Self taping an audition

Oh gee... I seriously hate self-taping for an audition because you have time to analyze and stress. The worst thing about self taping an audition is having one day to do it...

I had one day to self tape an audition for a short film because the actual audition was a good while away and I had somewhere to be that night which was extremely important for me. So I got my sides and realized straight away, this is something I can't do on my own. So ensue another dilemma... My boyfriend who is doing media studies is in Wexford, I'm in Dublin... so he's out. My brother had just returned to Wexford the day before.. so he's a nope too.. I couldn't exactly get my grandmother to do it so my last and only option was Dramsoc...


Oh let me tell you there are not a lot of people willing to give up their day to help you. That's a fact!! Luckily I had a good friend in Dramsoc who would read with me and hold the camera... but only after 6pm... My audition needed to be done and uploaded by the next morning at the latest.

So fine, it was the best I could hope for. But doing a scene is so hard when you self tape because you can't just relax. You're gonna do the scene, then watch the play back then do it again and again.. it's really time consuming! and Then you feel bad for taking up other's time.  But I got it done after about 4 hours... (4 scenes in total) and I uploaded and sent it off.

I would totally prefer to go to the audition but sometimes that's just not possible.

My only advice so far is so find a very well lit room and use a good camera. If you need to hire a studio for an hour or two then you should do it, if you get the part it could be worth it. I'm not sure about filming it in the context that the script states, e.g., if it's a kitchen scene, film it in the kitchen. I will ask a few casting directors about this and see what they come back to me with.

Have you ever self-taped? any advice?

Peach out.