Self Tape Tips: What Casting Directors Actually Want

Casting directors want a self tape that lets them see your face and hear every word: a plain backdrop, light on your face, a live reader who stays out of the way, and your best take first. After that, the story you tell in the scene matters more than the gear. We put these questions to 21 casting directors, and this is what they told us.

This page covers what casting wants to see. For camera, lights and sound, see our self tape setup at home guide.

What do casting directors want in a self tape?

Asked for their do's and don'ts, they kept giving the same short list: light on your face, clean sound, a background that doesn't pull focus, a reader who doesn't distract, and the casting office's instructions followed exactly.

Just as many warned against obsessing over the technical side. David Newman told us he'll forgive rough lighting or sound if the story is alive. Risa Bramon Garcia said to show up at home the way you'd show up on set.

And watch it back before you send it. Josh Einsohn and Gayle Pillsbury both still get tapes with noisy sound, soft focus or someone wandering through the room. Amanda Mitchell added: skip the music and fancy intros.

Can a bad reader cost you the job?

Yes. Of the 12 casting directors whose answers we went through, three said a bad reader has cost an actor the role, and most of the rest said it has come close or forced them to ask for a retape.

The usual culprits: a reader who over-performs (so the actor pushes to match), one who is far too loud because they sit by the camera's microphone, or a parent reading flatly. Sunny Boling has asked actors she liked to retape with someone else because she couldn't show the tape to her director. Lisa Beach remembered one tape for the reader, not the actor.

A retape only happens if they like you enough to ask. Choose a reader who is quiet, steady and lets the pauses land.

Can I pre-record the reader's lines myself?

You can, but most would rather you didn't. Of the ten casting directors we asked, four said yes, four said only as a last resort, and two said no. Seth Yanklewitz said it plays badly for the viewer.

Those who were fine with it gave one warning: don't let the recording's timing drive you. If there's a gap, fill it and stay in the moment. Lisa Beach added that a recording locks you in, so you can't shake the scene up between takes. If you can, get a live reader, even over a video call.

What background colour is best for a self tape?

Blue or grey. Of the nine casting directors who answered, seven named blue, grey or both, and two said any colour is fine as long as it is plain.

Blue and grey flatter almost every skin tone and make your face stand out. Meg Morman and Sunny Boling warned against green or anything with a yellow undertone, which can make skin look sickly. Ricki Maslar advised against white or pale pink sheets that blend into your skin.

Plain beats pretty. A washing machine, a bookshelf or a busy kitchen pulls the eye away from you.

Does the slate go at the start or the end?

Follow the instructions first. If there are none, every casting director who raised it with us leaned towards the end, or a separate file.

Lisa Beach explained why: a director watching 50 tapes doesn't want 15 seconds of name, height and agency before every scene. Victoria Burrows said it lets the scene play first when they share tapes with producers. Josh Einsohn likes every take and the slate as separate files, so he can pair your best take with your slate without editing.

Should I send a second take?

Only if it is genuinely different, and rarely more than two. That was the broad view of the nine casting directors who answered. Risa Bramon Garcia said she often can't see any difference between the "two ways" actors send, and John Frank Levey suggested asking casting a smart question instead of guessing.

Put your favourite take first. Lisa Beach said they usually watch the first take and only check the second if they already like you. For long scenes, Greg Apps suggested repeating just the opening 30 to 45 seconds.

How do casting directors want self tapes sent?

However the instructions say, usually through your agent or an upload link. Amanda Mitchell said uploading straight to their link is the fastest and safest option for her office.

Without a link, they split. Greg Apps and Kerry Barden want a link that plays the moment they click it. Risa Bramon Garcia and Josh Einsohn want a file they can download, because they re-upload tapes to their casting platform. The common ground: keep it private, skip the password maze and keep the file small. David Newman suggested well under 100MB.

How long do casting directors watch a self tape?

Sometimes only seconds before they decide, though many keep going. Amanda Mitchell said she usually knows within about 15 seconds whether you're right for the role, and Lisa Beach said around 45.

Most of the nine we asked try to watch at least one full take, because good actors sometimes start rough. Josh Einsohn has told producers to give a tape 30 seconds because it comes together. But Meg Morman said a tape is less forgiving than the room: if your first scene is weak, she's less likely to keep watching. Make the opening count.

Where should I look, and how close should the camera be?

Look just to one side of the lens, where your reader is. Lisa Beach said she gets too many tapes where the actor looks well away from the camera at a reader placed off to the side. Keep your reader close to the lens, at your eye level.

Get close. Meg Morman frames in-person auditions from about the armpits up, and wants tapes to match so she can see your eyes. Scot Boland said if you start wide, step in closer at some point. Bonnie Zane added: always shoot horizontally.

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