Self Tape Tips

Lots of projects require a self-taped audition! This trend isn’t going anywhere, so we recommend sprucing up your self-tape skills to improve your chances of being booked.

General Tips:

  • The most important thing to focus on is your acting performance. Try to focus your time on workshopping your lines, and don’t get too hung up on the nuts and bolts of recording the tape. This is easier said than done, we know, but trust us! Good performances can outweigh bad video quality, but amazing video can’t make up for bad acting.

  • Use a reader (someone reading your cue lines to you from off-camera, in real-time). Do not pre-record your cue lines, or leave silence between your lines. As soon as you get an audition notice you should start lining up a reader. Good auditions can be ruined by a lack of reader.

  • Leave enough time to prepare your tape! The technical side can eat up a lot of time, so don’t get started at the last minute.

Selftape Vocabulary

  • SCRIPT VS. SIDES: The script is the full script for the project. If it’s provided, you should review it for context. “Sides” are the pages/lines you will read for your audition. If sides are provided, you should prepare those lines. If there are no sides, you should clarify with the filmmaker to find out which scenes from the script you should prepare for your audition.

  • SLATE: This is where you state your name and agency to camera. You may also be asked for your city and other introductory details about you. Include only the information that is requested. You may be asked to do specific poses or show your full body. If not, a closeup shot (head and shoulders) shot where you speak directly to the camera is fine. 

  • TAKE: A separate video clip with a single performance of one scene. Only send the number of takes per scene that are requested. One or two takes per scene is usually enough. In general, you should not slate (state your name) at the beginning of each take unless requested.

  • AD-LIB: Changing the lines, adding your own flare, or otherwise not reading the words exactly. Different directors have different preferences about this. A general rule of thumb is that slight variations are fine, but don’t add any new concepts or make big changes, as this can be distracting. If the director is interested in adlibbing, they will

Hair/Makeup/Wardrobe Suggestions

  • HAIR: Unless a specific hairstyle is requested, opt for wearing your hair down, in a casual everyday style. Make sure it’s clean/dry but don’t overdo the styling.

  • MAKEUP Light/natural makeup or no makeup. Directors want to see your natural look. Even if the character would wear a lot of makeup, it’s better to see the “blank canvas".

  • WARDROBE: Casual everyday clothing is almost always best. Avoid stripes, patterns, and logos. A solid-colored well fitting t-shirt and jeans is great.No hats. Without glasses is preferable, but not at the expense of your comfort/vision. Dressing slightly for the part (a sweater for a professor, etc) is okay, but please do not wear costumes. They come off tacky and work against you.

Technical Setup

  • BACKDROP: Choose a neutral background in a light color. It doesn’t have to be a professional backdrop, but it should be free of clutter. A light-colored wall is fine. If you do opt for a backdrop, grey is the best color. Green screens tend to be a bit distracting and other colors can affect how your skin tone looks.

  • LIGHTING: Don’t worry about special lighting equipment, just make sure you are visible and your skin tone is accurate. Please turn on all possible lights. Recording during the day if possible, for natural light. If you do purchase any lighting equipment, a ring light does the trick.

  • CAMERA: Use your cell phone. You know how to work it, the files will be a manageable size, and you’ll know how to manage/send the files. Unless you’re a very skilled videographer, your cell phone will probably take a better video than your digital camera.

  • VIDEO EDITING: Follow the instructions given regarding separate or combined clips, but don’t try to get fancy. If no instructions are given, send each take as a are separate video clip. Do not add any text to the videos. Recording on your cell phone is great, no need to worry about fancy equipment.

  • FILE TYPES: Check to make sure your files are MP4 Or MOV format. Other file types may create complications. Please also make sure your file is small enough to send. If your file is in a strange format or is a very large size, consider converting it before sending (google “convert video”).

  • FILE NAMING: If possible, include your full name in your video file name.

  • SENDING YOUR VIDEOS: If specific instructions for sending your files aren’t given, we recommend using wetransfer.com to create a link with your self-tape files. Put that link directly in the body of your email to send your selftape. It doesn’t require an account and the director will be able to view/download your tape without a password. If you opt for another service, please make sure your video isn’t password protected.

Example Videos

SLATE

Framing: Closeup (head & shoulders). Landscape mode/horizontal. Frame tightly with no empty space above your head.

Directions: Please look at the camera and state the information requested. If there aren’t specific instructions, state your name, agency (or “no agency”), and city.

SCENES

Framing: Standing up. Medium Shot (waist up) unless specified.

Horizontal/landscape mode. Please frame tightly with no empty space above your head. Your framing can include a bit more of your torso than this example (anything from your belt up is fine!)

Directions:

  • Typically, stay on one mark and keep props minimal (no props is usually best).

  • Your video should start with the first line. Do not state your name/agency again before starting the scene or read the scene description aloud.

  • Eyeline: Look at the reader (the person reading your cue lines), not the camera. Your eye-line should be about 6 inches to the side of the camera, at eye level. Bonus: In a perfect world, your eye line should cross the line of the camera lens. Meaning, if you are standing slightly to the left of the camera’s center, you should be looking to the right (or vice versa). Don’t worry too much about this, though!

Performance Do’s & Dont’s

  • Go directly into the scene at the beginning of each take, starting with the first line in the sides. Do not read the scene description or repeat your slate information. You should be acting (by listening) when the tape starts, even if you don’t have the first line. 

  • Listen. When your reader is delivering their lines, listen to them and react to them. It is always obvious if you are just waiting to read your next line. 

  • The more subtle and natural your performance, the more likely you are to be called back. The majority of actors can turn up the intensity of a scene as needed, but subtlety is a much more elusive and valuable skill. Over-acting will make the director quickly pass. Under-acting will make them wonder if you can do more. So, lean towards subtlety to strike the balance. 

  • Stay in one place as much as possible. Don’t leave the frame. Start the scene on-camera (do not walk in), and stay on a single mark during your scene unless specifically instructed to move. Film acting is all about subtlety; you don’t need big movements to convey strong emotions. Focus on the lines, not the stage direction. The director will get specific about movement at callbacks.

  • Keep props minimal, and never mime. If you can’t execute a specific direction gracefully, just skip it and read the lines without any action. If you’re on the phone in the scene, using your real cell phone as a prop is acceptable. In most other cases, props will look tacky,

  • No accents or character voices unless they are specifically requested. They will most likely hurt your consideration. In most cases, the director wants to hear your normal speaking voice, and will request to hear dialects if interested. Exception: if you naturally speak English with an accent, consider recording your audition in an American accent unless the character is specifically foreign.

  • Speak at a conversational volume. You usually don’t need to project or enunciate for on-camera acting. Even when your character is upset, there is most likely no reason to yell. Try conveying the same magnitude of emotions more quietly.

  • Don’t record too many takes! You will most likely choose poorly when you review them, as it’s difficult to be objective about yourself. Treat the self-tape like a studio audition, where you get a limited number of attempts. This mimics the on-set experience and helps stop you from overanalyzing things. Our best advice is to have your reader decide which takes to pass on, without even looking at them yourself. This is very difficult but will ultimately work in your favor. We see actors choosing their worst takes all the time.

Good luck self-taping! We know it can be difficult the first few times, but you’ll get the hang of it!