Video: Confessions of a Casting Director: Part III - Social Media's Effect on Casting

Watch as Los Angeles Headshot Photographer Shandon Youngclaus dives into Part III of his interview with "Confessions of a Casting Director" author Jen Rudin. Her book is available in paperback and digital download on Amazon and JenRudin.com

Who Am I Anyway?

Five Questions to help define who you are as an Artist

     So much of being an actor in Los Angeles is knowing your type.  When you know and embrace your type, you help casting directors do their jobs more efficiently.  But type is a sort of superficial category only a few layers deeper than skin and hair color.  And while knowing your type might help you land your next job, if you want to get to the nuts and bolts of what gives you longevity in Hollywood and what transitions you from day player to lead actor, you’ll need to delve into the more nuanced attributes that make you your own special and unique brand.  Knowing who you are as a performer is the difference between a working-class acting career and star-powered artistic success.

     As photographers, our jobs are convincing our subjects to reveal themselves, and the more sincerely our clients behave, the better the photos are.  So I’ve had a lot of conversations with actors over the years hoping to scratch at what makes them unique as an artist, what makes them special to the industry, and what makes them a commodity worth buying.

     Here’s a few questions that every actor should be able to answer, but I’m constantly amazed at how often the actors I shoot can’t answer these very simple ice breaker questions.  While there are so many conversations that happen in our studio, the following are the types of conversations that help define who you are as an artist and what makes you interesting and unique.  If you can’t answer these questions, you're neither interesting nor unique.  I love knowing what an artist connects with—what moves them and why.  It’s a way to see what creative wells they draw from.  So take a few minutes to see how well you know your place in the industry.  When you’ve reflected on your answers, think about whether or not you like the answers.  It’s okay to keep the answers evolving - it just means your artistry will evolve and become more robust as well.

     What are you watching?  While there are many ways to answer this question, there’s really only one wrong answer.  If you’re not watching anything, you’re not participating in the industry on the most basic level.  You’re not learning and you’re not able to picture yourself in the industry.  If you are wanting to act in the film and television industry, it’s important to know the industry you’re breaking into.  You should be able to talk about the current television season or films with Oscar buzz.  And you should be able to have something interesting to say about them.  You might also want to be watching classic films and TV shows.  Classics are what they are (in part) because of their talented casts.  Maybe you want to study a specific actor’s filmography, or re-watch a sitcom with an inspired cast.  You must have a sense of history if you want to make any of your own.

     What are you good at?  This shouldn’t be a hard question, but time after time I encounter artists who don’t really know where their talents are.  When you know what you’re good at, you show a great deal of confidence and when you have confidence in yourself, it’s easier for others to invest in you.  When you can openly share what your strengths are, it’s easier to communicate with everyone around you who are helping to get you to your goals, including your agents and managers, your photographers and of course your casting directors.  Don’t be shy and don’t be wishy-washy.  Define yourself as the actor you are and the actor you want to be.  Think about the roles you enjoy playing and examples of when you really shined as an actor, whether professionally or in your scene-study classes.  When you know yourself, you help others to know you.

     Who do you admire as an artist?  You should be watching performances that excite you and you should know why you get excited when watching these moments.  And when you actively watch and study great acting, it’s inevitable that you can learn from it, even if it’s only a sense of what is required for you to succeed in a role.  It’s important to have great talent to aspire to.  It’s important to recognize what great talent is.  If you can articulate why your favorite actor is a superior artist, then you’ve made your first step and discovering what is required for you to have an equally successful career.

     What are you’re long term goals?  If you don’t know where you want to go, you’ll never get there.  It’s hard for an actor to have an endgame, when so much of the time is spent hustling for work.  It’s important to remember what you want to do and not just what you’re willing to do.  What you want to do will drive you to become better than you currently are.  It will keep you motivated and you might even start creating that work on your own and not waiting for it to magically arrive.  Having a strong sense of what’s going to keep you happy as an artist will keep your passion alive and keep the drama in the script and out of your personal headspace.

     What made you want to be an artist?  Frankly, after answering the other questions, this one should be a cinch.  Being an actor in Hollywood can be a real struggle at times.  It’s important to remember why you started down this path, so you can manage the disappointments that happen along the way.  Every artist knows that moment when they knew their fate was sealed.  It’s important to think about why that moment was so moving to you and if it continues to drive you today.  And if the reason you're pursuing an acting career is superficial (i.e. the fame or the money), chances are your career will be superficial as well.

     You are a unique spirit with a unique talent, and the better you can define yourself as an artist, the greater your chances to communicate your brand of entertainment to your team, your colleagues, and most importantly your audience. 

Video: Confessions of a Casting Director: Part II - Resumes

Watch as Los Angeles Headshot Photographer Shandon Youngclaus dives into Part II of his interview with "Confessions of a Casting Director" author Jen Rudin. Her book is available in paperback and digital download on Amazon and JenRudin.com

Video: Confessions of a Casting Director: Part I - Submissions

Watch as Los Angeles Headshot Photographer Shandon Youngclaus discusses "Confessions of a Casting Director" with author Jen Rudin. Her book is available in paperback and digital download on Amazon and JenRudin.com

5 Ways to Completely Destroy Your Headshot Session

How to find mediocrity, when being mediocre isn’t mediocre enough   

     As a Los Angeles headshot photographer, my goal with every shoot is to create dynamic actor calling cards that tell a story about the artist’s energy and charisma.  I want to create compelling portraits that explain who actors are and who they can be.  I want to share what’s best about the performer and why they are relevant in Hollywood.  I constantly try to make every photoshoot wildly successful, by capturing moments of intrigue and appeal, but I understand not everyone is hardwired for my definition of success.  In a society that constantly rewards mediocrity, I forget that not everyone wants to be burdened by the heavy crown of over-achievement.  So if you’re one of those money performers who just wants to phone it in, or if you’re not a results-oriented bundle of ambition, this is the blog post you’ve been waiting for.  Here are 5 things you can do to completely obliterate your headshot session.  If you want to “kill it” at your photoshoot, start by launching these torpedoes.

     Show up late.  It really is the best way to make a first impression.  Make sure that everyone you’ve hired is waiting for you, including the makeup artist, the photographer, and anyone else you’re working with that day.  When you show up late, you set the tone for the shoot.  You let everyone know that your shoot isn’t that big of a deal—you’re not “desperate” for great shots.  You don’t need all that time your photographer has allotted for you.  After all, you’re a one take wonder.  You’re mom told you so!  Plus, when you show up late, you immediately show people how important you are.  It will become clear to everyone involved, that the shoot can’t happen without you.  

     If you are on time, or even early, you’ll have to waste time relaxing and getting centered.  You might actually focus on your shoot and that might make you nervous.  It’s much better to use the time and energy to freak out before your shoot.  You can do this while you’re weaving in and out of traffic. 

     And when you’re late, don’t apologize.  That just gives away your power.  Nobody wants to hear you’re sorry for throwing their day into turmoil.  They really want to hear an elaborate story that reiterates how important you and your life are.  Seriously, you’ll never be a diva, unless you start acting like one.  Fake it, until you make it!

     Bring only one outfit.  If you give your photographer too much choice, he might choose something that you don’t like.  While we are on the subject of general appearance, it’s good to arrive with your hair wet.  And don’t wear comfortable shoes.  Wear stiletto heals, because they will “put you in character,” even if you’re not a woman.

     Don’t have an opinion.  This one is huge!  It’s so important that you don’t show up with anything to contribute.  If you have an opinion, people might think you have goals, and goals are something that take you out of the moment.  Let spontaneity guide you.  So many people make the mistake of talking to their agents and managers before coming to their headshot session.  Agents and managers are notorious for knowing exactly how they are submitting their clients.  And if you talk to your agent, you run the risk of hearing things you don’t want to hear—like why your current headshots aren’t getting you in the door, or what their other successful clients are doing to book work.  Agents and managers are a wealth of information, but too much information can really confuse you, or worse, help you have an opinion to share with your photographer.  Sometimes it’s better to just fly blind.

     Also, if you have an opinion, your photographer might get lazy and just collaborate with you.  Aren’t you paying your photographer to make magic happen?  You shouldn’t have to spoon-feed him.  He’s the expert. If you are too involved, then all of a sudden your photos are specific to you and your uniqueness.  If you have absolutely nothing to offer, you can effectively entrust your entire career to a practical stranger who clearly knows you better than you know yourself.  Do the right thing.

     Don’t speak.  The best way to ensure that you don’t sabotage your photoshoot is to keep your mouth shut.  No photographer likes a two sided conversation—especially one that involves opinions (see above).  Stop distracting your photographer.  He’s there to document your face (it’s a headshot).  If you have a conversation that involves more that one word answers, there’s a pretty strong chance that your charisma and unique spirit might overpower your photos.  You might make yourself vulnerable and accessible and that will really mess things up.  

     If you actively carry a conversation during your shoot, you run the risk of being interesting.  and if the photographer finds you interesting, he may be inspired to capture your uniqueness visually.  Keep it simple.  Don’t share your goals.  Don’t answer any questions.  Don’t show interest in anything!  Talking is overrated.  That’s why text messaging exists.  You’re first goal is to stay strong and stay silent.

     Don’t take direction. If you shoot with an experienced photographer, chances are he’s been doing it long enough to think he’s some sort of expert on the subject.  He probably fancies himself a director.  If you really want to bring it home, ignore any suggestions and do you’re own thing.  He’ll want to find your angles, give you objectives, coax emotion, but you’ve taken a million selfies, so you know you.  Your photographer is a button pusher at best, and sometimes he needs to be reminded.  This is not a collaborative art.  You’re the MVP of your career.  Remember: There is no “U” in “teamwork.”

     Don’t be present.  We all know that conversation and intimacy can be scary. And when you’r scared, you’re not yourself.  Don’t let that alter ego be captured.  Distract yourself and don’t stay in the moment.  The easiest way to do this is to keep your phone close by.  When the photographer is setting up lights or adjusting your clothing or your hair or even just talking to you, it’s the perfect time to grab your phone and check out your likes on Instagram.  This sort of self validation will really give you confidence when you need it most.  If you have time, answer those texts from your mother asking how the shoot went.  Won’t she be surprised by your speedy response?    Give yourself the greatest gift—a lack of presence. 

     There are other ways to ruin your photoshoot, but these are the big ones.  Try to observe a couple (if not all) of them to really chip away at the quality of your headshots until they reach that mediocre/sub-par level.  If Hollywood continues it’s trend toward the celebration of average, you don’t want to miss your chance to ride that gravy train because you decided you needed some kick-ass headshots.  Stop trying so hard.  It’s all luck anyway.  Isn’t it?