The Value of a Reel

In the last two weeks, I booked two roles in feature films with only my reel. No audition, no callback. Both paid.

A good reel can get you auditions. A great reel can get you work.

WHAT IS A REEL?

An actor demo reel (also known as a “showreel” or “sizzle reel”) is a one- to two-minute-long edited video collection of an actor’s best performances. Talent agents, managers, casting directors, and potential employers view demo reels when searching for new acting talent.

HOW TO MAKE A REEL

Make Your Own

Before I started getting footage back from the short films I was in, I put together a makeshift reel with some auditions I was happy with and a scene that I shot with a fellow actor and edited together myself. It wasn’t movie quality, but it got me some auditions in independent feature films and short films.

Have One Made

There are many studios and businesses in ATL that can put together a reel for you. They write the scene, have actors to play off of and edit the scenes for you. Costs vary, but the ones I looked at when I first started out ran from 800 dollars and up.

Use Footage From Your Projects

This option is the cheapest but takes the longest. It took about 6 months for me to get together enough footage from projects for the reel I have now.