Commercial Vs Theatrical Headshots: What’s The Difference?
You’ve probably heard the saying if you’re an actor, you need both commercial AND theatrical headshots. But what exactly does that mean? And why should you care?
The distinction between commercial vs theatrical headshots lies in how you want to present yourself to casting directors. Each look advertises a different type of role, and by having both available, you can submit yourself for far more opportunities than if you only have one type. If you only have commercial headshots, you may not be able to submit to markets that specifically ask to see theatrical (and vice versa). You limit yourself by not having both.
Commercial shots feel friendly, open, and inviting. These are headshots that make you look like someone’s neighbor, coworker, or friend. Casting directors look at these images and think of roles that require personality and likability. They want to see that you’ll mesh well on a set and that you’re easy to get along with. That’s why commercial photography typically includes brighter lighting and cleaner styling. Wardrobe is often lighter in color and texture, and embraces soft layers and business casual styles. Open smiles and relaxed expressions are common. Commercial headshots are typically used for commercial work, corporate jobs, and brand campaigns.
Where commercial is friendly and inviting, theatrical headshots are serious, subtle, and specifically catered to portraying characters. Instead of coming across as likable, you want to show casting directors you have depth, emotion, and an acting presence they can’t take their eyes off of. A lot of this comes from your facial expression. A lot of commercial looks include what I call a “hairlip” grin. It’s friendly and affable, but not serious enough for most acting roles. Theatrical headshots usually require more of a straight face think intensity! This allows casting directors to envision you as that character, instead of as yourself. Lighting can also play a factor here, you don’t want super bright textures on your face. And wardrobe will typically take a turn towards darker colors and harder lines.
You shouldn’t just think about how the photos look differently, but also feel differently. When a casting director sees a commercial photo, they think, “Oh, I know this person.” When they look at your theatrical shot, they should say, “I want to watch this person.” It’s subtle, but important!
Actors make the mistake of selecting one look and ignoring the other. They shoot all commercial photos and never consider themselves for dramatic roles. Or they do the reverse and only want LOOK MA, NO HANDS! type pictures. Rather than limiting yourself, it’s best to invest in both. That way, you can check both boxes when filling out submissions. And yes, casting directors do notice when you ONLY have one or the other. If they’re looking for theatrical AND you only have commercials, they simply move along to actors who fit the bill. It’s called being castable for a reason!
Don’t worry, you don’t need to book two separate sessions to achieve both looks. While shooting commercial photography, with some simple direction, we can easily swap out your smile and energy to give you a more dramatic feel. That way, you only have to sit in that makeup chair once, but walk away with two distinct styles of images. From there, we can pick our favorites of each look, and you’ll have a well-rounded set of headshots that can be used for just about anything.
This rule applies to actors ALL over the country. Whether you’re looking to book jobs in Cleveland or you want your headshots seen on a national level, you should be preparing both commercial and theatrical looks. Casting is done nationwide these days, and your photos need to showcase that versatility. So while you may be sending your portraits to local clients, you never know who could be looking…
Do you want headshots that help you GET CAST? Not just take great pictures? At Capture Style Photography, we know how to help you achieve both commercial AND theatrical looks in one session. So when you book with us, you’ll leave with two sets of headshots that you can use for any casting opportunity!
