Send it exactly the way the instructions say, which usually means uploading to Eco Cast on Actors Access or sending your file to your agent to forward. With no instructions, send a private, downloadable link (not public YouTube), name every file with your name, the role and the scene, keep it well under 100MB, and get it in before the deadline. We asked 22 casting directors how they want self tapes delivered.
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Wherever the instructions point. Of the 22 casting directors who answered, nine said the tape should go wherever their office asks: its own upload link, Eco Cast, or a casting platform such as Cast It, usually via your agent. Amanda Mitchell called a direct upload the fastest and safest way for her office, because otherwise staff have to download and re-upload hundreds of tapes a day.
Deborah Barylski said every project now comes with an instruction sheet: which scenes, in what order, in what format, and what to attach. David Newman's advice was simply to follow those instructions to a T.
If you have representation, send it to them. Lisa Beach prefers tapes to come through agents, who email her office and ask where to upload. Kym's answer: most actors she knows send their agent a download link, and the agent either forwards it or uploads the file to the casting platform. Ask which method your agent prefers.
Only send a tape directly to a casting director if they asked you for it. Unrepresented? Eco Cast invitations come straight to your Actors Access account.
As of November 2026, Actors Access support describes these steps:
Our Breakdown Services experts told us casting directors do watch the Eco Cast tapes they invite, and that not submitting can leave the impression you aren't interested. Rachel Sutton and Ricki Maslar both said they like Eco Cast because it gives them one clean link for the director.
This is where casting directors split. Greg Apps, Kerry Barden and Seth Yanklewitz want a link they can click and watch straight away. Greg won't sit through a 200MB download. Others, including Josh Einsohn, Risa Bramon Garcia, Meg Morman and Kahleen Crawford, want a file they can download, because they re-upload tapes to their own casting platform.
WeTransfer was the service named most often: seven said it works for them. Dropbox divides people: Sunny Boling likes it, Ricki Maslar doesn't. Sunny's least favourite is Google Drive. When you don't know the office, a private link that plays in the browser and also allows downloading covers both camps.
Avoid YouTube. Four casting directors warned against it. Amanda Mitchell said she would never ask for a tape on a public site like YouTube, even password protected, and Bonnie Zane said no to public or private YouTube. Meg Morman added that some studios won't accept Vimeo links either, and will say so in the instructions.
Passwords are fine, but make them painless. Greg Apps is happy with a password-protected link; Josh Einsohn and Seth Yanklewitz just don't want a maze of logins, so put the password in the same email. And never post audition material on social media: scripts are often confidential, and our self-tape experts say it can look amateur.
Use the format you're given. If there isn't one, make every file obvious at a glance. Kahleen Crawford's request was simple: put your name, the scene and the take in the file name, so it makes sense the moment she downloads it. Josh Einsohn likes each take and the slate as separate files, so he can pair your best take with your slate without editing.
A clear pattern is FirstName-LastName_Role_Scene1_Take1.mp4, with the slate as FirstName-LastName_Role_Slate.mp4. In Eco Cast you can rename files after upload.
Small. David Newman suggested definitely under 100MB per file. Eco Cast caps each file at 500MB and handles compression for you, but a link you email should still be quick to open. Export at a standard HD setting, not the largest option.
Whatever the instructions say. If they're silent, send one take per scene, plus a second only if it's genuinely different, such as another way to play the character. Victoria Burrows said a second take is well worth it when there's a clear reason, and your representative can flag it in the email. For where the slate goes, see how to slate and our self tape tips.
The deadline is the deadline. Our Breakdown Services experts suggest getting it in early anyway: you give yourself time to redo it properly, and an early tape can set the bar. Eco Cast shows the deadline in your device's local time, which matters if you're in another time zone.
Not about the audition. Kym suggests a short thank-you if casting brought you in directly, never asking for feedback; if it came through your agent, don't email casting yourself. Casting director Carmen Aiello said follow-ups suit unrepresented actors. You usually won't know whether it was watched, so trust your team and move on to the next one. More in thank you notes after auditions.
Follow the instructions: usually an Eco Cast upload on Actors Access or a file sent to your agent to forward. Only send directly to a casting director who asked you to.
With no instructions, send a private link that plays in the browser and can be downloaded. WeTransfer was the service casting directors named most often.
Avoid it. Casting directors told us they don't want tapes on YouTube, even when private or password protected.
Use the format you're given. Otherwise include your name, the role, the scene and the take, and send the slate as its own file.
Well under 100MB per file if you're emailing a link. Eco Cast accepts files under 500MB and compresses them for you.
Not to ask about it. A brief thank-you is fine if casting contacted you directly; if it came through your agent, let them handle it.
Sending it is the last step. For everything before you hit upload, grab Your Free Self Tape Guide.
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