More and more frequently, you’ll find yourself opening your email to see a message from your agent with the subject: Self-Tape Request. You could certainly tape the audition yourself (see the previous blog post “3 Tips for Self-Taping At Home”), but as the need for self-taping grows, you might find it’s easier to create your self-taping with a professional. When you hire someone to record your audition, there are a few things to remember in order to have a successful session.
1. Be Respectful and Professional (Duh)
It all begins with your initial email. If you are reaching out to someone to inquire about self-taping services, be professional. We currently live in a society where texting has become the main form of communication and correct grammar and full sentences have seemingly become a thing of the past. This is still a business, however and you are seeking to make a business transaction. Your email should detail what it is you need and when you need it. Simply writing, “hey u free?” is not a valid inquiry. I have received several “hey u free?” emails – or variations thereof – while running my self-taping business, and I do not even bother to respond. Your email should contain all the pertinent information regarding your audition (i.e. how many pages you have, how long of a session you think you’d need, when you would ideally like to record and when your link is due).
Don’t cancel, but if you have to, do so with plenty of notice. When you schedule a session for self-taping with a professional, you are booking a person’s time and a studio’s space. Since many studios are shared facilities often rented out for classes, coachings, rehearsals, etc., booking an appointment affects more than just your own schedule. The person recording your audition won’t be able to schedule anyone else in that slot and the studio cannot rent out the space to other people during the time you have booked. Therefore, when you cancel on short notice (or no notice at all), it has an effect on multiple people, not just you. Obviously things are going to come up that will cause your schedule to change – you get called for a put-in, you are on a set and your shoot order changes, you become ill – just let the person you’ve scheduled your taping session with know as soon as possible. Make sure you are aware of any cancellation policies that might be in place as you might be responsible for the session fee. Furthermore, if you are running late, let the appropriate parties know. Another actor might be booked immediately following your session, in which case your appointment might need to be rescheduled or adjusted. Communication is key.
Be respectful of the studio’s space. It is not appropriate to come in and immediately start rearranging furniture for your scene. That is NOT the meaning of the phrase “own the room.” Ask first! That chair you grab might be broken, or that table you try to pull over might be set up for someone else. You won’t know those things when you first walk into the room. You are in a professional space – not your living room – so treat it accordingly.
2. Be Prepared, But Be Open
You should be as off book as possible when you tape your audition. Not only will it help your performance, but preparation is an automatic confidence booster. Some actors like to come in, do a couple of takes the way they have practiced the sides, and call it a day. That’s totally fine! If, however, you wish to work the scene(s) a bit and get a few different takes, having the eye of a professional to watch you and give feedback can be a huge asset. Incorporating notes or changes becomes a much easier task when you are off book. For those of us that work behind the camera, we truly want you to succeed. Keep in mind we’ve watched hundreds, if not thousands, of auditions. If we offer suggestions as to how you might approach the material, be open. It means we’re seeing something that we believe can be improved upon to give you an even better self-tape. In many cases, we’re sending the link on your behalf. Having our name attached is even more of an incentive for those of us taping you to present the best possible takes.
3. Thank You Goes a Long Way
This should be a no-brainer, but is often overlooked. Please, say thank you. Thank your reader, thank the person recording you, and thank the person for sending your link (this could very well all be the same person). The person who did the work for you will remember that, and it will make them happy to help you with more auditions in the future. Perhaps you reach out to someone inquiring about self-tape services, and the person informs you that he or she is not available to work with you on that audition. Reply back and thank them anyway! Because here’s a little secret: the entertainment industry is a small community, and your reputation is everything. You might not be aware of all the connections the person recording your audition has. When we meet an actor we’re excited about who we love to work with, we share that information with our colleagues. When we encounter an actor who is rude, fails to pay a session fee, or repeatedly cancels or shows up late…guess what? We share that information, too.
If you’re professional and have a good attitude, your self-tape sessions will be successful, which will lead to more auditions, which will lead to more potential bookings. And isn’t that the point?
Kate McCoy is based in Chicago where she provides coaching and audition taping services to actors. As a session runner at Paskal Rudnicke Casting, she directed auditions for Payless, Cheetos, Bud Light and many others. She has assisted with casting at The Onion and served as the lead casting director for projects with Les Mills International and TV House Films. You can also find her teaching workshops at The Second City Training Center. Additionally, her credits include shooting and editing Matt Miller’s Virtual Showcase, creating a behind-the-scenes video series for TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere of Spill, and, on the lighter side, shooting and editing videos for iO Chicago’s live reality show Bit Tank. Need a self-tape? Kate can help!