Most actors think it is better by far, to be auditioned by the casting director. In their studio. I do not agree.

OK sure, you have the chance to meet them face to face. But let’s face it, the important thing is the time they view your audition. Not when you say hello.

The judgment of your test is done by others. And these ‘others’, producers, directors and network heavies – they are not meeting you face to face. Not for the first test. For call backs, sure

And how many times have you entered the audition room, and suddenly you have to re calibrate your whole approach to the character and the audition. Why?

Because the casting director is in charge.

The Audition Space is the Casting Director’s Creative Space.

The Self Test space is YOUR creative space!

And oh no. OMG! The reader is on the left and you rehearsed the scene with the reader on the right!

Suck it up. It is not your space. By doing a casting director audition, you have handed all creative decisions to the casting director.

Four reasons why a self test is better than a Casting Director Audition.

1. It is the CDs creative space. Your have given all the creative freedom of your own self test, to the casting director. They tell you where to stand, where to look and indeed, direct you to deliver THEIR version of the character. Not Yours.

2. In a self test, you can do multiple takes and choose the best. But with the casting director, will they do more than one, or possibly two takes? In the room, you get one take – especially if the casting director is running late!

3. The Waiting Room, Do you really want to wait in a small, windowless, airless, crowded waiting room? Full of clones of your character? That is not the best way to gather your thoughts prior to delivering your creative vision of the character.

4. In the casting room, you attend at a time that suits them. Your whole day is geared around this opportunity. In self taping you choose the time, the place and where to position the reader!

I am not saying it is easy to do a self test. Or to have the confidence to pick the right take, the right format. But in a digital age, you simply must start the process of understanding how to self tape!