Self-tape guide
Seven rules for a tape that helps you. No special equipment needed.
Advice and open calls
For actors
Self-taping is hard, and it can feel lonely. But we are there because we need you and we want to find you.
Where to start
Open calls
Castings open to anyone, with dates, eligibility and how to apply. Closed calls stay online so you can see what we look for.
Getting in touch
How submissions work, with or without an agent.
What am I looking for in an audition?
Someone who shows me a fully rounded character early on. Do not try to second-guess what is wanted. The worst thing an actor can do is become generic.
It is your time in the room or on the tape. Ask questions, make a choice and commit to it. If it goes wrong, start again.
If it is a small role, do not play the “job”, play the person. No character should be purely functional.
Where you trained, who represents you and where you come from matter far less than whether I believe you.
Questions actors ask
Self-tapes, open calls and getting seen.
How do I make a good self-tape?
Film on a phone turned on its side, facing a window or a lamp, with a plain wall behind you. Frame head and shoulders, ask someone to read the other lines from beside the camera, and make a clear choice about the character. Send no more than two takes, with your name, the role and the production in the file name. No special equipment is needed.
How many takes should I send on a self-tape?
Two at most. Catherine Willis asks that if you send two takes, they are significantly different versions of the scene. The UK self-tape guidelines agreed in 2021 by the Casting Directors' Guild, Equity, the Personal Managers' Association and the Co-operative Personal Management Association set the same limit: no more than two versions of each scene.
Do I need an agent to get an audition in the UK?
No, though most parts are cast through agents. Casting directors send breakdowns to agents, who suggest their clients. Without an agent you can still be seen through open casting calls, through a Spotlight profile, and by inviting casting directors to see your work. Around 40% of the actors Catherine Willis casts are people she had never met before.
How do I get seen by a casting director?
Be in something, and say where and when. Catherine Willis finds new actors in small theatres, at fringe festivals and in short films, so an invitation to see your work is more useful than a general email. Keep your Spotlight profile current, apply to open calls, and send links, not attachments.
How do I apply for an open casting call?
Follow the instructions in the call. Each open call from CW Casting is published on the open calls page, with who can apply, the closing date and how to take part. You do not need an agent or experience unless the call says so. If you are under 18, please ask permission of a parent or guardian and use their contact details.
What do casting directors look for in an audition?
A clear choice. Catherine Willis told Spotlight in 2024 that casting is about finding people who present a fully rounded character quite early on, and that the worst thing people do is become very generic. Do not try to second-guess what is being looked for. Decide who the character is and commit to it.