Disabled Entertainers Get ‘Calling Cards’

For aspiring performers, a professional photograph is a vital calling card that can open the door to employment in the competitive world of show business.

For many disabled entertainers, however, it is a luxury beyond their reach.

At the Universal City Hilton and Towers today, 65 people will have a professional photo session thanks to the efforts of the Media Access Office, a nonprofit resource center for performers with disabilities.

“It’s a tool to get out there and be able to compete,” said Vivian Campos, casting liaison for the 15-year-old agency that operates under the auspices of the Governor’s Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons.

The idea, Campos said, is to provide a low-cost way for disabled entertainers to receive the professional head shots that are crucial elements of the casting process. For $15, each participant will receive 10 black-and-white prints of a single pose.

The office will also retain copies of the photos for their files and plans to publish an illustrated directory of performers with disabilities in the near future.

The photo sessions are by appointment only, and although today’s schedule is full, Campos said performers are welcome to inquire about future sessions.

For information, call (818) 752-1196.