We have a lot of great advice on our website with self-tape advice. We have compiled our favourites here:
For tips to improve your self-tape, please see our article Technical Tips to Improve Your Self-Tape where we cover the most common issues we see with self-tapes.
For tips on filming using a phone, our podcast How to Self-Tape on Your Phone is what you need.
Should you need help editing your self-tape, our article How to Edit your Self-Tapes and Showreels can help.
We have also compiled a list of frequently asked questions below. If this, however, does not answer your question, please Submit a request and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
I’m having trouble uploading my Self-Tape, what do I do?
I am still unable to upload my Self-Tape - can you upload it for me?
How do I contact the casting team directly?
How will I know my Self-Tape has been submitted successfully?
How do I convert my video file into a compatible format?
How to Join Video Clips Together
When uploading my self-tape I have noticed a difference in quality/colour, how can I fix this?
What's the difference between 720p, 1080p and 4K video?
I’m having trouble uploading my Self-Tape, what do I do?
- Check that the file type you are trying to upload is compatible with our system. If it is not in a format we accept, you will need to convert the file.
For video we accept:
- MP4
- M4V
- MOV
- WEBM
- MKV
- AVI
- MPEG
- WMV
- 3GP
- 3G2
- The upload should not be affected by file size although for larger files you will need a good internet connection. Run a speed test to check your internet speed can support the file size you are trying to upload. The speed test will start with your download speed and then your upload speed, please ensure you are checking the upload speed.
Here is a general guideline for minimum upload speeds based on video quality:
- Standard Definition (480p): 1-2 Mbps
- High Definition (720p): 2-5 Mbps
- Full High Definition (1080p): 5-10 Mbps
- 4K/Ultra High Definition: 15-25 Mbps
- 8K: 50 Mbps or more
- Check you are using a browser we support and that you are running the most up-to-date version.
Browsers we support:
- Google Chrome (mobile and desktop)
- Apple Safari (mobile and desktop)
- Edge
- If you are still experiencing upload issues, we would also recommend trying the upload on a different browser or device. If you are trying to upload using a phone, please try using a desktop device.
- You can also try signing into a private browser if the issue persists.
Please note: If you are trying to upload a self-tape using the Spotlight app, this is currently not possible.
I am still unable to upload my Self-Tape - can you upload it for me?
Unfortunately it is not possible for Spotlight to upload a self-tape on behalf of members. If you have followed all the technical troubleshooting tips above and are still experiencing upload issues, please get in touch with the casting team for further assistance. They may be able to accept a self-tape outside of Spotlight and should be able to advise further as to how this can be done.
How do I contact the casting team directly?
You can reply to the original email you received from the casting team. This will go directly to their email address. The casting team details will also appear on the tape-request at the top when you open the original request in the Tape request tab.
How will I know my Self-Tape has been submitted successfully?
Once a self-tape has successfully been uploaded, the status will be updated to Self-Tape sent and will show in green. You can view the tape but as it has been released to the casting director, you will not be able to delete or edit it. If the tape is showing as “Processing” - this does not mean it has not been successfully uploaded - it simply means that the tape is processing on the casting directors side. As long as the status has been changed to Self-Tape sent and is showing in green, then the showreel has successfully been submitted.
How do I convert my video file into a compatible format?
If you have filmed your tape on your phone then the file will most likely be in the correct format.
However, if your file type is MOV or AVCHD file, you will need to convert this in order to upload it on Spotlight.
There is plenty of video conversion software available online to convert your file into an MP4, such as MPEG Streamclip and HandBreak but we recommend QuickTime Player as it’s easy to use.
To convert a file, follow these steps:
- If you don’t already have Quicktime Player, you can download it for free on your Mac or PC
- Open your file in QuickTime Player
- In the top menu select File > Export as… > 720p*
- In the field titled ‘Export As’, rename the file to include the performer’s name, project name, title and scene
- Use the field titled ‘Where’ field to select where you’d like to save the video file to e.g. your desktop.
You’ll now find the converted video file saved in the place you’ve specified.
* When you click ‘Export as…’ You’ll see several options which may include: 4K, 1080p, 720p, and 480p. The difference between them is the resolution of the converted file, which also affects the file size. For self-tapes, it is not necessary to have the highest resolution available so we suggest 720p is more than sufficient.
How to Do a Simple Video Edit
If you’re using QuickTime Player then follow these steps to trim your video:
- Download QuickTime Player on your computer
- Open your video file in QuickTime Player
- In the top menu select Edit > Trim…
- A yellow frame will appear at the bottom of your video. You can use your mouse to ‘grab’ the markers at each end and drag them horizontally to the point in the video that you’d like to start and finish
- When you’ve set the markers to where you want them to be, click the ‘Trim’ button to the right of the yellow frame
- In the top menu to select File > Export as.. > 720p
- In the field titled ‘Export As’, rename the file to include the performer’s name, project name, title and scene
- Use the ‘Where’ field to select where you’d like to save the video file to e.g. your desktop.
How to Join Video Clips Together
There may be a time when a self-tape requires more than one scene to be recorded. It’s fine to send different files for each scene as long as they’re labelled accordingly, but you can also join multiple clips into a single video file if you prefer.
To join video clips together, follow these steps:
- Download QuickTime Player on your computer
- Open the first file in QuickTime Player – this should be the one you want to play first
- In the QuickTime Player’s top menu select Edit > Insert clip after selection
- Use the pop-up box to select the second clip and then click the ‘Choose media’ button
- You’ll now see the two clips appear in the same video file. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add more clips if you need to
- Click the ‘Done’ button when you’re finished
- In the top menu to select File > Export as.. > 720p
- In the field titled ‘Export As’, rename the file to include the performer’s name, project name, title and scene
- Use the ‘Where’ field to select where you’d like to save the video file to e.g. your desktop.
It’s a good idea to film each scene as a separate video file. It can sometimes look unnatural to see multiple scenes filmed immediately one after another in self-tapes, and adds extra unnecessary pressure on the performer.
When uploading my self-tape I have noticed a difference in quality/colour, how can I fix this?
If you are filming on an iPhone, we would suggest turning HDR off in the camera setting before filming. While HDR has more detail in the highlights and colour detail, this isn't always compatible and can distort the colour balance. If you have filmed your tape in HDR and are experiencing issues, you can convert your file to SDR by searching the device you are using with 'grading HDR to SDR' and this should advise you on the steps to do this.
How can I resize my media?
There are two basic ways to resize media on a computer running any macOS or Windows OS. First is via Quicktime (Mac Only) or via Microsoft Clipchamp (Windows Only), a video editing software that comes pre-installed on computers running Windows 11. The second is via a free online video compression website.
Video Compression - Quicktime (macOS ONLY)
A quick way to compress a video is to export it directly from QuickTime, on a Mac.
1. Open the file in Quicktime.
2. Once the video has opened, navigate up to “File,” and scroll down to “Export As”
3. Then choose your desired file size, ideally, 720p to keep a somewhat clear resolution.
4. Then choose the location you want the new compressed file to go to. And hit SAVE.
Video Compression - Microsoft Clipchamp (Windows OS ONLY)
1. Find the video file in your File Explorer. Then, right-click the file, over Open With, and select Microsoft Clipchamp.
2. Once the file is opened in Clipchamp, you will be able to see the video in the Preview window as well as on the editing Timeline. You can type the name you would like to select for the video in the textbox at the top left. This will default to reading Untitled video.
3. Once you have named your video what you would like it to be, click on the Export button at the top right of your screen.
4. Once you have clicked on Export, you will see a list of options for video quality of the export. We recommend setting this as either 480p or 720p as both of those resolutions will retain the quality of the original video while also sufficiently resizing the original footage.
5. The video will then export the file and save the copy in your Downloads folder.
6. Open your Downloads folder, and you will see the exported video.
What's the difference between 720p, 1080p and 4K video?
The difference between 1080p, 720p, and 480p is the resolution of the converted file, which also affects the file size. For self-tapes, it is not necessary to have the highest resolution available so we suggest 720p is more than sufficient.