Chapter 09 of 17

How to Frame a Self-Tape Audition (the Chest-Up Standard)

Framing is one of the easiest details to get wrong — and one of the first things a casting director notices. Get it right and you look professional before you say a word.

Video Lesson — Coming Soon

Taught by a working acting coach · Watch this space

Shoot Horizontally

Your self-tape should always be filmed horizontally, never vertically. Film and television are horizontal mediums, and your audition should look like it belongs in that world. Vertical videos instantly feel amateurish to casting directors.

Proper Framing

Framing is one of the easiest details to get wrong. "Chest up" means from the middle of your chest to just above the head — your eyes and expressions are the focus. About two inches of space above the head is ideal.

“Framing is huge. On a phone, it should be a close-up — from just above the head down to the tips of the shoulders — so we can see your thoughts and expressions clearly.”

Camera Height & Eyelines

Your camera should be at eye level. For eyelines, place your focus just off to one side of the lens, as though your scene partner were standing next to the camera.

“Always send your eye contact off-screen to the scene partner. Do not look directly into the camera unless you are asked to do this. Position your scene partner as close to the lens as possible — it should feel intimate, but not too direct.”

Quick Check

Before every take: is the phone horizontal? Is the camera at eye level? Is there 2 inches of headroom? Is your eyeline just off the lens? Four checks. Ten seconds. Every time.

Practice with this tool

Self-Tape Feedback

Upload a take and get notes on whether your framing, headroom, and eyeline read as professional.

Open Self-Tape Feedback →

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