Self Tape Masterclass
Sunday 31st May
10-12pm
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WHATS COVERED
CAMERA SETUP
Frame composition, camera distance, horizontal framing, stability, and camera height, the technical foundations that make your performance look professional and authentic on screen.
LIGHTING
How to use natural light, diffusion, key light placement, and color temperature to enhance your face and create mood. You don't need expensive equipment, you need to understand how light shapes your performance.
BACKGROUND
Why neutral backgrounds work best, how to create depth without feeling flat, what to avoid, and how to maintain consistency across multiple takes so editors can cut seamlessly.
SOUND & MICROPHONE
Microphone placement, eliminating background noise, recording levels, and audio consistency. Your sound is often more important than your video quality, casting directors will stop watching if they can't hear you clearly.
EYE LINE
Where to position your script, how to find your mark, and why the camera is invisible. Your eye line creates connection to an off-camera scene partner, not to the lens, this is what makes your tape feel real.
AUTHENTICITY OVER ACTING
The biggest mistake actors make is performing instead of being. Learn how to deliver subtly, let micro-expressions carry meaning, and stop indicating emotion. The camera catches everything.
UNDERTONES & SUBTEXT
Every line has layers beneath the surface, unspoken emotion, intention, and conflict. Learn to identify undertones, work with contradiction, and find the emotional core that makes dialogue feel alive.
CHARACTER WORK
Building a three-dimensional character requires backstory, emotional baseline, relationship clarity, and specific physical and emotional choices. Specificity makes characters believable.
THINKING ON CAMERA
The power of genuine thought: silence, internal processing, reaction, and vulnerability. Some of the most powerful moments in a self-tape are when your character is simply thinking.
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SOLD OUT
ATTENDEE FEEDBACK
“I cannot recommend Elizabeth and Daniel highly enough.
Elizabeth's studio is such a calm, welcoming, and relaxed space, which immediately put my son at ease. The entire photoshoot experience was enjoyable from start to finish, and the resulting headshots were absolutely stunning. Elizabeth has a wonderful ability to capture natural, authentic images while making the whole process feel effortless and enjoyable.
Daniel is exceptional at what he does. His knowledge of acting and performance is incredible, and he has a real gift for guiding young actors. During the session, he provided my son with valuable insight, creative ideas, and practical techniques that helped bring his performance to life. His expertise, encouragement, and passion for the craft were evident throughout.
Together, they created an inspiring and professional experience that has left a lasting impression. My son thoroughly enjoyed every moment, and we are so grateful for their support, talent, and dedication.
Both Elizabeth and Daniel are incredibly talented professionals who genuinely care about helping young actors grow and succeed.
My son came away feeling inspired, confident, and excited, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
I would wholeheartedly recommend them to any parent looking to invest in their child’s acting journey.” Joanne Bradwell with Smylie
WORKSHOPS
Actor’s
Q&A
Sunday 27th September
1:30-3:30pm
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WHAT'S COVERED
Off Script is a relaxed, intimate two-hour Q&A with working actor and acclaimed coach Jack Ryder. There's no rigid curriculum, the agenda is set by what you want to know. Topics likely to come up include:
The audition room
Walking in confident, owning the read, managing pre-audition nerves, and what casting are actually looking for beyond a "good performance".
Self-tape technique
Setup, framing, lighting, sound, performance choices, slating, how many takes is too many, and how to make yours stand out from the dozens a casting director will watch in a sitting.
Handling rejection
The emotional rhythm of an acting career, dealing with silence, processing the no's, and protecting your relationship with the craft when the work isn't coming.
Agents & representation
What good representation looks like, how to spot the wrong fit, what your agent should and shouldn't be doing for you, and how to manage the relationship professionally.
Casting directors
How casting actually works behind the scenes, building genuine relationships, what gets remembered, and how to follow up without becoming a nuisance.
Mindset & longevity
Building consistency between jobs, surviving the quiet patches, dealing with comparison, and staying creatively alive in an industry built on rejection.
Career strategy
Knowing your type, your lane, and your appeal and how to use that information to make smarter decisions about training, headshots, showreels, and the projects you chase.
The truth about the industry
The things no one talks about in drama school. Honest answers to the questions you've been afraid to ask elsewhere.
Plus anything else you bring to the table.
Because nothing is off the table.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Actors at any stage: whether you're just starting out, navigating mid-career, or returning after a break. All levels welcome. No prior experience required.
WHO LEADS THE SESSION
Jack Ryder is a working actor and online acting coach specialising in auditions, self-tapes, and on-camera performance. Through Jack Ryder Sessions (JRS), he coaches actors at every level, from drama school applicants to established professionals, helping them develop technique, navigate the industry, and find genuine confidence in their craft.
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Casting Director
Open forum
Sunday 15th November
1:30-3:30pm
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WHAT'S COVERED
What Casting Directors are looking for
Discover what casting directors prioritise in the first moments of an audition. Learn what catches their eye, why type matters as much as talent, and how your energy and professionalism read before you've even said a line. Understand the casting room's reality, what they're thinking, what they're assessing, and what actually moves the needle toward a callback.
Self-Tape Excellence: Technical & Creative
Self-tapes are your audition now. Master the technical fundamentals that matter, camera placement, lighting, audio clarity—without getting lost in perfectionism. Learn creative execution that lands: script interpretation, pacing, stillness, and how subtle choices register authentically on camera. Get the skills to deliver a tape that stands out.
What Undermines an Otherwise Good Audition
Even strong actors make mistakes that cost callbacks. Explore the common pitfalls: over-performing, unclear intentions, technical errors, misreading the brief, and presentation mishaps. Understand what desperation looks like on tape and how to deliver choices that feel authentic rather than safe. Leave knowing what not to do.
Presentation & First Impressions
Your professionalism, reliability, and how you show up—virtually or in person—are differentiators. Learn what casting directors notice about your headshot, email communication, in-person energy, and ability to take direction. Discover why respect and collaboration stand out and how your reputation travels in a small industry.
Live Q&A
Ask Shakyra directly. Bring your specific casting concerns, audition scenarios, rejection questions, and the things you've wondered about but never had the chance to ask someone actually making the decisions.
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