It’s hard to believe, but when I first started acting two decades ago, Spotlight was still published as a physical book. Applying for acting jobs involved printing lots of expensive headshots and sending them out in the post, which was time consuming, costly and not very eco-friendly. Very few people used websites to promote themselves in the way they do now and Twitter, Facebook and Instagram didn’t even exist - #mindblown! Castings were always done in person and the idea of sending a video of an audition online would have been laughable. The internet was just too slow to make that practical and smart phones weren’t quite as smart as they are now.
Fast forward twenty years and Spotlight, Mandy and many other casting websites are an everyday part of actors lives. Most performers use social media to promote themselves, to socialise, to network and find jobs. Casting directors, agents and producers expect actors to be online and be able to audition quickly via self tape. There are lots of guides to producing self tapes out there with varying instructions, but in general you just need to be lit well against a pale blank background and be audible. Sounds easy, right?
Not necessarily. As well as dealing with the pressure of learning a script quickly and giving a good performance, you’re going to need to find the time to film the scene or scenes, rope in a decent reader and locate a quiet place to record. Factor in noisy housemates, pets or children vying for your attention, trying to get a consistent performance out of a friend or relative who is reading for you, along with trying to make your video look nice with yellowy indoor lighting and you may not show yourself to your best advantage. Even if you’re confident that you haven’t made any technical mistakes, you’ll need to resist the temptation to do another take because ‘that one just didn’t feel right’. Two hours later you may still be filming, your phone storage and battery running out, your friend getting increasingly bored and or impatient, feeling like each take is actually getting worse (usually because it is).
Soon after I started South London Self Tapes, I met an actress who was very vocal about how awful self tape services were (predictably, she hadn’t actually ever used one). I didn’t tell her what I did as my day job and a couple of months later, lo and behold, there she was on my doorstep. Within minutes of starting the session she said she was so much more relaxed than she would have been doing it herself at home as she didn’t have to worry about all the technical elements that usually stressed her out.
There is of course a cost involved with any service, which some may find prohibitive. With that in mind, all my clients receive a loyalty card offering every fourth session half price and students and seniors get £5 off every session. It’s also useful to remember that any money you might have to spend on paying for self tape sessions is tax deductible.
Although I am probably a bit biased, I would suggest there are a number of advantages to paying for a professionally filmed self tape:
Look good, feel better
If you were going to an interview for a day job, you’d want to look your best and dependent on your budget and the impression you wanted to create, you’d probably do whatever you could to make the best impression. A suit from Moss Bros and a suit from Savile Row might look similar, but they’d make you look, feel and carry yourself differently and make a different impression on people you might meet. Sending a tape which is higher quality than one you can produce on your phone at home should give you a psychological boost and (consciously or unconsciously) give whoever is watching it the impression that you’re taking the potential role more seriously.
Step out of your comfort zone
Taking the process out of your own home or your friend’s living room literally takes you out of your comfort zone (in a good way), so you are free to push yourself to give a better performance without familiar distractions that might otherwise get in your way.
Setting a deadline
Having a deadline of a set amount of time means you’ll get the tape done rather than procrastinating or trying so hard to get the ‘perfect’ take that you sabotage yourself with ‘over-taking’, repeating the scene so many times that you lose spontaneity and focus.
Lights, camera, action
Not having to worry about pressing buttons leaves you free to concentrate on what you do best. I use a high quality camera, soft box and LED lighting and lapel and on-camera mics to produce a tape to a professional standard.
Rehearsal and preparation
I can’t learn your lines for you but I always run scenes through with actors before filming until they feel confident and comfortable.
Reading is fundamental
As a fellow actor I hope to be able to give a better performance than your flat mate or your mum (sorry mum, no offence). I should also be able to take your feedback more easily in terms of pacing and working together to build a scene.
Choosing your best take
It can often be very hard to know which take is the best one to send and sometimes a friend or relative might not be ready or able to give constructive criticism. Having a completely independent eye or someone to discuss options with can help you make the right choice.
Deliver on time
I always ask what time and date your self tape is due by at the time of booking. I aim to edit, compress and transfer your tape via WeTransfer within an hour and a half of the end of your session and will let you know if that’s not possible. Taking that aspect out of your hands hopefully means you can move on to your next opportunity without worrying about getting the tape edited and sent.
A lot of us have grown up with computers and smartphones but for some people who may not be as familiar with them, the idea of filming and editing a video themselves can be baffling at best and daunting at worst - not what you need when you already feel under pressure to perform, literally. I’ve worked with clients from many different backgrounds, ages and experience levels and aim to put you at your ease and enable you to give your best performance. Read what some of our previous clients have said about working with us on our Testimonials page.
If you’ve got any further questions, email southlondonselftapes@gmail.com or head over to our Bookings page to book your session today.