Zoom: Free Online Seminar - The Actor's Headshot Workshop led by top Headshot Photographer Douglas Gorenstein and Jen Rudin, Casting Director
Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Don't miss this special one-hour Master Class, taught over Zoom, which features insights from both an acclaimed headshot photographer and a seasoned casting director to equip actors with the essential do's and don'ts for getting headshots done right and how to effectively use them for marketing.
This unique combination will provide valuable knowledge that can significantly enhance your chance of opening both agent and audition room doors.
The Actor Headshot Workshop will cover:
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What Casting Directors and Agents look for in a headshot.
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Understanding the industry standards for headshots– Commercial, Legit, TV, Film, & Musical Theater.
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Preparing for your headshot session – How to look your best on your big day.
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Defining your type – Be sure your headshots make sense for who you are as an actor and how to communicate this to your photographer.
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Wardrobe choices – What to wear and what not to wear. Colors, necklines, styles and what they say about you.
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Lighting- The pros and cons of natural, studio, & mixed lighting.
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Shooting - Indoors vs Outdoors.
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Hair and Make-Up – Keeping it real. Curly Hair vs Straight Hair.
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How to work in front of a still camera –Tips to make you feel alive, connected and to bring out your personality.
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Your rights as an actor and what you should demand of your headshot photographer.
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Tips for how to choose your final images.
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Retouching – What is acceptable and doable in the retouching process.
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Prints – Making sure your 8x10s are done to perfection. Color correction, exposure & contrast. Borders and fonts.
Please follow the procedures listed below:
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Please update your headshot and fill out the MY INFO section of your AC account upon registration.
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The room will be open 30 minutes before the event is scheduled to start. Please arrive at least 10 MINUTES before your event begins as your host will give important information about the event at this time.
Additional Information:
Our online office hours are 9am-6pm Monday-Friday
If you have an emergency for a class you are participating in outside of these hours, please email help@actorsconnection.com and your host will be able to respond.
**No recording of any kind is permitted by participants during class.**
**Actors Connection classes and programming are for ADULTS (18+). Unless it is disclosed above, with permission, some teens (14+) are allowed to take adult programming. To inquire about getting permission, please send an email to: info@actorsconnection.com**
**Please keep in mind that all programs at Actors Connection are for educational and professional development purposes. Participating in any class or event is not a promise of employment.**
Jen Rudin
Jen Rudin is an award-winning casting director, author and audition coach who began her decades-long career in show business as a professional child actor at age eight. She is the proud author of Confessions of a Casting Director: Help Actors Land Any Role with Secrets From Inside the Audition Room (HarperCollins) and the host of the Confessions of a Casting Director popular podcast. Check out her USA Today op-ed piece about the victory for Casting Directors finally getting their own Oscar category.
As a casting executive at the Walt Disney Company from 2002 until 2009, Jen conducted talent searches across the United States, identifying and hiring actors who went on to star on Broadway in The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and The Little Mermaid and in beloved Disney movies like The Incredibles, The Princess and the Frog, Chicken Little, and Brother Bear. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Casting Society of America Artios award, receiving the award for Best Animation Feature casting for The Princess and the Frog (2010) and Chicken Little (2005.) As owner of Jen Rudin Casting, Jen has cast numerous animated feature films, projects for Disney Channel and popular TV and radio campaigns for Charmin, Porsche, HomeGoods and the famous “Can You Hear Me, Now” campaign for Verizon.
In 2020, Jen joined ICM Partners to establish a formal Animation VO department. While at ICM, Rudin shepherded significant animated feature deals for such clients as Lucy Liu, Wanda Sykes, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Zegler, Alan Cumming, Catherine O’Hara, Nathan Lane, Lana Condor, Stephanie Beatriz, Jason Ritter, and Cathy Ang. In addition, Jen signed popular Peloton instructor Tunde Oyeneyin across the board. She was instrumental in closing Tunde’s book deal with Simon & Schuster and securing a branding partnership with Nike. In 2022, she joined APA (now IAG) to launch their VO department, bringing animation and VO opportunities to their client list. In 2024, Jen decided to move back into casting.
Jen is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU. She lives in New York City with her husband and spends her free time running in Central Park.
Douglas Gorenstein
For me to capture your photography moments, whether it's headshots or a major production, we need to get to know each other so I can understand what's unique about you and your photography objectives.
I’ll go first:
- Originally from Michigan, now reside in New York City with my wife and two sons.
- Grew up playing ice hockey, baseball and performing in theater.
- Dilly The Pug was my childhood dog and we were inseparable. My kids now love that internet sensation Doug The Pug and I share the same birthday (May 20th).
- Served for several years as the official photographer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon shooting almost every major star on the planet.
- My regular corporate clients include SAP, TD Bank, Mark Burnett Productions, Anchorage Capital, ScreenVision, & NBC.
- Do you like Ben & Jerry’s? If you eat the Tonight Dough Ice Cream, cover up the H in Dough and you will get the first name of the photographer who took the shot of Jimmy- yes me! I donated 100% of that fee to the Serious Fun Children’s Network which provides seriously ill children and their families the chance to attend a life changing camp experience which promotes confidence, independence and resilience at no cost.
- My photos have appeared in major publications all over the world including: The New York Times, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, People, US Weekly, Time, Vogue, New York Magazine, TV Guide, LA Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, Daily Mail.
- I love chocolate, spinning, photography and my family (but not necessarily in that order).
Okay now it's your turn! You can get in touch via the Contact section of this website, email direct Douglas@DouglasGorenstein.com or dial me up at 646-734-4762.
I'm excited to learn more about you and your photography needs!
Best,
Doug
The following disclaimer is provided specifically at the request of and in accordance with SAG/AFTRA: Seminars or classes are for educational purposes only and will not secure or provide opportunity for employment in the field or representation by an agent or casting director.
