ABSTRACT

In this, the second of three chapters on the topic of marketing for actors, the authors address questions regarding the basic tools of the trade: professional photos (headshots), résumés, reels (clips from an actor’s on-camera work), websites, and social media. These include questions about choosing a photographer, how to prepare for a headshot photo shoot, what to list on one’s résumé, maximizing minimal credits, proper use of the “special skills” category, how to track down clips for one’s reel, the do’s and don’ts of assembling a reel, what belongs on an actor’s website, cultivating a professional social media presence, the pros and cons of mailings, and the use of gimmicks.