The best self tape reader is a live actor who reads simply and quietly, stays out of the shot and lets you lead the scene. A friend over a video call beats recording the lines yourself, and a bad reader can cost you a retape or worse. We asked 23 casting directors whether you can pre-record your reader, and only six were happy with it.
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Yes, more than most actors think. We asked 23 casting directors whether a bad reader has ever cost an actor a job. Three said yes, eight said no, and the other twelve said it came close, made the job harder or meant they asked for a retape.
A retape only comes if they already like you. Sunny Boling has asked for retapes because the reader was too distracting to show her director, and Lisa Zambetti said that with so many tapes coming in, it is often easier just to move on.
Rachel Sutton and Risa Bramon Garcia added that a strong actor still shows through, and a bad reader only costs you if you let it throw you.
Another actor, ideally one at least as good as you. Kym's advice is to stop defaulting to whoever is nearest, a partner, a flatmate or a parent, and to avoid family members unless they act. A reader who is better than you lifts your performance and can tell you what to tweak.
Parents came up again and again. Josh Einsohn sees it most with young actors, where a parent reads flat and low while the child is working hard. Seth Yanklewitz has told actors not to have their mum read and to redo the tape.
Look in your acting class, and build a small group of actors who read for each other, as Josh Einsohn and Deborah Barylski both suggested.
Someone who gives you something real to play off without competing with you. Greg Apps said the usual problem is a reader who acts too much, so the actor pushes to match them and drifts away from what casting wanted. A good reader is there to help you, not to impress anyone.
Rhythm matters too. Josh Einsohn wants every pause to be your choice, not a gap left by a reader who lost their place, especially in comedy.
Kerry Barden prefers a reader of the same gender as the off-camera character if you can; director Kate Dennis said it doesn't matter as long as you work well together.
Out of the shot, beside the lens, and no louder than you. Kym explains that a reader in frame, or a shot over their shoulder, pulls your eyeline away so casting can't see your whole face. Ricki Maslar asks actors to move the reader back from the camera and its microphone, because she wants to hear you, not them.
Our self tape setup guide covers the exact spot and distance, and how to brief a reader who isn't an actor.
You can, but most casting directors would rather you didn't. Of the 23 we asked, six said yes, ten said only as a last resort and seven said no.
Meg Morman said a tape with your voice on every line is one she couldn't send to her director; if five other actors don't need a retape, she moves on with them. Lisa Beach said a recording locks you in, so you can't shake the scene up.
If you must, fill the gaps rather than waiting for the recording to catch up (Greg Apps, Amanda Mitchell), and never tape your lines with dead air where the other character should be (Deborah Barylski, Kerry Barden).
Yes, and casting directors suggested it themselves. Meg Morman would much rather a reader joined you on FaceTime or Skype than hear you record the lines yourself, and Kahleen Crawford said a reader on the phone keeps the timing live.
Three of the 23, Rachel Sutton, Lisa Zambetti and Ricki Maslar, named WeAudition as the fix. Co-founder Darren Darnborough told us available readers show a live beacon, or you post a request (an accent, sitcom experience) and an actor joins within minutes. Actor Trade works on the same idea. For more apps, see best apps for actors.
It depends on the reader. As of November 2026, WeAudition's own site says some of its readers are free and others charge a fee, and Darren told us readers set their own fees on their profiles. WeAudition Pro, its paid membership, is US$14.99 a month or US$149 a year (weaudition.com).
Kym's view is simple: a good reader might cost a few dollars, but missing a job you would otherwise have booked costs far more.
Mostly close to home. Of the 20 casting directors who told us, 11 usually read themselves or use their associates and assistants. The other nine bring in actors they know and trust, from classes, studios, past auditions and referrals.
So be a reader yourself. Kym suggests offering to read for three actors who audition more than you: you get practice, see how working actors tape, gain readers to call on and hear about projects.
When your reader is sorted, see our self tape tips for what casting wants on the tape itself, and how to slate.
You can, but most casting directors would rather you didn't. Of the 23 we asked, six said yes, ten said only as a last resort and seven said no.
Another actor who is at least as good as you, reads simply and lets you lead. Avoid using a parent or partner who doesn't act.
Sometimes. Of 23 casting directors, three said a bad reader has cost an actor the job and twelve said it came close or led them to ask for a retape.
Out of the shot, right beside the camera lens, and far enough from the microphone that their voice is no louder than yours.
Yes. Casting directors told us a reader on FaceTime, Skype, the phone or a reader app such as WeAudition is better than recording the lines yourself.
No. One reader can read every other character. Place each character in a different spot in your head so you aren't always talking to the same person.
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