News & Advice
Find out how copyright applies to the television and film productions you have been a part of in the UK and how to seek permission before including excerpts in your acting showreel. Copyright is a complex legal subject that can be hard to navigate when starting out as an actor. It’s not always clear when […]
Master lighting, settings, and backdrops with our expert guide to fixing common self-tape issues. In all our years of providing industry advice and helping performers improve their Spotlight profiles, we’ve seen a lot of self-tapes, and we’ve noticed a few recurring issues actors are having while filming. This guide demystifies the technical side of self-taping, […]
Master the art of editing professional showreels and self-tapes using free, industry-standard software. With the rise in popularity of self-tapes and showreels, it’s more important than ever to know how to edit a video. This guide equips you with the essential skills to cut, join, and polish your footage using DaVinci Resolve. You will learn how to transition […]
Mel Churcher’s 14 expert strategies for finding freedom, building a believable world, and ensuring your next self-tape captures your true potential. Technical perfection is only half the battle in a self-tape; the real challenge is maintaining the spark of a live performance through a lens. Renowned acting and voice coach Mel Churcher — who has […]
Essential guidance for parents and young performers to master the technical and practical art of self-taping. This guide simplifies the self-tape process for families, helping young performers balance school and auditions with ease. You’ll discover how to capture clear sound and lighting, why landscape filming is non-negotiable, and the best ways to name and send […]
Demystify the audition process with our guide to filming professional idents and full-length shots. An ident – sometimes called a slate – is a purely technical part of the audition process in which you state your name, your agent (or that you’re self-represented) and occasionally a few other details. It’s used by casting directors to […]
