*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
Unsolicited phone calls and personal visits to casting directors are prohibited in the entertainment industry. Not only does it display a huge level of non-professionalism, it is extremely inconsiderate of casting directors time. They receive hundreds, and even thousands of photos and resumes every week. They certainly can not accommodate being inundated with phone calls from actors, and aspiring actors. Talent Agents who know casting directors can call them if it is for a very important reason such as rescheduling a client for an audition.
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I have been receiving some inquiries regarding what type of photos and resumes to send to a casting director or agent. Here is a sample of a professional actors resume and photo. The photo should not be a school photo, glamor shot, or a snapshot taken by a non-professional photographer. The photo should be color and professionally taken. Just remember that your photo is your calling card. It should represent the "real" you, the way you look in everyday life. If your hair is long in the photo, then your hair should be long when you walk in the casting office. If your skin is fair, then you should not come to the casting office with a dark tan. Always keep your photos up-to-date according to your look.
Also, there is no such thing as an "application" to fill out for acting jobs. Just the 8"X10" color photo and resume.
The photo can be taken either horizontal or vertical.
Sample Headshots
Actress Cheyenne Logan
This is child actor Marcus Calderon, and he landed a national Disneyland commercial with this photo.
Sample Resume
If you can't afford to pay a professional photographer to take your photos right now, you can try something else. If there is a school nearby that has a photography department, go there and see if you can do "testing". Testing is when you exchange your time posing for a photography student in exchange for them taking some theatrical headshots and giving you some prints.
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After you get your photos done, get an original 8"x10" print from the photographer, then have that duplicated. Here is where I recommend (you can do it by mail):
Your name and any union affiliations should be printed on the bottom of the photo, either on the border or on the corner of the photo itself. Both the photo and resume should be exactly 8x10" and stapled back-to-back on all four corners. Do NOT paper clip the resume, but staple it on all four corners. That way if by some chance the photo does become detached from the resume, the casting director can match them up again. I use a light blue, light grey, or sand color parchment paper, it looks good and is stronger than regular thin printing paper. Paper clip your cover letter to the front of the photo and resume, and have that trimmed to 8x10 so they are all the same size. Send it out in a large manila envelope.
Include a very brief cover letter with your submission, stating that you are interested in auditioning for an acting role, or that you are seeking representation by an agent.
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