Whether you're based in New York or a regional market, you're likely navigating a mix of virtual and in-person auditions. We’ve truly entered ‘The Hybrid Audition Landscape.’ In the theater world, most required Equity EPA’s and ECC’s are back in person, but a good number of initial agent appointments are still taped, with invited in-person callbacks. Some callbacks are still entirely live on Zoom. Some producers are opting for Equity’s Virtual Submission process in lieu of an in-person EPA. Some companies are holding their EPAs and ECCs in person in NYC, but follow up with taped callbacks. In the TV/Film space, initial appointments typically remain virtual. Woof. It’s a lot to keep straight.
While most of us see pros and cons to both in person and online auditions, regardless of your feelings either way, ‘The Hybrid Audition Landscape’ seems here to stay. (For now, at least.) So what does that mean for you, oh Actor? That if you haven’t already set up that home self-tape studio because you thought they’d become obsolete…it’s time to reconsider. And for Self-Tape-Suzie (🙋🏽♀️) who’s been been wearing unseen pajama bottoms instead of real pants for those taped 32 bar cuts...the party’s over.
Jokes aside, here’s a few ideas of what you can add to your arsenal to feel confident and competent in your audition process, no matter the format, so you can be proud of the work you’re showing to casting.
For Self Taped Auditions:
Let’s not over complicate things. The bare minimum to creating a professional grade taped audition is ideally a solid colored background and ample light source. If you have a beautiful empty wall and a window that gets fabulous natural light, I salute you. Personally, my skin and hair tend to pop against a brighter color than my apartment’s builder beige, and I’ve got no perfectly placed window. Enter…
The Infamous Blue Backdrop
I love this backdrop so much that it’s a permanent fixture in my Voice Studio. I can tape without the ordeal of setting up each time, and my students can grab a quick take of something they’re working on during their lesson without any hassle. It easily balances against a wall, but if you’re on the taller side you can always prop it up or order the corresponding stand. You can’t go wrong with the ever popular Royal Blue, and if your skin and hair look better against a more neutral color, the gray on the other side is equally lovely.
The Ring Light
Some folks don’t like the way ring lights reflect back in their eyes and have opted to go the Soft Box or Light Cube route, but this doesn’t bother me. This Neewer Ringlight is extremely powerful and doesn’t take up much real estate. It lives in the corner next to the backdrop and easily comes out when it’s time to tape. Equipped with a sturdy, adjustable tripod base as well as a phone mount, you don’t need any other gear to make this set up work. Plug her in, adjust the exposure on the camera to your liking, and you’re ready to go.
Blue Tooth Speaker
If you’re of the Musical Theatre persuasion, you’re likely going to be singing in self tapes…a lot. I recommend an external speaker to achieve a nice balance between the accompaniment track and your voice. I use an iHome, but you have tons of options here.
Music Stand
If you find yourself in a situation where your callback appointment is on Zoom (yes, this still happens, and yes, I’ve booked this way) you’ll want a platform to prop your laptop on in front of that backdrop with the gorgeous light. A sturdy music stand comes in handy.
Self Tape Set Up: Booked and Blessed Edition
If you haven’t been in this situation yet, you surely will be. You get the tape request while you’re on another job, or annoyingly you’ve just left for vacation. If an extension is out of the question and you’ve got to crank out this tape, make sure you haven’t left town without your on-the-go set up. In these scenarios a blank wall works just fine in combination with:
A Mini Tripod: Easy enough to pack and can be perched on top of a dresser.
A Selfie Light: Again, small enough to bring along and clips to your phone in the spot of your choosing.
That wasn’t so bad right? A quality self-tape set up allows you to put your best foot forward with casting and builds trust with your agents when you consistently submit high quality auditions. In Part 2, we’ll look at a quick check list for those in person appointments.
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