A self-tape checklist that keeps the focus on you
A practical actor self-tape checklist covering instructions, framing, lighting, sound, eyelines, and delivery without expensive equipment.
Start with the actual request.
Read the role, deadline, scene selection, framing instructions, naming convention, and slate requirements before you set up. If the request is unclear, ask the project contact. Confirm which time zone the deadline uses. Follow the specific instructions over a generic checklist.
Make it easy to see and hear you.
Choose a quiet room and a simple background. Face a window or a soft light rather than placing it behind you. Frame at eye level, with enough space for the requested shot. Record a short test and listen with headphones: clear sound is more useful than a complicated camera setup.
Give yourself a useful eyeline.
Place your reader close to the lens so your eyes remain visible without staring directly into the camera, unless the scene calls for that. Ask the reader to stay quieter than you. Let your choices respond to what the other person is doing instead of treating the scene as a speech.
Keep the performance bigger than the setup.
Use props only when they make the scene easier to play. You do not need to recreate a set, buy a costume, or deliver a polished short film for an audition. Aim for a truthful, readable performance that serves the material.
Review before you send.
Watch each file from beginning to end. Check sound, focus, framing, orientation, the beginning and end of the take, and whether the requested slate is included. Use an H.264 MP4 when possible for broad browser playback. Preserve the original if you need to export a smaller copy.
Leave time for the upload.
Name the file clearly, upload before the deadline, and confirm that it is available for playback. In Open Call, upload the file to your library and attach it to the relevant application. Uploading to your library alone does not deliver it to a casting team.