SELF TAPING AUDITION MISTAKES> PART ONE:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

SELF TAPING AUDITION MISTAKES> PART ONE:

1. Shooting vertically. 
All self-tapes should be shot horizontally, no exceptions.

2. Standing too far away.Casting should be able to see your face, eyes, and expression. Don’t shoot too close or too far, get it just right and shoot from the waist up.

3. The full-body pan.According to CD Carol Goldwasser, when casting asks for a full-body shot,“[they] don’t want to see a head and then a chest and then legs and then shoes. I want the camera to get the entire person in the frame at one time.”

4. A distracting background.I can’t tell you how many self-tapes I’ve seen that are shot in front of closets, in a bathroom or cluttered kitchen, etc. All of this is wrong. A self-tape should be filmed in front of a blank wall of neutral color, like green or blue. We want to be looking at you, not trying to figure out what’s hanging behind your head.

5. Poor lighting and sound.Invest in a simple lighting kit. Add a mic to your iPhone or digital camera. Watch out for background noise from traffic, lawn mowers, and barking dogs.

6. Using a bad reader.Pick a reader who’s a good actor with great diction. Even though you’re the one auditioning, their bad reading will bring the tape down. And make sure your reader stands to the immediate right or left of the camera, and brings their volume down a bit. This will put your eyeline close to the camera lens without looking directly into it so casting can see your expressions and ensure the reader isn’t talking over you.

7. Not dressing appropriately.Wear solid, bright colors. Avoid white (it reflects too much). No hats, crazy makeup, excessive patterns, or flashy jewelry. Dress to suggest the character. You don’t need to buy a space suit if you’re reading for an astronaut, but you also shouldn’t be wearing shorts and a tank top for an office manager.