SELF TAPE
So you’ve been asked to submit a self-tape. Ask yourself this, “Do I feel confident acting as my own Director of Photography, Producer, and Sound Recordist while trying to deliver a performance that will get me to cast?”. Most people don’t, but that’s exactly what you’ve been asked to do.
As Hollywood adapts to COVID-19 and the ever-changing protocols, self-tapes are becoming more and more common. They keep exposure and liability to a minimum, and they allow the filmmakers to work remotely, all while saving you the inconvenience of sitting in traffic and trying to find parking. To them, it seems like a win-win. What they fail to realize is that a self-tape actually presents a whole host of challenges.
First, you have to figure out the space you want to record in. Does it look interesting, but not distracting? Does it look professional? Can you hear traffic in the background? How are the acoustics? These are all things to consider because you don’t want a casting director to be distracted from your acting. Unfortunately, the space you have available isn’t always the best option, and it can be a challenge to find an affordable space that is.
Once you find the space, you’ll need a reader. While you may be an incredibly talented actor, you can’t clone yourself and act as the off-screen character as well. That’s when you call a friend or family member in, but if they aren’t experienced, they may be more of a distraction than an asset, so choose wisely.
After you have your reader, it’s time to set up the camera and microphone. Some actors choose to invest in a tripod and a DSLR camera for just this reason. It allows them to create professional-quality video, and for the most part, they are pretty simple to use. One thing to remember, however, is that their sound recording abilities are less than desirable, which means you’ll also need to invest in an external microphone, or a zoom recorder (which also requires you to sync sound and video).
Now that you’ve got your set up, someone has to push the record button. Do you trust your reader? If so, great. If not, you’ll have to edit out the segment of the video where you back away from the camera after hitting that record button yourself.
Finally, after you’ve put all the pieces together and recorded your video, it’s time to upload and send.
There are answers to every challenge presented by recording a self-tape at home, and we encourage all actors to become familiar with the process. With that being said, if you’re not able to find a key element, or if you’re still in the learning stages of the technology side of things, JIG Reel Studios offers affordable, professional self tapes so you can focus on your acting.