ACTOR STORY
My Girlfriend Was My Reader for Self-Tape Auditions
We Just Broke Up!
(The Anonymous Actor)
(Photo: Alena Darmel | Pexels)
My girlfriend and I just broke off a nearly five-year relationship. But don’t cry for me, Argentina! I’m not announcing this to the world so people can feel sorry for me. I’m saying this because I need help!
Our relationship had been “over” for quite some time. It’s only now that we’ve had the courage to end things for good. We both decided to “see other people” permanently, while remaining friendly.
So, I’m fine! I’m not suicidal or anything!
Besides, there’s “Plenty-of-Fish” out there for me to “Match” with, so I’m sure I will “Bumble” my way into something “Tinder” in no time. (See what I did there?)
My problem is, while we had a wonderful romantic relationship, I’m realizing now that we also had a good business relationship.
You see, my ex was also my reader for self-tape auditions. She’s a fine actress in her own right, and she would read the other character’s lines for self-tapes when I needed another person.
And, being that she was my live-in girlfriend, she was always available at a moment’s notice. I never needed to coordinate a time to get my self-tape done. I didn’t really need to work around her schedule.
I could just say, “Bae, I have a big audition coming up. Can you read these lines with me?”
She would then cold read the text but, being an actress herself, she could deliver the lines with great passion and give me something to work off of.
I could feed off of her energy and vice versa. It made for some nice self-tapes, over the years.
Now, not only do I not have a girlfriend. I also don’t have a reader for my self-tapes anymore.
I never had to worry about this when in-person auditions were still the norm.
This is what makes the pandemic self-taping craze difficult for me. I never had to worry about this when in-person auditions were still the norm.
I can find another girlfriend. I mean, right-swipes are easy! Finding a good audition reader – not so easy!
Here are my options:
*I can call up friends or family to be my reader, but then I’ll have to work around their schedules. It’s not easy. Besides, most of my family and friends are non-actors.
*I can use one of the “reader” apps I keep hearing about. But I’m not sure where to even begin with all that.
*I can record the other character’s lines myself and play them back while I do my audition. But that doesn’t give me much flexibility to play the scene and to live in the moment.
*I can just say the other characters’ lines in my head and react to that. But my self-tapes always seem weird when I’m reacting to nothing. It’s just not the same vibe as having a reader.
Do ya feel me? Is anyone else running into this problem?
Are there any ladies out there having trouble finding a reader for your self-tape auditions? Cause I would LOVE to be your boyfriend!
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