Cast guide · 5-minute read
Film your part at home.
You don't need a film set. A phone, a window and a quiet room are enough. These tips help your scenes look and sound great, so the finished movie sells better and everyone earns more.
Take checker · free · instant
Check your setup in 5 seconds
Record a quick 5-second clip where you are going to film, saying a line out loud. We check your lighting and sound right here on your device. Your clip is never uploaded. Pass with no red items to earn a "Setup checked ✅" badge on your cast profile.
Camera & framing
01- Film sideways (landscape). Every CrowdCast movie is widescreen.
- Use the back camera, not the selfie camera. It's much sharper.
- Put your phone on a tripod or a stack of books at eye level. No shaky hands.
- Wipe the lens with a soft cloth. A smudge makes everything look foggy.
- Leave a little space above your head, and frame from the waist up unless your shot list says otherwise.
Lighting
02- Face a window. Soft daylight on your face is the best free light there is.
- Never stand with a bright window behind you, or you'll turn into a silhouette.
- A cheap ring light or a lamp with a white lampshade works great at night.
- Turn off overhead lights that throw shadows under your eyes.
- Keep the light the same for every take of a scene so the shots match.
Sound
03- Pick the quietest room. Turn off fans, the TV and the dishwasher.
- Soft rooms sound better: rugs, curtains, couches and closets full of clothes soak up echo.
- Stay within an arm's length of the phone, or use wired earbuds with a mic clipped out of sight.
- Wait two seconds before and after each line so the studio has clean cuts.
- Do a 5-second test and listen back with headphones before your real take.
Costume & background
04- Dress like your character, and check your role notes for colours and key items.
- Avoid tiny stripes, checks and logos. They flicker on camera and logos can't be used in the movie.
- If you're filming against a green sheet, don't wear green. The CGI will make you disappear!
- Hang the sheet flat and smooth, and light it evenly so the studio can swap in your scene.
- Wear the same costume, hair and makeup for every take, and snap a photo so you can match it later.
Acting & takes
05- Read your lines out loud a few times before you press record.
- Look where the shot list says, usually just beside the lens, not into it, unless you're talking to the audience.
- Do at least three takes: one safe, one bigger, one surprising. Upload your favourite.
- React even when you're not talking. The other cast are added in later, so imagine them there.
- Have fun with it. Energy shows on camera.