The 21 day
self-tape challenge
The following videos are my interpretations of 21 different characters, 21 different scripts, all recorded over 21 consecutive days on the "Acting Habit - 21 Day Self Tape Challenge"
An on-line course for actors to become more adept at preparing, performing, filming and uploading self-tape audition scripts to Casting Directors.
To view all 21 Videos on my Vimeo Showcase page, please go to https://vimeo.com/showcase/6606373
PASSWORD TO VIEW ALL VIDEOS & SHOWCASE IS: Challenge21Day
DAY 1 - THE ACHIEVER
We were encouraged to put our own interpretation on this marvellous short monologue by Joseph Arnone.
DAY 2 - DR. SIEBERT
This character is a psychiatrist speaking to a another psychiatrist whose patient recently killed her own husband. She discusses a patient of hers who lied during therapy.
The monologue is from the movie "Side Effects" by Scott Burns.
DAY 3 - DD
This monologue is from the comedy film "The Opposite of Sex" by Don Roos.
I decided to play the character in my native Lancashire accent.
DAY 4 - CIA Director
An opportunity here to practise an American accent and bawl out my team!
This speech is from "Zero Dark Thirty" by Mark Boal
DAY 5 - The Parent
This was an emotionally tough monologue to work on. An opportunity to portray grief and loss. Very difficult not to become overly melodramatic...
The speech is from an episode of "American Horror Story" by Ryan Murphy.
DAY 6 - The Romantic
A speech on the ideal romantic relationship. Decided to make her a Liverpudlian!
Monologue from "Frances Ha" by Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig
DAY 7 - The Surgeon
The challenge with this piece was to get to grips with the medical terminology whilst still playing a scene. Also an exercise in the technical set up of camera angles.
This adapted piece is from an episode of ER called "Motherhood" written by Lydia Woodward.
DAY 8 - The Dog Walker
A very short scene here. An exercise in reaction and comic timing.
Taken from "Await Further Instructions" by Gavin Williams
DAY 9 - The Judge
A stereotypical TV Talent Show Judge.
The speech is from an episode of "Black Mirror" by Charlie Brooker
DAY 10 - Alex (Barcelona)
We were left to interpret this speech in whatever way we felt worked for us. I think my 'Alex' was genuinely concerned and a little suspicious of what things really meant.
Speech is from "Barcelona" by Whit Stillman.
DAY 11 - Donovan (The Stalker)
This speech was our first go at speaking on a phone - although only one sided as if speaking to an answerphone.
The monologue is written by Brenna Allen.
DAY 12 - The Dreamer
A lovely, nostalgic speech from "The Majestic" written by Michael Sloane.
My new take on this character turned out to be a Cockney Barmaid!
DAY 13 - Another Parent
A conversation between a Parent and their child on the subject of the benefits of suffering.
The scene is from the film "Little Miss Sunshine" by Michael Arndt.
DAY 14 - Devon (Eight Grade)
A highly strung and very nervous character here. Speech is taken from "Eight Grade" by Bo Burnham.
We were left to imagine our own backstory to the character's situation.
DAY 15 - Sam
Again, we were encouraged to give this our own interpretation. I decided it could work as an opportunity to practise my 'drunk' acting!
Monologue is from an episode of "Pretty Little Liars" by Sara Shepard.
DAY 16 - Hadley
This is a speech from the film "A Star is Born".
Once again, we were left to give the piece our own interpretation and back story.
DAY 17 - Nash
This was a tricky one; technically as I had to edit in the other side of the conversation so the scene made sense, and also the line learning, as the script was very precise in terms of language and sentence structure. I also had to simulate a kiss without another actor there.
The scene is from "A Beautiful Mind" by Akiva Goldsman.
DAY 18 - Jan
This lovely, rant - ridden, stand alone monologue is by Kyree Mackey and called "Employee of the Year Goes to..."
For me this speech felt as if it would sit well in a Soap Opera - so went a bit 'Corrie' with my native Bolton accent!
DAY 19 - Morgan
A bitter-sweet monologue from the black comedy "Cooking With Elvis" by Lee Hall.
Here Morgan speaks about coping with her recent suicide attempt, her father's disability and her mother's alcoholism.
DAY 20 - Parker
So this challenge was set to really get us working on those monologues where you're having a phone conversation.
Building a scene where you can only hear one side of the conversation, allowing for and imagining what is being said at the other end.
Written by Josh Worth.
DAY 21 - The Achiever (Reprise)
Another chance at the end of our course to have a go at a slightly different, perhaps more positive take on Day 1's "The Achiever" by Joseph Arnone.
Again, how we interpreted this was left up to us.