Photo by Roy Cox
The entertainment industry changes and adapts to new standards when necessary. One of the biggest recent shifts in the acting world is how self-tapes became the new normal when it comes to auditioning. In the past, we actors would often go to a physical place, like a studio, to audition in a room before Casting Directors, Directors, and Producers. Our slates and auditions were filmed there, on the spot. It was common to see us holding our headshots, printed on an 8×10-inch paper, with the resumes stapled to the back of it, waiting for our turns to be called in. This type of in-person audition still exists, but most of it has been taken over by self-tapes, and here are some reasons why.
Technology advancements play a key role in auditions
Technology advancements have a key role in how auditions work nowadays. The fact that good cameras or phones with good cameras are easily accessible to the population is one of the reasons. Personal cameras and phones in the market can record good enough images for professional standard auditions, and that has become an essential instrument for every actor to have, along with microphones, tripods, lights, and backdrops. Another factor is the development of online meeting platforms, which popularized online auditions as well, or callbacks after a first impression actors make from self-tapes. Technology also allowed production companies to reduce costs since now physical spaces are not necessary to hold auditions anymore.
Photo by Roy Cox
Practicality is another reason for self-taping dominance
Actors and Casting Directors do not need to travel for auditions anymore, and actors do not need to live on the biggest poles of the industry to have a career, which saves us a lot of money. Performers can audition to the main markets without being physically there, only traveling when it is time to shoot or at final stages of casting, like chemistry reads. Actors also have the chance of auditioning while traveling; some bring a travel kit, and some improvise depending on the circumstances, at hotel rooms, friends’ and family members’ houses, with natural light and a phone. Submitting auditions became easy as well, because files can be sent and accessed all over the world, in multiple ways, which gives more actors the chance to audition, and Casting Directors have more time to watch and evaluate candidates. This increased the competition in the business because now there are more submissions for each role.
Photography by Thomas Augusto
New skill set for Actors needed for self-taping
Actors had to develop a whole new skill set to follow the increasing importance of self-taping. There are multiple classes and coaches that teach how to self-tape in the most professional way possible, to prepare us for auditions. We can also get feedback from those coaches, who give us directions and adjustments to improve our tapes and make them more competitive. Because of the need to record our own materials, we actors need to learn how to edit our own auditions and clips as well. Putting together multiple takes, adding the slate and body shot to the same clip, creating a reel with our strongest acting moments, all became essential parts of our job as artists. Getting familiarized with different cameras, microphones, casting platforms systems, learning how to use computer programs for video and audio editing are crucial as well.
Photography by Thomas Augusto
Evolving auditioning process due to technology, convenience and cost
The auditioning process was reshaped over the years, and as professionals in the entertainment industry we have had to apply the expected changes into our routines. The combination of technology development, the need for practicality, or convenience, cost reduction, and the new required learning skills as an actor are factors that gradually increased in importance. Now, they are all part of the show business characteristics. As artists, we have to always be open to the changes and be ready to learn new techniques, procedures, information, so our careers in the show business can be as professional and as marketable as possible. Only knowing how to act is not enough anymore. An maybe it was never enough. There is a lot we need to learn about life, people, socialization, networking, team work, and much more to reach our full potential. And artists always have more to improve and perfect in our crafts. Learning is constant, as is the need to adapt to the turns the entertainment industry takes.
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Photography by Thomas Augusto
