This is a question with a very simple answer. For anyone seeking a career in show business, (especially acting) the importance of a professional head shot, on a scale of 1 to 10 is at least a 17!!!
WHY?
Several reasons, often overlooked by eager beavers searching for shortcuts to stardom are:
A head shot is the "business card" of the entertainment industry!
A head shot is your most important direct mailing promotional tool.
Your head shot is one of the only things you have complete control over.
A head shot can be your most effective tool.
And, lastly, the head shot is, in the overwhelming majority of cases, is your ONLY way in the door.
One of the most costly mistakes beginning actors make is, not understanding the importance
of a good head shot. They prefer instead to spend their meager funds paying someone to create fancy resumes, hiring agents and managers, or paying for expensive acting classes. Now don't get me wrong ...these are all legitimate expenses for the would-be actor.....but if you don't have a superb head shot that "works"....a lot of that other stuff is basically "putting the cart before the horse!" The very first thing any reputable agent is going to ask for before he can present you to anyone for anything is a viable head shot, enabling you to get in the door! That 12-page detailed resume with the fancy binding and elaborate script won't even get looked at until you actually get invited to a "meet", and before you're considered for a "meet" you'll need a head shot. Even the skills acquired during months of costly acting classes will go totally unnoticed until a good head shot gets you in the door. Are you seeing the pattern here?
Not just any head shot will do. Most beginning actors end up getting a series of head shots before they find one that "works". In other words, one that actually results in you getting invited to "meets" and auditions. Keep track of how many head shots you send out to different casting directors, agents, etc. If 100 mailings of a certain head shot and don't generate a single phone query or callback in response ...... don't continue beating the horse to death. Admit that no matter how "great" you consider that 
particular head shot to be...it's NOT working. MOVE ON!! A good return would be considered 6 to 10 responses for every 100 mailings. If you achieve results like this with a photo...keep going!! Otherwise ...choose another one! If you don't HAVE another one....GET ONE! And here again....GET ONE does not mean pilfering some snapshots from the family album! The quality of the head shot you obtain will be in direct proportion to the amount of funds you're willing to invest. If you're willing, but not yet able to invest, then flip burgers, save tips, pawn something, borrow from a friend, cash in a cd, and do whatever it takes to pay for a professional photographer to create a high-quality head shot! That's a hard cold fact of "show business" and arguing is pointless!
For heaven's sake be sure that your head shot looks like you! You can mail out the most superb head shot in the world and generate dozens of calls, but if the photo bears a striking resemblance to Nicholas Cage and you walk in looking like Danny Devito....the casting director will NOT be amused. CDs are BUSY individuals working under often impossible deadlines and "surprises" that waste their valuable time do NOT rank high on their wish list.
Copyrights are another issue that come up when dealing with Photographers and their product.
Most professionals can and do claim copyright over their work. But this seldom matters, because in order to use an image of you for his benefit he must have your written permission or a "release". This is the result of laws that declare you to be the sole owner of your face! Photographers usually do keep negatives for pecuniary reasons. Every time you need some 8 x 10 prints for copies, they make more money. While somewhat financially painful, this is an accepted and general practice and the cost is not outrageous. Besides, you're dealing directly with the person responsible for providing good prints for reproduction. If it turns out badly, at least you have someone to direct complaints at! So remember, even if your second cousin's neighbor's step-daughter's boyfriend is the audio-video guy somewhere across town, owning a camera does not make you a photographer any more than owning a microphone makes you a singer. You're probably much better off spending the money to have a professional produce this tool that can be so important in getting your fledgling career off the ground!
Dusty Richardson for AMG 12/16/2005
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