On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, CBS VP of Casting Fern Orenstein provided personalized feedback to 10 lucky CAPE members on their current headshots. Each participant received valuable input on how to improve their headshot to land an acting role.

With 500 photos being reviewed for 1 acting part, having the right photo can often make or break the first impression of a casting director. During the session, Fern shared the following “best practices.”

1) Understand your strengths and get specific. Are you most comfortable in dramatic roles? Comedy roles? If you have a headshot that looks “quirky” and appropriate for comedy, but you have no interest or passion for comedy, than adjust your headshot to match your strengths/passions.

2) Match perception to reality. Again, if your headshot makes you look aggressive or villainy, but, in real life, people instantly see your aura or vibe as “innocent,” you may get initial calls but no follow-up success because your persona doesn’t match your headshot.

3) Consider 3-4 headshots. To help casting agents “picture YOU” in the role being sought, consider 3-4 different headshots which show you in different settings/roles. To help you get the right headshot, watch a lot of television and pay attention to the wardrobe, hairstyle, and environments of the types of show you’re pursuing. Come prepared to your photoshoot with 3-4 specific ‘characters’ that you want to play. Then ensure each headshot captures 1) the specific ROLE or JOB you will be playing, 2) a wardrobe that matches the character, and 3) a background appropriate to the character. Headshots that are “too general” and not specific enough to the part will likely be passed over.

4) Understand today’s market and its needs. Currently, there are a lot more available roles in DRAMA than COMEDY. There’s a constant need for lawyers, cops, doctors, nurses, and so forth which are typically seen in dramas. Make sure you have a headshot that illustrates you in that role. Again, choose an appropriate environment for your headshot that can reinforce the specific part you’re portraying. In addition to genre, understand that certain age segments are tough to cast. For example, there are not a lot of college shows on television right now. As such, you don’t want your headshot to portray yourself as an 18-22 year old college student – go younger or older.

5) Get a quality headshot. Your headshot is being quickly scanned among hundreds of other photos. The picture is the only information the casting office gets, initially. They are not going to sit there and analyze your picture. Having a GREAT headshot with the proper lighting, look, background, styling and wardrobe may get you that initial call. Compare your headshots with the headshots of those getting work. Make sure your photo stacks up. You don’t want to be passed over because your photo is substandard.