We had a client come in recently who was just getting back into acting after a two-decade hiatus. She got some styling help on her headshot session and was told that the name of the game these days is "specificity". She was surprised to learn that the days of having one good shot are - for most actors - pretty much over. 

It might be a sheer numbers thing. As the number of actors goes up, so too does the number of submissions that a casting director needs to sift through to find the lucky handful that gets the audition. The easier you make it for them to envision you in the role, the more chance you have of getting called in. This is just a theory, of course, but there's a reason most agents request at least some specificity in a headshot portfolio. And there's a reason you can't just use one great black and white shot of you in your best turtleneck.

What does specificity actually mean?

Specificity means dressing for the type of role you want to go out for, and not just wearing the clothes you love most.* Ideally you can find wardrobe that is suggestive of the type without being too costumey or distracting from who you are and what you're bringing. If you want a salt-of-the-earth look for the Yellowstones and Outer Ranges, a t-shirt probably isn't going to communicate that. If you want a first responder look for the myriad of Chicago shows, that cute cropped tee you love wearing isn't going to sell it. If you want to be on whatever the next Bridgerton is, you might need more than a simple white tank.

How do I decide on the right looks and wardrobe?

If you're just starting to look for rep and you don't know exactly what you need to cover, use our Styling Headshots Trick to come up with wardrobe options that are specific enough to show some range, but not so specific that you risk alienating potential reps with a vision of yourself that they don't share. 

If you have reps, ask them. They might have very specific thoughts! 

If you have reps, but they don't have thoughts, or you don't value their thoughts, or you're the master of self-submissions, here's an assignment: Watch stuff! 

Watching television and films specifically for character type and styling is a great way to put together ideas for a headshot session. Start with the shows or movies you see yourself fitting into, or projects with the actors that you are compared to often. Watch them and take notes on what the character you relate to is wearing. Take screenshots and phone shots. Then refer back to those shots when you're looking through your closet/shopping so you can emulate what that character was wearing.

A snap of my TV that proves this is such an "upscale dad" look.

Should you wear a stethoscope?

Sometimes a costume isn't the worst idea. I would be lying if I said we didn't get the request from working actors and their reputable reps for a doctor's coat + stethoscope shot or a nurse in scrubs several times a year. Are they putting these shots on their IMDb, no they are not. But are they using them to get in the room? You bet. They ask for this because it can work, no matter how much we don't want to believe it.

Bonus Tips:

Check out our Pinterest page for more wardrobe inspiration.

There are a lot of excellent stylists out there for headshots if you really don't feel confident going it alone. Buckley Sampson, Jill Alexander, and Tom Burke are three examples to get you started.

About the Work is a class/consultation service that goes in depth on character creation for authentic types that fit you.

*It's always a good idea to get one look in the clothes you love most even if it's just for PR/IMDb. Your personality is very much allowed at your headshot session.

Image credit: Arrested Development, Shrinking