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Category: Headshot Tips

Seda Stepanyan
November 25, 2019
Where to Find Acting Auditions in Los Angeles

As an actor, you want to have an acting career in Los Angeles like Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks. That is a great wish, but for it to come true, you have a lot of work to do. That work includes not only finding Los Angeles headshot photographers to get professional headshots for your resume and your social media accounts. What does an acting career actually start with? It begins with the thing most actors hate and are even scared of: Auditions and casting calls. Yes, acting career begins with those stressful experiences called auditions.

It is not a joke saying that your acting career depends on acting auditions in Los Angeles. Therefore, you should respond to as many Los Angeles casting calls as it is possible to be successful. Don’t worry; everybody has gone through this at the beginning of their career, even megastars. 

Don’t stress!

It is natural that you stress about this issue; however, everything becomes simple when you know what to do. This article will help you make the first step towards your dream acting career. Here you will read about where and how to find the best acting auditions in Los Angeles and enrich your resume with various acting experiences. 

What to start with?

First of all, you should realize that in the modern world, there are many tools to help you reach your goal. There are many opportunities for everybody, and most importantly, it is effortless to find those opportunities. Also, you should realize that nobody is going to bring you those opportunities, but it is your job to look for them and to find them. It may sound a little sad, but it is temporary. You are just a starting actor, don’t forget about that. Soon after, the best directors of Los Angeles will start inviting you to play in their movies. But before, let’s look for some auditions.

As I said, there are so many tools, and the first one is the Internet. What does it mean? Yes, you can open your computer right now and find an audition for a role. The first website name you should type in your browser is Backstage.

1. Backstage 

Backstage is a perfect website for starting actors. It offers not only professional advice but also provides casting calls in Los Angeles. Those calls include different types of acting auditions in Los Angeles. You can find roles in theatre, movies, and commercial advertisements on the Backstage website. 

However, it is essential to note that Backstage is a paid website when it comes to Los Angeles casting calls and that is natural. In fact, most of the websites offering acting auditions in Los Angeles are paid. Backstage requires a monthly membership, which costs $19.99 . For that price, Backstage offers you:

Job applications

You can have unlimited access to Los Angeles casting calls of different types. It sounds like a perfect start for your acting career in Los Angeles, right?

Profile 

Signing up to Backstage, you can create a professional talent profile. Here you can post your resume, your demo reel, and the most recent headshots by a professional Los Angeles headshot photographer.

Signing up to backstage is a perfect start for your acting career in Los Angeles. This website is legitimate, and it is not very expensive. Even though there are cheaper websites, you may still go for Backstage, as it offers terrific Los Angeles casting calls. It also gives you a considerable amount of suggestions on how to participate in acting auditions in Los Angeles. Therefore, paying to Backstage will be a tiny investment in your future career. 

2. Breakdown Services

If you have an agent, then the website that will be really helpful is Breakdown Services. This is the best website where you will meet the best acting auditions in Los Angeles. This is where all the casting agencies and individual casting directors post announcements about Los Angeles casting calls. However, there is a nuance concerning this website. When I asked about the agent, it was necessary. The point is that only agents can use this website. They get special permission from this website and then, access to the best Los Angeles casting calls by professional casting agencies. 

Unfortunately, as an actor with no agent representation, you will not have the chance to participate in these casting calls. However, this should serve as a motivation for you. Take steps to become a more prominent actor: do more acting work, contact more Los Angeles headshot photographers for photo sessions, be more active in your social media. This is all to say, get involved in your sphere more. Agents will notify you and suggest their services. 

3. Actors Access

One more website for you to expand the variety of opportunities for acting auditions in Los Angeles. And there is one more good news concerning Actors Access. You don’t need an agent for that! This website provides not only Los Angeles casting calls, but also the ones in New York and Chicago just in case you need them. 

However, logically, these services are not free. You should pay for applying to the casting calls. Do you want one more surprise? OKAY! It is very cheap! You pay only 2$ for one acting audition. You can also pay $66 per year and have unlimited access to all the possible auditions in Los Angeles. As a headshot photographer in Los Angeles, and a person very familiar to the acting industry, I suggest you pay $66, as you will participate in much more acting auditions in Los Angeles than you imagine. Let’s be serious: nobody applies for just one Los Angeles casting call. It is impossible to choose 1 in 10000. Just pay $66 and ask for all the 10000. You will save a lot of money, which you can spend on creating a website for yourself, getting good headshots from the best Los Angeles headshot photographers, and making good videos. 

As you may understand, Actors Access is a dream place for starting actors. So, don’t hesitate to sign up. 

4. Other services

There are many more websites where you can find acting auditions in Los Angeles. The three sites mentioned above are not the only ones. There is always a chance to do more and discover more. These are the names of other casting websites (I wanted to hyperlink the blog I have written called “6 Best casting websites of 2019, but it was not submitted in the website”) that you may find useful to sign up for:

  1. Casting Networks Incorporated
  2. Playbill
  3. Mandy.com
  4. Casting Frontier

Don’t miss your chance to take the most and the best that the Internet offers you as a help for building your acting career in Los Angeles. There will be no harm from signing in to as much casting websites as it is possible to get access to all the acting auditions in Los Angeles.

Social Media

Let us not forget about this powerful tool called social media, as casting agencies don’t forget about it. It is not a secret how powerful social media can be when it comes to spreading and looking for information. For starting an actor looking for Los Angeles casting calls, social media is beneficial.

Events 

Many events related to the acting industry take place in Los Angeles. These events may not necessarily have websites, but they may be vital for your acting career. Participating in activities can actually be a perfect start of a job and a chance to participate in prestigious acting auditions in Los Angeles. You can meet influential casting directors during these events and communicate with them. You can also meet agents and persuade them to represent you during Los Angeles casting calls. Therefore, make sure to follow social media pages of events. 

When you like or follow a particular page, make sure to scroll down to see the recommendations that the social media platform provides. As you are making only the first steps of your acting career, don’t hesitate to follow everything connected to Los Angeles casting calls. You will not necessarily communicate with all the pages you follow. However, these pages are extremely useful in that they provide you the chance to be aware of the news in the acting industry and the most recent acting auditions in Los Angeles.  

By the way, don’t forget to follow all the official social media accounts of movie productions. What if they suddenly decide to make a job announcement? Who knows? And above all, it is your responsibility to follow the productions you dream to work with. 

Social media will also allow you to find the best headshot photographers in Los Angeles and register for photo sessions. 

Keep networking

It is extremely important to be active in the acting industry. Let’s say you have used the websites mentioned above and participated in a number of acting auditions in Los Angeles. That is not enough. You should search for more and more, and most importantly, you should make some contact with the influential people of the acting industry. You should make casting directors, writers, and maybe even producers know about you. What to do to find more casting calls and to participate in more acting auditions in Los Angeles?

  1. Get a job in the local theatre
  2. Don’t hesitate to do some volunteer acting in commercials
  3. Visit events connected to the acting industry
  4. Volunteer to participate in the films students make for their college projects
  5. Sign up for different acting classes even if you have already graduated from an acting school
  6. Join various filmmaking associations 
  7. Follow the famous Acting blogs and YouTube channels to expand your knowledge and skills 

Auditions for extras

Well, nobody said that becoming the new Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks starts with a lead role in a movie. Absolutely not! All the actors start with small characters where they appear for a couple of seconds in a crowd. Brad Pitt played an extra in a movie called “Less Than Zero” and he got only $38 for his role. Who could even imagine that this guy would appear in 2 Quentin Tarantino movies? So, don’t ever underestimate the job of extras and apply for Los Angeles casting calls for extras. 

At the beginning of your acting career in Los Angeles, the work as an extra in an effortless and rapid way to get into more substantial roles in movies. However, of course, everything depends on you. You should take that role of an extra really seriously. Try to impress the director. Try to do everything so that the director notices you. Show off all your skills and demonstrate a massive interest in what you are doing. Grab the attention of the director and the crew, and maybe they will consider you for more prominent roles. 

It will be unrealistic to say that the job of an extra is the key to a successful acting career in Hollywood. Don’t take it too easy. It should serve you like nothing else but a boost to achieve higher goals and be only the first step of a ladder leading to peaks such as the Academy Award for best actor or actress.

As a Conclusion…

Today, the Internet allows us to have quick and easy access to the information you are looking for. The acting career in Los Angeles does not start from the top. You have a colossal path to go through before you reach your goals and become a famous actor in Los Angeles. You should start your way by preparing a good resume, which includes a beautiful headshot by a Los Angeles headshot photographer, and then start filling in your acting experience. This experience should be vibrant, and for that, you should respond to all the Los Angeles casting calls you come across.

Take real steps to find casting calls and sign up to the websites and follow acting social media accounts that I presented in this article. Be very active: participate in events and never ever stop networking. Participating in acting auditions in Los Angeles is crucial for your acting career, so do that as much as it is possible, and you will become the Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks of the future. 

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Seda Stepanyan
October 31, 2019
Top 5 YouTube Channels on Acting

If you are an actor or an emerging actor and you want to build a great acting career in Los Angeles, this is a blog you should absolutely stick to and read. Besides reading books on acting and taking acting classes you should know all the YouTube channels on acting. Being an actor is a profession with 2 dimensions: it is fun, yet it is very complicated. At any step of their career path, actors have new things to learn and new skills to obtain. Los Angeles acting YouTube channels make the process of learning much easier and much more enjoyable. Youtubers also provide tips on top Los Angeles headshot photographers, acting schools, casting agencies from their own experience.

Subscribing to YouTube channels, you will have a chance to gain academic knowledge of your field, look at the job of famous actors and see tutorials such as how to prepare for an audition or how to find a professional Los Angeles headshot photographer. The videos of most Los Angeles YouTubers will also provide you with plenty of enjoyment. Therefore, you may find it essential to know about the best YouTube channels connected to acting and follow them. Below, you can read about the top 10 acting blogs.

1. Act On This

youtube channel on acting

Firstly, you might want to visit the website of Act On This to understand to see whether you are interested in it or not. The primary mission of this channel is to help you figure out the acting industry you have just stepped in. Besides, following this Los Angeles acting youtube channel, you will not need to learn about the Los Angeles acting sector on your own, but with helpful video suggestions.

Act On This has already done the research for you. They know how to get an agent or a manager, how to book auditions, where to find a Los Angeles headshot photographer, how to dress for a headshot, and how to prepare a resume. Regardless of which point of your acting career you are subscribing to this channel will lead you to reach a higher level. 

Act On This offers knowledge from the best casting directors and agents. 

How It Works

This channel does some unique job of putting you on the right path. In case you just don’t know what to do with your degree or with your talent, or both, Act On This will tell you that.

What can you find here 

In Act On This Los Angeles Acting youtube channel, you can find weekly and live broadcasts. These videos will help you level up in your acting career. Here you can learn a lot from famous casting directors, actors, and successful agents.

Who is it for?

Actors who:

  1. … are new in the industry and are unsure about where to start
  2. … have just graduated from acting schools
  3. … already have some experience and what to reach higher levels
  4. … want to start communicating with casting directors
  5. … wish to become members of a specific community
  6. … simply want to be at the top of the industry and aware of the news. 

What kind of videos?

The contents of the videos and their lengths vary in this channel. There are about 1-hour-long videos that give you detailed information on, for instance, guiding about actor’s social media requirements or what to do for more auditions. 

Other videos include live Q&A sessions with famous people of the acting industry or famous actors’ personal previews. There are also numerous motivational videos that you may enjoy just watching. 

Act On This is a channel that can contribute to the development of your acting career in Los Angeles. Made by an exceptional Los Angeles YouTuber, Act On This provides compelling content along with an enjoyable process of watching. 

2. The Hollywood Reporter

hollywood reporter on acting

This Los Angeles acting youtube channel should not be something unfamiliar, as you have most probably heard about its website. However, if you are an actor, following merely the site of Hollywood Reporter is not enough. The information you will get from the videos of this youtube channel is incomparable. 

Why Hollywood Reporter?

This youtube channel is unique in the content it provides: Here is what you can find in one of the best Los Angeles youtube channels:

Brilliant roundtable interviews with Hollywood’s elite

This is a fantastic method for you as an actor to develop. You learn the discussion of real actors about their actual roles. These discussions include both analysis and evaluation. You will also have the chance to learn about the experience of actors such as Tom Hanks, Gary Oldman, John Boyega, and James Franco at a roundtable discussion. 

Access to famous people from behind the scenes

In these videos, famous actors and actresses talk about the behind the scenes of the movies they have recently made. This is a good chance for you as an actor to understand how to prepare for your future prominent roles. You will learn about acting routines such as arriving at the set or getting photos from Los Angeles headshot photographers. 

Very current and newly updated information in the acting industry

And of course, Hollywood Reporter never misses the premiers of new movies. Following this Los Angeles Acting youtube channel, you will be informed about all the news in the cinema industry and famous actors’ lives. 

As you may have understood, Hollywood Reporter is not a channel where Los Angeles YouTubers educate you. This is a channel that is required to subscribe to being informed about the latest updates in the acting industry, the part of which you are going to become soon. 

3. Variety – Actors on Actors

acting tips on variety channel

This is one of the most influential Los Angeles acting youtube channels that you should follow.

This is also a channel that differs from the ones individual Los Angeles YouTubers have. Actors on Actors are not created to educate you, but you can self-educate here. 

What videos can I find here?

Two famous Hollywood actors or actresses have a conversation about their career and the characters they have played. This is a tete a tete professional discussion where the actor discusses, analyzes, and evaluates their performances. 

The video you should probably start from is the conversation between Margot Robbie and Jake Gyllenhaal. The two actors had similar experiences of playing characters of real-life people who have gone through difficult life and who are still alive. Moreover, the actors discuss how they planned their acting and the research they have conducted before playing the roles. For you, as an actor, this should be incredibly interesting and useful. You will hear a conversation about the real experience of actors’ professional research.   

Why subscribe to Actors on Actors?

Watching the videos where famous actors who have won the highest awards in the acting industry is the best contribution youtube can make to your acting career. You see how professionals imply the theoretical knowledge you have into real characters in real movies and create masterpieces out of them. And this is not a joke! Take it seriously. Characters such as Satine from Moulin Rouge or Nina in Black Swan are absolute masterpieces of the genre. Actors on Actors gives you the chance to listen to the discussion of these characters by the actors who played them themselves. Therefore, go and hear how Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman discuss their roles with other famous actors. 

For you, as an actor, this channel will be especially interesting as you will listen to the conversations of famous actors from the professional point of view. You can try to incorporate their experience into your work, thus developing your acting career. 

This is a fantastic chance for you to learn from worldwide known celebrities. Don’t miss this chance and subscribe to Actors on Actors. 

4. The Heller Approach

youtube acting class heller

Another Los Angeles Acting youtube channel that you should follow if you want to develop your acting career in Los Angeles. This channel is different than the ones discussed above, which makes it an absolute requirement for you to subscribe. 

What is Heller Approach?

The Heller Approach is actually not a famous academic approach. It is an acting technique that a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) former professor Brad Heller invented. Brad Heller is an actor and director himself, and he took the path of teaching this art in one of the best Los Angeles Acting youtube channels. 

What to find on the Channel?

On The Heller Approach Los Angeles acting youtube channel, you will find acting lessons based on the Heller Approach. Brad Heller himself speaks in the videos. By the way, he also gives acting classes in his acting studio in Los Angele, which you can visit. The studio is located at 211 Victory Avenue, Burbank. The videos of this Los Angeles YouTuber include the following:

How to:

  1. find the conflict
  2. connect to the audience
  3. find your style
  4. choose your emotion
  5. make your scene natural
  6. internalize your feelings
  7. effectively memorize your lines
  8. figure your character out
  9. start actor’s preparation

Why subscribe?

As an actor and director, Mr. Heller teaches his own technique of acting, which you may find truly interesting to learn about. Obtaining the traditional knowledge of Stanislavski’s system and other methods, it is worth spending some time to increase your professional academic arsenal.

“Where people learn how to be actors and actors learn how to be people.”

Mr. Heller

Therefore, be curious and take the opportunity to learn something new about your career.

5. Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Ellen Degeneres, Stephen Colbert

jimmy kimmer on acting

Alright! What a discussion about youtube channels can there even exist without mentioning these people? The best Tv Talk Show hosts in Los Angeles, USA, and worldwide. Hosts who have regular updates and immense influence over all the industries, including acting. These are hosts that have all the celebrities on their shows and the most engaging discussions you can listen to. There is no doubt that you are subscribed to all of them. Wait. Aren’t you? Then, shame on you! Stop reading this article for a moment. I will wait – Los Angeles headshot photographers are used to waiting. Did you subscribe? Alright, let’s continue. And the question we are going to discuss is:

Why follow these channels?

You may say, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Ellen Degeneres, and Stephen Colbert are not Los Angeles YouTubers, and their channels are not even Los Angeles Acting youtube channels. Why is it so necessary to subscribe for acting purposes? Well, there exists an apparent reason. As mentioned, these people have all the celebrities on their shows. Those celebrities also include actors, actresses, and directors. First, you will have the chance to learn about their experiences. Very often, the hosts invite actors to talk about their latest movies, and sometimes they seriously present their expertise.

 However, even during the funny parts of the talks and numerous jokes, you have plenty of things to learn. You can concentrate on how actors respond to questions improv. How they get out of situations and how they think of jokes at the moment. Most importantly, you can pay attention to how they act naturally and learn from them. You will look at the actors you know very well outside their characters, which will be an excellent way for you to develop as well. 

Acting is your profession, which obliges you to be informed about the acting industry very well. If you want to reach significant goals for your acting career in Los Angeles, you should be actively following blogs and youtube channels connected to acting. It is no more enough to read about how to succeed in auditions, create demo reels or get great headshots by Los Angeles headshot photographers. You should be more active and knowledgeable about the field you work in. Following Los Angeles YouTubers who post videos about acting is a good idea. This way, you will combine your theoretical knowledge with entertainment and general awareness about the industry. You will also have the chance to get familiar with the experience of famous actors, directors, and agents. Therefore, subscribe to the Los Angeles acting youtube channel that you read about here. 

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Seda Stepanyan
October 26, 2019
Do you need Plastic Surgery to Succeed in Hollywood?

We have all, at one point, or another considered getting plastic surgery. It might be a small lip filler or rhinoplasty, but trust me, I’m a headshot photographer in Los Angeles, everyone has been there. Especially if you’re trying to build your acting career and to succeed in Hollywood. Did you know that due to the overwhelmingly large number of actors with facial modifications, Chinese acting schools have stopped accepting students who have had plastic surgery done? They say that even the smallest change will affect the actor’s subtle facial expressions. 

Last year, while casting for Youth, the famous director Feng Xiaogang said at the premiere that he is okay with other movies having actresses who have gone through plastic surgery, but his films have different standards. In order to show that all the actresses in his film were naturally beautiful, he turned the premiere into a “makeup removal event” by using wipes to clean all the makeup off the actresses’ faces and pinching their noses. Now the question that remains is whether plastic surgery is necessary to succeed in Hollywood or not. As a headshot photographer in Los Angeles, I would like to share my thoughts on this. 

The Importance of Looking Realistic

Surgery or no surgery, to succeed in Hollywood, you must be authentic. Whether it’s your agent, your audience, or your headshot photographer, they all want to see something real. In Los Angeles, it’s hard to be authentic when everyone around you is trying to fake embodying a luxurious lifestyle. But I want to highlight the importance of looking realistic. 

Headshots

You know that disappointing feeling when you bite into what you think is a chocolate chip cookie, but you find out it’s really a raisin cookie? That is precisely what agents think when they invite you to an audition, and you end up looking nothing like your headshots.

Your headshots are going to be everywhere. They will be on your website, your marketing material, and it’s what you first give to casting agencies. If you imagine that your career is a web, then your headshots are the nerve center that ties it all together. 

headshot photographer
Actor, Studio Headshot, Los Angeles

Agents go through thousands of headshots a day. You are only going to receive a few seconds to grab their attention; otherwise, your chance is over. Your headshots need to convey your personality, your age, and what type of role you want to play. Don’t be afraid of your flaws, instead embrace them. Agents do not want to see the same, edited, and touched-up pictures all the time. 

Before starting your headshot session, try to talk to your photographer and describe who you are and what your goals are. The photographer has experience and will know what to do. My clients from Los Angeles come to me for affordable headshot sessions once every few months. You must always correctly portray your age. So as good as your headshots from 5 years ago look, they will be useless because you don’t look like that anymore. It is also essential to update your headshots if you make any changes in your appearance. I know that this sounds like an expensive process, but you can check out the affordable prices for my headshot sessions in Los Angeles here. I can help you show who you really are and find the role that is right for you. 

Aging

Los Angeles plastic surgeons reveal that their most requested procedure is facelifts. People think facelifts are the key to maintaining the perfect youthful look forever. Of course, everyone strives for Hollywood success. But, part of that perfection is honesty. Honesty is always of the utmost valued highly in this industry. You must always be authentic; it is almost vital. If you start building a web of lies and appearances early in your career, you will surely not make it. So, do not be afraid to show your age in your headshots and roles. Everyone knows people age and that it is a natural process of life. A few wrinkles will definitely not make your prospects any smaller. Agents that I know always tell me that they’re looking to cast people of all ages. 

succeed in Hollywood
Source: https://www.insider.com/

Think of Meryl Streep. She was 31 when she won her first Oscar as best supporting actress for Kramer vs. Kramer. She continued to age naturally, but that never stopped her as she continued to get nomination after nomination. She won the best lead actress for The Iron Lady at the age of 62. Meryl Streep has never tried to conceal her natural aging process and has become even more loved just for that. She still gets nominated for awards even in her 70s, and her wrinkles haven’t cost her any roles. 

And she is not the only example; just look at Betty White. Helen Mirren, who is also a beloved actress in her 70s, never tries to hide her age. When someone asked her about modifying her looks once she said: “It’s ridiculous to pretend we can stay young forever.” If you love what you do and you are good at it, people will feel it from beyond the screen, and your aging won’t matter. 

Relatability

People are usually very egotistical and love seeing parts of themselves on screen. They love relating to any character even if they can fly or read minds. Most actors still portray characters who are real people and should have flaws. People with a big nose who feel insecure about it will love seeing an actor on a big screen with the same big nose. 

As much as you don’t want to or don’t expect it, you are still, in part, a role model when you become famous. People look up to you, and you embracing your flaws will not only make you seem authentic but also help people accept and love their own flaws. This is more important if your target audience consists of kids. If the casting directors choose you to play a superhero and have larger than average ears, you are going to change the way other kids look at the kid they tease who also has big ears. You will also help make that kid feel better about themselves and influence their self-confidence positively. 

Why Should I Not Get Surgery?

We all know the Hollywood ideal. It is a sharp face with a tiny nose, big lips, high cheekbones, and a small forehead.

1. Uniformity

We all know the Hollywood ideal. It is a sharp face with a tiny nose, big lips, high cheekbones, and a small forehead. Today everyone is striving to reach this “perfect face”. One surgery leads to another, and suddenly, you look just the same as everyone else stepping into that office. Succeeding in Hollywood is about standing out and making an impression. If an agent is going through thousands of headshots and they all look the same, he won’t glance twice at yours. What is going to stick in their mind is those headshots with distinct characteristics, even if those are traditionally considered flaws. He will remember the actor with the big nose or the actress with a long chin. 

Of course, once you’re in the industry, professionals will recognize for your talent and not only your face. But, when you’re starting off, you must take advantage of everything and try your hardest to stand out. As a headshot photographer in Los Angeles, I always take the time to speak to my clients beforehand and find what is unique about them. I help them outline their characteristics in their headshots. 

2. Noticeability

In the world of tabloid and high definition TVs, the public eye has been trained to notice the slight differences in your appearance. Tabloids and bloggers will spend hours analyzing and writing about the before and afters of your surgery. Due to this, your performance will be ignored. You are an actor, and your job is to portray emotion. The audience wants to see what you’re feeling the exact moment you’re feeling it. If you can’t move your forehead when you’re angry, people won’t feel the emotion strongly. And once they don’t feel any emotion, there will be no connection with your character, and you are sure to leave a bad impression on the audience.  

Examples from Hollywood

Of course, I could go on forever about good and bad examples from Hollywood about plastic surgery. But, here are the most significant examples where getting or not getting plastic surgery has significantly impacted the actor’s carer and life. 

Jennifer Grey and her “Nose Job from Hell”

plastic surgery
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/

This was the beloved it-girl who people couldn’t get enough of after her roles in Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. She got a nomination for the prestigious Golden Globe Award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture. In the early 1990s, Jennifer Grey made the career-altering decision to get plastic surgery on her nose. She stated that she only wanted a minor change, but what happened was much more dramatic. The alteration of her nose changed her entire face and made her unrecognizable.

She said that she went into the operating room as a celebrity and came out as someone anonymous.

Did it help her to succeed in Hollywood? No. She damaged her whole legacy built through many years of hard work by fixing one thing on her face. No one expected such a minor change to alter her overall look dramatically, but this cost her career.

Adrien Brody

Whenever anyone mentions Adrien Brody, the first thing that comes to mind aside from his groundbreaking role in “The Pianist” is his nose. His nose is so large that it dwarfs all his other facial features. He has even broken it three times, doing his own stunts in his movies. Some critics even say that it was his nose that landed him his oscar-winning role in “The Pianist”.

succeed in Hollywood
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/

When he was starting his career, everybody criticized him for it. Nobody believed he could succeed in Hollywood with such nose. But today, no one can imagine him without his nose. Like it or not, it has become part of his brand, and him embracing it has made him even more likable. The more crooked the nose, the more character in the man 😉

Heidi Montag

Heidi Montag reached the peak of her popularity during her time on “The Hills.” In 2010 she revealed that she had undergone ten drastic plastic surgeries. All of these were done in one day, including brow lift, chin reduction, and multiple Botox injections. She was 23 at the time of doing them. After doing them, she told everyone that she was perfectly happy with herself. She seemed to be sure it was going to make her succeed in Hollywood.

acting career
Source: pinterest

Now aged 32, she has a very different opinion about her extensive procedures. In an interview from 2016, she states that she was way too young to make these life-changing decisions and did it all due to the pressure. Her husband was with her throughout the entire process. He states that in his opinion, there is no such thing as a ‘minor surgical procedure.’ Any surgical procedure is life altering and should be well thought out.

Heidi even tells that her heart had stopped for a short amount of time during her recovery. Everyone thought she wasn’t going to make it. She also describes how you only see the before and after pictures online. No one ever shows you how devastating the process of recovery is.

“I do not regret many of my enhancements, but plastic surgery is not something that should be glorified. Take it seriously.”

Heidi Montag

If you’re insecure about a feature on your face and you think that you must go under the knife, try to find the root of the problem. Do you really hate your chin, or is it due to the pressure or societal stereotypes of the person who succeeds in Hollywood? Usually, it is all in your head. Once you are able to overcome this and embrace your “flaws” it might even help you build your brand as a performer. 

If you find that you still need the surgery, then go for it. But be careful and consider all the negatives before you go in. In my professional opinion, as someone who is part of the industry and lives in the center of it all (Los Angeles), I say it is not something that is necessary. I’ve seen many people with distinct and unique features make it big without any alterations. Building a successful acting career in Los Angeles includes many steps, but plastic surgery is not one of them. 

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Seda Stepanyan
October 19, 2019
Why is it a Must to Post Corporate Headshots on your Website?

Are there real people working for your company?

The easiest way to make your clients trust your brand is to show them that there are real people working for your company, in other words posting corporate headshots on your website. To make an impression the employees should look at their best. That’s why you should hire a professional headshot photographer to do the job for you. There is a huge variety of professional photographers in Los Angeles. When the potential clients of your company visit your website, they want to see examples of your work. That is why every company takes exceptional care of the content of their websites.

However, there is a section that companies often do not concentrate on so much. That is the page of your team members. Sometimes, the “About Us” sections contain only the names of the employees and some information about them. However, that is not enough. One important thing you should include in this section is the headshots of your personnel. The reason behind this is that the presence of corporate headshots on your website assures your clients that real people are working in your company. As a result, clients start to trust your company.  

Why should you show the faces of your team members?

How to create a favorable relationship with your consumers when they do not meet you face to face? You should do this by using images on your website. 

Headshots of the staff made by a professional photographer in Los Angeles allow consumers to have an emotional investment in your mutual relationship. Imagine when you contact the cable company to address for a particular company. Before you talk to the operator, you need to listen to several minutes of recorded monologue and questions. You probably hate this process and wait impatiently until a real person starts talking to you. The same experience refers to websites without headshots. Having headshots on your site makes people feel comfortable and appreciated.

You will get personal with your consumers if you provide pictures of the people they are going to work with. You will establish great relationships with your clients by creating a friendly atmosphere thanks to photos by a professional headshot photographer.

4 Benefits of Including Corporate Headshots on your website

As you may understand, including headshots on the team pages of your website is nothing else but beneficial for your company. Here is why:

company team photo shoot
Source: vox.com

1. Good First Impression

It is very well-known that the first impression is the most important one. If you visit a website once and do not like it, you will never return, as your first impression wasn’t good. And this feeling will last. As a website owner, you do not have a lot of time to draw your visitor’s attention, so you should use your time wisely. Professional corporate headshots and team photos add some interest to your website, and they can engage the visitors more than the text can do.

2. Company Personality

Headshots of your employers on your website also serve as the image of your company. They make up the culture of your company. You will seem to be an inviting and friendly company with many smiling people welcoming you online. 

3. Stronger Relationship

Team photos of the staff will help the consumers associate names with faces and. Corporate headshots on your website by a professional photographer in Los Angeles will be a personal connection between you and your consumers. 

4. More Engagement

The central idea behind the necessity of headshots is that people will feel engaged and appreciated. With the availability of real contacts, your visitors will wish to stay on your website and become potential clients.  

How to make your clients trust your company?

The presence of headshots and multiple photos will engage visitors to your website. However, how to make them get interested in your company and become clients? Photos and corporate headshots on your website can contribute to this goal, but there are specific characteristics you should follow. Here they are:

1. Professionalism  

The professionalism of the headshots will make the clients trust your company and become a regular consumer. If you get professional headshots for your employees, the consumers will be sure about the quality and the professionalism of your company. The customers will know you are the right specialists and have serious missions and respectful attitude towards them. Contact a professional headshot photographer in Los Angeles to get the best for your website. Invest in your future!

2. Uniqueness

Even though you should follow some professional standards, nobody said your headshots should be niche. Depending on your website’s content, think of a unique theme for your employer’s headshots. Even if you are a serious business organization, your mission is to create a friendly atmosphere to attract clients. Think of a special conception, dress code, accessories, and other things to have a themed team page. 

3. Looking Real

Do not insert stock photos on the website of your company. You should have authentic images taken by a headshot photographer in Los Angeles. Your consumers should be sure that whatever the content of your website is, it is real. This way, the stakeholders of your webpage will take your company seriously and be willing to cooperate with you.

4. Human and Relatable

The headshots on your website should be natural. They need to talk to the visitors conversationally. This way, they will know the team outside the office and make a good opinion about your company outside the office. 

How to find a corporate headshot photographer in Los Angeles?

For the photos on your website to correspond to the status of your company, you need to hire a professional headshot photographer in Los Angeles. A photographer that will help you meet the creative aspects of getting headshots, come up with original ideas, give you constructive suggestions and finally, create a friendly atmosphere so that you enjoy the process of getting headshots.

If you are looking for an experienced corporate headshot photographer with a wide range of skills and creativity, contact me – a professional photographer in Los Angeles.  

How to organize the photoshoot?

It is essential to organize a photoshoot for your employees and staff members to invest in a favorable relationship with the visitors of your website. As an employer, you may start to think about hiring a professional photographer in Los Angeles. A crucial question here is where to organize the headshots for your staff. You may consider two options:

Go to your Photographer’s Studio

For getting team page headshots for your website, you can visit a professional photographer in Los Angeles. You will get studio headshots for all your staff members in the most professional way. In a studio, the photographer will have all the appropriate lighting for corporate headshots. Further on, the photographer may think of unique concepts for your employees’ headshots so that they are not dull, but rather original. However, depending on the conditions of the studio, you may need to split your staff into groups and schedule particular days for each member. In case this situation is not appropriate to you, you may go for another option which I propose below. In 

Invite your photographer to your office

Inviting a professional headshot photographer to your office is another option. This way, you will not have to carry all your staff to a particular place during working hours. You will also not need to ask them to spend time after work. Instead, you may ask the photographer to visit your office at a time when all the staff members are in their workplace. This will be a much more productive experience as you will lose less time and effort. This is a mutually beneficial variant for you and your employees. The photographer will come with all her equipment to ensure a decent photo session in terms of professionality. He /she will set a mini studio in your office, creating a portable background for corporate headshots. 

Whichever option you choose to fill in the “About Us” section of your website, make sure to contact a professional photographer in Los Angeles. The quality of your website’s component talks about the quality of your company. Therefore, corporate headshots of the staff may determine the attitude of consumers towards your company. Take it seriously! 

Examples of Team Pages

Successful companies in the world follow the principle of posting staff members’ headshots on the team page of the company’s website. They believe that photos talk more and better than texts, so they implement this tactic. Below you can find examples of large successful companies and the way they organize the “About Us” section of their websites. 

Kickstarter 

Being a popular crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter paid huge attention to its team page. With the header “Meet the Team,” Kickstarter introduces the headshots of 153 staff members. The company gives the opportunity to shine to its employees and at the same time, creates a welcoming atmosphere for the readers. Therefore, through professional headshots, this team page shows that the staff not only works for the company, but they also support you – the visitors of their page and potential clients. 

corporate headshots on website
Source: Kickstarter

Khan Academy

As a company with the aim to provide knowledge to people by making it entertaining, Khan Academy understands the importance of creating an atmosphere where people would like to stay. Therefore, they paid particular attention to their team page. The professional headshots of this page make the website attainable for the visitors.  

Further, the page provides an easy method of getting to know the team. The visitors can read about the staff members just by keeping the mouse on their headshots. This showcasing not only tells you who they are but also makes you get in touch with them. The company becomes more relatable to you, thanks to professional headshots. 

corporate headshots on webstie
Source: Khan Academy

Lateral

A development and design studio based in New York has one of the most attractive team pages among different companies. The company pays special attention to the impression it makes on the visitors to the website. Therefore, Lateral has a beautiful Team Page with professional headshots of its employees. 

corporate headshots on website
Source: Lateral

This design has a very unique function. With the movement of the mouse, the headshots of the employees turn to the coordinates of the mouth. Therefore, the team shows you how much they care about you. If you like this feature, you should ask your professional headshot photographer in Los Angeles to take headshots from different angles. As a result, your employees will have multiple headshots, and you will be able to create such an attractive feature for your company’s website. 

LiveChat Software

LiveChat Software is a software company that provides different customer services. As you may understand, people are the essential stakeholders of their company; therefore, they should do their best to grab their attention and gain their trust. For this reason, LiveChat Software chose a very creative method for its Team Page. 

They organized thematic photo sessions for each of their employees to get some fun images. To understand the concept, look at the photos below;

corporate headshots on website
corporate portrait on website
corporate portrait on website

With these thematic photos by a professional photographer, the team creates an incredibly friendly atmosphere for its clients. Who would not like this idea? I think you would probably stick on this website at least to watch more photos like these ones. So, it is perhaps worth considering this idea for your own webpage. 

Rethink 

A company that calls itself creative should have had an innovative approach to its clients. And the first step towards the clients is the atmosphere they create in the team page. Calling that section “Rethinkers,” the company uploaded creative photos of the staff members. Here you can see some of them and maybe want to ask a professional photographer in Los Angeles to make similar ones for your website.

professional photographer in Los Angeles

Aren’t they cool? This company, just as the previous one, makes the visitors willing to stay on their website thanks to the photos of their employees. 

A professional corporate headshot is a chance for your company to create a positive image and possibly even turn your website visitors into potential consumers of your products or services. The first thing that you should do as an employer is looking for a professional headshot photographer in Los Angeles: a person who will put effort into providing your website with perfect corporate headshots of your staff members. Feel free to contact me for a professional approach to your wishes, and we could draw a special pricing depending on your team size, location and other preferences.

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Seda Stepanyan
October 16, 2019
Halloween Photo Session Ideas

It is fall already, and everybody is counting down the days until Halloween. All of us plan our Halloween day long before the event; what costume are we going to wear? What makeup are we going to put on? Where are we going to celebrate the day? And what Halloween photo session ideas do you have in mind? As a professional photographer in Los Angeles, I came up with cool ideas for a Halloween photo session in Los Angeles. A photo session is going to be the best part of Halloween as it will give you memories about this year’s Halloween. So, follow the tips below, and you will have wonderful and memorable photos at Halloween. 

Themes

First of all, you should start thinking about a specific theme for your Halloween photo session. It is boring, just take photos in a specific costume. Instead, you can select something entirely new and original. Choose a format with appropriate decorations and costume, and ask your professional photographer to immortalize those scenes. Here you can find some recommendations by professional headshot photographers in Los Angeles. 

1. Silhouettes

Choosing the theme of silhouettes is a terrific method of creating a special mood. The silhouette is usually connected to drama and mystery, which is extremely typical to Halloween. Most importantly, silhouettes will be an eye-catching idea thanks to its creativity. Therefore, taking silhouette pictures at a Halloween will provide you with striking images with no similar ones around.

Silhouette photos will stand out as, despite being simple, they make an impression that they convey a big story. They do not give a true picture, and they leave the viewer to imagine. This theme of a Halloween photo session will also be a nice experience for a Los Angeles photographer. 

2. Decades

Halloween does not only mean scary costumes, witches, monsters, and zombies. You can have a great photoshoot choosing the theme of decades. This is a theme that contains so much history and can provide you with the opportunity to get a photo similar to none. A photoshoot in a retro environment by our photographer in Los Angeles is a wonderful idea. The range of things you may do is massive.

First, pick a specific period. It may be the 20s with roaring Gatsby styled costumes. Renting decorations of the period, you can get fantastic images of this era for Halloween. You can also get great photos, as this is a theme that may be used for other events as well. 

Maybe 50s? Post World War America. New fashion, new trends, and freedom. A good tip for this period is to put on a short hair wig and the costume of Pan American stewardess. There is nothing better that can describe the era, and it is such a unique idea for a Halloween photoshoot in Los Angeles. 

The groovy 70s is another idea for the decades’ theme. Why not do something counterculture? Do your own “Once upon a time in Hollywood” incorporation dressing up into a hippie. Isn’t it original for a Halloween photo session?

You can go further on and choose the radical 80s and the trendy 90s for your new photoshoot. Whichever you go for, you will get a fantastic headshot and an exciting photo session.

3. Wild West

Another way to have a real Halloween photo session without a scary element. Set background with whiskey, bites, and some saloon decor in the studio. 

halloween photoshoot in Los Angeles

Your costume should obviously have the cowboy style. Put on cowboy boots, a belt, and a hat. Take a gun and imagine you are in the wild, Texas. Have fun, and your LA professional photographer will spot your emotions and give you natural pictures. This is a theme that will never be out of style.

4. Zombie Apocalypse

Do you still want something scary for your Halloween photo session? Alright, let’s do this. Zombie Apocalypse is a theme for you. “The Walking Dead” will always be a beloved topic, and why not have a photo session about it? Good costume and realistic makeup are essential for this theme.

zombie photoshoot Los Angeles

So, go on; put on your scary costume, bloody teeth, long nails, and a knife somewhere in your head. Get a studio headshot after scaring your photographer!

5. Haunted House

And of course, what Halloween without a haunted house? This is a classic Halloween theme, which the public always accepts. It is worth having a Halloween photo session with the theme of a haunted house at least once. The creepy factor is never redundant at Halloween.

halloween photoshoot Los Angeles

Put the accent on decorations. Decorate the studio or your home with wax candles, sticky cobwebs, eerie potion bottles, and glass domes. You can get a photo shoot with each of them in your hands and also a set of photos with various grimaces. The costume variants may range from witches and ghosts to inadequate scientists. 

As you can see, there are many ways to get a non-cliche photo session by a professional photographer in Los Angeles. Get inspired by the suggestions you read above and think outside the box! 

Movies

Halloween is a perfect opportunity to become the movie characters you really like. It is a quite popular experience to dress up into movie heroes at Halloween. However, have you ever thought about incorporating this idea into a photo session? For a Halloween photo session by a professional photographer in Los Angeles, you can dress up into numerous movie characters and get headshots with all of them. It is your choice and your preference, but here are some interesting ideas of movie characters.

1. Mathilda from “Leon: The Professional”

Mathilda from Leon The Professional
Source: cinapse.co

Mathilda is one of the most beloved characters in the whole cinematic history. A 12-year-old girl with such an emotional story. The best part about choosing her as a Halloween character is that it is very easy to dress up into her. Just a striped shirt, a short hair wig, red beret, and you are ready! 

2. Leeloo from “The 5th Element”

Leeloo from “The 5th Element"

Another favorite movie character. Everybody in the world has seen the movie and knows who Leeloo is; a very significant aspect of getting a movie-themed Halloween photoshoot. Dressing up into Leeloo is also extremely easy. You can rent her white costume or just make it yourself. Don’t forget about the orange wig. This is it; you are already Leeloo.

3. Sarah Connor from “The Terminator”

Halloween photoshoot ideas
Source: denofgeek.com

What a Halloween photo session without a brutal lady? A black shirt, wide trousers, tied hair, and a gun. Perfect! Your costume already says everything. Also, think about taking a pair of photos with the Terminator himself! 

4. Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games”

Halloween photoshoot ideas

Some childhood is also a cool idea for your Halloween photo session in Los Angeles. Everybody will surely accept the beloved heroine and appreciate your choice. Tide your hair and get some arrows, and do not forget about decorations. 

5. Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow from the “MCU”

Halloween Photoshoot ideas
Source: nme.com

A female superhero is a worthy thing! Black Widow is a symbolic character for girls as she is the representation of strength and courage. Besides, her tight black costume and ginger hair will be phenomenal for a Halloween photo session. 

6. Rocky Balboa from “Rocky”

Halloween photoshoot ideas
Source: gq-magazine.co.uk

A life-changing character of the 20th century. A role model for many young boys in the world. Isn’t he worthy of dressing up into for a Halloween photoshoot? Nobody can resist the iconic red sweatband. Just get one, put it on your head, and you are Rocky!

7. Elia Codogno from “The Taming of the Scoundrel”

halloween photoshoot ideas

Epochal Adriano Celentano as an obnoxious man who hates everybody in the world. At the same time, a worthy man, you can pretend to be at your Halloween photo session. What you need is just a short-sleeve vinous shirt and a necklace, and everybody will recognize your Halloween photos.

8. Jules Winnfield from “Pulp Fiction”

halloween photoshoot ideas in Los Angeles

What discussions about movies without Quentin Tarantino? You should absolutely take someone from Tarantino movies and dress up into for a Halloween photo session in Los Angeles. The best decision will probably be Samuel Jackson’s Jules Winnfield. Curly dark hair and a gun; this is what you need!

9. The Joker

halloween costume ideas Los Angeles
Source: https://metro.co.uk

Incorporating the best movie character of 2019 at Halloween is a wonderful idea. The Joker is not only an icon in the movie history but also a character who completely corresponds to the idea of Halloween. Get either a purple or a red costume for a photo session corresponding to Heath Ledger’s or Joaquin Phoenix’s characters, respectively. 

Choosing the idea of movie characters for your Halloween photo session by a professional photographer in Los Angeles is an exclusive idea. The characters that I listed above will not require much preparation and costume work. You can easily put one on, get headshots, and then dress up into the other. This way, you will have Halloween photos of 6 or more famous movie characters for flipbooks. 

Decorations 

For special themes and movie characters, it is very important to think about decorations. Even if you are getting headshots, don’t forget that it is Halloween. Decorations will saturate your photos and create a mood for your Halloween photo session in Los Angeles. Below you can find some original ideas for decorations for your photo session. 

Props

Props are what creates a Halloween atmosphere at a party or for photo shoot. Depending on your theme choice, get some props that correspond to your character, and start your photo session. You will seem much more interesting with these figures surrounding you. Remember, Captain America is not Captain America without his shield. So, renting a shield will be a nice idea in case you chose to be Cap. You can find numerous props for rent around you, and you may consult your professional photographer in Los Angeles. 

Pumpkins

What Halloween without pumpkins? It is probably impossible to imagine a Halloween party without pumpkins. For your photo session by a professional photographer, pumpkins should be part of your decorations. Regardless of what your theme is, pumpkins will never be unnecessary.

Halloween pumpkin photo session
Halloween cocktail in pumpkin with Jack-o-Lantern in background. Close up. Scary party punch.

Even if you decided to dress up into movie characters for a Halloween photo session, you could still include some pumpkins, as they create a Halloween atmosphere. Moreover, you can do with pumpkins whatever you want. You can make pumpkins with different grimaces by yourself or buy them online.

Funko Figures

Funko figures of different movie characters have become very popular recently. Therefore, why not be original and use them for a Halloween photo session in Los Angeles? As a professional photographer, I can certainly tell that your photo session with funko figures will have no similar. Imagine yourself in the costume of the Joker positioning with some little jokers next to you. Also, you can dress up into Black Widow and get headshots with smaller Marvel characters in the form of Funko Figures. You can find Funkos for any movie character you wish to be. 

Spiders and Webs

Another perfect decoration for a Halloween photo shoot. Especially if you chose the theme of silhouettes, professional photographers in Los Angeles would recommend getting spiders web decorations. The traditional haunted house theme also strives for this kind of decorations. Spiders and webs will enrich your Halloween photos. Finally, above all, spiders and webs are just cool additions to any type of Halloween photo shoot. 

Scenery

Undoubtedly, the location of your Halloween photo shoot is extremely important. Do you plan to get studio headshots or a photo session somewhere outside? The location has the ability to make your photoshoot wonderful or destroy it completely. This is why Los Angeles headshot photographers recommend choosing the location carefully. Here you can find some special paid and free locations for a Halloween photo shoot.

Halloween is a fantastic holiday, and you should memorize every single Halloween you celebrated. Getting photo sessions by a Los Angeles, headshot photographer is a fun activity that will help you collect memories. However, try to be unique and get photos with specific themes each time. For this year’s Halloween, you can pick the idea that you like the most and contact me – your professional photographer.

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Seda Stepanyan
October 12, 2019
Networking Dos and Don'ts for Los Angeles Actors

Invited to a party? Now that’s where you’re wrong. When you are an actor, any party is an important networking event. Of course, you should bring your dancing shoes, but for you, what’s essential is lying outside of the dance floor. Firstly, you should know networking dos and don’ts for actors in Los Angeles.

Yes, being talented and perfecting your craft is essential, but the talent is never enough. To be a well-known actor in Hollywood, you must look around and utilize everything and everyone you have around you. Networking is creating and maintaining relationships with professionals in the industry who might be able to help you in a hasty manner or in a way that you could never imagine.

Being an experienced headshot photographer in Los Angeles comes with its perks. Read on to see my tips on the common mistakes and unknown methods of good networking for actors in Los Angeles.

Be Proactive

If you’re at a party where you don’t know anyone, it’s common to feel timid and shy, maybe even hide in the bathroom. But, to take the first step, you must build up some confidence and go for it. Chances are everyone around you is doing the same thing. So don’t miss out. Any Los Angeles party is a hidden group of agents and actors looking to be paired up. 

Represent yourself

Always put your best foot forward. Having your “elevator pitch” ready will put you at a much higher advantage over those who are going in unprepared. Try to summarize your past experiences, your hobbies, your motivation, and personality in a short 1-2 minute speech-type text. This should not be too heavy and hard to take in, and should not sound like you’re robotically reciting a text that you have no connection to.

Be quick, precise, and accurate at all times. Ensure you have the listener engaged. Try to hook your listener and make it memorable by starting with an action phrase and ending with a call to action. Use simple language, but do not dumb it down too much. 

Having your “elevator pitch” ready will put you at a much higher advantage over those who are going in unprepared.

Ask Questions

Asking questions will allow you to better what you already know and learn new things about the industry. Before going to any event, try to research and ask around about who will be present there along with you and look them up. Find their work and other information you can, and note down some questions you would like answered. Always have a few more vague questions in mind in case you meet with someone you didn’t know before. When answering questions, the person in front of you will feel a sense of importance and appreciation. And, in the end, this will only benefit you. 

You should engage not only with known professionals but try to approach people who are drinking a cocktail alone or are looking around. They may be on the same level as you. Everyone has different experiences, and they may tell you about an agency or an open call you don’t know about. Asking questions will also help steer the conversation to more interesting topics if you feel that it’s becoming awkward or repetitive. This is one of the most important networking dos and don’ts for actors.

Keep in Touch

At the end of a conversation, always ask for the person’s contact information and preferred platform. It’s essential to keep in touch but also to stay in touch and to follow up. Send articles once you think they’d like or ask about something you know they’re interested in. Try always to keep your business cards on hand. I am a headshot photographer in Los Angeles, and I also keep my cards on hand, because I can find a client in the most unexpected places. 

It is also vital to stay in contact with your old friends, coworkers, teachers, classmates, headshot photographers, and so on. They can be a huge help if they see an opening that matches your description, or maybe one of them might be friends with an agent. I am not saying send them a text message every single day but try to keep in touch. That’s one of the networking don’ts for actors. In Hollywood, the more people you know, the more opportunities you have. 

Do Pay Attention

When talking to any person, it is important to look out for signs that will show you how they’re responding to what you’re saying. It’s vital you do not ignore the emotions shown by the person in front of you, or you will leave a bad impression. You must pay attention to what you are saying and what response you are receiving in return. 

Don’t Ask for Things

When you approach someone who you know is in the industry, NEVER start off by asking for a part or something similar. Even if you know this person from your research still take the time to get to know them. Find common ground and use this as an ice breaker or conversation starter. The common ground could be a favorite drink or an episode of a show, anything to keep the conversation going.

When you approach someone who you know is in the industry, NEVER start off by asking for a part or something like that.

If you approach someone and say that you know they’re looking for an actor for a part, you will immediately get rejected. Not only does it make you seem desperate and annoying, but it also dehumanizes the person you’re speaking to. It reduces them to a walking job poster, which is not what you’re aiming for.

After a light conversation, you may steer the conversation towards a more specific topic and maybe even exchange contacts at the end. 

Listen and Learn

Of course, it is important to always prepare questions and conversation starters beforehand, but it is just as important to listen. In front of you are professionals with many many years in the industry and have been through unimaginable things. Take your time and carefully listen to what advice they give and what they recommend. What they say you will find nowhere, not online or in any book.

The rule you should follow is the 80/20 rule. That means to listen to the other person 80 percent of the time, ask questions 10 percent of the time, and share your own opinion 10 percent.

When people say what they want to say, they are more likely to focus afterward on what you have to say. 

Even if they aren’t a world-famous agent, you can collect tips anywhere. If someone tells you about their bad experience with a specific agency, you should make your own research and if it turns out to be true – avoid that agency. It’s better to learn from others’ mistakes than to waste time making the same mistakes yourself. I always take the time to get to know my client during the headshot session and give them tips I’ve learned from past clients. 

Don’t Overdo it

Pay close attention to the person in front of you. Don’t be too much of a fan and ask too many questions about their past and their experience. If you feel the person getting uncomfortable, change the topic, and tone it down.

Don’t pile your experiences on them and don’t ask for a job.

If you feel them getting distracted and look around, maybe it is time to part ways. Exchange contacts and find someone else to talk to. Don’t feel down on yourself if you can’t feel a connection, you will meet thousands of people every week and not all of them will work out. Time is valuable in this industry, and you must respect your time and their time. Let them talk to other people and find someone else to talk to yourself. 

After some time, you will get the hang of this and realize how long networking conversations usually last. You must talk enough, so you are memorable and leave an impression, but you should be careful not to overdo it. 

“All the richest people in the world look for and build networks; while everyone else looks for work.”

Network Everywhere in Los Angeles

You never know who’s the person jogging next to you every morning or taking that Zumba class with you. Have you talked to your neighbors, do you know what they do for a living ? Especially in Los Angeles, sometimes it is even better to meet industry professions in a relaxed, non-industry setting.

Actors’ networking like this feels more organic and authentic and takes some pressure off combining with Los Angeles vibe. If you become genuinely interested in the world and start paying more attention to the people surrounding you, you are sure to get farther than those who only give business cards out at specific events.

Don’t Give up

You have chosen a very challenging path, so you must understand that it won’t always be easy. Giving up sounds relieving, but I’m sure that deep in your heart, you will miss this industry. I can’t tell you how many times the people I meet at my headshot photography sessions in Los Angeles tell me that this is the last straw and they are going to quit, but then they get that one role. Networking takes time, and building connections takes lots of effort, but it will only benefit you as an actor. 

Lose Count

Strive to speak to as many people as you can and use your time wisely. Don’t stay with one person too long, or you might miss out on a bigger opportunity. Limiting yourself is wrong. Most likely, 90% of these connections won’t lead to something right away, so the more connections you make, the better off you are.

Talk to everyone in your vicinity and don’t try to keep count. Valuable contacts can also be people outside of your field and people who look to have less experience than you. You don’t know who can make that one introduction you need.

If you don’t connect with someone and something feels off, just move on and don’t dwell on it.

Don’t Expect an Immediate Response

In fact, don’t expect any response. Fans of the “Friends” show might remember when Rachel was newly unemployed and ran into a former coworker who immediately offered her a job in Paris. It would be fantastic if networking worked this way in real life, but sadly this isn’t what it is like. You will be building ongoing relationships for months before one of these relationships leads to an actual job. That’s okay!

It takes some time to build trust and to make your abilities known. The only problem you have is the image in your head of how it should be. Go in without any expectations, and disappointment will not greet you.

Networking events will not lead to a job the next day, but they will give you connections. Connections that will put you ahead of your coworkers. 

Be Authentic

People who have been in this industry for a long time can immediately tell apart the genuine from the fake. So, your best bet is to speak truthfully about your work, your motivations, and what you hope to gain from the profession. Don’t act like the ideal actor character you’ve created in your head, instead be who you really are. Chances are, people will pick up on your genuineness and that will leave an impression.

If you lie about your experience in Hollywood, professionals will find out immediately and it will destroy your reputation.

Prior to the event, make sure that all the information about you online and on social media is up-to-date and accurate, your digital brand matches you and your headshots are new. If someone takes a liking to you, but the resume you have online is old and doesn’t include everything that will immediately put them off. 

Networking seems easy at first, but there is so much more to it than shoving your business card down the other person’s throat.

It includes minor details and actions that might or might not get you that connection. Follow these tips, and your networking is sure to be a success. Los Angeles is full of people looking for the perfect person for the one role, or have a director friend looking for someone to fill some role, and networking will help you find these opportunities easily. 

Never take an invitation to an event, a dinner, or a party lightly, and always try to find out who will be there. Be prepared but also enjoy the process; networking is one of the most fun parts of the industry. It is also vital for an actor’s career. So many of my friends in the industry have gotten major roles by a word from people they met somewhere. Then what are you waiting for? Get your evening gown on and hit the town with your business cards. 

P.S. Check out the “Free Headshot” Actors Networking Event organized by Stepanyan Photography. Also, read more “6 Ways to Fail your Acting Career“. Tips that will help you avoid a failure. 

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Seda Stepanyan
October 10, 2019
Wanna Quit Los Angeles Acting Career? Read this!

Your bills are stacked up on the kitchen table, your family is asking what TV show your next role is in, and all you receive are rejection emails. You thing that it is hard to start acting career in Los Angeles? I have been present at many venting sessions about these difficulties when actors in Los Angeles come to me for headshot sessions. Trust me; everyone has been there. Many successful actors thought of quitting acting in Los Angeles. It isn’t a comfortable life. Before you take drastic action, you might later regret, here are some things to consider.

Ask yourself 

Have I given it all I got?

Have you really taken all the steps to make acting a full-time career, or are you only regarding it as a hobby? It is a tiresome process and takes time, but until you’ve done it all, you shouldn’t think about quitting. Maybe you aren’t getting bookings because you don’t have a digital brand. Or, perhaps it’s time to update the headshots. Fill your day with a rigid schedule of activities that will benefit your career. Go to so many open castings so many times that you lose count. The day you have genuinely given it, everything is the day your career truly starts. 

Does my team do me justice?

Ask yourself if your team really has your best interest at heart and what they’re willing to go to you for the sake of your career. Your team will be your primary source of motivation and hope; they should be people who are rooting for you. If you are always frustrated with your agent, maybe it’s time to get a new one. Does your resume represent you and your experience correctly? Try to understand what type of role you are looking for and refresh your demo clips to match. A tip is to invite your headshot photographer to your demo reel shooting, and you can do both tasks at once. Your headshot photographer in Los Angeles is sure to capture some dynamic shots in the process. This can be an easy and affordable process if you pick the right photographer. 

Do I really want to quit?

For some people quitting may be the right step. Take the time to understand what the thought of quitting acting and pursuing a different career makes you feel. If you feel light, happy, and relieved, then maybe you have lost interest, and it’s time to pick a different path. But, if the thought makes you feel defeated, lost, and sad, then maybe you just need a recharge.

…if the thought makes you feel defeated, lost, and sad, then maybe you just need a recharge…

Take a day off and go out of town with friends or anything to distract yourself from your struggles. Give yourself some time to miss the hustle and bustle of acting life. I promise it’s still there, but everyone needs a burst of fresh, positive energy to put them back on their feet.

los angeles acting quotes

Remember Why you Chose this Path!

Inspire yourself 

To be inspired, you must expose yourself to more than just the entertainment business. Immerse yourself in arts: painting, music, dance, theatre, etc. Try to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art or the Met regularly, and visualize everything. Turn off your electronics and people-watch in the street, or the park. Visit beautiful and hidden places in your city, take photographs, and explore your creativity. You almost never realize how easy it is to get caught up in the details of life and lose perspective of your goals. A Los Angeles agent talked about how impressed he was when the young James Franco always showed up to waiting rooms with a book in his hand. James Franco even went on to write his own book titled “Palo Alto.”

Motivate yourself!

If you’ve chosen the acting path, it’s because you feel that you’re good at it, or you’ve been told you’re good at it. Deep down in your heart, you understand that you genuinely do love acting, but sometimes you need a refresher. Make some popcorn and rewatch the movies you used to love. Watch behind the scenes clips on sets and old Oscar footage.

Look up and watch interviews of actors who you look up to. You will soon realize that they have all been through the same struggles.

Go out with your friends and share your troubles, and they may be able to help you with encouraging words. Those close to you know how much you’ve been through. They won’t be able to get you the part or find you an agent, but they will be there to listen to you and help you take your mind off things. 

Make a Pact with Yourself!

No one knows your goals, your struggles, and your ambitions except yourself. And no one other than yourself can entirely give you the advice and motivation you need. You must make a pact with yourself to devote a few days every week to do something for your career. Choose the days of the week that best fit your schedule and book auditions, interviews, workshops, and classes. But, it is also important to have days off to rest. A well-made schedule and hard work always pays off in the end.

Don’t slack off on the days you must work, and your rest days will surely be more rewarding.

It took me many tries and lots of time to become a successful headshot photographer in Los Angeles. But now I do what I love every day, and nothing can beat that.

los angeles acting career quotes

Enjoy the process

Obviously, being on set, seeing yourself in a movie, and going to the biggest parties in Los Angeles are all fantastic experiences. But so are acting classes, headshot sessions, auditions and meetings with your agent. Most actors will tell you that in the end, it’s the stops on the journey that they cherish the most. The roommates in your tiny Los Angeles apartment know what you’re going through and will live your hardest days with you. They may even become your best friends for a long time to come. Next time you get an audition, try to enjoy the whole process and not just on the part. Don’t focus on the job that comes after and be excited about the opportunity you’ve been given.

Instead of complaining that you need new headshots taken, book your session, make friends with your photographer and have fun along the way.

Headshot photographers in Los Angeles have seen so many actors come and go and make it big, that they can surely give you some tips and tricks that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Maybe you’re not in a designer gown on the red carpet, but you’re surrounded by like-minded people who share that same dream, motivation, and drive. So take the time to make friends, learn from their experiences and understand their mistakes in order not to make the same ones. Try always to be present, and at the moment, experience the highs and lows of being a newbie. Who knows, maybe all these small adventures will be a hit with the audience in your next talk show interview or Oscar acceptance speech 🙂 

Understand How Familiar this Feeling is!

When you talk to any actor who has made it big in the industry, they are sure to tell you how long it took them to get that one role, which made their career. For some of the rare lucky ones, it might’ve been very early in the time they’ve spent as an actor. But for most people, it has taken them years of blood sweat and tears. Ten years ago, Johnny Depp might have been the man who was selling you pens over the phone, and Rachel McAdams might have been serving you burgers at McDonald’s. Look where they’re at now! 

los angeles acting career quotes

Jenna Fischer 

Jenna Fischer often recalls how she arrived in Los Angeles on the first day of choosing to pursue an acting career and that everything was perfect for one day. But then nothing happened for six years.

It took her six long years of crying, debt, and letters of rejection to make a living in Hollywood.

Then two additional years later, she landed her break out role as the beloved Pam Beesly on “The Office.” And now, she says that the struggle was a natural part of the process and that it was a way of testing her desire and creativity for acting.

Bradley Cooper

Considering how well-known he is in the industry today, you wouldn’t be able to tell how much Bradley Cooper has been through. But like the rest, he too has considered quitting many times. Before his breakout roles, he was acting in commercials that never left the drafts of the editors. After many rejections and small parts, he experienced his so-called “Do or Die” moment at the audition of the 2006 theater production of “Three Days of Rain”. He says he vividly remembers thinking that if this part didn’t work, then he wasn’t cut out to be an actor. It was time to consider a new path. But as you know, it did work out for him in the end. Shortly after, he got one of his first significant breaks with “Wedding Crashers” and the rest is history.

Uzo Aduba

Before her significant breakout role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the hit-Netflix show. Orange Is the New Black; it really was a whole bunch of lows with no ups. She tells of a rough time in her life when she basically quit and was crying everyday.  Her mind was telling her that this was the end and that she’s finally done with acting. But then, 45 minutes later she got the call of her life. Uzo Aduba said in an interview that she’ll never forget that moment for her entire life.

“I could be 98 years old, and my grandchildren can ask, ‘Grandma, when did you get the role?’ and I’ll say, ‘5.43 pm. September 14.'”

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart has recently become a household name and has reached the top of the Hollywood after her role in “Panic Room” and teen-hit series “Twilight.” But before all the fame, she was seriously considering leaving the acting industry. She wasn’t getting any commercials, and she was going to quit and leave acting career in Los Angeles for good. Kristen was only receiving rejections and was crying after every audition. Her mom instructed her to go to her last casting appointment, and that got her breakout role in “The Safety of Objects.” If she hadn’t gotten that, she would have been done.

“There was one guy who once said to me; there are no failures in Hollywood, only people who gave up too soon.”

-David Carradine

Acting isn’t easy. And making it big is even harder, especially when you’re in the heart of the industry in Hollywood. But it’s important to understand that these struggles are temporary. Temporary can mean 2,5 or 10 years, but if you are consistently putting in the work, your results are eventually going to show.

This is an industry that is growing with every passing day, and it is always in need of talented actors, you just have to know where to look. Don’t mistake exhaustion or frustration with the need to quit, and don’t make rash decisions. Take the time to sit down, think about my tips, and choose your steps wisely. Your future largely depends on your present and what you decide to do with it. 

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Seda Stepanyan
October 8, 2019
10 Halloween Photo Shoot Spots in Los Angeles

It is fall already, and you maybe thinking about doing something cool and memorable. Obviously, there is nothing more exciting than Halloween, right? Yes, it is. What about a Halloween photo shoot in Los Angeles? Everybody looks forward to this date impatiently and starts preparing a costume on the very first day of October, or maybe even earlier. 

A truly cool thing to do on this special day is to organize a photo shoot in Los Angeles. You may want to make this day a memorable one by getting great photos taken by a professional photographer in LA. The very first thing you should consider is the location of your photo shoot. Los Angeles is a huge city, and there are numerous beautiful places here. But which ones are the best for Halloween?

Halloween Photo Shoot Spots in LA

Paid Locations

For getting Halloween photo shoot in Los Angeles, you will need to spend some money. However, it is more than worth doing that as you will have unforgettable emotions besides the fantastic photos your professional photographer will provide you with. 

Any of these places will be a perfect choice for a photo shoot in Los Angeles. Undoubtedly, it will be the best investment of the season. You will get amazing new photos, thrilling emotions and of course, wonderful memories. 

1. Pumpkin Nights at Pomona Fairplex

This can be a fun place for both an individual and a family photo shoot. Going there, you will appear in a real world of pumpkins. You can get photos with pumpkins of different sizes and with different faces. The 3000 pumpkins created by talented designers will guarantee you cool Halloween themed images and outdoor headshots. The event will take place from October 10 to November 3 at Pomona McKinley Avenue. The price of the tickets ranges from $14-$60. So you can just schedule a date with your LA professional photographer, and go to Pomona for getting unforgettable emotions. 

2. Santa Monica Pier

This is one of the popular Halloween photo shoot locations for tourists. Can anything in the world be compared to an amusement park? Your photo shoot here will be a combination of joy and fear. Actually, you can get photos with different themes here. 

The lights in this place will be a fantastic supplementation to your photos. The atmosphere of the park is already holiday-themed. Besides, you will not have to take care of the equipment. There will be dozens of pumpkins and other Halloween decorations provided by the park. Everything will correspond to the holiday atmosphere and the only expense you should make is to get a ticket for the park. 

So, the only thing you will need is a crazy Halloween costume. If you choose to get joyful images, you should probably not choose a tragic costume. The best Halloween costume idea for this place is probably a movie character. Even though Santa Monica is not a theme park, your character will fit well with the atmosphere. Scary costumes will always match the environment. A witch in front of a Ferris wheel sounds really cool. And above everything, an amusement park is a worthy place where you can have amazing photos. So, why not combine it with Halloween?

3. Madame Tussauds Museum

The Madame Tussauds museum of Hollywood introduced a new exhibition named ILLUSIONS OF HORROR. Here you can find large and photo-centric installations of famous personages as well as other scary figures. You can feel yourself in a horror movie while the professional photographer you hired in LA captures the moments of your delight.  

Now it is time to get wonderful photos walking through the horrifying attractions that perfectly correspond to the Halloween atmosphere. You can pose next to vignettes and wax figures in an environment that is truly horror-inspired. You get get a picture with Dracula, Frankenstein, and various monsters. For incredible images in this atmosphere, a professional headshot photographer would recommend dressing either into monsters like these or into their victims. 

The location of the Madame Tussaud Museum is 6933 Hollywood Blvd. You can go there on the day of Halloween, October 31. The prices for the tickets start from $16.99. 

4. Los Angeles Haunted Hayride

One more scary place for a Halloween photoshoot in Los Angeles. The Haunted Hayride in Los Angeles takes place in the most haunted spots of the city. There are numerous opportunities for a real Halloween photoshoot here. If you prefer the scary component of Halloween, then this is the best place for you. 

In the Haunted Hayride, you will find figures and silhouettes of ghosts, monsters, Dracula, and everything connected to vampires and psychs you may even imagine. 

The fact that the Hayride is in the place of the Old Zoo is a real plus for your idea of Halloween photoshoot. You can go for searching resident ghosts and your photographer will spot spontaneous images of your feelings. 

The Hayride is located in Griffin Park, which itself is known to be haunted. It is open from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Depending on your budget and special wishes for a photoshoot, you may choose tickets at different prices. They range from $39 to $120 per person. Don’t forget to get a ticket for your professional headshot photographer, as well. 

5. Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights

Another location to have the greatest movie-themed Halloween photo shoot. Every every year, Universal Studios comes up with new attractions related to famous horror movies, and they are becoming bigger each year. Isn’t it a terrific idea to get a Ghostbuster photo shoot? 

You will enter a thrilling atmosphere with the best possible equipment for a Halloween photo shoot. On every single step, you will meet a place to get a photo. 

You can put on any costume as it will fit the whole park. You can have a real nightmare themed photo shoot.

Universal Studios is a place where you have been at least once for sure. However, do not hesitate to go there once more for a Halloween photo shoot. You will also have some great time with your professional headshot photographer during the marvelous shows that are going to be held there. The ticket price is from $65-$97.

Free Locations 

Who said that everything should be paid? You can absolutely have a free Halloween photo shoot variant in Los Angeles in places no worse. You can get fantastic photos and headshots by a professional photographer in places that you could have not even imagined. Trust your photographer in this sense. Photographers are people who notice something unique when our eyes see the regular. Photographers know places perfectly appropriate for photo shoots and headshots in LA that you have not even thought about. Here are some locations from the professional point of view where you can get perfect photo shoots with a Halloween theme. 

halloween photoshoot locations Los Angeles

6. Laurie’s House

The famous house from 1978’s mystery by John Carpenter “Halloween.” Located in Oxley St., South Pasadena, this beautiful house with its surroundings can be an original and meaningful place for a photo shoot on Halloween. 

At first glance, it may remind an ordinary house. However, the real fans of this movie will recognize the house immediately and will certainly appreciate your choice. This place is a classic in Hollywood movie history. A place to which real movie lovers have attachment and memories. A place, which itself means Halloween. A real embodiment of scare and ghosts. 

By the way, this is a place where you can do a professional photo shoot both in the evening and in the afternoon. The place is so recognizable that it will remind you about Halloween, even without the darkness. In the evening, however, your photographer will be able to create a real thriller photo shoot. 

This is a privately owned house, so you will not have to deal with any formalities to get a photo shoot there. Just make sure to have a plan B, in case anybody appeared to be as creative as you and took the area for a longer photo shoot. 

7. Marina del Rey

Pirate costumes are extremely popular at Halloween. Have you decided to put on one? If yes, then the haunted pirate ships at Marina del Ray are the best choice for your Halloween photo shoot. You can dress like a real Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean and get a photo on a real boat. Another variant is to be Jim Hawkins from the Treasure Island. 

The best thing about this place is that it will be very fun to go there both in the afternoon and in the evening. 

The event will take place on October 26th and 27th in Mindanao Way, Los Angeles, California. The admission is free. So just schedule the photo session with your photographer asap. 

8. Hollywood Walk of Fame

There truly is some sense to take advantage of the fact that that this famous place is free. Why not choose the company of Hollywood stars for a Halloween photo shoot? Going there with no special occasion may seem boring, but going there for a professional Halloween photo shoot is truly a good idea. 

Imagine dressing up into Charlie Chaplin and taking photos next to each star with a different grimace. You will both have fun and get wonderful photos. 

Above everything, Hollywood Walk of Fame is a special place for Los Angeles and it really does make sense to have one of your best photo shoots exactly here. Obviously, you will need to take some requisite with you. The thing you should look here for is the atmosphere, and famous views. Photos with those views will be cool not only with a Charlie Chaplin costume, but some scarier ones as well. 

9. Rodeo Drive

Too cliche? It may just sound so. Imagine dressing up into Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada” and taking a photo next to the Prada boutique with a pumpkin in your hands. It would be the most unique thing one could do at Halloween. Miranda Priestly is an elegant monster, so putting on her look, you will absolutely correspond to Halloween requirements. You will be scary yet elegant. 

However, any other costume will look wonderful at Rodeo Drive. This is a place where LA headshot photographers have huge experience of taking photos. Trust her and she will find perfect views for your special Halloween photo shoot. It may not even be necessary to take requisite as the street will be decorated accordingly. Rodeo Drive will be equally perfect for group photo shoots. However, LA professional photographers would highly recommend choosing early evening hours for a photo shoot here. 

10. The Cemetery 

Scary after the previous one, right? But what Halloween without ghosts and dead men? 

In case you and your photographer are not too anxious, a cemetery is a great place for a Halloween photo shoot in LA. Even if you have goosebumps, isn’t it even better on Halloween? This is a brave and incredibly unique idea.  

You should probably not get headshots here, but Halloween themed photos will be fantastic. Photos with a ghost costume in a real cemetery. It will be the photo shoot of the year. 

Hollywood Forever Cemetery would be a perfect choice for a professional Halloween photo shoot. You may feel a little more comfortable here, as besides being a cemetery of famous people, it is also sightseeing place in Los Angeles. The access is free here from 8:30 a.m. to 5 or 5:30 p.m.

In the end, quoting Black Widow, “Too shy or too scared?” Too excited, probably! Overcome your fear, and you will get a crazy photo shoot from a headshot photographer in LA.

As you can see, photo shoots in the free locations of Los Angeles can be no worse than the ones in special places. You can surely enjoy your time and get fantastic photos as well. 

Halloween is one of the most beloved holidays in Los Angeles. There are numerous events all over the city. An exclusive way to pass this year’s Halloween is to get a photo shoot by a professional headshot photographer in Los Angeles. Halloween is truly the best time to get a terrific photo shoot. So, don’t hesitate. Pick a location and contact me – your professional photographer.

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Seda Stepanyan
October 3, 2019
How Demo Reel Serves your Acting Career?

Hey, future Hollywood star! Still in the process of creating a resume for an acting career in LA? Have you already got a great headshot done? Well done! But it is not enough. It’s time to complete your resume with a demo reel, which is another kind of a calling card for an actor. Wanna know how demo reel serves your acting career?

What is a demo reel?

Briefly, a demo reel is a video collection of your previous acting work that lasts no more than 2 minutes. Imagine that it is an audition where you do not have the script. The casting group gets a real sense of how you act without your physical presence in the LA casting agencies. They evaluate your abilities based on what they see in your reel, so you may understand that it is a pretty significant thing. In some cases, your demo reel may be what determines whether you will be invited to an audition in Los Angeles or not. 

Why do you need a demo reel?

You should remember one thing before applying for an audition. Casting directors are truly busy. They do not have much time to read every applicant’s resume . For that reason, except for a headshot, demo reels are a perfect solution for them. They will know everything they need to know about you in only 2 minutes. You understand that your demo reel should perfectly demonstrate your acting skills, right? 

With a demo reel, you can show the casting directors both your experience as an actor and the skills you possess. Moreover, the casting director will understand how you look on the screen. However, your demo reel should not only show the range of your skills, but it should also design kind of an emotional response to yourself that will motivate the directors to give you the part. But never consider this as a necessity to stage too emotional appeals. The most important thing will always be naturalness.

Demonstrate your best, but never be artificial!  

One more thing. Let’s say you successfully impressed the casting director during your audition. Your camera presence, your performance, your consistency were all perfect. However, there is one more candidate who made the same impression on the casting director as you did. Who would they choose, what do you think? Correct, the one with the better demo reel. So, let’s start making the best demo reel ever.

What should your demo reel include?

To begin with…

For a start, provide some personal information in your demo reel. Even if you have the coolest video in the world, your watchers should know who you are. Just a couple of seconds, including a headshot made by a professional photographer in LA, your name, and contact information will be enough for the beginning. 

The best part

Right after the introduction part, you can move into the best components of your demo reel. Here you should include the highlights of your career. You may ask, but why not leave the best for the end? The point is that Los Angeles casting agencies may need time for watching only some parts of your reel. Logically, they will watch the first part, so you would better give them the best in the beginning.  

Your clips 

You should include 4-5 clips in your demo reel. They should not be long, just some 15-30 second maximum. The whole demo reel should also be short. The casting director will never dedicate more than 3 minutes to watching your reel. So, 3 minutes is the absolute maximum. 

Don’t introduce each clip

There is absolutely no need to talk about each clip you are going to show. However, not to talk does not mean not to make reference at all. Just put a one-line-long description of what yo show so that the casting crew knows what the meaning is. 

How long should my reel be?

The most important thing you should be aware of is that casting agencies in Hollywood do not have much time for you. Yes, it may sound rude, but it is the reality for every starting actor. You have to impress the casting director in a short time. As Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Even though he talked about a letter, the principle is the same. You should take time to prepare a shorter demo reel, which will be more impressing than if you did a long one. 

I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.

Mark Twain

An ideal demo reel will contain 5 different scenes and will be less than 3 minutes. 3 minutes is OK. However, when the casting director sees that your reel is 2 minutes and some seconds, they appreciate it. Visually, the number 2 seems more pleasant for them, even if the next number is 59.

You may say, but what if the director does not get the whole plot or does not fully grasp your experience. No and no. You are not making a short film. It is a bigger plus if you are able to make an impression with a 2-minute-long video than if you did a half an hour-long documentary with fascinating special effects.  

What are the main qualities of a great demo reel?

You may already have some kind of an understanding of what a good demo reel is; there are still certain concrete qualities you should take into account. 

Honesty

Your demo reel should follow some moral standards of honesty. This is not the case when creating something significant out of nothing works. Here you should show who you are in fact, without imitating any great accomplishments. Be yourself, and it will be appreciated.

This is not the case when creating something significant out of nothing works.

New Material

Your features should be as new as it is possible. An acting career in Los Angeles is a concept that gets old really quickly. You, as an actor, are expected to develop throughout time. That is why, if you include features of 3 years ago in your reel, you will be removed from the shortlist immediately. 

Sound and Visual Quality

The quality of your demo reel talks about your professionalism. Good actors should understand the significance of quality videos. If your video lacks sound and the visual quality is below average, you will be considered amateur. 

Marketable Qualities 

This is about yourself. Your headshot is not capable of making a good reputation for you by itself. The demo reel gives you the chance to market your best qualities. This is to say; there should be something special in your reel. Something that is unique and differentiates you from other candidates. 

Focus on Yourself

Concentrate the focus of the reel on yourself. This may sound obvious, however, experience shows that it is necessary to highlight this point. Some actors come up with real high-quality reels. However, in the end, it is not clear who the reel was about. So, make sure that the scenes of your clip start with you on the screen and finish similarly. The shot should be on you rather than the environment or other actors. 

Some actors come up with real high-quality reels. However, in the end, it is not clear who the reel was about.

Do I need to hire a videographer?

Even if you have some understanding of video making, it is much better to hire a professional videographer in LA, as it will guarantee you a professional demo reel. All the technical requirements of a professional reel will be satisfied. You will not have to worry about the quality of the light and sound, as the videographer will take care of that all. 

It is very important to highlight your professionalism in the eyes of the casting director. If he/she finds your reel amateur, you will most probably not be selected. You can consider this a small investment in your acting career in Hollywood. 

A tip for you! While filming the introduction video of your demo reel, it is a really good idea to invite a headshot photographer. The point is that you may manage 2 things at the same time: to get headshots and a demo reel. Your professional photographer in Los Angeles will make some amazing headshots for you. 

Can I edit my own reel?

Well, if you have experience in editing and you believe that nobody else in the world can do that better than you, then go for it, why not? OK, so here are some tips for you to do the editing of your own reel in the best way.

Share the Screen Just a Little

The casting directors want to see you primarily. So, keep the focus of the video on yourself. Start with a scene of your face from the very beginning so that the directors know who to look at. 

You First

Your footage should be the first in the reel. No backstory, no plot. Just you in the beginning. Nobody in the LA casting agency is interested in where you are or who are the people surrounding you. The only thing they want is you. 

Holding Attention

Have footage as concise as possible. One scene should not last long; otherwise, you will lose your audience. Yes, the concentration should be on you, but the scenes should change.

However, there is a huge problem in editing a personal demo reel yourself. You may never know which parts to keep and which ones to eliminate. This is about objectivity, which one can never have toward himself. This is why it is much better to trust the editing of your reel to a professional who will be able to distinguish between important and trivial parts.

How many reels do I need?

You may ask, “Do I need to make many demo reels just as I do with headshots?” You ask an interesting question. The answer to this question depends on the content of your reel.

Here are the main points:

Drama and Comedy

If you had a chance to play both dramatic and comic characters throughout your acting career in Hollywood, then it will be a better choice to make 2 separate reels for each of them. If a director is casting a comedy, for instance, he/she will hardly be interested in your drama experience. In that case, he/she will not be satisfied with your demo reel, as there will be not enough information for them. However, if the director likes you and wants to see your other abilities as well, they may turn to your second reel. 

Either Drama or Comedy

If you are specialized only in one of these spheres, you should absolutely have only one reel. The casting directors will not be much happy if they know there is one more reel to watch about the same actor. They may conclude that you were not able to fit everything into one reel and disqualify you as a professional. 

What should you not include on your reel?

As you may have noted, there are a lot of requirements you should follow to have a good demo reel. However, what dos without don’ts? Here are some things that should not be in your reel.

No Repetition! 

Never ever include 2 things from the same experience. Each clip in your reel should be from a different show/performance and of different time periods.

No Sci-Fi!

Well, probably you were not going to make a sci-fi reel, but this mainly refers to special effects. They are actually not needed. The casting director wants to see you, rather the amount of money you paid for an expensive video with special effects. 

No Flash Drives!

Do not even try to give your reel to a director in a flash drive. They will simply not take it. Instead, have your reel online and open access for them. The same refers to CDs.

A demo reel, just like a headshot and resume, serves as a calling card for you and helps the casting agencies decide whether to hire you or not. It is extremely important to be natural in your demo reel and follow the requirements so that the casting agencies of LA consider you a decent candidate. 

P.S. Before making your demo reel search for as many demo reels on Youtube as possible.

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