Building Your Self-Tape Setup
Whether or not you have an agent, whether you are trying to build your resume from scratch, or just keep raising the caliber of your credits, you will be submitting self tapes from home. One could weigh many pros and cons to having to audition via self tape, but this would be a waste of time. Accept self tapes as a reality and a responsibility, be thankful you’re not sitting in 2 hours of traffic for a 5 minute audition, and equip yourself.
A couple things you will want to invest in:
Backdrop
You may use a plain wall, but I find that typically the backdrop allows for more freedom with adjusting movement and lighting to each audition, the time of day you are filming, etc.When it comes to the oclor of the backdrop, this is often a point of debate. Black looks a bit intense and messes with the lighting on your face typically. Colors can be distracting. Some shade of gray seems to be the preferred choice currently from what i’ve heard of in dustry professionals, but likely as long as it is neutral and doesn’t detract, you will be okay. Make sure fabric backdrops are steamed consistently– no wrinkles! These can be very distracting. Backdrops can be very invasive on your space so be prepared to have to reserve a corner of your space for self tapes, or to spend copious amounts of time assembling/dissassembling. Still sound fun being an actor? Some actors are happy with the school photo-style backdrops that frame from just over your head to your torso, and a few inches on each side. Personally, I need a full length backdrop to allow myself to move freely and adapt to any audition information I may be given. MANY self tape requests will also include a request for a full body slate. This can be tricky with a smaller backdrop because when you zoom out to accommodate your full height, your horizontal surroundings wil be visible. To avoid this, I opted to pick out a backdrop dimensional to the camera’s dimensions. This is where the shorter folks are going to be at an advantage. In my case, using an iPhone for my tapes, there is a 16:9 aspect ratio. I am 5’10, and I want a few inches above my head. So I want something at least 6 ft tall and at least 10.6 feet wide. Amazon has tons of options for dimensions so you’ll be able to find the right fit, and many of the backdrop frames are adjustable.
Lighting
You will want some kind of direct lighting such as an influencer-style ring light, portable LED video lights, or softbox lights, as well as a versatile tripod. You will want these two items to be as collapsible as possible (I can get mine so tight that I often travel with them).
Camera
In terms of cameras, iPhones have been accepted as a standard since the cameras on an iPhone are just as good as many video cameras out there without having to go make an extra purchase. That being said, if you have a camera of quality that you prefer by all means use it! This is all about showing yourself in the best light, and aiming for the best quality within your means is a great goal.
These are all just guidelines that I have when helping friends pick out their self tape set up, but when it comes down to you, it’s really about what you feel comfortable with –What you feel looks clean, what highlights you the best, and what will be conducive to you getting all your auditions done.
