The audition video, or self-tape, has become the first step of many castings. Recruiters often watch it on their phone between meetings: it must be clear from the very first seconds.
1. Read all the instructions. Framing, length, script, deadline: ignoring the instructions is the first reason a video is set aside.
2. Shoot horizontally, at eye level. Put your phone on a stack of books or a tripod. A chest-up shot is enough unless asked otherwise.
3. Take care of the light. Face a window during the day. Avoid backlight and ceiling lights that hollow out your eyes.
4. A plain background. A bare wall, with no objects or people passing behind you. The recruiter's eyes should stay on you.
5. Clean sound. Turn off the TV, close street-side windows, get close to the phone. Bad sound ruins good acting.
6. An off-camera reader. Ask someone to read the other character's lines, a little quieter than you, standing right next to the camera. You look at them, not into the lens, unless told otherwise.
7. Introduce yourself in ten seconds at the start if asked: name, city, playing age. Then play the scene without cutting.
8. Do two or three takes and keep the best. Watch it before sending: can we hear you well? See you well? Is the file named with your name and the role?
On CineLinker, you upload your audition video directly in “My castings”, “My audition videos” tab. It stays private: only the recruiter who asked for it can see it.