ACTORS: Two Big Self-Tape Traps! (and how to avoid them!) 

Matt! More guitar! You're disappointing me.

Thanks for sharing, Fred! Especially the "don't lose the joy" comment. If you can't enjoy the process of auditioning, what's the point, right?

I guess in their defense (the newer actors), they never learned anything else. They came into this business when it was already self-tapes, so they don't have that prior experience of auditioning in person. That said, my hope is that their teachers and coaches will help them develop the necessary habits and discipline that will serve them well on set.

Amen to that. Too many actors are substituting auditions for training. And while RU-vid videos can illuminate these concepts and be good reminders, if the actor can't create self-discipline, then they NEED to find a coach/mentor/teacher to help cultivate that discipline.

Thanks for sharing, Mike! And what great progress. It's not easy to limit our takes when it requires so little extra time to "do it again". The temptation is high, especially in the vacuum of self-taping with zero feedback from casting.

Glad it was helpful! It's tough to let go of that comfort of unlimited takes!

Thanks for the comment! Glad you enjoyed the video.

woohoo! Thanks for hanging in there til the end! 😁🙏🏻

Thank you so much for watching!

You betcha! 😁👍🏻

Glad it was helpful!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for sharing. And such a great point about wearing out your reader. Especially if you don’t have an immediate way of returning the favor.

Yay! So glad you agree!

Thanks, Mike! Great comments. The "tech" rehearsal is such a great idea, especially if you're taping at home with a virtual reader. You don't want to waste the "gold" on a take that is blurry, mic in the shot, half a collar popped, etc. And how much we research the project is also a balance. There's only so much helpful information in looking up who is involved. And if they're intentionally obscuring the info, then I think it's fine to take that as an invitation to find your own truth in the character. Willful ignorance is the other extreme, though (never doing any script analysis or research on the show). That's just a lazy actor. I've been through seasons where I was feeling resentful and definitely was the lazy actor. And I love the Ozark anecdote. I once did a commercial with Claire Bronson (co-runs Drama Inc here in Atlanta) that was a oner. We kept shooting over and over. I got a note after every take. I thought I was gonna go insane. After 36 takes, I was sure we had it! Then it dawned on me that because it was a oner, and they couldn't edit anything later, they just wanted a bazillion options to choose from. That's when I finally relaxed on set...

No videos on that specific topic. Part of that confidence comes with more “reps”. More “time in the game.” It can’t be manufactured. So I would recommend getting on as many smaller sets as possible. Student films, short films, etc. Once you feel super comfortable with how things work, and how to collaborate with all the different departments, you’ll feel your confidence go way up.

HAHAHAHA! I actually got my Chris Farley reference wrong. Matt Foley didn't overuse the air quotes. He had a character on the "Weekend Update" who kept using "air quotes" on just about "every statement". Oh well.

Thanks for the comment! And for the "challenge" 😄. And I agree that a discerning, objective viewpoint can be helpful at times. And it is all about balance. The danger is becoming dependent on ANYONE. Because if you get too used to hearing that POV from the coach, you'll start to anticipate it, then you'll start to need it. So then on set, when you get a director who leaves you alone and never gives direction, you'll walk away from the experience feeling like they hated you and/or that you didn't do well. So my counter is to use that coach to help you reflect on the last 10 auditions, maybe. Have them give their honest feedback about trends they're seeing, or so that you can have a discussion about what you felt vs. what they see. But having the coach messing with your palette and with your brushes WHILE you're trying to paint is arguably no longer art. My philosophy is that I need to become self-aware enough and confident enough that when it's time to roll camera, I don't have the voice of my coach in my head, or anyone's voice. I'm just living in the moment, trying to create art. In the end, though, this is a business, and the lines between training and performing (or art and commerce) get blurred all the time. Each actor needs to strike their own balance that maintains their sanity, I guess.

@@GetTaped that I can agree with you on! Yes. I think the coach should be there to give you confidence and to kind of knock the training wheels off. Thanks for the reply man. Good stuff!

Yes! Knock the training wheels off! Great metaphor!

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing, Olga!

And not just being "real", but owning YOUR version of humanity. Your unique perspective. The thing that sets you apart from every other actor that "looks just like you" in your category.

I agree, I spent so much time trying to memorize the sides to perfection that I completely forgot to create a real character. So, I realized that I was probably doing what everyone else or maybe not everyone else was was doing and I wasn't showing the producers or casting directors anything fresh or different. I look back on some of my auditions and wish I could do them over again, like today!

Ha! Don’t beat yourself up. Be thankful for the growth you’ve experienced, and how much more self aware you are now!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks, Nelson! Now if Ronal Acuna, Jr. could pretend like he's still the same player he was in 2023, we'd be all set...

Glad you liked it 😉

If you're doing it for practice, that's great. And 2-3 takes is very respectable. Thanks for commenting!

Nice. Thanks for sharing!

This is certainly another worthy discussion. In my opinion, EVERY actor should do stage work. Like you're alluding to, the moment you "break the leg" onto the stage, there's no turning back. There's no resetting or "going back to 1" or doing another take. That experience is INVALUABLE to every actor. Thanks for the comment!

Thanks, Alec! The analogy still works, as I'm using each "at bat" as an audition. So every time you get up to the plate, it's another audition. Each time, you hope for that home run (that booking). And the overall point is that if you wait until you're in the batter's box to "start your prep" or even to "finish your prep", you're not setting yourself up for success. Make sense?

Kathleen, that's an interesting question. I'd say it varies, especially based on your training. I know I've had 4-page scripts that I can memorize in 30min and feel 100% immersed in with almost no formal prep, because the writing is good, and the character is already aligned with my essence (this is where the Sam Christensen Process has helped me IMMENSELY). On other occasions, I struggle to prep 4 lines in a 1-page scene because there is something about the role (or the writing) that is just not vibing with me. So maybe the answer is... whatever it takes to feel like you've left no stone unturned. No "major" stone, that is, because of course you're constrained by the due date. But if you're already familiar with the show you're auditioning for, it's a character you've done before (Cop for me, for example), and it's good writing, then I think a few hours is enough. Maybe prep during the day, sleep on it, then shoot the next morning. For a role and/or show that's new to you (or writing that's super specific or really bad), then it might take an extra day of research, script analysis, memorization, etc.

Thanks Matt! That was helpful. Appreciate it! Have a great weekend!

You mean "Awe"?

@@GetTaped Yes!!

Hmmm. I think I need more context. Your character’s dialogue is “Man/Woman needs…” Do you know who you’re talking to? A single person? A group?

@@GetTaped Well this is my first audition! I have ZERO experience but know I have a natural ability and was contacted by talent scouts. The text is Actually, it is rocket science. Every Man/Woman's foot needs something different. And what they need can change from mile one to mile 10. This dynamic shoe can adjust to every foot out there. Experience the new lunarglide innovation. Nike, without comprise. This is the exact text they sent me and I am quite suspicious if it's real 2? Any thoughts? 🤔

@@GetTaped oh and it's a group l will be performing for on a live zoom call apparently! 🤔 l appreciate any advice you can give me as l would LOVE to get my foot in the door of the acting world! 🤩 I am so determined to do it that l am currently trying to memorize my lines with a killar flu! 🤒 CRAZY I know! 🤪

I would say that line as "Every Man or Woman's foot..." Sounds like it's a commercial script. Since you're starting out, I don't want to bombard you with tips, tricks, and such. Instead, just focus on having fun. Nerves are just your body telling you that you're switched on and excited. And don't walk into the audition thinking there is some predetermined finish line you have to cross. This is art. It's messy. It will NEVER be perfect. So , again, just have fun. Moving forward, you'll need to get into an acting. Then another one. Then another one. Not all at the same time, but you need lots of experience in a safe environment, and it's important to get the perspective of multiple teachers. Hope that helps!

@@GetTaped Oh ok! Thanks! Cause l thought it was a trap! And I was supposed to change the line to everyone's foot! 🤔 So u are saying copy it exactly or? Anyway l really appreciate your advice! Hopefully l will have recovered enough by tomorrow to nail it! 🤩 This is a very short script so it shouldn't be 2 hard even with a flu! 😉