5 Ways to Make Your Self-Tape Stand Out

Self- tapes. There’s no getting around them. I can’t remember the last time I met someone in person for an audition. In some ways it’s a good thing because it’s a great leveler. We used to fly actors in to ‘test’. You can now see people from all over the United States—in fact, anywhere in the world. But most people have a nostalgia for the days of looking someone in the eye and getting to know them—just a little—in person. Nowadays the first time you meet the actor is often at the read-thru. They’re usually taller or shorter than you imagine.

After more than 20 years as a film and TV director I’ve worked with many amazing casting directors and seen hundreds of talented actors audition. Here are some tips that might just help you land that next role.

1. Find an arresting opening image. Some actors laugh as an opener to their slate. Some actors switch around the order of the scenes so whoever has seen 50 first lines of the first scene is knocked off their guard. Remember that casting directors now have hundreds of people to look at because of self-tapes—how can you make them stop on yours and look twice?

2. Competent taping. Yes, it is possible to see past a shaky camera with bad sound and a messy background, but it makes it harder.

3. Good lighting (bright). Don’t have moody lighting and don’t wear loads of make up, we want to see how you look.

4. Learn how to use the camera. You can step forward into a conspiratorial close-up if you like or notice how you angle your head toward the camera to make you look submissive or authoritative, for example.

5. Be imaginative. For Hunting Wives, we were casting a scene in which a character had to drive around while talking. We had a submission from New Zealand with a guy who drove around in a truck while doing his lines. He was very good and we seriously considered him. Within safe limits, use the camera! You might as well make the most of it.