The Peer Guide to self taping
Here at Peer we know that self-tape auditions can be stressful. We want to make sure that you have all the information you need, not just for audition for us but also guidance on how to approach drama school auditions.
First things first, read the audition brief. You can find ours below. Each drama school will have their own specific instructions so make sure you know what they want before you start filming. It’s as much a part of the prep as learning your lines.
Next up…your set-up. Try not to rush this bit, you’ll probably just want to dive into the acting but if you’re lighting isn’t right or you run out of battery you’ll have to start all over again. Here’s some tips on how to make it as stress free as possible…
Nice and simple, plain and quiet. We aren’t looking for elaborate sets or fancy costumes, just a quiet and plain or uncluttered background so we can focus on you.
Securing your equipment. A phone/camera/ laptop is great, whatever captures your acting clearly is all we’re after and you don’t need a fancy tripod just a solid base, a table with a stack of books to rest the camera on works just as well.
The perfect shot… once you’ve secured your iPhone/camera/ laptop take a test shot to check focus and framing.
Framing. Each school will want something different for this. Our guidelines are go with your gut. If it’s a really physical piece have a wider shot so we can see more of your body, if it’s a subtler piece a closer shot is best.
Either way we want to see your face! So make sure the light source is coming from in front of you and behind the camera. Natural light works really well and avoid using filters or editing the footage too heavily.
Try not to rush. If you’ve done a couple of takes and it isn’t working then take a break and come back to it.
We aren’t after perfect. Like us, most schools will be looking to see your raw talent, not a finished professional performance.
Hopefully this will help you approach the self-taping process confidently and with as little stress as possible. Have fun and enjoy the audition experience.
