noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
performing one's own work; playing one's own composition
Literal use in theater and music: acting in a play one wrote, or performing a piece one composed.
彼は自作自演の舞台で主役を務めた。
He played the lead in a stage production he wrote himself.
そのピアニストは自作自演の曲を披露した。
The pianist performed a piece of his own composition.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
doing everything oneself; single-handedly handling all aspects
Extended from the literal sense: planning and executing something entirely by oneself, without delegation.
このイベントは彼の自作自演で、準備から司会まで一人でこなした。
This event was entirely his own doing; he handled everything from preparation to emceeing by himself.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
put-up job; charade; staged act
Negative connotation: a scheme or performance designed to deceive, as if scripted by the perpetrator.
あの事故は自作自演の可能性が高いと警察は見ている。
The police suspect that the accident was a put-up job.
彼の謝罪は自作自演で、本心ではない。
His apology was a charade and not sincere.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
sock-puppeting; pretending to be multiple people online
Internet slang: using fake accounts to create the illusion of independent support or discussion.
掲示板で自作自演をして、自分の意見を多数派に見せかけていた。
He was sock-puppeting on the forum to make his own opinion look like the majority view.