How to Selftape

There a million and one different ways to film a selftape, but if you're starting from scratch at this whole acting thing - it's a million too many. The following video will show you how to film a selftape and give you a brief list of different selftaping products you can buy from Amazon for different price points. If I could invite you into my selftape studio and show you the ropes in person, I would! But for now, this is the closest I could create to that.

Everything I mention in the video will be linked below using affiliate links. That means that with no extra cost to you, when you make a purchase using one of my links, I make a small percentage of the sale and am able to put out more content for you!

Here are links to recommended products and their prices:

Prices accurate as of 4/28/22. In order of appearance:

Tripod:

UBeesize 67" Phone Tripod, $28.99

Lights:

Neewer Ring Light Kit, $112.99

Neewer Box Lights, set of 2 for $203.99

10" Ring Light, $22.99

Paper Backdrops:

Pink Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 107" Wide, $99.99

Thunder Gray Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 107" Wide, $99.99

Teal Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 86" Wide, $84.99

Blue Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 86" Wide, $84.99

White Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 86" Wide, $84.99

Black Savage Seamless Paper Backdrop 86" Wide, $84.99

Backdrop Curtains:

Blue Neewer 10ft x 12ft Polyester Backdrop, $33.79

Gray Neewer 10ft x 12ft Polyester Backdrop, $39.99

White Neewer 10ft x 12ft Polyester Backdrop, $39.99

Black Neewer 10ft x 12ft Polyester Backdrop, $35.99

Collapsible Backdrops:

Neewer Blue/Gray Reversible Collapsible 5ft x 7ft Backdrop, $58.99

Neewer Black/White Reversible Collapsible 5ft x 7ft Backdrop, $51.99

Stands:

Neewer Adjustable 10ft x 7ft Backdrop Stand w/ Accessories, $49.99

Neewer T-Shape Stand for Collapsible Backgrounds, $35.99

Microphones:

Rode Wireless GO Microphone, $159.00

Rode LAV Omni-Directional Microphone, $87.83

Cable to make the microphone compatible with your phone, $9.95 (I don't mention this in the video, but you will need this if you're planning on using the Rode Wireless GO Microphone with your phone instead of with a camera.)

*A note on these microphones: With my set up of combining these two mics together, I have to use the aforementioned cable to make it work with my phone - this cable will also work if you want to use the Rode Wireless GO Microphone alone. However, if you want to use the Rode LAV Omni-Directional Microphone alone, you'll have to use a different cable to connect it to your phone, listed here on Amazon for $9.95.

Action Step: Plan out, assemble, and use your selftape studio.

Decide your budget for your selftape studio and pick the products that fit in your budget with the space you have. If your selftape studio plan involves ordering products, order them now. When they arrive, play around with them a lot and film some fake selftapes. If you aren't ordering any products because of budget - even better! Go practice right now! Get really comfortable with using your selftape setup so that when you get an invitation to selftape - and you will - you'll know exactly what to do. If you'd like to practice selftaping but don't have any sides to selftape with, you can always find them online via Google or find some scenes you like from movies or TV shows!