If you´re an actor, it is highly likely that you have had to master the art of the self-tape. A perhaps overwhelming task for some, or a walk in the park for others, still let me give you some simple tips that can turn your at home casting studio from a blurry mess to a wonderful homemade masterpiece.
What we are looking for really when we cannot be there in front of you giving you directions is mostly a clean and simple structure, that looks good and which sells you well to the client
1. Picture Perfect
First impressions are vital when actors walk into a casting studio. Our job is to analyse and try to bring out the best performance in people, and generally by seeing actors in person we get to assess they´re charisma and cadence. However, it is tricky to figure out personality from a picture. Here is what I ask of you.
Great headshots are rare in Mexico, and I find that if I do receive a headshot, it can often seem overly forced and posed. All I need from your headshot is a realistic representation of what you currently look like, no Instagram filter ( I beg you) and unless specifically requested, no I don´t need to see your abbs or your selfies.
As seen in the picture selected, I do love, clean, simple photos that show me a touch of your personality and can sell you well to the client.
The key is to keep it simple. Unless asked specifically for a slightly edgier, posed picture it is always best to play it straight forward.
Headshot of Edinburgh-based actress, Hannah Collins. For information about her work, visit her site HERE
2. Give that lens a wipe & find your light
A blurry casting can be just like shooting yourself in the foot. I understand not everyone has the best camera (neither do I) but one of the ways we can play around that is ensuring that your camera is clean at least. It is as simple as giving it a wipe with your shirt, but it will make your blurry features go from eh? to ahhahhh!
Taping from home can be tricky. I know that if I were an actress my apartment lighting would not make a good set for self – tapes. But there are some cheap ways to remedy this and it is a small investment if it promises to make you earn the big bucks with each job.
Ring lights have become so popular here in Mexico that people have started selling them on the street. I will not say this is the only place where they can be purchased, but my point is that they are incredibly common. Purchase one with a tripod and bish bosh boom, you have yourself a DIY casting room.
Also, as an added plus, your videos will be steady and HORIZONTAL (no more messing around with vertical self-tapes please) . I cannot lie, there is nothing more off-putting than someone holding the camera vertically and shaking or zooming into you whist moving it around.
An extra note, please do not use a zoom background or an elaborate green screen image. All that should be seen is a simple plane wall, with no window behind you so that the lighting doesn´t bother.
3. Do the instructions make sense?
When you receive the instructions, do they make sense? Do you understand what we are trying to have you act out? We have to send explanations now with our casting requests, and casting directors are far from perfect. We do make mistakes and can perhaps not always be clear with our explanation, we are after all used to being vocal with the talent. That´s our bad, so don´t let that bother you. We are used to explaining our castings and I can´t speak for everyone but my favorite part of the job is communicating and interacting with the actors in the studio. I definitely want every audition I receive to be a strong contender.
So, if you´re unsure of the acting, just ask us, or you can get your agent to ask. We use whatsapp like a religion here in Mexico, and I have no problem sending a voice message with oral instructions of exactly what I would love to receive. Don´t worry, you aren´t bothering us. Think instead that it will save us time if you get it wrong originally. If it isn´t exactly what we need, we shall have to ask for another video. A great majority of my work as a casting director during Covid has entailed requesting new tweaked videos.
4. Length & Versions
One of the toughest ways to assess a casting is if it is a video less than 5 seconds. I really can´t do much with a five second clip. Even if the acting is simple and seems like it would be a very quick and short video, don´t send me just an accelerated version of the casting and nothing else.
If it seems like an overly easy acting, this is your time to milk it a bit. Commercial casting can seem odd when all they are looking for is a glance, or a look of shock, or even just a smile. But it is so much more than that. We are looking for your transition into the acting. Enjoy the instructions and play with them.
Send us more than one version of the acting. When I was one on one with the actors, it was incredibly rare for me to only film one variation of the acting. I would at least do two or three, each slightly different. Firstly, to see if the actor took directions well, but also just to get a variety of styles. Let us see your versatility and have fun with it. Worst comes to worst, you send us too many versions, I delete some and just keep the best ones. It´s really a win win.
5. When is the deadline?
If you don´t know when the deadline is, just ask. Your agent should have a clear idea of when it is and it can give yourself the time to be able to film a good audition. I completely understand that actors are filming so many different self-tapes daily, so I advise you all to have a timeline guiding you.
If I receive the video after my deadline, unless it is a one-of-a-kind video that I can not submit without, it is very likely that I thank you for the submission but do not actually include it in my delivery. If the talent is lucky and they are needing to reinforce a couple of characters, then I will share the extra late submissions I received.
Sending tapes off on time also ensures us to be able to help in case the acting is not really spot on.
I hope these tips helped. I know self-tapes can be stressful and we are all learning together.
Break a leg on all your castings and I hope to see you in one of mine with a wiped lens and good lighting very soon.