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Since the boom of the self-tape, the audition process has changed dramatically. Whilst there are many criticisms with it, there are huge benefits and it's here to stay. So instead of fear or frustration over them, it's worth learning to love them and see them as yet another tool and asset to your skillset.
Over the past six years, Twisted have recieved and viewed literal thousands of self tapes. Given our regional location, it's allowed us to see and employ actors from all over the Uk, who we may well not have gotten round to seeing in a more conventional casting process.
For Polar in 2024 alone we received over 700 tapes (YEP WE WATCHED EVERY ONE), and whilst obviously not every performer booked from their tape, many have been employed since, with their first tape being easily memorable and easy to look back over on future castings.
In this blog we focus on the benefits, give an insight into our own audition process and understand exactly why self-tapes are actually a powerful weapon for Actors, with some handy tips to make them work for you thrown in like a nice iced bun.
Have a read, or scroll straight on through the gumph to some do's and don't of self-taping.
78% of casting directors believe that self-tapes allow actors to display their true potential more effectively than traditional auditions. *2022 survey
Auditions are PRESSURE - they needn't be
In a massively subscribed industry just getting an audition for a production is huge.....this is IT your big shot at your dream gig, you've finally arrived. It's cause for celebration, but all of it brings PRESSURE!!!!....and pressure breeds nerves quicker than mould in a public toilet.
Throw in a dash of 'How do I get to the location?', 'What if it's terrible weather before I can register, I'll look terrible?', 'I get so nervous in-front of CD's', add a smattering of call time and a shot of fear of failure.....and holy mama this cocktail gonna blow. Oh, and that's before we even think about the financial hit of auditions such as travel costs, often needing a whole day out in order to attend the few minutes in the room. It's no wonder so many fall to the wayside preferring a more stable job security.
Self-tapes allow actors to:
Present themselves in environments that feel comfortable and safe.
Choose their setting, wardrobe, TIME.
spend NOTHING
Practice
get more chance to be seen and considered
This flexibility leads to performances that are more natural and less rushed, instead of the performance bring glossed over due to time constraints, instantly giving your best self to casting directors. We believe in doing all we can to reduce these pressures and as a result we always ask for self-tapes in our phase one auditions. Yes it can add to our workload, as we also believe that if a Performer tapes then they deserve to be seen, however that's a small price to pay in order to really see the best from an applicant and know exactly who we want to see in the room.
At Twisted, we always give performers a THREE week window for tapes....we want their best, not a rushed time constrained version.
So grow to love them, know that for every tape you do you are getting in-front of those that hold the key to the high security style door to your career. They are NEVER a waste of time, even if you don't book.....one the FIRST time.
The secret weapon for Actors
In a highly competitive industry, standing out is crucial. Self-tapes give Actors a chance to shine not just in their technique but in their unique personalities. Showing a little of YOU either side of, and within, your performance goes a long way.
'We employ the human, as much as we do the Performer'
We want to see the real you, not just a polished performance. How creative are you? What can we develop in the rehearsal room. Are you naturally quirky and endearing? let us see that. Make us want to work with YOU, the you behind the character.
By being authentic in your self-tape, you increase your chances of making a memorable impression, of standing out against the thousands of others.
So DROP THE NERVES, leave the question of 'How do they want it performed?' in the WASTE OF MENTAL HEADSPACE BIN.....and give me your best you, your take on the character brief we sent, we may not even know ourselves how the character is.
Just go for it. See it as a moment of performing, practicing your craft and a moment of doing the very thing you love. If you book from it, it's an absolute Brucey Bonus.
"Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind"
Mastering the Art of Self-Taping - some tips.
While self-taping can and should be fun, it’s still important to treat it with the seriousness of an in-person audition.
TECH:
Key elements like lighting, sound quality, and framing are vital. Make sure the shot lets us see your eyes. Unless instructed otherwise use landscape setting. *However, none of this means you need top quality recording equipment, your camera phone is ALWAYS enough.
RESEARCH: Utilising resources like online tutorials or workshops can elevate your self-taping game. (Thats right, stop the doom scrolling and use the time instead for your actual benefit)
CONFIDENCE & SKILLS:
PRACTICE: Each self-tape is a chance to hone your craft, a chance to play, making you more comfortable in front of the camera, however they can arrive out of the blue and often with very tight deadlines. We've all had that "drop everything I've gotta tape to do" moment. So DO IT OFTEN, not just for an application. Looking through casting briefs and having a play with a mock self-tape based on the information given is a great way to prepare for an actual self-tape request. Or simply creating Self-tapes based on lines from shows/productions is great practice in not only your performance, but also setting up and shooting. Be ready for when the one that actually counts drops into your inbox.
REVIEW your performances, you’ll become more adept at conveying emotions and storytelling. Even better ask trusted friends, peers to review for you, but ask for total honesty. 'How did my character make you feel?', 'What did you get from the moment?', 'What could I do differently?"
DO's & DON'Ts
While we say 'DO's & DON'T's' we believe that in a subjective and creative industry that too many rules can stifle the process and create pressure.......and we all know what pressure leads to...(we told you at the top of the blog)....instead it should be about what works for you....but thats just not as catchy a title as 'DO's & DON'Ts'.
So our list is observations from our personal casting process other the years, and are just things to consider which may well help you book the gig.
FOLLOW THE BRIEF: So important that I'll type it again, FOLLOW THE BRIEF. Make sure you've included all that's requested. Remember Casting Directors first job is reducing the amount of applicants. It can be as simple as putting you to one side because you didnt. We take time writing them, so we can receive all we believe we need to make a casting decision, so take the time to read fully and hit every point. FOLLOW THE BRIEF (see very important), and double check, nay triple check before recording/sending.
BE ON TIME: Whilst don't want you to rush the tape, but do ensure it's there before the deadline passes. At twisted we do watch every one recieved, however we won't for those after the timeline, unless specifically requested. WHY? because we set a process, we are already scheduling who we want to take forward and the next steps. We've allocated this time as part of the project.
TAPING: set up a clean and well-lit background.
LIGHTING TIP: use soft/even lighting. Natural light is usually a smartphone cameras best friend. Ring lights are good for consistency.
FRAMING TIP: Keep the shot from the mid-chest up (medium close up), unless told otherwise. DON'T get too focussed on the tech set up. Performance will always shine through, just make sure we can see and hear you clearly.
NAME: Each file sent, change file name to yours.
DRESS: You don't need to dress like the character, you're not the wardrobe department and we don't want you stressing over it. However, a litte nod to the character does help, if for no other reason than us being able to admire the effort put in.
SMALLER: Big on stage, is way different to big on camera, be free with your choices but remember we are watching/hearing you through a different medium.
MULTIPLE TAKES: Part of the benefits of self-tapes is you get more than one shot, which doesnt always happen in the room. However, don't do too many or before long your relaxed and efficient self-tape turns into a stressful long film shoot day, especially if you insist on watching each and every clip, which we strongly advise you don't. If you can aim for a solid three takes, and you send the best of three, then you won't be a slave to the self-tape journey.
DO IT and FORGET: Like any audition, the horrible wait for results can be all consuming, with self-tapes this leads to the dreaded want to watch, rewatch and watch again complete with the soul sucking 'I could've done that better'......DON'T. Record them, send them and FORGET them. Just move on and remind yourself, you did the best you could.
LINES: We prefer seeing a performer at this stage delivering INTENT and CHARACTER. Being word perfect is lovely, but NOT if it jepodises the performance making you sound robotic and static. Performer burn out is a huge issue in the industry, and attending auditions/doing self tapes etc is a massive part of that. The burnout coming from all the effort you make, to then not get anywhere. It leads to half hearted auditions/tapes, or worse still not bothering to send at all....yet that very last audition could be the one you were destined to book.
So whilst you should prepare as much as possible, don't burn yourself out learning word for word, Give us the performance instead. It's tempting to read the lines from a nearby piece of paper, or autocue.....we would advise against this as again it is so noticeable in a tape that it takes away from the character, intentions and performance.
COVER NOTE: Always include a cover note, but not a generic one. Tell us who you are, why you're suited to the project, why you are interested etc. It may just be the thing that gets you seen.
GO FOR IT: Do not waste time trying to get into OUR head, stay inside YOURS. That is always the right choice. Get set up, go over, and over the notes, rehearse your audition and then when ready to finally get it taped.....go for it. Change the questions 'How do THEY want it?', 'What accent do THEY want?' etc to .....'How do I want it?', 'What accent do I want?' and deliver your best version of you performing a character. There are many stories of an Actor being hired after what THEY produced in a character.
YOUTUBE: Whilst many will request how you send your tape, a good option is a private link Youtube upload. This saves us downloading each and every tape, and will also become a permanent resource for you to look back over.
SAY NO: sometimes it really is the most powerful thing to do. Rather than trying to hurry through a tape and not represent yourself well, you can say no. Don’t allow it to become an unnecessary stress, sometimes it’s simply impossible so a polite thank you but no on this occasion with your reasons is very professional. Remember it’s YOUR journey.
PRIDE: Whatever happens after the tape, booked or not, take a moment to be proud of yourself.....you got asked. Just like the buzz of being invited into the room, you were invited to demonstrate your skill, you are worthy. Not booking doesn't mean you've failed, it just didnt happen this time, but in the meantime you got some much needed practice and your work infront of people who make the decisions. And that is ALWAYS worth doing.
FILE TRANSFER MYTH BUSTER
Something we hear a lot from Actors is, 'What was the point, they never even downloaded it'. This is largely regarding the transfer service WETRANSFER. This can be extremely frustrating and upsetting, however we can tell you that wetransfer doesn't always show that the tape has been downloaded or viewed.
We know this for fact because as a company who do watch/download all recieved, we've had several instances of a Performer contacting to say 'The download link has expired and as it hasn't said you'd downloaded I thought I'd send again'.
We even had an instance when we contacted an Actor to offer a second phase live audition and they were surprised because as the tape hadn't been downloaded they just assumed there was nothing further. We of course know there are companies who don't watch all, however we wanted to highlight this because we hate the thought of an actor entering into a negative space through assumption they've not been seen.
SUMMARY
We wanted this blog to be a light read and hopefully give some quick tips/advice on self-taping, but the over riding message is one of changing mindset. Not seeing them as a chore or a hindrance, but instead seeing them as a way to play and to flex. Changing the narrative from one of pressure and nerves regarding the 'must book' outcome, to one of taping is a pleasure and healthy practice with the added bonus of potential work as a result.
Oh......and FOLLOW THE BRIEF!!!!!!
IF YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO, YOU NEVER WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE
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