How To Tape Your Monologue Or Scene

Once you’ve gotten your monologue under your belt and committed to memory, there are lots of reasons you may want to tape it. Perhaps you’re submitting a reel to agents along with your headshot and resume. Or maybe you’re sending your tape to a casting director in another state because you’re unable to attend the audition in person. Maybe you’re a new actor and you just want to see how you look on tape – which I highly recommend. Reviewing your tapes helps you to improve your on-camera technique and build confidence in front of the camera.

Regardless of the reason why you’re taping your monologue or scene, it’s best to:

• Make sure you have someone to stand behind the camera or directly next to it and maintain eye contact with you to help maintain your eye line.

• Make sure that you’re framed properly. (Don’t worry, no one expects you to be Spielberg.) Simply make sure that you are centered in the frame. If there’s blocking in the scene or monologue, make sure that the shot is wide enough to accommodate your movement.

• If you’re performing a scene, be sure that you’re performing with another actor, not just a friend who’s reading lines.

• Wear a solid color (other than black or white) that contrasts with your skin color, and pull your hair away from your face.

• Make sure that the background area isn’t cluttered, or filled with anything that will draw attention away from you.

• Do a couple of test tapings to make sure there isn’t an echo in the room, and that the camera’s microphone isn’t picking up distracting sounds.

• Make sure you watch your tape in its entirety before submitting it to anyone, especially if you’ve had it transferred from one format to another.

After you tape your monologue, be sure to upload it to your Star Search Casting profile so that agents, managers and casting directors can review your work. Visit us online today at www.StarSearchCasting.com.

ARE YOU A TRIPLE THREAT?

We’re gearing up for The Best Talent Awards which will take place this November in Los Angeles. We had so many talented participants last year and over 40% of them were hired for work! While I was blown away by how many really great actors, dancers, singers and models there were – I was really impressed to see how many people were multi-talented and had mastered more than one craft.

In the entertainment industry, a “triple threat” refers to someone who can act, dance and sing well. Take the cast of High School Musical for example. It’s a high energy production with an incredibly talented cast, many of whom had to act, dance and sing to land their roles.

While it’s great to be a really good actor or a really great singer, you never know when the role of a lifetime will call for you to have more than one skill. It’s important when you’re preparing for a career in the entertainment industry that you are versatile and well-rounded. Learning to do several things rather than mastering just one skill can greatly increase your chances of booking really great roles.

Many actors have a “Special Skills” category on their resume. While singing and dancing can be listed here, you can also include languages, dialects, sports, instruments, stunts or any other special skills you may have that make you unique. Having lots of talents can be really helpful when you’re going after a role.

Often people are tempted to fudge this section of the resume, but this is a big DON’T. Instead, take advantage of classes or training in your area to pick up additional skills that will make you more marketable.

We have lots of classes listed on the Star Search Casting website that you can check out. I think you’ll find that classes can be lots of fun and a great way to meet and network with others in the industry.

Be sure to check in tomorrow to learn more about how to look the part when you go on an audition!