The self-tape checklist for auditions abroad

When a production is in another country, the first audition is almost always a self-tape. Nobody expects a studio setup, but they do expect to see and hear you clearly and to find everything they asked for. Use this checklist before you press send.

Before you record

• Read the brief twice and note exactly what they asked for: which scenes, which order, file format, deadline and time zone.
• Learn the lines well enough that you are not reading. Looking down breaks the performance.
• If the scene is in a language you don't speak natively, practise the pronunciation with a native speaker if you can, and say so in your slate if they allowed you to adapt.

Set up the shot

1. Use a plain wall — light grey, blue or off-white works best.
2. Face a window or a soft light so your face is evenly lit. Avoid strong light from behind you.
3. Put the camera at eye level and record in landscape unless they ask for portrait.
4. Frame from mid-chest up for dialogue scenes. Keep a little space above your head.

Get the sound right

Sound problems end more self-tapes than picture problems. Record in a quiet room with soft furnishings, close the windows and turn off fans. Keep the phone or microphone close. Your reader should stand next to the camera and speak more quietly than you, so your voice is the clear one.

Slate clearly

Unless the brief says otherwise, start with a short slate: your name, where you are based, your height, and the role. Say it naturally to the camera — this is often the first time they hear your voice.

Perform, then check

• Keep your eyeline just beside the lens, towards your reader, not into it.
• Do two or three takes and send the best one, not all of them.
• Watch it back with headphones. If a word is unclear to you, it will be unclear to them.

Label and send it properly

• Name the file the way they asked. If they didn't, use: Name_Role_Project.
• Check the file plays from start to finish on a phone.
• Send before the deadline in their time zone, not yours.
• Include one link to your full profile so they can see your photos and other work without asking.

A good self-tape won't guarantee the role, but a careless one can lose it before anyone sees your talent. Get the basics right every time, and let the performance do the rest.

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