Self-tape guide
If I can see you and I can hear you, that is nearly all I need. A phone is fine.
An expensive camera, a ring light, a backdrop or an edit. Nobody has lost a part because of the wallpaper.
Ask a parent or guardian to help you record and send the tape, and to be the contact on the email.
See open calls or read about getting in touch.
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.
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.
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.
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.