Self-Tape Topics

The complete guide covers a self-tape end to end. These pages break out the ten things actors most often get asked about individually, so you can fix one problem without re-reading a chapter.

Each page is short on purpose. Where a topic needs the full treatment, it links straight to the chapter that gives it.

How to Self-Tape: the complete 17-chapter guide

1. Self-Tape LightingWhat lighting a self-tape actually requires: a clear, evenly lit face, no colour clash, and no shadow across the eyes. Practical starting points for any room.
2. Self-Tape SoundAudio problems get tapes switched off faster than picture problems. How to reduce room echo, control noise and record dialogue that is easy to hear.
3. Your Self-Tape ReaderYour reader shapes the scene as much as you do. What a good reader does, what a bad one costs you, and how to tape when nobody is available.
4. Self-Tape EyelineWhere to place your eyeline for a self-tape, why it usually sits just beside the lens, and when looking down the barrel is the wrong choice.
5. The Self-Tape SlateWhat belongs in a self-tape slate, how long it should run, and why you follow the production's instruction over any general rule.
6. Self-Tape FramingHow to frame a self-tape: shot size, headroom, camera height and why the background matters less than the space around your head.
7. Self-Tape WardrobeWardrobe for a self-tape should suggest the character, not costume it. What reads well on camera and what fights your background.
8. Self-Tape File NamingHow to name a self-tape file so it survives a casting inbox: the production's format first, otherwise name, role and project.
9. Self-Tape TurnaroundSelf-tape deadlines are short. How to plan a same-day turnaround without letting speed cost you the performance.
10. Submitting Your Self-TapeHow to submit a self-tape: follow the route in the notice, check the link is viewable, and confirm the file plays before you send it.