How to make an Acting Showreel from Scratch
The main building blocks of a showreel is, of course, the scenes. But here’s the chicken and egg question…
How do you get scenes if you’ve never been cast before? 😱
You of course are going to have to start finding or creating your own work to star in. Now there’s lots of different pathways to getting scenes so let’s break those down…
Shoot them yourself
Price estimate: Around £50 💰
You have an iPhone, so why not just shoot a scene yourself?
With your casting in mind, find a scene and a “showreel partner” and go out and shoot your scene.
To shoot on an iPhone you need a few things- to start, you need a tripod and an iPhone holder- this is essential as shaky camera footage screams amateur. Make sure it’s secure and at eye-level height. Next, buy the app ProMovie. This makes full use of your iPhone’s camera.
Next, you can edit it on the app iMovie. For editing tips. read my article: Tips for making a professional Actor’s Showreel.
Issues
The problem with doing it this way is there are a lot of pitfalls when shooting your own scenes. If you’re already a confident TikToker then it shouldn’t be too difficult, but if you’re a complete beginner then I wouldn’t recommend this.
Work with Student Filmmakers
Price estimate: Around £15 a month for casting subscription 💰
There’s one thing student filmmakers always need- actors willing to work with students!
The great thing is they do all the main work- they source the script, they shoot and edit it, all you have to do is show up and be willing to work for free. To find student filmmakers, there’s a number of pathways.
StarNow is free to sign up and is populated by students looking for actors. Mandy is a more Industry-facing platform but students still post castings on there.
You do however have to pay to be on Mandy.
Alternatively, you can become a member of Shootingpeople where you can find tons of filmmakers starting out, looking to create short films.
Issues
The big issue with student filmmakers is that they are beginners 🤦🏻♂️.
The scripts are not always great, and the chance for error is often high. Students are also notorious for never releasing or even finishing the final film. You could give up your free time and end up spending months, or even years chasing them to give you a copy of the film.
At best, you could just end up with the footage and have to edit it yourself!
To prevent this, make sure to draw up a contract with the filmmaker before you start. In the contract, agree that you are working for minimum or no pay on the condition that the finished film be delivered to you on an agreed date. The clause is, if they fail to deliver the film, they will have to pay you your normal rate for being in the film. That way, if you miss out on the footage, at least you get paid and haven’t worked for nothing.
This also incentivises the filmmakers to obligate your agreement of sending you the film, otherwise they will have to pay you!
Pay for a Showreel Scene
Price Estimate: Around £300 for one scene 💰
One popular option is to pay for a showreel scene. I run a showreel service and have seen a few of my clients go into almost immediate work having updated their showreel. But, some casting directors and agents will advise you NOT to get a showreel scene and this is why…
Depending on who you go with, showreels have the potential to be overproduced, poorly written and pretentious, which makes your reel look cheap. Yet, showreel scenes have the potential to be indistinguishable from a real film or television series; what you want to hear is, what is this from?
The issue is, sometimes the filmmakers can’t help but take over and use it as an opportunity to show how talented they are, instead of how talented you are!
That’s why it’s important to research the production company or individual you use to shoot your showreel scene.
It almost always comes down to the script, so look through their previous work to ensure that the filmmaker is actually giving their actors something to play instead of just saying exposition.
Theo’s nurse scene
The main benefit of paying for a showreel scene is that you can completely bypass any issues with working with students or shooting it yourself. So if you are going to pay for a showreel scene, make sure it’s suited for your casting, the filmmaker gives their actors good coverage and the script is decent.
Closing Tips
#1 Make sure scenes are suited for your casting
#2 Only include the BEST onto your reel
#3 Listen to feedback. If people keep saying cut something from your reel, they’re probably right
#4 Showreels aren’t short films. Make sure the plot/characters are clear within the first 5 seconds
Make sure to check out my actor’s showreels tab to see pricing and availability.