What to wear for an acting audition or self tape
Dec 31, 2017
It's confusing isn't it?
Your Goal : To align yourself with your character as seamlessly as possible for yourself, the casting director AND the client.
The right clothes help you look and feel the part and align you with your casting type which needs to add to your direct line of vertical integration. Website, headshot, showreel, resume and social media, ok dok? All suggesting ONE big idea. You.
IT's fun, you can create a completely different persona, the polar opposite to who you are just by changing what you're wearing - but don't go overboard!
Don't Do A Will Ferrell!
Rule of thumb - "Suggest" your character
Hint towards the character...
If you're playing lawyers, wear a suit and tie. Playing a builder, maybe boots, keep it simple.
Never do this
Never dress AS the character. I once saw a woman wearing a green apron, with a set of dusters in her pinafore pocket, carrying a bottle of spray disinfectant, a mop and and a sweeping brush. She was going up for...a cleaner.
The Takeaway : "Less is More"
Your choice of clothing can be a powerful subliminal callback factor. If casting directors don't remember a name, they might recall what you wore to your acting audition or self tape
"...Yeh, the girl in the blue zara top...she was great..."
"The guy in the black diesel jeans"...
"...the girl with the headband.."
Keep it simple
Comfort
Wear what’s comfortable. Wear clothes that make you feel good. Wear clothes that help you inhabit the role. Nothing too tight or constricting, they make you look uncomfortable. How can anyone perform like that?!
I know your agent wants you to look amazing and to present yourself as a professional, but nobody gives a sh*$ what you look like if your work is good. And please, leave the stethoscope and clipboard at home! Not the way to play a doctor and a policeman.
Feel good, work truthfully. Relax and feel free. Remember...
<<Tweet This>> Never restrict your casting choices
If you are reading for a vet and show up in green scrubs, it’s very difficult for any CD or producer to imagine you as a hot shot lawyer that you maybe LOOK like or are right for? Get the idea?
Most producers choose from self tapes now. Keep their choices clean.
Cameras and Colours
Learn what colours work for you on camera. Some just don’t. I cannot wear a white shirt for example, I have white hair (as you know) and pale eyebrows and even paler skin, so if I wear anything white I disappear. I literally melt into the background. I always want to POP!
What works for you?
What Colour to choose
Choose plain colours, don't wear patterns, no graphics, no zig zags, nothing that shimmers on camera, no words on t-shirts. Colours like teal, cobalt and coral pop on screen. Avoid white, bright red and all-black outfits. All three of these colours can cause technical problems from HD cameras these days. ...
Learn what looks good for your skin tone. Trust your judgement, and if you’re brand new, ask a friend, or ask me, send me in a picture and I'll respond.
White is a bad choice because it can be too visually overwhelming and "blind" the viewer. One colour you should stay away from for a TV appearance is green.
What to Wear In Front of Camera
- Warm colours.
- Solid colours.
- Block colour.
- Patterns are too distracting.
- Stay classic.
- Keep jewellery simple.
- Wear slightly tight fitting clothing to photoshoots. Tight fitting clothing just looks better on camera. This is true for when you’re in front of all cameras.
- As a rule baggy is shapeless and doesn’t work.
If you're up for a pilot - don't arrive like this
Basic Wardrobe Terminology For TV and Film
Casual : Clothing worn for relaxing or "hanging out" with friends - what you'd wear at home, easy and relaxed.
Smart Casual : Fashionable party clothes - relaxed but a tad more high end.
Outdoors : Jeans, jumpers, denim, fleeces, warm shirts and jackets
Formal: Dressy outfits - Tuxedos, cocktail dresses.
Business : Business suit or a nice shirt and tie for men and a tailored dress or a suit for women
Trendy : Jeans, t-shirts, and the latest fad in fashion
Hope that helps,
x Nick
Less is More
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