When I was nearing term with my second baby, I was also recurring on an ABC show called Speechless — go find it if you can, it’s such a warm-hearted and funny show. My agent called days before I went into labor, asking if I’d had the baby yet because they wanted my character on another episode.

Did I panic? … a little. But luckily, my usual way of panicking includes planning my ass off. So I started researching how I could hold my body together while being on set in those first few days after giving birth. I reached out to our sitter about coming with me to set so I could dip back to my trailer to nurse my days-old baby.

And when I went into labor, my agent was on the list of people I texted. How insane does that sound?

Many hours of labor later, I’m holding my newborn son on my chest. “The baby is here!” I text my agent. And apart from all the love and congratulations I get back from her, you know what else I hear?

“They decided they don’t need your character this episode. Next time.”

Facepalm.

This job! What can you do but laugh? And snuggle the beautiful new human in my life.

It may be a controversial opinion, but I love self-taping! Let me explain.

In the before times (pre-pandemic), actors got ready for their auditions at home, rehearsing their material, carefully fixing hair, makeup, and clothing. Then they climbed into the car or walked to the train and traveled to the casting director’s office, where they sat waiting, trying not to listen through paper-thin walls to the actors before them audition for the same role. When their name was called, they went into the (usually) tiny room, greeted whoever was in there, stood on their mark, and did their prepared work. The casting director taped the actor’s audition, chose the best take, uploaded it, and sent it off to producers. The actor chit-chatted and smiled their way out the door, breathed a huge sigh of relief, and was able to go treat themselves to a coffee.

These days? You still get ready at home and prepare ahead of time. But after that, it’s a different story. The actor is now in charge of taping, including setting up lights, camera, a non-distracting background, and sound, as well as finding someone to read the other side of the scene with. The actor chooses which take to send (and in your own home, you’re more likely to do more takes in an attempt to “get it right”), uploads the tape so it can be carried off to casting and hopefully, eventually, producers. And then the actor cleans up from the whole event and is still… home! Drip coffee, I guess?

Is it more work? Yep.

Is it more challenging to wear all those different hats? It can be, especially if you aren’t comfortable fiddling with tech (lights, camera, mics, file transfers, editing programs, oh my!)

So… after all that, why oh why do I love self-taping?

I’ll tell you. Because freedom.

Since self-taping has become the norm, it has given me much more freedom. I don’t have to stay put in LA in case an audition comes in. (Do I dare travel for Christmas?) I can pack up my little portable self-tape kit and go have adventures with my friends or family.

For example: When I got the audition notification from my reps for Nickelodeon’s The Really Loud House, I was on a road trip across the country with my family on our way to Michigan to visit my parents. I was in the passenger seat of our minivan when I got the audition info.

The role was Ms Allegra, a pre-existing character from the original, cartoon version of the show.

So I pulled out my magical little pocket computer and started watching clips of the character. I popped my earbuds in and quietly tried to embody her voice and mannerisms. Then I texted my folks and some friends who live in Michigan, trying to assemble wardrobe pieces to bring this cartoon character into real life. I even placed a 1-hour pickup order for a Target along our route to get the exact color top I was hoping to wear. (Matching previous IP, remember?)

 

By the time we arrived in Michigan, I had my sides memorized. I kissed my parents hello and handed the kids over to their care. My husband helped me quickly set up my travel lights and tripod, I changed into the mish-mosh of borrowed clothing items, and I taped it! I edited on my laptop and got that audition in right before the deadline. Then my parents handed me a beer. (It was too late for coffee.)

And of course, this story has a happy ending. I booked that role and went on to recur on that show, my first Nickelodeon show. In the before times, I would have just missed out on that audition. But these days, as long as I’m scrappy as hell — and I am — I can go have adventures and still keep working.

And that’s why I love self-taping.