TV lift for your home. It is an excellent solution for hiding a flat panel television in your home. They are very easy to put together and you don’t have to hire someone to do it for you. They run very quietly and the lifts are not big and bulky either.