<p>You might want to read through the “curious about prescreens” thread that was started on 12/18/2011. I don’t know how to link it but I think that could be the one that @monkey13 is referring to.</p>
<p>For prescreens, we did a DVD for Tx State and online video submissions for Michigan. We found the online video submissions MUCH easier. See if your kid has a tech-savvy friend at school (a budding filmmaker?) who might be able to help. And keep the video clips handy as files on your laptop (make easy-to-find files like JaneMonologue1.mov, Jane16Bars1.mov, Jane32Bars1.mov) – we ended up re-using them at the end of audition season when S#2 got sick at unifieds. He was able to email the clips on the spot to two schools – one of which accepted him for MT.</p>
<p>Don’t panic miscimom! I had to video my S for some auditions, and at first I was extremely intimidated too. But with today’s technology it really isn’t that hard. Buy or borrow a flip camera or something very similar. The video and audio quality are just fine, and they are very simple to use. I am not particularly tech savvy, but I can manage pretty well now. The little Kodak video camera I got ($159) has a little USB that flips out of the camera and plugs right into a computer USB slot. Downloading is easy, and almost all computers now come with simple video editing software (Windows Live Movie Maker for PC or imovie for Apple), so I can easily cut out junk at the beginning or end of the shot. I am not good enough to edit what is in the middle, so my S has to get it right!</p>
<p>Have your child stand in front of a blank wall, or better yet, tack a bed sheet up behind them (light beige or very light blue -I wouldn’t use white). </p>
<p>For accompaniment, figure out what cuts you want to use, and then contact your local theaters and ask who they use for accompanists, or find some piano teachers or if your child’s school uses someone as an accompanist for the choir or school musicals. I am sure you can find someone who wants to pick up a little extra cash to play through the accompaniment you need. Have them make a recording of just the accompaniment. You can get them to do some 16 bar cuts and 32 bar cuts. Then when you are ready to film your child, you can just play the appropriate recording. That way you’ll be able to take some practice runs to get a feel for the camera, audio recording levels, lighting etc., without holding up an accompanist.</p>
<p>Some tips I found on lighting:</p>
<p>DONT rely on overhead fluorescent lights: If its all youve got, you can make it work with overhead lights. But be aware that overhead lights create deep shadows on your face which can make you look older or change your appearance completely. Also, fluorescent lights tend to make things look more yellowish-orange. Ideally, use two incandescent lights (bulbs with filaments). One as a key light, set off the side of the camera and pointed at your face, and one as a fill light, set to the opposite side of the camera a little farther away and pointed at your side. Just be careful to not over-light as you could become washed-out. If your room is small you may be able to get by with just one light. </p>
<p>Good luck, and don’t worry, you’ll be fine!</p>
<p>Wagner College (Staten Island) will accept video auditions. Upload to YouTube is their preferred submission method but you can also send in a DVD. They do an academic prescreen and then invites students to audition. They only have one audition weekend and while most applicants audition in person about 10% this year submitted a video. They state that there is not a disadvantage or advantage to either an in person or video audition. They send out specific instructions for the video including that the camera should be kept running between your vocal and monologue. My S recorded his video with his voice coach at a lesson using our iPad (his coach had an iPad stand) and a recording of his piano track. S was accepted and offered a VERY generous scholarship from his video audition.</p>
<p>Oh and also meant to add we have used his video for outside scholarship apps as well.</p>