“I didn't think I'd ever be able to do movies. That was for serious actors.”- Steve Buscemi

“Movie stars have careers - actors work, and then they don't work, and then they work again.”- Frances McDormand

“We actors always say how difficult and physically demanding a role was. But give me a break, it's only a movie.”- Javier Bardem

“Most actors will read a script and think, that's an interesting part. That blinds them to the fact that the rest of it is pretentious nonsense.”- Hugh Grant

“It is all about marketing; that is where the real craft comes in. The best actors do not necessarily become the biggest stars. And vice versa.”- Dirk Benedict

“It is hard sometimes to see how other actors are working when you are working with them.”- Miranda Otto

“Comedians don't have the kind of narcissism that actors have. They're writers who perform their own material. They risk more than anyone.”- Rachel Weisz

“I always say if you've seen good acting on television, those actors are really good. Because you don't have any preparation.”- Sasha Alexander

“There's nothing more boring than unintelligent actors, because all they have to talk about is themselves and acting.”- Tim Robbins

“I just feel lucky to be employed when there are so many actors and actresses who are not. I sometimes feel desperate, in case I'm not cast again.”- Judi Dench

“A lot of actors get concerned about their own image, even going so far as to rewrite a movie to best serve that image. All I want to do is be in good movies”- Michael Douglas

“I'm always described as 'cocksure' or 'with a swagger,' and that bears no resemblance to who I feel like inside. I feel plagued by insecurity.”- Ben Affleck

“I used to google my name to see what came up - it hurt.”- Emilio Estevez

“Being an actor is the easiest job. Just say the lines.”- Jonathan Rhys Meyers

“I went to the audition for a laugh and got the part for the way I walked down the corridor. There's no justice is there?”- Ray Winstone

“I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker.”- Robert Downey Jr.

“First of all, I choose the great roles, and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones, and if they don't come, I choose the ones that pay the rent.”- Michael Caine

“I'm an actor... I do a job and I go home. Why are you interested in me? You don't ask a truck driver about his job.”- James Gandolfini

“Every actor looks all his life for a part that will combine his talents with his personality.”- Walter Matthau

“A good actor with a good opportunity has a shot; without the opportunity it doesn't matter how good you are.”- Denzel Washington

“Acting is half shame, half glory. Shame at exhibiting yourself, glory when you can forget yourself.”- John Gielgud

“Everything must be as in real life.”- Anton Chekhov

Headshot shouldn’t be a dirty word

March 17, 2009 | 3 comments

Shooting actors for casting is a strange and particular thing to find yourself doing as a photographer. New photographers tend to think it’s one of those throwaway things they’ll do until they get established in fashion or editorial — in fact the term “headshot” has become almost synonymous with any generic, easy-to-produce utility picture, whether the person in it is an actor, a real estate agent, or in business. “You’re a headshot photographer” is basically an insult in the world of professional photography.

But what those new photographers quickly find out is that the business of actors headshots — the actual production of pictures working actors use to market themselves to casting directors — is hugely complicated, and fraught with traditions, fear, opinion, egos and rules. One thing it definitely isn’t is what those new photographer think it is: simple pictures of people’s heads.

If you’re here, reading this, congratulations, you’re among an elite group of established and aspiring actors who understands that this is a business, not a lottery. On some level you understand that actors headshots have become the opposite to what their purpose is. They’ve become a liability.

They’ve become the chief way in which an actor lies about themselves — about their age, their flaws, their personality, their perspective, their physical appearance, and their confidence. Especially their confidence. They’ve become pictures that nobody trusts, because for decades now we’ve tried to make them seem as perfect as possible. And that’s not just the fault of actors, it’s agents and photographers too.

But wait! you say. Isn’t that the point? To make us seem desirable? To minimize our flaws? To hide our personality so that we can be seen in any role?

Sure, if that was how it worked. But not only is that not how casting decisions are made (the most perfect, the most neutral), the camera knows when you’re faking. The still camera, unlike the motion picture camera, can’t see your performance. Without time and nuance, sets and locations, and other actors, it’s just you up there. You have a good fake smile? It’s obvious in your headshot. Been practicing your steely intense look? It looks overdone. Think anyone is convinced you’re a badass because you’re standing in an alleyway or beside a freight elevator? Please.

My job isn’t to make you look nice, it’s to change how you audition by recommending you to casting. I do that by showing what you’re like, what you bring, and who you are. I show them why they should care about you enough to invest a tremendous amount of time, money and face in letting you audition when they’ve already got a list of people they know well and are comfortable with.

I’ve been tremendously lucky over the past few years. From shooting a few friends under overpasses and in hallways my actors business has grown into a bit of a movement, attracting a hundreds of amazing clients from all over the continent who believe in my dynamic, market-minded approach to headshot photography. I’ve become one of the busiest and most imitated actors photographers in the city, and still managed to keep my rates at a level that’s reasonable for working actors.

This site marks a relaunch of my actors headshot business as Chris Frampton Actors, and is a recommitment by me to helping actors by offering new and innovative ways to buy and use headshot photography and offering video production services, but also by creating a personal resource of information, opinion and advice on the business and marketing side of acting.

Don’t worry, it won’t all be me ranting about old fashioned agents who think colour photography is a passing fad (although there’ll be some of that). On this blog I hope to be able to bring you articles, news and interviews about the business of acting from agents, casting directors, producers, acting coaches, and actors themselves.

I’m an insanely busy guy with a Boston Terrier for an assistant, so I can’t promise you daily updates, but if you subscribe to this blog via email or RSS, or just check back regularly, I promise you’ll be occasionally rewarded. I also encourage you to spread the word about this site, whether you’ve shot with me or not, and to get involved in the discussion (by commenting on this post right now, for example).

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3 Responses to “Headshot shouldn’t be a dirty word”

  1. Rob Booker says:
    July 13, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    Hey Chris, as a pro-photographer across the pond in the UK, your an absolute inspiration to us all. The site, and the blog are fantastic. I just wish the UK would start to embrace colour headshots! Keep it up. Rob.

    Reply
    • Chris Frampton says:
      July 14, 2009 at 5:16 am

      Hi Rob,

      Thanks for the awesome comment! Believe me, it’s still a battle here. Ironically it’s the agents who are holding things up. The casting directors, directors and actors all get the value of more natural colour pictures, but there’s a big “old guard” here who believe all kind of crazy things (like it’s not a headshot if you can see teeth, or that this whole colour photography thing is just a passing fad).

      Anyway, great website yourself Rob, and thanks again.

      Reply

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