Don't Ever Make These Self-Tape Mistakes: Casting Directors Hate Them
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Do you have any suggestions or tips for people self-taping or know of common mistakes actors make when doing self-tapes? If so, please share it here so we can learn from you.
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Great advice, Aaron Marcus!
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Thank you Maurice.
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You're welcome, Aaron Marcus.
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Valuable tips, thanks for sharing Aaron Marcus
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So glad you liked the video. Do you have any self tape tips to share?
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Enjoyed the tips Aaron Marcus. The one that hit home for me, is when actors submit self tapes for a project I'm casting and they have added sound effects and music to their audition. It's distracting. Or, if someone doesn't get the job, when they use their audition tape as part of their demo reel. Not professional.
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Hey Stephen,
Wow, great points. It is a shame that some actors weren't informed that their self-tape should only be about their acting skills. As you stated so clearly, adding music, special effects or interesting fades is not helpful. And, great point, actors should never upload their auditions on social media or place on a reel.
Thank you so much for these great comments.
Stephen, what types of films do you find yourself creating?
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Aaron Marcus I do a mix of projects (drama, thriller, sci-fi, comedy, etc). I'm not picky. I just make the best of what i have to work with. I think one of my favorite films I've done, was a short commissioned by PBS during the Pandemic.
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That is wonderful to be able to simply do projects that you enjoy. I know some actors and film makers are more concerned about the financial aspects of the project. Personally, like you, I love to work and find something great in everything I do. Whether it is a feature, TV, industrial, print, voice over or a commercial spot. Thanks for sharing,
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thank you! Aaron Marcus :)
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You are very welcome Fahd. Have you done many self tapes? If so, please share any tips or strategies that you have found helpful. Thanks again.
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Self-tapes are so important, and nailing the basics makes all the difference! One tip I always share is to double-check your framing and lighting—casting directors want to see you, not shadows or distractions in the background. Also, always test your audio; clear sound can make or break a great performance. And, of course, bring your authentic self to the read—connection trumps perfection every time!
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Those are such great points, Laquan. One point I just thought of, always re-check the recording before sending it. I remember checking things over and realized that I almost sent the original recording and not the edited one. Thank you so much for sharing these great ideas. Hope you subscribed to my channel and have access to 500 + videos.
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That's funny Stephen Folker It would never occur to me add any of that to a self tape audition. I treat it like an in person audition.
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Thanks, Suzanne. I have heard some horror stories from CD's about how some actors don't know that trying to make the audition look slick with fancy editing and music really takes away from their performance.