Commercial Headshots Vs Theatrical Headshots

Whats the difference between Theatrical Headshots and Commercial Headshots

Whether you’re a seasoned actor or just starting out, one of the most important things you need to be aware of is the difference between theatrical headshots and commercial headshots. It’s essential to have both types of headshots in order to showcase your versatility as an actor. Understanding each type of shot will help you get the best results when preparing for auditions.

Theatrical Headshots

A theatrical headshot is designed to capture your natural features without any added makeup, hair styling, or editing. The goal is to create a photo that allows casting directors to get a clear idea of what you look like in person. This means no retouching, as casting directors want to see the real you. Typically, these shots are taken from the chest up with a neutral background and minimal props.

Commercial Headshots

Commercial headshots are quite different from theatrical ones because they focus more on capturing the happy mood or atmosphere of a particular sellable character type. These photos usually feature some light makeup, hair styling, and props that reflect your character’s personality or profession. Additionally, many commercial shots are taken with bright colors and interesting backgrounds that will help make them stand out from other actors’ photos.

One important thing to keep in mind when taking commercial headshots is that they should be consistent with your reel and resume submissions; if you send in different looks for each submission, it can create confusion among casting directors as they can’t tell who they casted previously or if there was even an overlap in roles between you and other applicants. So it’s important to keep this consistency across all materials sent out during casting processes.

At first glance, theatrical and commercial headshots may seem similar; however, there are distinct differences between the two types of shots that every actor should be aware of before submitting their materials for auditions. Theatrical headshots should showcase your natural features sans any additional makeup or styling while commercial headshots should reflect the mood or atmosphere associated with a particular character type through props and backgrounds utilized in the shot. By understanding these nuances between theatrical and commercial headshots, actors can better prepare themselves for success when submitting their materials for various roles!

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