On Self-Tape Auditions
/Dear Actor-Vocalists,
I would like to offer some thoughts, tips, and advice to help make your next theatre self-tape audition/callback a little smoother and effective.
[*Warning - This post is mainly geared toward performers and those interested in the online audition process!]
We may be working with this medium for much longer than any of us would like or hope, and I suspect some theaters will see some value in self-tapes even post-quarantine.
As an actor, vocal coach, and accompanist, I know the struggles and worries very well. Being in front of that camera is nothing like being in front of an audience.
And as a Musical Director who recently went through an online audition and callback process, I have some thoughts that - I hope - will alleviate some of your stresses and get you focused on what matters most to those watching the tapes roll!
Some audition self-tape from…7 years ago. Yikes.
On Look
Let’s talk lights and look.
Honestly, this part is way simpler than it seems.
Basically what we need from you is:
To see your face clearly
Minimal distractions
How is this best accomplished?
Lighting:
Front Light is Key - Copious amounts from multiple front angles if possible.
Bright Light - Natural light is perfect if you can find a good spot for it! Even on a cloudy day, natural light will generally do the trick. Otherwise, try to find a bright light that isn’t too harsh (be wary of florescent) or overly-saturated with color (yellow or otherwise).
Full Face - If the light is creating shadows on your face, do your best to find a solution. Shadows can make it very difficult to see what you actually look like and can be a distraction.
Environment:
Background - Solid, non-textured backgrounds are great if you have them - they really cut down on distractions. However, not everyone has these available, quarantine or not. Honestly, if there’s a couch or a picture on the wall behind you, after a second we won’t be paying any attention to it anyway.
Color - If you can, find a space that has a solid-color background, off which your face will pop. If you fade into the background it becomes hard to focus. And preferably lighter colors, as darker colors can eat up the light in a way that is unhelpful.
Shadow - If you can minimize distracting shadows behind you, that will help eyes stay focused on you.
Face - Whether you’re singing/acting directly into the camera or a little to the side, as long as we can see your face totally and clearly and have a sense of where your focus is, then it should work swimmingly.
3/4 - Three-quarter shots of your body are great, as long as that doesn’t put you too far away to see your face clearly. Otherwise, torso and face will do!
Landscape - Please film in landscape if possible. Portrait can make life more difficult for the auditioners, depending on what programs they may be using.
Other Movement - Yes, pets and small children in the background are distracting. Doesn’t mean we don’t love them - in fact cute kitties, kiddies, and doggos are so delightful they may steal your focus!
As for other visual considerations - like outfit, hair, etc. - this is all the same as an in-person audition.
Just remember - we want to see you do your work, so give yourself the best shot at it!
On Sound
I feel like this is the one that confuses people the most.
Basically, what we need to be able to hear from you is:
Your voice
What you can do
This is so much simpler than people want to make it.
So here are my thoughts:
Microphone - It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be clear. Honestly, most Macbooks and iPhones have great mics built-in that will work just fine. Google products do well too, and Androids seem to depend on the phone. If your device does not offer good enough quality for us to hear you clearly, I would suggest buying a cheap mic upgrade. If you’re in this business for the long-haul, it’ll be worth it!
Accompaniment - Live accompaniment is great, if you happen to have it available! It offers the most flexibility and ease in any audition. However, be wary of self-accompaniment (unless specifically asked for) - it is likely we will lose your face and therefore any acting moments you give.
Tracks - Tracks are your friend, though some words of caution. 1) Don’t have it too close to the microphone - we need to hear you, not the track, 2) Have the track where you can hear it clearly, though if we can also hear it clearly that’s a plus (not a necessity), 3) Make sure it isn’t a distracting sound like bad MIDI or a poor-quality karaoke - these are distracting, 4) Stay synced with the track whenever possible!
Mistakes - I know it’s tempting to try to make it perfect, since it’s a video and you can (and should) do multiple takes. However, if there’s a small mistake or two don’t sweat it. Just like in any audition we’re looking for potential, not perfection.
Show Off - Unlike live auditions, we don’t have the ability to immediately ask you for a second cut or to vocalize. Therefore, show us a little more than just one skill in your video. Why not show a little mix at a moment or two in your belt cut? Does that pop cut allow for a little head voice riff? Can your soprano song dip into mix-y land for a moment? This way we don’t have to spend another day or two emailing you to ask for another cut for what we didn’t hear - it just may save everyone a little time and work!
Essentially, clarity and skills are queen.
On Details
Yes, there are plenty of other details that go into this process as well, so let’s hit some of them!
Slate - Okay, yes, iMovie gives you the ability to put a slide at the top of your video with your name and the names of your cuts. BUT! We want to see a little of who you are, and the slate is a 5-second way to do that. A quick “Hi! My name is _____ and I’ll be singing ____ from ____” and then going straight into the cut works perfectly.
Label - Although I suggest the slate, I would also put a watermark label of your song title and the show it’s from in the bottom corner of the screen. Sometimes we miss the title and if we don’t know the song, then we’re just distracted.
Title - Please title your video with your name and either the role/show you are auditioning for, or the name of the song if asked to prepare something specific. Of course, if the theater specifies something else for your title, follow those rules instead.
Excess - Please cut out any excess from your videos. I know it can be great to be silly or try to show something more of your personality in your slate or after a cut, but we honestly have a million of these to look at and it’s fairly labor-intensive. If you really want to show more personality, include a separate video that they can either choose to click on or not click on.
Reel - Worried you aren’t showing what they want to see? Send your reel as well! Just make sure everything is carefully labeled out in the reel description, preferably with second-markers so we can skip around quickly if need be.
Upload - Oh please please please do not make us download your videos! Upload them to a site like Vimeo or Youtube so we can just click through to them.
Unlocked/Unlisted - Make certain your videos are not locked with a password that we have to retrieve from you. Youtube is a good solution, using the “Unlisted” video function to keep privacy without feeling the need for a password.
Description - Use the description box on your upload site to reiterate your name, what you’re auditioning for, what you’re performing, and anything else relevant.
Dialogue Partner - If you’re reading a scene, please have someone read the other lines (if possible). Otherwise it can get real silly and awkward pretty fast!
Theatricality - It’s hard to be theatrical on camera and not feel like you’re going too big. But don’t forget, this isn’t camera acting we’re doing here. Theatricality, even at scale, still counts!
In Summary
I know.
I know this is all a pain in the tush and not preferable by any means.
But, you can help yourself out by implementing as many of these things as possible to make the process smoother for both you and the auditioner. Just like auditioning in person, auditioning on camera is a skill set that we all must now become more adept at.
And you can do this. All it takes is a little work and a little practice, and then it’ll just be another skill for the toolkit.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home. Cheers!
