Casting Director Shares Self-Tape Advice When Recording at Home

January 12, 2021

Actors have been putting themselves on tape for years, but I still see many issues as I look through my self-tape submissions. Let’s take a look at some of the more common errors.

Backdrop

I get that you may have to shoot your tape at home. No problem. I have seen hundreds of self-tapes shot at home by actors that looked professional, and worked to get their talent across. Just don’t stand in front of your fridge or microwave or television. You want the backdrop neutral. A bookcase is busy and distracting. I want boring from your backdrop so my 100% focus is on the work. Try to keep pets outside or in the other room before you start taping.

Clothing

Think about your wardrobe before taping. While a three-piece suit, or a fancy dress or pantsuit may not be necessary, think about wearing something better than sweats. What would you have worn if you had this audition in person? That’s a great place to start.

The Side of Your Head

Self-tapes should be performed with you facing the camera. If you want to look at the reader, fine. Just make sure they are standing next to the camera so we can see your face, and you are looking almost right at us.

Mistakes

In the room, actors don’t call the shots. You don’t automatically get a do-over. You are 100% in control of your self-tape. If you fumble a line, do it again. You are watching your tape before sending it to make sure you got the lines right, right? I’m not talking about one little word. But if you flub a line, do it again and fix it.

Windows

This one should be obvious. Avoid shooting in front of windows unless they are closed and the shades are down. So many things can pop up in the backyard. And the sun can make lighting your scene extra difficult. Normal room lighting is usually fine, but make sure the sun doesn’t blind you or us.

Memorization

Memorization at the cost of the writing! Your tape should have a smooth flow. This means being very familiar with the dialogue. It does not require memorization.

Shadows

Your own shadow! Normal room lighting should work, but sometimes you need a little backlighting if your shadow is going to be distracting.

Background Movement

Any moving objects. Don’t shoot in front of that cuckoo clock! But really, you don’t want anything that moves, or might move in the shot with you. Imagine recording that perfect take, only to realize you have to do it over because of something in the background.

Indecision

Just like in my office, I need you to make a bold choice and live with it. A self-tape isn’t a showcase. It’s an opportunity to work. So, show me what you’d do on the set. Make a choice and wait for any necessary adjustment. It’s that simple.

Also, what I hear is just as important as what I see. You do not need a professional sound system. You shouldn’t have to spend any extra money on the sound quality of your tape. Just use a quality camera or phone and make sure there is no background noise. Listen to any tape carefully before sending it off to casting. Keep the page still and wear clothing that will not make noise as you move.

It is always a good idea for you to arrange for a strong reader. We all have friends that are actors. If you get an audition, it’s still just as important as before. You wouldn’t want a bad reader if you came to my office. Please accumulate some people who can read with a little something, so the scene isn’t brought down by your Uncle Lou’s terrible read.

When we ask you to self-tape, we understand that it is often a challenge. Your tape does not have to be perfect. But focus on the work, try to avoid any obvious mistakes, and you will be putting your best foot forward every time!

Want to get your acting career started? Sign up or login to Casting Frontier and start auditioning today!

Filed Under Blog, Industry Topics, Interviews, Roles within the Industry · Comments Off on Casting Director Shares Self-Tape Advice When Recording at Home

Josh Gad on the Audition that Changed His Life

January 11, 2021

Josh Gad almost gave up on his acting dreams when The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Broadway invited him to audition in 2005. In an interview with Off Camera, the 39-year-old actor recalls the memorable audition and the role that served as his big break into the business.

Gad is most famous for portraying the lovable voice of the happy snowman Olaf in Disney’s Frozen. He also received a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon.

Early Life

Josh always loved to sing, make people laugh, and pretend to be other people. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and there was no discouraging me from doing that thing,” he remembers. Originally, the Florida native wanted to perform on Broadway, but as he grew older, he found a new goal: to become a cast member of Saturday Night Live. So for three years, he sent audition tapes to SNL with high hopes only to receive respectful letters of rejection. “But when I let go of ‘That’s got to be my destiny, that’s it or it’s nothing,’ things started to happen,” Josh recounts.

From Dreams to Reality

Just as the Carnegie Mellon University graduate seriously contemplated giving up his acting dreams, a San Francisco tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee invited him to audition for a musical. Josh admitted in a Brains of Minerva interview, “I have no work, and yet I said no. It was ballsy, it was egotistical, it was egomaniacal, and stupid probably.”

Soon thereafter, Gad received wind from a friend that the Spelling Bee producers were now very interested in casting him as a replacement for the Broadway original cast member, Don Fogler who would go on to win the 2005 Tony Award for his performance in the role. However, they were still miffed Josh passed on their previous San Francisco offer. This revelation woke the young actor up, so to speak, and so he had his manager reach out to the production, urging them to give Josh a second chance.

Gad describes how the audition went that fateful day: “I show up and there’s one other guy. His credits are all Broadway, and I have no credits.”

Josh’s competition was doing quite well based on the laughter emanating from the room and the audition running long. “So he comes out and he’s looking confident,” Josh recalls.

Taking Things Seriously

Hoping to calm his nerves, Gad cracked a joke in front of the intimidatingly large group of producers before starting his audition. But the director halted the performance just minutes in, and like a school principal, asked to have a moment with Josh. Gad recalls:

“He says, ‘I don’t think you take this seriously.’

I go, ‘Excuse me?’

He goes, ‘I don’t think you actually really take this seriously.’

‘Why are you saying that?’ He goes, ‘Because you come out here, you’re telling a joke.’

And I go, ‘Please forgive me. Fifteen people are about to make the most important decision of my life. I’m walking out more nervous than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I figure I have two choices: I can either break the ice, make a joke or I can projectile vomit all over you and your colleagues. So forgive me if I chose the former. You know, you can question anything you want about me, but I will not let you question my work ethic. I have done nothing but devote myself to my craft for four years. I’ve done nothing but fight to be here. If I don’t get this role on my merits, fine. But I love what I do, and I take it very seriously.”

Watch the clip to hear the zinger at the end.

It is easy to think you can accurately assess how your audition is being received by casting professionals. However, Josh’s story serves as a reminder that you really just never know what they are searching for or why.