Self Tape Tools for Auditions

Everything You Need to Record an Amazing Audition at Home

The ability to self tape auditions is an absolutely essential skill for any actor who wants to have a lasting career in this industry.

Fortunately, self taping is not rocket science! The tools below will help you record a professional looking (and sounding) audition from the comfort of your own home.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you end up buying one of these products, Amazon will give me a small commission. Your cost is the same either way. Please do not spend any money on any of these products unless you feel that they will be helpful and useful to you.

Your Phone

The recording device you use to tape your auditions will be the first decision you will need to make. You definitely do NOT need to go out and buy a camera.  Your phone will do just fine when you first start out. I know many actors that have booked roles on major movies and shows with auditions recorded on their smartphones.

Sony ZV-1

The Sony ZV-1 is my current self tape camera and I absolutely love it. I've used many different cameras for self taping in the past (including the two listed below) and I prefer the Sony ZV-1 over all of them. One of my favorite features is the small form factor. The camera is small enough to fit into my pocket. That means it's so much easier for me to travel with it. 

If you do decide to get the ZV-1, a couple accessories I recommend are spare batteries and an L-bracket to allow you to access the battery and memory card without taking the camera off the tripod.

Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera

The Canon M50 Mirrorless Camera has been Canon's best selling camera for a number of years. It's a very popular camera among YouTubers and actors. It's slightly bigger than the Sony ZV-1 but still pretty small. The M50 is an interchangeable lens camera whereas the ZV-1 has a fixed lens. So if you plan on using your camera for other photography and video projects beyond self taping, then having the ability to change lenses might be desirable.

If you do decide to get the M50, a couple accessories I recommend are spare batteries and a battery door plate to allow you to access the battery and memory card without taking the camera off the tripod.

Canon EOS 90D DSLR Camera

If it's within your budget, I think the Canon EOS 90D is also an excellent choice. I used the younger sibling of this camera (the 80D) for a number of years and shot over 1000 self tapes with it and it never failed me. This one is a bit more expensive than the other two on the list because it's getting closer to professional level cameras.

Regardless of whether you are using your phone or a camera to tape your auditions, you will need a tripod to stabilize your video. Do NOT ask someone to just hold the camera steady. A good tripod is pretty inexpensive so there is no reason to here.

Dolica ST-500 68-inch Tripod

Amazon sells an Amazon Basics brand tripod for $25. It looks legit and has great reviews; but I've had two of those break on me over the years so I can't recommend it in good conscience. But I have friends using that tripod with no issues so maybe I'm the problem :)

The Dolica ST-500 seems to be a much higher quality product and it only costs ten dollars more than the Amazon Basics model. I've been using mine since 2014 with no problems whatsoever.

Note: I've used this tripod to tape actors as tall as 6'1" with no issues. If you are 6'2" or taller, you may want to consider the option below.

Joilcan 75-inch Camera Tripod

For actors that are 6'2" or taller, this 75" Tripod might be a better option. It's a little more expensive than the Dolica but that's going to be the case with all taller tripods. 

I haven't personally used this one so I can't give you my opinion on it. But the reviews on Amazon are great so I would assume the product is reliable. 

70-inch Travel Tripod

I love packing light and this travel tripod fits perfectly into my carry-on luggage. I don't bring any additional camera gear when I am travelling so this tripod is more than enough to hold my phone at the right level.

While it says it can hold a heavier camera, I personally wouldn't trust it with my more expensive equipment. But if you self tape with your phone, this one should work just fine.

Ulanzi Tripod Phone Mount

If you're using your phone to record instead of a camera, you will need an adapter to attach the phone to the tripod. This Ulanzi Tripod Phone Mount is only $14 and will hold your phone steady as you record. It comes with a mini tripod that you can detach it from to use with a full size tripod. I also like that it has a shoe at the top to attach a microphone or a small light.

Note: When using a phone, make sure to record in landscape mode (horizontal). Casting directors will not accept vertical videos for auditions.

As you start to build a more sophisticated self-taping setup, you'll probably want to get an external microphone. The on-board microphones on cell phones and cameras aren't known for capturing the highest quality sound. A lot of actors (myself included) prefer to use a shotgun mic for audition purposes. I've listed two of my favorites below.

POP Voice Lavaliere Lapel Microphone

Lavaliere microphones are popular among actors who use their phones to self tape. This POP Voice Lav Mic has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon and works with iPhone and Android phones. It plugs into the headphone/microphone jack on your phone and clips to your shirt.

Tip: Before buying a mic to use with your phone, search the reviews on Amazon to see if anyone has successfully used it with your exact phone. 

Takstar SGC-598 Shotgun Microphone

I prefer using a shotgun microphone over a lavaliere mic that attaches to my shirt. The Takstar SGC-598 is a fantastic value at less than $30. I used this microphone for nearly ten years and hundreds of self tapes. This is my number one recommended mic for anyone starting to build a self tape setup.

Deity D3 Pro Shotgun Microphone

This is the microphone I currently use. I moved on from the trusty Takstar in 2020 because I wanted to be able to control the gain on the microphone rather than in camera. The Deity D3 Pro also has slightly less noise than the Takstar. Those benefits come at a price, though. The Diety currently costs $199. That's a big jump from $30. 

While the Diety is, unquestionably, the better microphone, unless you are paying close attention, most people probably wouldn't notice. If you have the finances and you're a bit of a gear head (like me), then go ahead and splurge on the Deity. Otherwise, definitely go with the Takstar. You cannot go wrong with that mic.

Kasonic Adjustable Microphone Boom Stand

A shotgun mic can be used on-camera or attached to a stand. I prefer the microphone to be closer to me than to the reader so I put mine on a microphone stand. I typically angle the mic so that it is below me, just out of frame. I like this stand from Kasonic because it comes with a clothespin style microphone holder which works best for shotgun mics like the Takstar and Diety.

Note: if you do use a microphone stand with one of the shotgun mics above, you will need a microphone extension cable.

If you aren't happy with the quality of the the natural light coming through your windows or the lamps available at home, you may want to consider getting some lights dedicated to your auditions. I prefer softbox lights because they produce nice even light on the subject while minimizing shadows on the background. Every room is different, though, so you will need to experiment a bit.

Neewer 24x24 inch Softbox Light Kit

Softbox lights are great at producing a nice even light that isn’t harsh on your face. This Neewer Softbox Light Kit is what I currently use in my home audition studio. They use CFL bulbs which are relatively cool. My first set of softbox lights used halogen bulbs. I would NOT recommend those. It got so hot under those lights I would start sweating after only a few minutes.

Dazzne LED Video Light Panel Lights

If you have limited space in your self taping area, the softbox lights may not be a great option because they are so big and clunky. In that case, you might want to consider some LED panel lights.

These 15.4" light panels from Dazzne take up a lot less room than the softboxes.  A second advantage is that these lights are LED, which means they are dimmable. You can control exactly how bright or dark you want your video to be.

I prefer to use a solid color gray or blue wall. If you don't have access to a neutral color wall, then a bed sheet or curtain hung up in the background will do just fine (make sure wrinkles are ironed or steamed out). If none of these options are working for you then you may consider buying a professional backdrop.

ePhotoInc Collapsible Background

These collapsible backdrops are great if you don't have a lot of space. They open up to 5ft x 6.5ft and fold up nicely to a compact 28 inches for storage. I particularly like that one side is gray and one side is blue so that you can decide which color works best for you.

Julius Studio 6 ft X 9 ft Grey Fabric Backdrop

This type of fabric backdrop is just a more professional version of hanging up a bed sheet. What's nice is that it has the loop at the top so that you can use it with a backdrop stand or a curtain rod. This one has multiple color options but just one size (6x9). There are other similar backdrops with different size options as well.

Emart T-Shape Backdrop Support Stand

This backdrop stand is 5 ft wide and can adjust up to 8 ft tall. It comes with 4 spring clamps to help hold whatever backdrop you are using. A T-shaped stand like this is great when you don't have much room and want to save space. It's also easy to take down and put away when you are finished.

Video editing is becoming easier and easier these days. Most smart phones have some sort of video editor built in so you don't even need to download a separate app to do the job. If you're like me and prefer to do your editing on a computer, here are a few options for both Mac and PC.

Apple iMovie

If you have a Mac, iMovie is the video editor you should be using. Many Macbooks come with it pre-installed but if yours doesn’t, it only costs about $15. Apple iMovie is extremely easy to learn and use and is absolutely perfect for editing auditions. There is a free mobile version available in the app store if you want to edit directly on your iPhone or iPad.

CapCut Video Editor

CapCut is a FREE editing program available for both Mac and PC (and mobile devices). I still recommend iMovie for Mac users but if you don't want to pay for it, CapCut is a great free alternative. For PC users, CapCut is actually better than some of the paid editing programs I've used in the past.

HandBrake Video Transcoder

Use HandBrake to compress video files that are too big to send. This FREE video transcoder program has been a godsend for me. Anybody who has ever needed to upload their self recorded auditions has run into the issue of file sizes being too large. HandBrake does an awesome job of compressing the size of the file while maintaining video quality. It’s available for both Mac and PC.