I’m in the middle of casting for my first short film, Legacy. I wrote it, I’m directing it, and I’m starring in it. I’ve been on the actor side of this business for a while now, submitting to casting calls, waiting for callbacks, hoping someone watches my reel past the first few seconds. Being on the other side of that process has been eye opening.
Here’s the thing I wasn’t prepared for: I can tell within 10 seconds of watching a reel whether I want that actor to audition or not. Ten seconds. That’s it. If the acting is interesting, I watch the majority or whole reel. If not, I move on.
I used to think casting directors were being lazy or dismissive when they moved quickly through submissions. Now I get it. When you’re watching dozens and dozens of reels, you’re not looking for perfection. You’re looking for something that grabs you. A presence. A moment where the actor disappears and the character shows up. When it’s there, you feel it immediately. When it’s not, you also feel that immediately.
What I’ve noticed is that the reels that grab me aren’t necessarily the ones with the best production quality. I’ve watched reels shot on what looks like an iPhone that I was impressed with. And I’ve watched beautifully produced reels where the actor felt flat and I moved on in five seconds. The thing that matters is the acting. That sounds obvious, but I think a lot of actors get caught up in making their reels look cinematic and forget that the whole point is to show that you can act.
The other thing I didn’t expect is how much the first clip matters. If your reel opens with a weak scene, I’m probably not making it to the strong one you buried at the end. Lead with your best work. I don’t care if it’s from a student film. If the performance is strong, that’s what I’m looking at.
I’ve also realized how much I now appreciate good headshots. When I’m scrolling through submissions on Backstage, the headshot is what makes me click on someone’s profile in the first place. If the actor fits what I have in my mind or close, I’ll offer an audition. If the headshot is bad or doesn’t match what the actor actually looks like, it’s a waste of everyone’s time. I’ve written about this before, but being on the casting side reinforced it in a way I didn’t expect.
If you’re an actor reading this, here’s my advice: watch your own reel like you’ve never seen yourself before. If you’re not hooked in the first 10 seconds, no one else will be either.
Simon Shih 