How to Get a Great Demo Reel and Footage

Guidelines for Using This Information

Feel free to use these materials for your personal use only. You cannot use these materials in a class, seminar or other public forum without Mark’s written permission. All materials are copy-written. Contact us HERE if you have any questions.

Guidelines for Getting a Great Demo Reel

Your reel is the second most important marketing piece in your arsenal. What makes a good demo? Here’s some thoughts.

THE STANDARD LA DEMO REEL

These are the guidelines to editing a great demo reel:

1) Opening – Open with 3 seconds of just your name, preferably white type on a black background. Then cut to…

2) First Scene – Open with your best scene first. It should be 20-45 seconds. Make sure that the scene “features” you. Cut out or edit around anything that doesn’t feature you. See below for more details. Then cut to…

3) Second Scene – Same instructions as above. Then cut to…

4) Third Scene – Same instructions as above. Then cut to…

5) Fourth Scene – Use a fourth scene only if needed to show a special talent. Same instructions as above. Then cut to…

6) Closing – End with 3 seconds of just your name, in the same manner as the opening.

Additional Notes:
A standard up-and-coming actor’s demo reel should be between 1 and 2 minutes. Most casting directors never get past the first or second scene, so keep it brief. It’s always better to leave them wanting more than showing them too much. Usually a minute or so is more than enough to show them who you are, how you cast and how you act. It can be longer only if you have a large amount of great work, especially if it’s notable work on studio or network projects.

Every scene on your demo should feature you. It’s about you, not the other actors. Whenever possible, start each scene with the camera on you and end with it on you. The second another actor starts to take the focus of the scene, cut out or edit around their lines or actions so that it doesn’t distract the viewer from you. Don’t worry about showing us context or the story line. We don’t care. All we care to see in a demo is how you look on camera, how you cast and how’s your acting ability. That said, don’t cut the other actor(s) out entirely. Great acting is always about chemistry. So, we need to see the chemistry between you and the other actor(s).

It’s best if the first three scenes of your demo reel show each of your primary three types or essences (as we discuss and determine in our classes). You can have a comedy and a drama version if you like but a combo of both in a single demo is preferable. There is a lot of talk these days about posting individual clips on your Actors Access or LA Casting pages but most casting directors still prefer a good demo reel with several scenes. They’ll easily see more variety that way. No one wants to sit on your page all day clicking through clips. They just don’t have the time to do that.

** Mark Atteberry is an expert in actor’s marketing materials. He can help you create and choose the right footage, edit your materials and make the best possible demo for your own unique career goals. You will learn nd accomplish much in a simple one hour consultation. For more information quick HERE. 

“For a recent pilot I watched more reels with the online submissions than ever before. And I’m noticing that so many of them are HORRIBLE…really, really crappy reels.

There was a trend (in the 80’s and 90’s) where actors started their reel (which should really be 2 minutes max) with a 30-45 second introduction/music montage with their favorite song and random pictures displayed on the screen. Then somebody had the terrible idea to put very short “cool” clips in there, too, underscored by music (like you shooting a gun or jumping off a building). This was a bad idea. Sorry, it’s true. If you think we’re sitting through all that just to get to your first scene…..well, not so much. Get to the point.

They should start with your name and your first and best scene should start within 3 seconds of pressing play, literally. When we have to look through 2500 submissions for a guest star, all that montage time adds up. PLEASE be smart about your reels. We don’t care about the fancy editing skills you probably paid a lot of money for. We just want to see you ACT. Trends have changed since the good ole days. Just like headshots are no longer B&W.”

– Jeremy Gordon, Casting Director

Create and Edit Your Demo Reel

It’s easy to make a great demo reel if you don’t have much footage. Here’s a list of pros who can shoot and edit material for you.

SHOOTING YOUR OWN MATERIAL: SCENES AND MONOLOGUES

Relentless Filmworks – relentlessfilmworks.com
Reel Arc – reelarc.com
RapidReelz – rapidreelz.com
Lucky Break Reels – luckybreakreels.com
LA Reels – lareels.com
Create Your Reel – createyourreel.com
JIGReelStudios – jigreelstudios.com
I Look Like Myself – ilooklikemyself.com

ACTOR’S DEMO REEL EDITORS

Edit Plus – David Manship – editplus.tv
Joe’s Reels – Joe Gressis – joesreels.com
ActorEditing – Julie Dove – actorediting.com
Quick Nickel – Robert Campbell – quicknickel.com
Latour de Force Productions – Kristina Latour – latourdeforceproductions.com
Relentless Filmworks – relentlessfilmworks.com
Shotgun Digital – Nathan Anderson – shotgundigital.com

AIR CHECKS (Purchasing Clips or Downloads of Your Shows)

Edit Plus – David Manship – editplus.tv
ActorEditing – Julie Dove – actorediting.com
Scene Clipper – sceneclipper.com
Actor Footage – actorfootage.com
RipIt – Ben Zelevansky – luckybirdsmedia.com
Paul’s Video Productions – Paul Norton – paulsvideola.com
Joe’s Reels – Joe Gressis – joesreels.com
DailyActor – dailyactor.com

SELF-TAPE AUDITIONS & MONOLOGUE TAPING

Argentum Studios – argentumstudios.com
Auditions Up – Tim Powell – auditionsup.com
Intrepid Tapes – Boone and Ali – intrepidtapes.com
The Creation Station – thecreationstationstudios.com
Self Tape Services – selftapeservice.com