If you will, take a second to imagine yourself in the seat of a casting director. You’ve just received an audition submission from an actor who has an amazing resume and a beautiful headshot but their audition video is absolutely horrifying. The lighting is dim, the background wall has a Justin Bieber poster, and their cat keeps popping in and out of frame. Would you still consider said actor for the job or would the video deter you? Most likely, the audition video would make you question the actor’s professionalism (despite their amazing resume etc. ) and cause you to look the other way.

Video audition tapes should be perceived as living versions of your headshot. The video quality needs to be HD, the lighting needs to be flattering,  and your appearance needs to be well thought out.  Here at MRP,  we help actors with this during their headshot sessions on a daily basis and would love to share our tips to help you translate those elements into your home audition videos. With the following information below, your video auditions will be sure to knock the competition out of the water!

Lighting

Lighting is at the top of our list because good or bad lighting can be the immediate difference between a quality video and a bad one. Some may advise that you should invest in a professional lighting kit for a more high quality look, but we’re here to tell you that you can get a really beautifully lit video without spending a dime. Natural lighting is the perfect option for making your videos have a clean, high end feel. Set your filming station up in front of a large window and watch as your videos go from dimly lit to beautifully showing off all of your best features.

Backdrop

Just as in your headshot sessions, the primary focus of your audition videos should be on you. If your background/backdrop is covered with distracting photos of your entire family, it will be hard for your viewer ( the casting director ) to hold their focus. Pick a neutral colored, solid wall or even set up your own photo studio backdrops by means of a paper or vinyl roll to take your video to the next level. With a plain background, casting directors will be sure to be enticed by your every move, never missing a moment to look at a picture of your drunk Uncle Billy.

Wardrobe

Relating back to the idea of not wanting a distracting backdrop, you also don’t want a wardrobe that distracts the casting director from focusing on your performance. Avoid bold patterns and air on the side of choosing solid, gem-tone colors which will read well on camera and aid in making you the center of focus. Colors that are flattering to your skin tone and eye color will give your videos a crisp, and clean feel and will, without a doubt, make you stand out from the crowd.

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