How to Self-Tape
If you’re an actor looking for work, that means hunting down auditions. That’s still the case heading into the 2020s. But these days you will almost certainly be asked to send in a self-tape, at some point.
Beaming your face around the world was once the reserve of actors in science fiction movies. These days, it’s as remarkable as talking on a telephone used to be.
However, it can still be a daunting task. Especially the troubling question of wondering what the person casting wants. Plus, some actors prefer a live casting situation.
But don’t worry, the more self-tapes you do, the more comfortable you’ll be and the easier it will get.
So what is a self-tape anyway?
Put simply, a self-tape is a recording of yourself performing made by yourself. You know what a “selfie” is right? A self-tape is the casting version.
More and more casting directors request actors send in their DIY video auditions to be seen for a part. This saves you (and them) the time and money it takes to come in and audition in person.
But sometimes the self-tape stage is a preliminary step for the company or casting director to filter out the best candidates. So you may end up attending a more traditional audition, anyway.
Apart from saving you from travelling, the self-tape has other advantages. The time saved can be better spent getting your best audition onto tape, for example.
Is it OK to use a smartphone?
Absolutely. These days, well-known feature films have been shot using iPhones by big shot directors such as Steven Soderbergh. So you can certainly use one for your self-tape.
Smartphones can now shoot up to 4K resolution. You probably won’t need that, but regular HD is available on most phones.
Those asking for a self-tape are not expecting big budget quality. And they’re not too interested in your cinematography skills either.
What most casting directors will be looking for is a sense of who you are and how you come across on camera (if casting for film or TV). So the most important thing is that your self-tape does as little to distract from you as you can manage.
If you can, I recommend locking focus and exposure before you hit the record button. If your phone doesn’t have those features, you can always use a 3rd party camera app.
Others might recommend you buy a camcorder if you are going to self-tape a lot. Instead, I suggest you can easily improve your video quality by learning a few simple photography skills and using an app like FiLMiC Pro.
What about lighting?
Of course, keep it simple. Remember, you want to spend your time working on the audition performance not setting up a 3 point lighting rig.
Guess what the best source of light for filmmaking is… Answer: the sun.
Whereas artificial light often adds strange colour, natural sunlight creates the best neutral and flattering light. Having said that, direct sunlight can be too bright and create dark shadows and blown out highlights on your face. So it’s best to have indirect sunlight (or film during the “golden hour” aka twilight), like from a nearby window.
Remember not to stand in front of the window so that you are covered in shadow (or the window burns out behind you). Instead, have the window to the side or in front of you.
If you are filming at night, using only an overhead light can mask half your face in deep shadow. So try to position a table lamp or two to “fill” in those shadows. And you might not want to use that overhead light at all.
Although, if you’re auditioning for the psychopath in a horror movie, having deep shadow on your face might add to the performance.
There’s also the option of buying a few small cheap LED lights for filming.
But as we said before, nobody is expecting incredible production values. Those casting will understand you are doing a quick tape to show them what you can do. So it’s really just about doing some basic things to show off who you are in a better light. Literally.
Background
Again, the least distraction from your performance the better. Filming in a busy cafe with people wandering around in the background might not be the best option (unless the scene you are performing is set in a busy cafe). Having your kids or other family going about their lives behind you will also be distracting (for you too).
Best to have a plain neutral background so that the casting director’s eyes are focused on your performance. White backgrounds can be quite harsh to look at, though. So if possible, find (or create) a background with one grey or mid-tone colour.
There’s various ways to achieve this cheaply. I’ve seen one actor using an old roller blind clipped to wood balanced between 2 bookshelves. Or you could hang a grey or blue sheet or blanket behind you.
Although casting directors are not expecting too much in terms of production value, I would recommend using a mid-range matt grey as background if possible.
Clothing
Like with the background, it’s best to keep your clothing simple, plain and neutral. Avoid busy patterns, distracting stripes and clashing colours.
Obviously clothes that fit you well are important. Remember, you want to feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible so you can focus on the performance. For that reason, pick clothes that make you feel confident. If you have clothes which you know work for you then wear those.
Of course, there may be specific items you want to use for the character you’re auditioning for. And if it helps you get into the role, all the better.
We can apply the same tips to using makeup. Keep it simple and use what you know works for you. Wear whatever gives you confidence.
If there is makeup you’d like to use to help create the character, go for it. My word of caution here is: “if in doubt leave it out”. Unless you have a very clear idea of what they’re looking for and have the makeup skills to match, a bad attempt might put them off.
Audio
This is your moment to shine and the one thing that can distract people more than anything is bad audio quality. Do you want to sound like you are speaking from inside an echoey box? or would you like your voice to sound rich and silky smooth?
If you’re shooting your tape with your camera’s inbuilt microphone, you will most likely end up with the bad audio quality. I can’t stress this enough: audio quality can rally make a big difference.
Good audio quality is something that really helps a viewer to sit back and enjoy your performance. But bad audio quality will get casting directors skipping your video to make it end quicker.
The thing is, for about $15 you can buy a simple clip on mic which will connect directly to your phone and provide great audio. So I really think this is worth the small investment. I would recommend this BOYA clip on mic (we have 3 of them for various uses).
Check out our list of external microphones for smartphones.
All the usual filmmaking tips for good audio apply. Reduce background noise, switch off anything making a noise like a fridge, close windows and so on.
Also, listen back to the audio after to make sure your voice is at a good level and isn’t distorting.
Tripod
You will most likely want to mount your camera or smartphone onto a tripod. We have made a list of the best ones available for use with smartphones here. If you already have a tripod, you can easily mount your smartphone to it using a basic inexpensive clamp.
Film horizontally
Funny thing is, the image I’ve used on this post which I stole from Spotlight is really not leading by example here. And if you listen to the podcast the first thing they advise is to shoot in landscape not portrait. They could at least have put a big red cross through it…
What do they want?
From talking to a few actors about doing self-tapes, I think there’s often some confusion about what the person casting is looking for. If the instructions are a bit vague or non-specific, my advice is to try to show your personality as much as possible.
I’m a director too and have sometimes asked for self-tapes. So this is my take on it.
What I generally want to see is simply how someone looks and behaves on camera. For one part last year, I asked an actor just to film himself talking to his phone, being as normal as possible. He uploaded a couple of videos of him sitting in his car basically saying hi. I felt he would work for the character and gave him the part.
Now, this is something I think actors don’t always understand: Quite often actors are cast for something innate about them, rather than their acting talent. Again, this might just be me, but I’m often put off by actors trying to show what great actors they are. And I think this is one of the hardest things to get right with a self-tape.
Be different, be you
That might sound strange when being an actor is all about playing a character different to yourself. But unless you happen to be a very versatile character actor, the casting process is usually about finding an actor who works for the character.
Most well known actors generally get cast in roles that fit what they’re known for. But you never truly know what the director or production team are looking for, so don’t try to second guess.
Again, this is just my point of view, but when I ask for a self-tape I’m not so much looking for a tour de force performance from the actor. I’m hoping to get a sense of who the actor is and how they come across. I then do a quick mental connection to see if the actor will work as the character I’m casting.
The question I’m asking myself is generally not “are they a stupendous actor?”, but rather “does this actor fit my vision for the character?” As a director, I always believe that if the actor connects to the character in some way (without acting) then the job will be 100 times easier when filming.
My tip here then is not to try too hard. That might sound counterintuitive, but I think you will be more successful allowing your inner essence to shine.
Remember, if you are cast well you will more likely come across better in the final film. In a part suited to you, you’re more likely to shine and therefore more likely to be spotted by other casting agents.
Of course, there’s a variety of performing jobs requiring a range of talents. So, if you have been given specific instructions on how to perform your self-tape audition, then always follow those.
How many takes?
Are you a perfectionist who likes to keep working at something over and over until you get it right? Or do you prefer to go with your first instincts and trust to fate?
I don’t think there’s a rule here. But probably best to avoid driving yourself crazy trying to get it exactly right when the person casting just wants a general idea of who you are. Unless you’re auditioning for the part of a crazy person, of course.
As a director, I find some actors need 2 or more takes to get warmed up. While others need many more and some are spot on first take.
If you know yourself well, then you’ll probably know what works for you. If not then maybe better to trust your first instincts than to sweat away in what might end up self-defeating.
It’s so hard to judge yourself and as you probably don’t have the director on hand to guide you, why not get some other opinions? Do 5 versions and then ask 3 people which one they think is best. This will give you a more objective idea of your performance.
Follow the submission instructions
Now that you have your tape ready to send, make sure you follow the instructions on how to deliver it. All this means is you take the time to read the instructions carefully. It’s very easy to rush it in the excitement, but if you get it wrong it could lower your chances.
Most likely this will involve uploading your video somewhere that it can be downloaded or viewed directly. Unless specifically asked for, don’t email your video as an attachment to the casting director.
Try to provide the casting director with all the information they ask for, including your correct email address and phone number.
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