Every Actor Needs A Headshot.

By Ben Smith

When you are an actor, you are gonna need a headshot.

Numerous talent agencies have contracts with photographers and can direct you right to their studio. But if that's the course you choose be prepared to spend a minimum of a couple hundred dollars. Headshots are a necessity for every actor. Photographers know that. They will charge you as much as they can get away with. And then on top of that you have to duplicate the finished product some hundred instances, particularly in case you are auditioning several times a week. When an actor auditions, he hands over the headshot to the casting director, and he never gets it back. It's at all times a good idea to own lots of copies, increased copies than you think you'll need is adequate.

So what\'s the secret to the best headshot? Before you even get into the photography studio there are one or two tips to keep in mind:

Considering that photo is going to be in black and white its probably not the best idea to wear black or white clothing as it may possibly be too bold. Colors like blue, red, or green display up rather evenly on the monochrome matte. Strong colors are incredibly easier at the eye than stripes or prints.

* Extreme make-up isn't required, nevertheless when you do choose to wear make-up, a light foundation evenly covering the face can make you glance nicer. Don't coat your face with it. If you are blessed with lots of freckles, don't cover them up. Directors know the miracles of make-up and in case you are cast and the freckles have to go they will get required steps. On the other hand, your freckles can offer you just the character they\'re looking for.

* Should you commonly wear your hair straight, don't curl it up, and vice versa should you have naturally curly hair-don't straighten it.

* Smile. It doesn't have to be corny, it doesn't have to be angry, it merely needs to be you. A decent glimpse of your teeth also shows the casting director what you've got inside there. If you have got braces, crooked teeth, a huge gap within the center, smile anyway. Really do not cover things.

* Don't be a fashion model. Steer clear of flipping the hair, leaning your chin on your arm, or any other form of prop. The directors want to see a straight head shot, they don't want to see you being cute or knock dead dazzling, these people want to discover you.

* Never use soft focus or special lighting strategies. The basic important, fill and back lights with the studio have to be all you need.

* Be sure you\'re using a uncomplicated, non-distracting backdrop. White or black are not recommended, however some pros will make it glance great. Most common are off-white, gray, light blue or any color that comes through having a gentle gray tone. In case you are taking the photographs outside, again be sure there is nothing distracting to the eye within the background. A headshot's background will probably be mostly from focus anyway.

So where are you able to go for a headshot taken that's likely to really provide work? - 31887

About the Author:

As you get your headshot or comp card made up, make sure you find a really good pro headshot photographer in NY or LA, and find some great headshot photos that you want to use to show as an example to your own photographer.

Mastering the Beat

By Nelson Pellew

Timing counts for everything in racing and in acting, as well. To be sure, acting is a profession of timing. More specifically it is a profession of beats. The beat is the pregnant pause -- and knowing how long to hold it. Knowing the silent spaces between words and sentences is crucial to any actor, especially a film actor. While a theater actor can still be considered great without paying much attention to the beat -- he or she can, after all, simply boom out his or her lines -- film requires a bit of nuance.

The nuances of the beat are as myriad as there are ways to recite a line. Angry beats, brooding beats, pleasant beats -- they must all be explored if they are to be used adequately. Like an athlete who must suffer through trial run after trial run to perfect his or her performance, so too the actor. Of course, this is rather self-evident -- how does one get to Carnegie Hall? Yes, that's right: practice.

Practice takes many forms and can span a number of activities. In addition to cold readings and local productions, the clever actor may want to expand his or her practicum with a potentially valuable piece of equipment: the green screen. Yes, this staple of meteorologists everywhere has been coupled with an innovative software package so that you may actually play a scene with your beloved acting inspiration.

Though an education by proxy, it nonetheless stands as a useful tool for rounding out an actor's repertoire. Thanks to innovative companies, like Yoostar, actors can how learn how to hit their marks, adjust to lighting prompts, and learn how to deliver their lines with the most iconic actors, in some of the most iconic films of all time.

Master the beat -- and the subsequent volley -- and you will be well-served in the future. The beats determine the success or failure of an actor in any scene. Mind you, this is not meant to be a panacea for all acting woes. Indeed, a solid background in theater work would be well worth the time invested. - 31887

About the Author:

Master the beats with the revolutionary tools at Yoostar while starring opposite the best actors in film history.

The Prettiest Star

By Nelson Pellew

The star the burns twice a bright, lasts half as long. The next great star will surely come from the humblest of origins. This is a truism that is particularly apt in the entertainment industry. The actor that comes from an MFA program or carries PhD credentials is the actor doomed to play the FBI section chief or the bumbling father in a Doritos commercial. No, the great stars are never academic, and are always a generation removed from the blue-collar toil their parents were burdened with.

Making it as an actor is never as simple or straightforward a process as being scouted whilst lounging at Schwab's Pharmacy. To be sure, this may have worked for Lana Turner's publicity (she was not scouted, much less while sipping a milkshake at the counter). An actor must work in order to be seen and he or she must be seen in order to garner the attention of the gatekeepers positioned strategically about the walls of Hollywood.

Save for the most obscure of guild apprenticeships, no other industry treats its potential saviors and stars as poorly as the entertainment industry. It is a strange process, but a time-honored one. To make it, you must make it past the studio lot gate. Even then, less than 10% of card-carrying Screen Actors Guild members make more than $1 million a year. The majority of SAG actors will have to content themselves with pretending to enjoy high fructose corn syrup products whilst beaming maniacally at their commercial family. Ah, showbiz.

While the amenities most a-list actors enjoy do not come standard with this technology, a green screen foray may be the closest some people ever get to starring in a major motion picture. This is where companies, like Yoostar, allow the meager of means to taste a thimble-full of fame. Positioned by proprietary software, the green screen allows you to be grafted into any of the two dozen clips or so, playing opposite the icons of film.

Most would-be actors will never enjoy smelling the after-shave of their idols, unless, of course, they are serving said icon his Cobb salad at Musso and Frank's. While this may seem rather cynical, it could very well be the one tool that helps the would-be become the gainfully employed. The magic of the green screen isn't merely proximity to film icons, it's an opportunity to hone one's acting chops. - 31887

About the Author:

Any tool that can refine your chances of becoming the next "star" should not be neglected. To that end, the technology created by the likes of Yoostar would be a apt tool for any actor.

List of Academy Award Winning Movies

By Bill G. Sheers

Love me them or hate them, there is no don't that the Academy Awards are the Super Bowl as far as the entertainment industry goes. It's the only movie related event that people actually bet on for crying out loud. Weather you are into the fashion, the actors, or the art directing, everybody usually has at least a passing interest in Oscar night.

Looking for some ammo to look cool at the party or just in front of the girlfriend or wife? He are a couple of the basics:

Who has hosted the academy awards the most times? Bob Hope, 19 times. Who was the first black performer to win an Academy Award? Hattie McDaniel, 1939 Gone With the Wind. Name the only "Oscar" to win an Oscar. Oscar Hammerstein for Best Song in 1941 and 1945. Which actor has the most Oscar nominations for his performances? Jack Nicholson, 12.

Alright, that should get you started and make you look like you know what you are doing. Now, here is a list of my favorite winners by decade:

1940's --- Picture: Rebecca, 1940 -- Actor: Laurence Olivier, Hamlet, 1948 -- Actress: Loretta Young, The Farmer's Daughter, 1947

1950's --- Picture: All About Eve, 1950 -- Actor: David Niven, Separate Tables, 1958 -- Actress: Joanne Woodward, The Three Faces of Eve, 1957

1960's --- Picture: In the Heat of the Night, 1967 -- Actor: John Wayne, True Grit, 1969 -- Actress: Julie Christie, Darling, 1965

1970's --- Picture: Patton, 1970 -- Actor: Jon Voight, Coming Home, 1978 -- Actress: Diane Keaton, Annie Hall, 1977

1980's --- Picture: Out of Africa, 1985 -- Actor: F. Murray Abraham, Amadeus, 1984 -- Actress: Meryl Streep, Sophie's Choice, 1982

1990's --- Picture: The Silence of the Lambs, 1991 -- Actor: Nicholas Cage, Leaving Las Vegas, 1995 -- Actress: Frances MacDormad, 1996

2000's --- Picture: Crash, 2005 -- Actor: Jamie Foxx, Ray, 2004 -- Actress: Nicole Kidman, The Hours, 2002

Have fun Sunday! - 31887

About the Author:

Want to be an actor?? Check out the actingcolleges.net. There you will find stuff about the acting colleges out there and drama schools as well.

Drama Lessons Are The Foundation For A Good Career

By Bill G. Sheers

Who wants to be on TV? There are many different fields to choose from within game. Many people start off choosing the acting area when they start. It is the most visible of the mediums and the one most people are familiar with, usually because they have done plays in high school.

Do don't have to be an actor to be in the business. There are 1000's of different jobs that need to be done in order to get a film made. Cameramen, gaffers, directors, producers, location scouts....the list is endless. They may not be as sexy as being the next Tom Cruise, but they are good, rewarding jobs in a very exciting field.

I've got the acting bug -- It's fun, it really is. Acting can be very rewarding and a lot of fun. You need to start acting in anything you can as soon as you can. It will only help you in the long run. A head-shot and resume are in your future as well and there are many different books and web sites that can help you with that. But, start acting RIGHT NOW if it is something you realt want to do.

Film Schools need actors for their Projects -- Going to college and getting a drama or theater degree is a great way to not only meet people who are choosing the same career path, but to learn the craft of acting from professionals. You will be forced to learn different aspects of the business which will make you much more well rounded.

Acting Classes -- If you live in a city like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, or Chicago you are going to have people that teach programs that last 1-4 years that are not associated with a traditional school. These course can be just as good or better, so don't dismiss them when searching ways to study.

Acting Styles -- Method, Strasberg, Meinser...which one should I use? They are all good and it just depends on what works well for you.

Film School -- You don't want to be in front of the camera and hunted down by TMZ the rest of your life? Well, maybe being behind the camera is for you. Film school is a great way to fully emerge yourself in every aspect of the film making process.

NYU Film School - Often considered the best. If you get in here, you are playing with the big boys.

An Agent for your Career -- You are going to need an agent if you want to make it in showbiz. They have the connections and they keep the wheels of your career greased, no matter what aspect of the business you are in.

Be a Writier -- Many actors have found out they are better writing than acting on screen. Give it a try. You may just find out the same thing.

It can be a long, tough road. Don't let that discourage you if think it is something you really love. You will have to pay your dues, so don't expect o be recieved with open arms. There re 1000's trying to do the same thing. - 31887

About the Author:

Free articles are available for you about acting colleges and top film schools over at actingcolleges.net.

Casting Acting Agencies

By Tami Gagspami

People who aspire to be famous are always looking for acting agencies. However, there are literally hundreds if not thousands of them and it is not easy deciding which ones are good. You really need to do a lot of research before you find a good one.

A number of them are just start up firms, while others are extremely credible and have been in the industry for years. Folks use acting agencies in the hopes of landing a gig or becoming famous. Most of them have connections to folks in the business that will help somebody become famous. You'll be in a position to network with the right folks and connections.

If you want to become famous and join the hundreds of thousands of others who do, you need to find some good acting agencies. However, you have to be realistic and know that the odds of making it are stacked against you with all of the competition.

But you almost certainly already know, so I don't even need to tell you, that most actors never even make enough to earn a decent living from acting. The industry is all about your look, and who you know.

Someone who knows the right directors or producers can break into the industry. Even if you study and act for several years there is no guarantee that you will ever become famous. The facts are that very few people ever really make it in Hollywood and become rich and famous.

Most of the actors who made it just got lucky when they were cast . Some acting agencies will help you get discovered and network, but really you are not guaranteed anything.

Many people give up on their dream of acting because they get frustrated and are not patient enough. They move to California thinking they are going to make it without realizing they are competing with thousands of others with the same goal.

Find more acting agencies if the first one you chose is not doing the job for you. Since there are so many you really have nothing to lose by joining a bunch of them. Several people use many different agencies and they can be found all over Hollywood and online. You may even be able to find some in your local city if there is a demand for actors where you live. - 31887

About the Author:

Tami has written another interesting and practical article that you can browse before you fill out anything online, so make sure you check Tami Gagspamis post on acting agencies for the remainder of this article. For a very short time you can receivevisit us to receivemore free information on casting, talent and acting agencies.

Finding a Talent Agent to Represent You

By Mike Fenward

An agent is perhaps the most important thing any actor can have. Agency representation can benefit every actor no matter what field they specialize in, as they will maximize your exposure within the industry. This leaves you free to focus on other things, rather than worrying about finding and booking work yourself. While a Talent Agent is invaluable, acquiring representation can be a daunting task for the uninformed. You must be able to effectively market yourself or demonstrate your competency before they'll consider representing you.

Perhaps the most important step in this process is ensuring you have current headshots. You will not get anywhere with old or outdated material, even if they're look better than your current photographs. You're selling yourself, not your photographer or make-up artist. If your headshots differ greatly from how you look, an agency will be less likely to take you on. A good timeframe to keep in mind would be a year to eighteen months before you update your photographs if you can afford them. You don't need to get new headshots every month! The same can be said for your reel. Make sure it's as up to date as it can be. You want as much material as you can to sell yourself.

Don't ever assume that bright colors, exotic backdrops, fancy costumes, or crazy angles will make your headshot stand out. You're selling yourself, not your photographer's creativity, and anything that detracts from you will make you less memorable. Simplicity is your friend, and if your photographer wants to do some experimenting, find another one less inclined to "have fun." You aren't displaying these photographs. They're not supposed to be "cool," they're supposed to be you. They're your link to the industry, so keep them simple and focused on you. Find a photographer willing to work with you, and tell him to leave his fancy gel filters at home.

There are many types of agencies out there, from film to television to commercial, so make sure you find one in your chosen field. If you want to work in film, hire a film agent, as they'll find you work in film, feature-length or otherwise. The same is true for television, commercials, even modeling. Unless you're shooting to be an all-around actor or a jack of all trades, this will ensure you grow in your field. Spreading yourself around will potentially get you more work but it will limit your growth. You'll develop faster if you focus in one place.

Above all else, never forget this one thing: do not ever pay up front! Typically, agents will not ask for fees or an upfront payment to represent you. They make their money by taking a percentage of what you earn. The more work you do, the more they get paid. Paying up front can have disastrous results, especially if you don't get any work at all. In this case, you would have paid for nothing. On that same token, be mindful of what you sign. Read the fine print and don't ever sign immediately. Think about it, take their offer into consideration, and make an informed choice before you lay down your John Hancock.

Be smart and be careful, and you'll never put yourself in an unfavorable situation. Your career practically depends on being represented, so do not skimp! A great way to start is by using a site like TalentPostings.com where you can create an online profile to allow agents to find and contact you directly. Good luck out there. - 31887

About the Author:

Author Mike Fenward holds over 25 years industry knowledge. He currently specializes in helping aspiring actors find Casting Calls. If you would like to gain exposure to agents looking for talent, click here.