The Acting Habit 21-Day Self-Tape Challenge

I realise that this is something that I’ve had on my acting bucket list for a while now, having come across notes to myself that I was going to do it (but didn’t at the time I’d made these notes to myself).

However, I decided as I was not working with any regularity, it made sense to devote time working on a skill which I needed to improve - self-taping. I’ve only been asked for a handful of self-tape auditions over the last few years and knew that I needed to up my skills in this area because of how common they have become during the pandemic.

I signed on to do the 21-day Self-Tape Challenge on 29th May 2021. I learned such a great deal from Manuel Puro, who is always constructive with his criticism and unstinting in his praise and support. Those with whom I took this challenge are a very talented group of creatives and we all watched one another’s work and helped out with suggestions and comments.

We worked through scripts from theatre, film, television, and streaming services, each with their own individual takes on the pieces. We became surgeons, CIA Directors, dog walkers, stalkers, judges, dreamers - you name it and we became it.

It was a wonderful experience to play such a wide range of characters - many of which I would never be considered for in ‘the real world’ of auditions, but it was so much fun to be given the chance to explore and create.

While we have not been allowed to publish our self-tapes publicly (it is all for educational purposes), I have been able to send the links on to my agent so she can see what I can do and the types of roles I can create for myself.

I highly recommend the course to all actors - it’s a great way to play creatively in a safe space with supportive folks. You can find out more here: The Acting Habit.