# headshots in the lobby Who do I include?



## dmoes (May 1, 2011)

When doing plays, does your theatre take headshots of participants for in the lobby? Who do you include? is there a recognized standard or guideline? Colour or Black and white?

One of my many hats at our theatre is Photographer. We are well established community theatre that puts on 6 plays plus a musical each year. 

Historically we have had black and white photos of each actor, the director, stage manager and production manager. Lately a few producers have suggested that we include the crew out of fairness. They have a point since we are all volunteers, but it would lead to massive clutter on the picture board. So I ask what are the conventions, should I Include the crew? should I just have one group shot of the crew or just designers. or should I just say no?


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## Daffey (May 1, 2011)

Maybe you could go by department with a separate headshot/picture for the head of each departments/designers. 

And maybe you could group the cast the same e.g. ensemble in one shot with maybe only the principals getting their own picture each.


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## sk8rsdad (May 1, 2011)

For us it is headshots for cast and director, most time. Large cast productions may use group shots instead of individual head shots. Once in a blue moon there will be a crew group shot, usually at the insistence of the director. We're all volunteer, too.


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## cpf (May 2, 2011)

In all my community & "professional" theatergoing experience I've only ever seen B&W individual headshots of every cast member, and maybe the director. Personally I don't see the strongest reasoning for putting crew on there too, but a group shot sounds like a good idea.


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## BrockTucker (May 2, 2011)

We do a group shot of the cast. Sometimes the director will be in that shot as well.

We're all volunteer cast, paid directors, half and half tech.


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## Morydd (May 2, 2011)

B&W headshots are tradition based on the fact that color prints were much more expensive, and as an actor handing out hundreds of them over the course of a year, you wanted to keep it cheap. That's not so much the case any more, so color is rapidly becoming the norm.


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## Les (May 2, 2011)

I've seen community theatres give the crew a group shot. 

Most often, the principles will have head shots, ensemble/supporting cast will have group shots (groups of four to six usually), and the directors will have either a group shot, or individual shots depending on how many of them there are. 

I've also been in shows where they take a group shot of the creative team, and I like that idea. Usually, getting the entire crew can be difficult. Getting them all in one place at one time can prove challenging.


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## techieman33 (May 2, 2011)

Usually I see headshots of principals and a group shot of other cast, chorus, etc. As a tech I would never want my picture up there, having my name in the program is pushing it as it is.


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## seanandkate (May 2, 2011)

As was mentioned, B & W for the convenience factor. Headshots of the principals, director, designers and SM, group shots of minors and chorus, no crew, management or assistants. The lobby is only so big...


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## MarshallPope (May 2, 2011)

For most of our theatre productions, my college has individual 8x10 color headshots of all of the cast, with no creative or technical personnel. The community theatre I am involved with uses 8x10 B&Ws of the same. The only time the crew is ever photographed here is a group shot for the program of our social club /etc. variety show thing that is impossible to describe. (It's somewhat like Sing! at some colleges?)


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## lighttechie5948 (May 3, 2011)

At the theater that I work at (which is volunteer cast, paid directors, designers, & production staff, and volunteer running crew) the headshot board in the lobby includes all of the leads (usually 9-12 8x10 photos, color or B/W, whatever the actor provides). The website displays the bios and head shots of all cast members. Then a head shot and bio for the director, choreographer, musical director, stage manager, lighting, scenic, sound and costume designers. No crew. Sometimes the website includes a photo album with rehearsal/tech/production candids. That's where crew would go I suppose. I know pics of the lighting load in and scenic painting have made it to the site.


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## dmoes (May 4, 2011)

Thanks for the replies this confirms pretty much what I thought. I had a minor blowup with the production team and director of an upcomming show regarding shots of the crew. I finnaly aggreed to a group shot but with deep reservation.

time for a policy meeting! yuk I hate these.


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