A LITTLE ADVICE ON SHOWREELS AND SCENES.

SCREENSHOT - The Gorgeous Suesha Rana in a touching and beautifully acted scene.  Directed by Mark DeFriest and Written/Produced by Debbie Thoy for Showreel Elite Scenes.

The Perth Film Network and Wizard Corporation Productions were the first to offer professional Showreel scenes in Perth called “Showreel Elite Scenes” back in 2008.  I worked with Professional Director, Mark DeFriest and tried everything to find a way to make filming scenes affordable for actors with the best direction and production values possible.  It was a number of years of trial and error in which I was never happy with the result and it was not a profitable exercise, even though the scenes were a high quality for the cost. I finally came to the conclusion that to get the best quality scene, actors would just have to pay.  I could keep the price down to a realistic cost,  but actors would have to be prepared to pay the cost to film a scene, as filmmaking is an expensive exercise and also actors had to lift their game in regards to their homework of developing their character and being totally prepared before going on set.  This is one thing I noticed was the greatest problem, actors came on set totally unprepared.  Sometimes working on the script one day before.  It's a learning curve, but an expensive one.



Over the past 7 years, I have studied and researched what exactly is required for a showreel and what would sell an actor.  This included discussions with Casting Directors here and in LA , working with professional producers and directors, understanding different approaches to acting, and the film industry overall, particularly what Perth needs.  As a Producer/Director/Marketer, I also know what I am looking for and what sells me on a reel.  I wanted to offer Perth the best service and advice possible and you don't even have to choose my products..

Next year I will run Showreels Elite Scenes again and this time with a better program, which will be educational for actor/filmmakers and create a professional scene for your reel.  More details will be forthcoming early next year.

As so many actors are now looking for people to film scenes and have reels created and more people are offering the service, I thought I would give actors a guide on what makes a good showreel and showreel scene and what to look for when employing someone to film a scene for them. It covers both Showreels and scenes.

So here we are… Remember you have to be the one to choose what is best for you.  So always do your research because this is your acting career you are marketing here…  In the end, the scene you end up with, is your responsibility and choice, so aim to make the best one possible.

So what is a Showreel/Demo Reel?

A Showreel or Demo Reel, as it is referred to in the USA, is a collection of acting scenes of your BEST film work.  The reel exists to showcase your talent. It is an essential marketing tool, next to your headshot.

How is it structured?

Let’s first compare it to a film trailer.  A film trailer has the best of a film cut together in a way that would make you want to see it. It is driven by a sound track, cut to tell a form of story using some of the best parts of the film; It’s marketing for the film. 
A showreel is the same for actors in the fact that it markets your talent/you, however it is not cut like a film trailer, it has your best scenes, but we want to see if you can hold an audience and act.  There is no music, no montages, no flashing editing…  Just your acting.  The result however is the same… Your showreel needs to give Casting Directors, Producers and Directors the same reaction an audience has to a film trailer – They want to see more! This rides entirely on your performance on screen and of course the look they are after.

So how do you do that?  By having your strongest and best acting moments on your reel.  To understand what that would be is to learn to self assess.  It’s good to also ask people for their honest and unbiased opinion, which usually means not your friends and family.  If you don’t feel that it shows the best of your acting, then don’t add it to your reel.

You have less than 30 seconds to make an impression.  Can you imagine a Casting Director going through hundreds of reels?  They are certainly not going to watch your whole reel unless you give them a reason.  If you start with montages, you have lost your chance to impress, they will move to the next one. Your first scene needs to be your best work and it needs to be a something that immediately draws them in and makes them want to see more. You know that part of the film where you are right there with the character in the moment?  That is what you want!  Your stronger scene needs to be FIRST, your opening impression. You want to go into the audition pile, so make that first impression count. 

SCREENSHOT:  Scott Jackson in a Scene directed by Mark DeFriest and written/produced by Debbie Thoy for Showreels Elite Scenes.

What are Casting Directors and Directors looking for?

The best way to be sure that you are marketing yourself correctly is to first understand who your market is and their wants and needs.  For the actor you need to look at what the Casting Director/Director may want and also how the audience perceives characters and how you fit into that as this will help you structure your product (your product, being you).  This usually comes down to understanding your type and using it to your advantage, particularly when you are first starting out in the industry.

Casting for a film is such an important process, we want just the right person that will bring this character to life and the look is a big part of that.  Film, especially Hollywood, is very stereotypical.  Audiences have a certain expectation of what certain characters should look like or act.  For example, a skinny tall guy with glasses who looks like he would break if you pushed him over, would not pass as an action hero.  The modern day grandma, who today dies her hair and wears trendy clothes, would not pass in a lot of films as we, the audience, would automatically expect an old lady with grey hair in a bun, rocking in a chair knitting.  You get the idea.  Knowing your type can help you a great deal in this area.

We want to see how you look on film, this includes as much of the body as possible (in other words not all close ups). So we can see if you fit the character we are looking for.

Can you act is the big question.  Can you hold a scene, are you believable, engaging, articulate, do you listen, etc. Are you REAL?  Your scenes should show your versatility as much as possible.  We want to see what you can do.  So scenes that demonstrate emotions, fear, sadness, conflict etc. In saying that, don’t attempt areas you are not strong in.  Marketability should always come before versatility.  Always showcase your strengths.

Don’t be upstaged

One thing I find a great deal in reels is that the actor playing opposite the actor who’s reel it is, is featured more.  Sometimes they even look similar and the amount of times an actor has been cast this way would surprise you.  Another actor got a job from your reel?  Hell, that’s not right!  Make sure the scenes in your reel are focused on you and that each scene starts with you and ends with you.

Production Values

Obviously the better the production values of the scene are, the better it is for you.  It gives the impression you have done professional work, whether you have or haven’t, however, it is still about your acting so if you have a stand out performance with low production values and that is all you have to work with, put it on your reel.  Just be sure we can see you. If the lighting is really bad, we will not be able to make out your expressions etc. If that is the case, leave it out. 

Length of your Reel

Remember a showreel is not designed for the public.  It is a tool to be seen by Casting Directors, Producers and Directors and hopefully score an audition. It doesn’t have to be long, in fact the less you have on your reel the better.  The more you have, the more chance you are going to show your acting weaknesses and that is something you don’t want to do and I see it all the time.  Keep it short and show only your best scenes/acting.  If you are just starting out, your reel may only be one minute long and then you may have enough quality scenes in the future to make up to a 3 minute reel, however don’t go past 3 minutes.  Overall a one minute reel will serve you well.

Who should cut my reel?

SCREENSHOT: Young Actor Presley Massara certainly has a bright future in acting.  An emotional Showreel scene written, directed and produced by Debbie Thoy.

Be very selective when hiring someone to cut your reel.  Cutting a reel is not a matter of just stringing a group of scenes together, anybody can do that.  You need to find someone who understands what is required for a showreel.  So don’t be afraid to ask them questions before employing them.  Also don’t fall for the cheapest price or even the most expensive.  Always consider content over cost and look at their work.  Cost you can negotiate; content you can't.

Quick breakdown for creating a reel.

Your reel should open with simply your name and move straight into your scenes.  You can finish with your/agents contact details if you wish to.  Keep it clean and simple.

Put your strongest performance first and make sure that the other scenes are just as good.  Only your best work goes on your reel.  A showreel exists only to make an impression and get a meeting/audition.  It is there you will prove that you are right for a role.

Keep the reel short and under 3 minutes.  One minute reels are sufficient to make a good impression.

Try and have good production value on your reel, when I say good production values, I mean good sounds so we can hear and good lighting so we can see you.  If you have a brilliant performance with average production values, still put that on your reel, as it is about your acting.


Don’t put montages, music, effects, monologues, commercials or theatre productions in your reel.


You don’t want the other actor upstaging you, make sure you are the focus of the reel.


Make sure the reel and each scene starts with you and ends with you.


Search around for someone qualified to cut your showreel.


Upload your reel onto the Internet.  Most Casting Directors/Directors etc will use the internet to view your reel.  So make sure it is online.

HAVING A SCENE FILMED

I don’t have any good scenes; I want to have one filmed.

Director, Mark DeFriest discusses with DOP, Brodie Butler the next shot on the set of Showreels Elite Scenes with Matt Zappala and Cathy Prastides.

Getting a professional scene filmed is not a cheap exercise and you could expect to pay between $1000 to $3000.  So before jumping in and deciding to get one filmed, you should first do a little research and consider if it is right for you.

First thing to consider is how experienced you are and what type of work you will be aiming for with your reel?  If you are just starting out, I would recommend that you go and do a few student films and no budget short films before considering going down this road.  Even getting a group of friends together and filming it yourself would be fine for your first reel.  Just as long as we can see you (decent lighting) and your acting is good.

If you are still keen on paying to get a scene done, there are a few things to consider before proceeding.

Here are a few things to ask the person who you are inquiring with to do your scene.

What is included in the price? 

This is important, what are you getting?  If they are advertising a professional scene, then this will include a good Director, Director of Photography and Sound Recordist at the minimum on crew.  The script will be original, it will be edited, colour graded and will include sound design and final mix.
Are there rehearsal or actor training included?  You want to be sure you have an experienced director, so ask what they have done. You don’t want someone starting a directing career on your scene that you are paying them for.

How long will the scene be? 

A standard scene is about 2 to 3 minutes.  You don’t need any more than that as you want quality and not quantity.  You just need a small scene to really nail.  You also don’t want it too short as you will not be able to get into the scene and your acting will suffer.  At two to three minutes you can cut your best parts out and put them in your reel, if it is too short you are restricted.

Will I have an actor to act with? 

Actors - Elliott Vassila and Priscilla-Anne Forder.

This is also very important.  You don’t want to be doing a monologue, you want to be doing a dialogue scene to really engage.  We want to see not only how you deliver, but how you receive/listen/react.  There is a company in the US that does scenes where it is completely focused on the actor who paid for the scene.  Many filmmakers are adopting this style.

With this style the other actor has no dialogue at all and we never see them, it is entirely focused on the paying actor with an over the shoulder shot.  Sounds great, it’s all on you, Right?  Well there is a downside. Unless you are an experienced actor, you may not pull it off, as it is entirely focused on you, there is no way to cut around any major flaws/mistakes in your acting. It is also a fair bit of pressure if you are still only starting out. You also don’t have an actor to actually engage with or react to.  I have seen a few reels with scenes done this way and it did not do the actor any favours at all.  A reel can still be cut to focus mostly on you in a dialogue scene, so don’t be persuaded by the fact that it is focused just on you.  Films are not filmed this way and you most certainly want to give the illusion that you grabbed this footage for a your reel from a film.

Am I acting with another paying actor?

This is fine, however, I have seen so many scenes that have done this and cut it only once for both actors.  This results in a tennis match of dialogue and does not focus on any particular actor well.  If this is the case, be sure that your reel is cut to focus on you and has your best acting.

Is the script Original?

There are two reasons why you ask this question.  The first is that a great deal of organisations/individual choose to use scenes from well known films. Most of these well known films have scene that are classics and made famous by their actors.  Common scenes used are from When Harry met Sally, A Few Good Men and The Breakfast Club to name a few. You do not want to be compared to these actors and the performance they gave.  Even if you do it differently, subconsciously you will be judged and compared.  Try and avoid well known scenes and films.  Make the scene yours.  Original.

The second thing is that using scenes from Film, TV and Theatre are ALL copyright and you need permission to use them.  When you pay for a showreel the company/business you are paying are collecting revenue and you are using the scene for commercial purposes to gain employment. They must have copyright permission to reproduce them. You don’t want your scene shut down due to copyright infringement.  If you need more information on copyright, you can visit the Copyright council of Australia.

Film, TV and Theatre scripts can be used to film scenes for education/research purposes or parody.  Not when it involves revenue.  This includes both Australian, English and US scripts. You will find that all these scripts have registered copyright in all countries.

So if you are paying for your reel to be done, make sure the script is original and also suits you.  Remember it’s about bringing out your best performance and showing your acting strengths.  Don’t attempt something that you are not ready for, save that for the classroom.

Make sure you approve all scripts before proceeding.

Ask to see examples of work.

Mark DeFriest discusses the blocking of the scene with Actors on Showreels Elite Scenes. (Yes that mug is part of the scene)

Well obviously you want to see the quality of the scenes of the organisation you are considering to film your scene.  If you are paying a great deal of money out, you want to be sure that the scene is filmed well and edited properly, not to mention making sure that you have a strong performance.

You should be able to tell if the performances are believable, if the scene is flat (not lit or bad lighting), not colourgraded, the sound is not done correctly (overlaps of dialogue or change of volume) or they use popular film scripts.  This is a strong indication that you are working with amateur filmmakers or they are cost cutting and at the end of the day, you are paying for a scene to be made, a scene you want to put on your reel.  So take all this into consideration when looking for someone to film your scene.

Your scene will be as good as your preparation.

Even the best director will struggle to get a top performance from an actor who has not done their preparation for the scene.  They don’t know their lines, character, intentions, objectives etc.

Overall getting that great performance comes down to you, the actor.