Self Tape request petition

Absolutely, a self tape session is in effect about £200 worth of work. Which I don't mind when asked to submit a self tape after making my application. At least you know or would hope that you are within some kind of shortlist.

Unfortunately Aurea, Mandy's admin have not quite understood your point above.

• 2 years ago
• 141

Ive contacted the CDG and Equity head of recorded Media, and both agree its a problem for us (anyone who isn't yet convinced- last wk for a commercial, i was asked to tape and send 4 separate scenarios, 2 takes of each, with long shot and mid, plus an ident,which works out at 10-17 video clips depending how you interpret that brief),for an Ad, (that they'll decide in 10 seconds if their interested) when we have photos and reels anyway and they wanted it edited into 1 tape...OK ,so ,set up, frame,costume,shoot, light,edit,compress,then send...oh wait a minute, i forgot to act!! ( Arn't we meant to be Actors, all i was thinking was how to solve camera problems when i shoot!?) Its a day and a half of work, for free they want, 10 x more work than when they hired a casting rm! (and paid for it).
Anyway, CDG and Equity said they are agreeing a 'Code of Conduct' for Casters, imminently..
which probably will amount to no change. We must keep the pressure on (and ask for a payment if its more than a couple of minutes of footage)as they agreed its a problem and situation ,which casters are abusing- heres 1 solution though! My mate suggested if were being asked to shoot whole short films for next to no money for crap jobs, lets just send a 10 minute video of us sat on the toilet reading the newspaper...

• 2 years ago
• 142

Good point! Try emailing it to emails@Mandy.com or contact them via Twitter

• 2 years ago
• 143

Well said! We have headshots and CVs to be narrowed down through first. This would happen during "normal" times before in-person auditions so why is it becoming more prevelant now? Not all of us have the time, space or equipment needed for a self tape, and even if we do our time should be spent on those jobs we are shortlisted for, not everything that comes across.

Another personal bug bear of mine is the ever increasing change of cast requirement after application / self tape / audition. I've had numerous castings recently get changed or not even mention until later stages that their requirements for their cast have changed (different height, gender, race etc).

• 2 years ago
• 144

They’re STILL not getting it at all!

• 2 years ago
• 145

I've sent Mandy and email to the address given supporting this and informing them they've misunderstood the point made by the OP. Encourage other people to do the same!

• 2 years ago
• 146

Bit late to the party, but totally agree to not expecting us to do self tapes until we have been SHORTLISTED!
Please Mandy, could we have an update? I see you have made it more difficult (safer?) for us to log in now. How about stopping all this ridiculous self taping in the first round? Second round self tapes only please, and then I will be only too happy to spend hours (yes, hours) of my day on one.

• 2 years ago
• 147

Bit late to the party, but totally agree to not expecting us to do self tapes until we have been SHORTLISTED!
Please Mandy, could we have an update? I see you have made it more difficult (safer?) for us to log in now. How about stopping all this ridiculous self taping in the first round? Second round self tapes only please, and then I will be only too happy to spend hours (yes, hours) of my day on one.

• 2 years ago
• 148

I can only agree with the poster, and that MANDY didn't seem to grasp what she was saying. A self tape is essentially an audition, in lew of face to face. This means you should have been sifted for the kind of actor they are looking at, look, or quality as shown in any showreel.

• 2 years ago
• 149

I am in agreement too! All Equity members may find the attached informative. Steve is campaigning on just this very issue, I will be voting for him in the upcoming elections: https://youtu.be/I01Bh0k9u0Y

All the best
Jeremy

• 2 years ago
• 150

Takes the piss.

• 2 years ago
• 151

I have a sneaky feeling that what we're dealing with here on the part of CDs isn't so much a quest for quality as one for compliance. There are, after all, such people around who think that if they can get you to do some daft thing or other, you can be shanghaied into some other thankless, payless task. Or is that just me being cynical. Anyway, just me sparking my consciousness into the Universe, to see if any dead trees catch fire. If so, maybe the resulting light will illuminate the solution - I don't know, stranger things have happened...

• 2 years ago
• 152

I completely agree with this petition, I think this is something that should be addressed.

As a matter of fact it contributed to me leaving the Mandy platform before, because of the amount of effort and little return on applications.

I guess on the one hand perhaps there's and argument for diversity as more people are able to showcase their work without immediate subconscious bias.

On the other it arguably makes it less accessible, because if you are juggling a day job or other priorities, which let's face it, many of us are, especially with the pandemic, then being and early applicant is not always possible and the time you have to dedicate to applications needs to be streamlined.

As is so often the case in our industry, the time and investment which we are not compensated for is shouldered by the performer rather than being an equitable division of labour. Yes, being open minded about casting is positive in today's climate, however it shouldn't be an excuse for not shortlisting candidates in my opinion.

I echo, mass self tape applications are counter productive for all parties.

• 2 years ago
• 153

Still requests for initial self tapes. I’m getting bored with explains why I won’t do them unless I’m shortlisted, explaining how time consuming it is and how the chances are they won’t have time to look at them all. It doesn’t stop bias as if they have some preconceived image in mind, they won’t watch if you don’t confirm to that.

• 2 years ago
• 154

I did once get a role where the director said that he wouldn't have cast me based on my photos and CV as he thought from those I was too young for the role but, having watched my self-tape, he decided I was right for the role after all, so it does happen - albeit that's been a one-time thing in 13 years lol He did express surprise that he had had so few applicants though, and I explained that it was probably because he had put a self-tape at application - I only applied myself because it was completely my cup of tea and I had fallen in love with the script. I do think I've seen a reduction in self-tapes at application, although they are still there.

• 2 years ago
• 155

They are STILL requesting self-tapes from the initial callout. Arrgghhh! I tell them to look at my showreel, which I attach, and my CV. If they're interested, then get back to me. So far no takers but would I want to work with them? No way!

• 2 years ago
• 156

I agreed as well Mandy is a wasting of money! first they need only to allowing proper wages for acting job anything like £100 per day is even less the extra work ! Then is incredible the trend of people coming here with no experience or even modesty and tell you to do a video !!! I had been said on my profile I DO NOT LIVE ON INCOME SUPPORT OR BENEFIT OR I GOT A COUNCIL FLAT PAY BY MUM OR DAD

• 2 years ago
• 157

I couldn't agree more with everything said above. I've been saying this for ages now and it seems to be getting worse and worse.

• 2 years ago
• 158

And especially with the fee being offered being so laughable.

• 2 years ago
• 159

This is why I no longer subscribe to Mandy. I got fed up with all my previous work being listed as UNVERIFIED when in many circumstances the proof would have been in the watching . it is frustrating to read here that Mandy is still not listening to actors comments.

• 2 years ago
• 160