Beyond the Brick Wall

I became passionate about acting when I was in high school. At that time, the acting heroes were Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino. There were others, of course, but there was a devotion to 'the craft,' that reached back through Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg all the way to Stanislavski. All of these people (with the possible exception of Stanislavski -- damn the communists!) became quite famous and wealthy, but the fame and wealth were the byproduct of their real work, which was to tell stories. Today that devotion seems to have been commercialized. Mischa Barton instead of Meryl Streep.

While in high school, I became passionate about all things theatrical. Being poor, and living in the cornfields of Iowa, long before the Internet, I lived for the Sunday New York Times at the local library. The Tony Awards broadcast was like a drop of rain on a desert. The local college hosted a "How to Break Into Show Business" Seminar, and I was front row, pen and paper in hand. I memorized the Shurtleff book.

I also studied headshots. Headshots at that time were transitioning from glamor to gritty. Soft-focus lenses gave way to brick backgrounds. In New York and Los Angeles the trends have moved into different directions, but in Chicago, the brick wall and slavish devotion to natural light still holds sway. There is nothing wrong with that style, but Archetype Images was born to offer an alternative.

Recently I ran an ad looking for three professionals who were willing to work with me to develop some test shots. I was looking for three types: "soccer mom," "musical-theater ingenue," and "character actress." I received approximately seventy responses, and choosing just three was difficult. Ultimately, I chose resumes that reflected something of an improvisation background. Pictured above are Krissy, Jen, and Erica.

Last weekend the four of us met to talk about their specific career goals and to toss around ideas for shots that went beyond the brick wall. Casting directors tell actors that the headshot should look like them. Photographers tell actors that the headshots "capture their essence." Well, how many women do you know who hang out in alleys or vacant lofts?

Archetype Images are about using all of the elements of a photograph to communicate who you are as a professional. Color. Composition. Lighting. Setting. These are all things that Krissy, Jen, Erica and I are going to experiment with over the coming weeks. The process will be documented here, and the final products will be posted on the Archetype website. All four of us are very excited about this project, so stay tuned!