5 SELFTAPE TIPS FOR ACTORS

Digital Camera and Halo Lighting: one of the standards for selftapes

Despite the coronavirus flooding our news media, social media, anything media-related, there is plenty of time for actors, especially in film and television, to use this period as an opportunity to work on their audition technique.

But wait! We have to stay at home. We have to practice social distancing. Most casting directors and film/TV productions aren’t hosting auditions right now. Hollywood has shut down. What should we be working on?

Selftaping. It’s a very convenient, easy way for actors to film an audition in their own homes, without the stress or time spent going to an audition location. In fact, selftapes have become more and more common, almost the standard now with many casting directors. Especially the ones who may be germaphobic.

Here are five tips for producing and sending in the best possible selftape that you can:

1. Film Horizontally: Yes, that’s right. For TikTok users, keep filming vertically on your phone, but when it comes to professional selftapes that you send to casting directors, flip your phone to the side and shoot horizontally. This allows a 16:9 ratio, which is what TV and film normally shoot as. Shooting vertically makes your selftape look cramped, limited in space, and also limits your…
2. Eyeline: You not only should be center frame of the camera, but you need to know where to look “off the lens” or camera. This depends on whether you have a reader in person— okay, most of you don’t right now, due to social distancing — but it is still imperative that you pick a spot, preferably near the lens — not directly at it! — that’s called “spiking the lens” or breaking the fourth wall — and make that location the other person in the scene who you are “talking” to. Nothing diminishes credibility like a wandering eyeline. The casting director won’t know who you’re looking at or speaking to.
3. Backdrops: What’s behind you? Your bookshelf? Your kitchen appliances? Your mom or dad? Make sure to remove any objects, people, pets — any distractions behind you, because casting directors may end up staring at your Blu-ray collection of Marvel films INSTEAD OF YOU! Use a simple backdrop, or sheet — preferably blue or grey — and avoid black or white. If you don’t have backdrops, a blank wall works. And also…
4. Lighting: This is really important. Two lights. Preferably three. One pointed at a 45 degree angle from your right. That’s called key light. Another at 60 to 80 degrees to your left, which is called fill light. Some will argue including a third light is best, to light behind you and create further depth, but two is fine. The best strength bulbs are 5000+ Kelvin or daytime light. The less yellow or tinted in color the light is, the better off you’ll look on camera. If you don’t have light stands, grab a tall lamp and remove the shade, or film your selftape with natural light coming through a window — that’s probably the best kind of lighting of all, because it’s natural and shows you off the most.
5. Background Noise: The dog that barks. The plane that flies over. Police sirens. The drunk neighbor singing karaoke. Any actors can relate to being in the middle of a brilliant take and somebody sneezes. Or farts. Or explodes into laughter because you’re just so damn funny. Whatever the case, get into the habit to yell, “Quiet on set!” to your roommates, family members, or anybody unknowingly blowing your take. Any noise in your selftape is yet another distraction for casting directors. If you have problems surmounting this challenge, find a time in the day or night when it’s quietest. Or find the quietest room in your home.
6. *THIS IS A BONUS…and a no-brainer…BUT BE OFF BOOK! You want to connect with the material? Start memorizing. You want to connect with your reader off the lens? Keep memorizing. Do you feel less confident without your sides? Hold them. There’s no shame. Casting directors prefer it, especially if you flub a line or forget everything all of a sudden. Trust me. I’ve done the whole blank face, deer in the headlights expression, only to run off camera to dig for my sides that I thought I nailed.

I can still hear it. But wait! I don’t have a reader. It’s called social distancing, remember? With whom am I supposed to audition?

Call a friend. Set up a FaceTime session. Or Zoom chat. Position your phone so you can still film yourself, but let your friend be your reader. That way, they can at least hear you speak your lines. It may be a tiny delay, but do not record a selftape by yourself. Yes, that means don’t cut corners, fake it, and pause after one line then say your next line. Then pause again. And say your next line. And so on. Please don’t.

There are “reader” service apps you can download/sign up for, which allow you to record selftapes with professional actors. TapeSquad is one. WeAudition is another. Feel free to check them out.

Last note: if you feel you’re not in alignment with submitting for these multitude of self-tape open call requests by casting directors, check in with yourself first. I know the urge may be to submit for as many as possible, because who knows when all this pandemic excitement blows over? But the bottom line is: there will always be opportunities as actors, artists, and creatives. We all have stories to tell. We always have something to inspire, entertain, and share with others.