Скачать или смотреть HOW TO MAKE THE BEST ACTING REEL POSSIBLE - Essential tips on how to impress casting directors

Demo reels just 10-15 years ago were considered a luxury but if you are into acting making a good one is extremely important to booking your next gig.

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#1: Know your type: Before even attempting to put a demo reel together it’s important to know what you would be sent out for. I know that it’s sometimes confusing in the acting world because acting is considered artistic but we can’t forget that when a big corporate company is making a movie, they are trying to create a good quality product because they want to sell more, and not necessarily there to make something artsy. As an actor, you need to be able to brand yourself somehow and know what you are selling. Once you become aware of what your brand is or what people are interested in buying, then you can go ahead a sell that product. The same applies when a casting director sees your headshot or your demo reel. They need to be able to know what you are at a glance. If you’re unsure as to where to place yourself in the whole movie biz, taking a branding class or even getting an internship at a casting office can make you much more acquainted with what they are looking for. If you have an agent or have been submitting yourself on-line, pay attention to what roles you’re being called in for and what kind of roles they are. Is it dramatic or comedic? Are you getting teen or young college student roles or are you getting more mom/dad roles? It’s really about figuring out what your type is. Sometimes it comes down to having a specific haircut or physique. Think about the person that wants to become an action movie star but they look super scrawny or obese. Yes, there are exceptions where people who do not fit the type get cast in these types of roles but usually it’s because they excelled in other type of movies before actually getting cast in that specific action flick.

#2: Be True To Yourself: Yes, it’s important to find a niche and pinpoint exactly what type of characters you want to be cast in but it also doesn’t mean that you cannot show some type of versatility. Still try to remain within a specific range, especially when you are starting out and they don’t know you, showing two completely extremes can be confusing. Casting directors don’t have too much imagination, and are so busy that they shouldn’t have to imagine too much in order to cast you. I can see how what I’m saying is confusing. At first I am saying just choose one thing, and then I say to show versatility. This is where it can get a little bit tricky. It’s about figuring out what your type is and staying within that range. Granted, I feel that most people can actually do many different things, so in order not to confuse casting directors too much I end up actually separating my demo reels. I have a comedic reel, a drama reel, and a martial-arts reel. Depending on what role I’m trying to go for, I will send them the reel that caters the best to the role I’m going out for at that current moment. Think of brands such as In-And-Out burgers. When you go to their restaurant they literally give you the choice between a regular burger, a cheese burger or a double -double. By keeping it simple they can guarantee that the limited choices that they do give are of high quality. Same goes with whatever you are specializing in. You can either choose to be pretty good at numerous things, or to be extremely good at a very minute amount of things. I think Bruce Lee said it best when he said “I fear not the man who has practiced 10000 kicks once, but I fear the man who had practiced one kick 10000 times. What he means by that is that the person who has practiced over and over the same exact move has become an expert at it, as opposed to the person who has just dabbled in an enormous array of different moves.

#3: Get straight to the point: Auditions, castings and many productions move extremely quickly. No matter how amazing your reel is, they will probably be able to tell if they want to call you in for an audition in seconds. Therefore, be sure to put your best stuff at the beginning of the reel. Even if the scene has an ensemble cast, be sure to re-edit them so that all the shots are focusing principally on you. After all you’re not trying to get one of the other actors cast, the whole point of having a demo reel is to broadcast and highlight yourself. Just be sure to have the highest and best quality possible. Even if you haven’t done many short films with how cheap cameras are nowadays figure out a way to film some shots of yourself with a DSLR, Cellphone or whatever HD camera you can get your hands on. Again, we live in an age where everybody pretty much has a camera so not being able to have a decent demo reel is really going to put you at a disadvantage compared to all the other actors who actually put in the work in order to be professionals.

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