There's a new mobile vendor wheeling around Los Angeles, but this one will not be competing with the likes of Kogi, Grill 'Em All and Koolhaus.
The Headshot Truck is new mobile photography studio that hopes to take the hassle — and the often hefty price — out of promotional photos for aspiring actors.
"I used to be an actor myself and I used to hate having my headshots taken, it could be a stale process and it could be an expensive one as well," said photographer Adam Hendershott, the creator of The Headshot Truck. "The food truck craze kind of came about, and I kind of put two and two together and thought, man that might be an interesting idea to turn one of these trucks into a studio."
Professional headshots can set you back anywhere from $300 to $1,000, depending on the photography studio. But for $250, a Headshot Truck client can board the truck for a photoshoot and come away with a set of headshots with two different looks.
Hendershott and his team plan to park the truck outside of Hollywood agencies, acting schools and anywhere else that's convenient. They'll even make housecalls for an extra price.
"The agents can see the photos right there on the monitor as they're getting done so it's helpful for them," said Will Harper, manager of The Headshot Truck.
One thing they won't be doing is pulling up next to any number of food trucks around the city. Getting headshots taken is a little more time-consuming and complicated than ordering a taco.
"It's not really an impromptu thing that an actor can do," said Hendershott. "You kind of have to be a little bit prepared and have your wardrobe ready and everything so it's not something that while they're getting a burger say, 'Hey, I'm going to have my headshots taken too.'"
The team raised just under $26,000 on Kickstarter (their goal was $20,000) and have dropped off the truck to get renovated with a generator, insulated interior and an expert wrap on its exterior. Expect to see the truck wheeling around town by mid-June.