How to Make a Good Self-Tape Audition
Today self-taped auditions are becoming the norm, not the exception, and casting people are always expecting them fast, professional, and showing the talent doing their best, which is hard considering you have a dozen of pages to memorize and tape by 9 AM next morning. Self-taping is hard — you can film and perform it as beautifully as possible, but the casting director doesn’t get to meet you.
We’ve seen a lot of great tapes, and if you don’t know how good a self tape can be (or why it even matters), try doing what we did — look at 100 self tapes on YouTube in a row. It’s rather eye-opening. When the quality is terrible, it’s unwatchable (and it almost never matters whether the actor is good). Think lousy overhead lighting, and poor sound. Think a bad, overacting reader standing behind the camera — usually a roommate or mom.
When the quality is good, and professional — -nice lighting, focus on the face, decent sound quality — -you WANT to watch it. Hopefully, the acting is excellent too, and the actor is really prepared: memorized their lines, their hair, makeup, and wardrobe is on point. People always tend to gravitate towards something that looks like it has high production value and looks polished. So, why present a tape that looks like a bad student film? It makes you look amateur, and there’s no room for that in this business.
This is why your self-tape auditions need to be good. Because if it isn’t, the next actor who has the same audition as you will be more memorized, more camera ready, and will take the time to make a more professional self-tape. So why wouldn’t you? Your tapes are a direct reflection of what you are doing in the room.
We’ve been interviewing our most successful talents and they told us that when self-taping, don’t overanalyze or do too many takes. It’s so easy to try to perfect your tape but you can destroy it by being too self-critical.
Our talents have done self-tapes that are sent all the way up to showrunners and network executives. We have also seen actors book from tape and even screen test from tape. You don’t even always have to be in the room anymore to test for a pilot! Watch this audition tape by the Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone. Even though the quality isn’t the greatest, it’s still great:
And then you can compare it to this — it’s the same monologue but done rather poorly:
If you get a ‘self tape audition’ for a job, we suggest you giving it your all, 100 percent, and cover everything you can on your end. Be as prepared and professional as possible; like you were stepping into a producer session. And then blow them away with how great you are on tape, and what a great actor you are.
Casting directors are deciding who to bring in for their few precious spots based on self-tapes. This means you need to level up and put yourself in their shoes — -imagine what it seems like when they scroll through hundreds of tapes, sometimes thousands for big open castings. The first 5–10 seconds matter, both in the acting and the production value. Give them a reason not to skip over your tape that you put that all that work into.
Let’s move on to what you actually need to make a decent self-tape:
1. Camera (or tablet or smartphone, or your laptop)
2. Internet connection
3. A light source (You can read more on ring lights and other popular lighting sources here.
Set up the room
Make sure that background noise is kept to a minimum and that the camera is at eye-level. The light source should be in front of you and not in shot. Don’t sit with a window behind you, and try finding a plain background for yourself.
Lighting
To light yourself properly, use natural light if you can. You can also use soft practical lights in your house. If you need an artificial light, check out the link above to choose the one you can afford.
Know your angles
Soft lighting is the best choice for an audition tape, and you should choose from a large source which casts soft, diffused shadows. Hard light is from a small light source and would cast a sharp shadow.
Before you begin
Memorize the script
Though it’s standard procedure to hold a script when auditioning in person, it’s paramount that you give a performance and not a “read” on video. Since a taped audition is locked in place, that first impression is all you get to show whoever views it. Be prepared and know the material so you can give a winning performance.
Find a buddy to preform with
Ask the best actor you know to read with you. They shouldn’t be on screen though, but you want someone you can really “play” with. Keep your focus on them and look directly into the lens. Avoid the mistake of looking past the lens and secretly reading from the script — they’ll assume that you’re a beginner and/or aren’t prepared. Three-quarter angles and profiles are weaker and don’t sell you. The more they see your face and eyes in the strongest position, the better.
Props and costume
Make sure your clothing is appropriate for the character (it’s not necessary to rent a costume). Only use props that are essential to the performance. A lawyer in a suit, an undercover cop in a leather jacket, a socialite in a cocktail dress. For women, wear minimal make up (avoid dark lips and eyeliner) and definitely style your hair. Wear a dress, blouse, or sweater in striking solid color. It’s more memorable to be in sapphire blue, fuschia pink, yellow, or emerald green as opposed to dull gray, beige, or black. Men can wear dark suits or jackets, but add color with a shirt, tie, or sweater. A video audition says you look the part, are photogenic, and are a fantastic actor while looking attractive. It’s not just about your talent.
Filming yourself
You can use a smartphone to tape yourself, but make sure to use a tripod so the camera is stable. If you decide to hire somebody to help you shoot, ask the camera person to frame the shot as a medium close up; no one needs to see your shoes or your jeans. You want to duplicate the angles and shots that a real prime time show would use. If you look like you belong on the show, they’ll be more disposed to get you on the show.
Sit close to your video capturing device to get the best sound. Be sure to film in landscape, not portrait! You can send the clip to the casting director via the WeTransfer app on iPhone and on Android with the Vimeo app, or upload it straight to YouTube and publish it as ‘unlisted’, so only people who receive the link can view it.
Few short notes:
1. Your eye line should be close to the camera as they want to see both sides of your face.
2. If you’re using a reader, make sure they aren’t too loud.
3. Don’t go too far from the camera (unless you have en external microphone).
4. Sit or stand depending on what feels comfortable/appropriate for the scene. It’s OK to move your head and use your hands and body, but you need to size the performance for the media. You don’t want to stand stiffly — be natural — but you also shouldn’t be running around off camera.
5. Don’t overthink it!
6. Don’t do too many takes — If you can’t get it in 3 takes, take some time out, then try again.
7. Don’t be afraid to use your voice and whole body. A well-intentioned acting teacher might have told you to ‘tone it down’ or lower your volume for the microphone, but this is classic mistake actors make when thinking they have to use ‘TV technique.’ Casting directors, producers, writers, and directors all want to be excited and inspired by your creative choices and energy.
Don’t slate and then start ‘acting.’ Aim to be in character when the camera starts rolling, not caught in a static, stunned, or stiff position. If you must announce your name, take a moment to shift gears and get into character before starting the scene.
After you’re done, label the clips with your name first, then add the project title and scene. Don’t send too many takes, unless requested. If you send more than one take, make sure they’re sufficiently different.
Most actors make a self-tape that is just a self-tape and nothing more. And then there are some who create a feeling. When sharing their experience, our talents said they sometimes put at least two different moods in one tape, so at least one of them will be a winner. This doesn’t work every time, though. Sometimes all it takes to book a job is one great tape.
