TapeReady

Tutorials

Watch it, then read it

Every tutorial comes in two forms: a short clip you can follow with a lamp in your hand, and a written guide with the same steps you can skim on set.

Topics

Video walkthroughs

Tutorial

One-Lamp Self-Tape Setup, Start to Finish

A short walkthrough of the whole rig: one soft lamp, a phone on a tripod, and a neutral wall — placed in the order that actually saves time.

Keyboard: focus the video, then press Space to play or pause, arrow keys to scrub, and C for captions. Every control above is reachable with Tab and Enter.

Transcript

  1. Start with the wall, not the light. Two feet of space behind you kills the hard shadow before any lamp is involved.

  2. Lamp slightly above eye line, about 45 degrees off the lens, as close as it can sit without entering frame. Closer reads softer.

  3. Lock the phone at chest height, frame mid-chest to just above the head, and check the edges before the first take.

  • 00:00The room before you touch anything
  • 00:02Lamp height and distance
  • 00:04Framing on the tripod
Notes and chaptersRead the written version

Gear review

Lavalier & Wireless Mic Review, On the Desk

A close look at the small clip-on and wireless mics we recommend for self-taping at home, and what to listen for before you buy.

Keyboard: focus the video, then press Space to play or pause, arrow keys to scrub, and C for captions. Every control above is reachable with Tab and Enter.

Transcript

  1. A clip-on mic on your shirt beats a better microphone across the room every single time. Distance matters more than the badge.

  2. Check the clip and the cable strain relief first — that is what fails, not the capsule.

  3. Wireless buys you freedom from the cable, not better sound. If you tape seated, a wired lav is the cheaper win.

  • 00:00What's on the desk
  • 00:02Build and clip quality
  • 00:04Where the money goes
Notes and chaptersRead the written version

Text guides

Prefer reading? These cover the same ground, step by step.

How to Light a Self-Tape With One Lamp

The full written version of the lighting walkthrough: lamp height, distance, and the two shadows worth fixing.

7 min read

Best Lavalier & Wireless Mics for Self-Taping at Home

Every mic in the desk review, with prices, what each one is good at, and where the money actually goes.

8 min read

Framing for Self-Tapes: Headroom, Lead Room and the Rule You Can Break

Where to put the phone, how much headroom to leave, and how to check the edges of frame.

8 min read

The Three-Point Lighting Setup for Actor Self-Tapes

Key, fill and backlight placement for the times you do have room for more than one lamp.

8 min read