Self-Taping on a Shoestring

READ BELOW FOR A QUICK SUMMERY!! Made for my BA and MA acting students at RCSSD, this video is a comprehensive lesson on getting best results from self-taping, or filming yourself at home, without professional lights or sound, using little more than your mobile phone.
1. You need a phone with video.
2. Take time to watch some RUclips tutorials to learn to use your own phone's video function/app to best effect.
3. If you can find a cheap tripod/selfie-stick-tripod, get one!!
4. Film horizontal/landscape (not portrait!)
5. Set your camera to 16x9 (or 16:9 or 9:16 or similar)
6. Set your video quality to at least HD (1920x1080p) or higher
7. Find a quiet space.
8. SET UP IN FRONT OF A BIG WINDOW. No direct sunlight, and you HAVE to shoot during bright day hours (ie 9am-4pm) - but you will get beautifully lit work.
9. Attend to your background - not boring, not distracting.
10. Dress as character might (do all you can to sell illusion). No distracting elements like text on clothes or dangly earrings. DO YOUR HAIR & MAKEUP!!!
11. Film in a medium-close up (middle of chest to just above top of head)
12. Make sure camera lens is on EXACT SAME LEVEL as your eyes - and stand if scene calls for standing, sit if it calls for sitting.
13. Confirm whether piece is direct to camera or to a reader. If reader, reader should sit just to one side/behind camera and not be too loud.
14. Do 2 takes, give yourself direction, then 1 or 2 more takes AT MOST. Be disciplined.
15. Upload to your preferred video hosting site - check it works, and you're done!

[@beepbopboop7727]

So glad you uploaded this. Thank you.

[@joannelsey]

Really great video, very relevant right now! Great work babe. Can't wait to see you all again xx