As self tape auditions become increasingly popular, the team here at Hunter Talent have been inundated with questions on the whole process.
Our talents (and even those unsigned to acting and modelling agencies) are busier than ever before recording self tapes for auditions for everything from TV commercials to feature length productions.
But for those who are new to the self taping process, it can get a little overwhelming.
So here are a few tips that we took from our free guide Everything you Need to Know About Self Taping. If you want access to the complete guide, then go ahead and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
For now, here are those quick tips to get you started.
Choose the right equipment
While a DSLR camera is great for shooting professional-looking self tapes, you can make do with your smartphone if that’s all you’ve got. Once it can shoot in HD, you’re good to go.
Your smartphone will record audio, but the problem here is that it will record all the ambient noise in the background too. That means that your voice may not come across clearly. That’s why we suggest using an external mic that can plug into your headphone jack.
You’ll also want a tripod to keep your camera steady. This is an absolute must as shaky videos can be very distracting for the casting director.
Choose the right environment
You need to think carefully about where you’re shooting. It needs to be quiet and well-lit with no chance of any interruptions.
Think too about the background. A solid neutral colour works best for a backdrop, but if you don’t have one then a clear wall with no features will do just as well.
Choose the right clothing
As with a regular audition, you shouldn’t dress to impress for a self tape.
Remember to keep it simple and you can’t go too far wrong.
That means plain clothing in neutral colours (that don’t clash with your background) and no accessories. Although if an accessory or even a prop is critical to the scene, then that should be fine.
As we said earlier, these are just a few quick tips to get you started.
If you’d like to know the answers to questions like:
- What format should I record in?
- How do I set up lighting for my self tape?
- Do I need a reader?
- Or perhaps you’d like a little more information about that external mic we recommended.
If that’s the case, then all you need to do is pop your email address in the box below and we’ll give you instant access to our talent agency’s free self-taping guide.
We promise that we’ll only use your email address to send you more useful guides like this and let you know about any dazzling opportunities we have that might interest you.
