Picture this: while conducting my usual scroll through Camdram vacancies, my eyes fall upon a show I’d love to audition for. Some digging later and, alas, there are no audition slots left! Panic fills my heart as I read the phrase “self-tape deadline.” Okay, I still have the opportunity to audition, but now I must face the ever-daunting prospect of a self-tape. This is a (slight) dramatisation of my feelings towards tapes – I will film one if absolutely necessary, but my preference will always be an in-person audition. I know I’m not alone, either; several of my friends have expressed similar feelings.

“The audition panel only gets to see one version of your performance”

To begin with, self-tapes don’t provide actors the chance to showcase some of the vital skills directors are looking for when casting. In the audition room, you perform a piece you’ve prepared, perform it again with redirection, and may even perform a second, unprepared piece. Self-tapes, unless they specify multiple extracts, generally only entail one – and there are obviously no redirects. But redirection is often the most important part of the audition; it’s where the director sees how well you respond to their input and how willing you are to adjust your performance. Without this, self-tapes can leave you at a disadvantage: the audition panel only gets to see one version of your performance.

Another drawback is losing the chance to demonstrate your personality – to show the panel you’re someone they’d want to work with. Whether it’s answering a question like, “Why do you want to be a part of this show?” or simply chatting before or after the audition, an in-person experience allows you to convey that you’re fun, kind, and interesting. One director I’ve worked with mentioned they specifically looked for friendly people during auditions, as the themes of the play were sensitive, and they wanted a supportive cast. This can go under the radar during a self-tape – I know I don’t come across as particularly vibrant when I awkwardly film myself saying: “Hi, I’m Milly Kotecha, and I’ll be auditioning with Extract 2.”

“Much of what I’ve critiqued about self-tapes can easily be repackaged as positives”

Lastly, there’s the practical challenge of filming yourself without knowing exactly what the panel is looking for. Does a self-tape mean you’re expected to have memorised the extract? Should the performance be higher quality because you can film it multiple times? Are you at a disadvantage without someone reading in for a scene with another character? These questions have led to some chaotic circumstances: I’ve waylaid friends to the college games room for a larger performance space and precariously balanced my phone between my desk and bed for makeshift setups.

Reflecting on this, I wonder if my aversion towards self-tapes stems from one of my earliest Camdram experiences. After a rejection, I received feedback that my performance came across as “slightly disingenuous” – a result, I suspect, of the nature of the tape itself. Since then, however, I’ve come to know several success stories, including a friend who landed the lead in a show last Lent via self-tape. In fact, I write this now having secured a part in a show this term through a tape (though in fairness, all auditions were remote, as casting happened over the holidays).

I guess much of what I’ve critiqued about self-tapes can easily be repackaged as positives. You have the chance to film again and again, watch yourself back, perfect the tape, and then send it off – a privilege not afforded in an audition room. For those who find it daunting to be scrutinised in real time, self-tapes remove you from the immediate gaze of the casting panel. And, in the whirlwind of university life, between contact hours, societies, and socialising, there’s often no time to trek across town for an in-person audition (an even less appealing prospect in winter weather). Self-tapes offer complete control over your time, which became particularly useful during the end of term.

So whether they float your boat or not, if you’re a fan of the Camdram vacancies page (like me), you may find yourself standing in front of your phone, giving the performance of your life… only to realise the hardest part is yet to come: uploading the video to OneDrive and granting access to the right people because the file size is too big. Whoops.

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