The Headshot Dilemma

I enjoy doing things on a whim. It's who I am, and it's probably why I'm in this profession. Except in my line of work, I call whims instinct. But that's another story for another time. The point is, I walked into my hair appointment today and I said to my hairdresser, "Get rid of it." I could blame Dianna Agron and the Glee season finale. If her short hair didn't look so damn cute I might not have cut it. But I did.

And I like it. A lot.

But I have an audition tonight. And I look completely different from my headshots. Now, I've been needing new headshots for awhile. (I won't tell you when my last set where taken but I need a new face. To print.) But in my current one, you can at least tell it's me. I keep my hair around the same length, don't wear a lot of make up, and my look hasn't changed that much since college. (Well, there's a hint...)

BUT I'm about to walk into this audition with a totally different hair cut. This obviously wasn't a big concern for me when the whim swept me, but I'm thinking about it now. And so here's my question, what's the rule with headshots? I'm not an Equity actress. Most of the time I don't get paid for my work. How often should I be replacing my headshots? I'm obviously not going to run my life around what I look in these photos, but should that have been a forethought instead of an afterthought?

I DONT KNOW. I'm asking you, loyal readers. My photos are here for your viewing pleasure. Would you recognize me post-auditions? What should I do about my next set of auditions?

ADVISE ME.

Talentless

talent (n) - natural aptitude or skill

My whole life, I've wished I had a talent. I'm an actress for sure, but that's my profession. It's my skill. It's not something I can enter in a variety show against a juggler or a accordion player. I was recently asked to perform in this type of show and I didn't know what I could contribute. I don't sing or dance or play an instrument. I'm excellent at making lists, correcting grammar, and killing a chocolate bar in an evening but I can't really do any of those things on stage. (Although, I once saw a guy eat an entire chicken parm sandwich on stage once and I have to say, it was pretty entertaining.) Glee premieres tonight and those actors are full of nothing but talents. I'm not talking about Oscar winning performances. That's a different use of a word talent. I'm talking about harmonies and melodies and belting and dance moves.

So I've started thinking, talent can't be taught. It's instinct. That much I know from watching people I think of as powerful actors. They train and rehearse for hours on end, but their basic feeling for who a character is, is pure instinct. But a hobby can be. I'll never be a powerhouse singer, but I can take lessons. I will never choreograph a musical, but dance lessons could help me to be slightly more graceful. I can train myself to make up for things I lack and I can put those things on my resume. And I can learn more about acting by seeing more theatre. It's been a long time since I've seen a play. I blame this mostly on the fact that I work most weekend nights but I need to see one this weekend. I feel so disconnected from my craft and I've craving it. I also vow to take a class or a lesson, to add to my resume and hopefully find a new talent for that next variety show. Who knows, maybe I'll be belting out showtunes just like Lea Michelle by this time next year. Although, on second thought, maybe I'll stick to singing in the shower. :)