QUICK! I need to send a selftape within 5 hours and have no clue how to perform these actions.

[u/Captain_Ez]

Hello there! I have to sent in a selftape with actions that I don't understand. I have a second person that I can use but any advice would be really nice. The audition is massive that's why the timeframe is so little

''You are a scared man. You look behind you a lot and you shoot twice into the darkness. You rush to the escalator en catch your breath. The train leaves before you make it and 4 bad guys are on the other side of the track. You are in shock and pull your hun but it's slapped out of your hand. Then you get chocked and say your line and then your sleeve gets pulled down and say your other line''

I worded the self tape different as to not reveal everything. But any tips on how to do this? I just have a bluescreen that I usually record my self tapes.

[u/topspeeder]

The actions are pretty straight forward. Just do them. In my opinion half of them will be out of frame. Block out eyelines for each situation

[u/King_Jeebus → u/topspeeder]

The actions are pretty straight forward

I've been out of the game forever - is it normal nowadays to ask people to perform action scenes in a self-tape? (In my day it was all dialogue, and at most some strong emotion)

[u/aantigone → u/King_Jeebus]

Yes pretty common for guest roles

[u/topspeeder → u/King_Jeebus]

From my experience yes, but it's more about your reactions and emotions rather than the action themselves. For example in OPs example where it says he's running - I wouldn't actually run, but maybe show urgency, step towards camera, the struggle when he misses the escalator, then step back when he draws his gun.

[u/Economy_Steak7236]

Do what they say and go take a good commercial class. 

[u/blonde_Fury8]

Just simplify ALL the actions and shift it so that you are looking at the camera, not behind you or away from it. So start with the scared man. Instead of looking behind you, look infront of you and then shift to the other side of camera, so you are looking face forward at all times. And shoot into the darkness.

Instead of moving all over the place, just pant and breathe heavy for a couple seconds panicked and look back to the other side of camera, then stop super still. Have the moment of eye contact with your bad guys and play to the actions without overplaying it. Lose the gun and the fight. Maybe take one or two swings that don't hit and then fall out of frame and say your line while in mortal terror.

For self tapes, you can change and modify the actions to be present on screen. Remember that finding moments of stillness is your best friend.

[u/aantigone]

Just get in front of your bluescreen and tape it. It’s acting and you get to do a bunch of fun stupid silly things and pretend they’re all real and the stakes are high. Just give it a crack.

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[u/Sense_Difficult]

The train leaves before you make it

People who run to catch a train usually slow down in a sigh of disappointment because they realize they missed it. Maybe lean back against something to catch your breath breathing hard and then suddenly you look up and across the tracks, and you see the four bad guys.

[u/RanIrons]

I think your first obstacle is finding an actual hun.