Self Tape 101 - Week 1

Welcome to your Takeda Technique Self-Tape 101 workshop. Our coaches are looking forward to working with all of you and helping you learn how to add film-making skills to your self-tapes. Please read ALL of the following instructions thoroughly.

Let’s start things off with some homework. (Yes, you have homework even before you start the class.)

  1. Click on the link below to download your side.

  2. Prepare this like you have an actual audition.

  3. Choose either the Sam or Alex role and self tape it. Choose your best take.

  4. Also shoot a full-body slate. Say your name, height, where you have representation, and something interesting about you.

  5. Edit the audition into one file, starting with the slate followed by your best audition take. (MOV, MP4, M4V accepted)

  6. Label the file PROJECT_ROLE_FirstName-LastName (i.e. WEEK1_SAM_Jane-Smith)

  7. Email a downloadable link to your self-tape file to your teacher’s email address. Use a file transfer site like Hightail or WeTransfer. (Do NOT use YouTube or Dropbox.) All file sizes must be less than 120 MB.

  8. In a separate email, please send your teacher a photo or video of your self-tape setup. If you want, you can use a file transfer site like Hightail or WeTransfer.

  9. Due by NOON (PDT) two days prior to your next class. So if your class is on Monday, your self-tape is due Saturday. If your class is on Wednesday, the tape is due Monday. (Bonus points if you get it in early. Do NOT be late.)

Your Week #1 audition side

Wait! There’s more! 24 hours prior to class, I will email you a link to view your self tape along with the rest of your classmates. You are to review everyone’s self-tape before our first workshop. In this email, you will also get the Zoom link to our workshop. (HINT: Do your best work. The best self-tape gets a prize.)

Wait! There’s EVEN more. You have some required reading for the first week. Be sure to read and review the following articles below. All are focused on what we will be learning in Week 1 (the state of our industry, self-tape basics, and audio).

Seeing with your EARS: The importance of sound in film

Yale University: Listeners Glean Emotions Better From Voice-Only Communication

EW: Auditioning during COVID

Inspiration – Dacre Montgomery’s “Stranger Things” Self-Tape

And that’s it. Any questions, click on the link below to reach me and I’ll help you answer any questions. Looking forward to e-meeting all of you on our first class.