One of the biggest goals for actors looking to have a career in front of the camera is to have a demo reel that showcases their work. A good demo reel can help define your type, demonstrate your range of talents, and provide a vehicle for you to make your presence known in many markets and/or marketplaces. Once you understand the concept of what a reel is and how that influences the content, it’s time to think about its composition and packaging.
Composition
Here are some important ideas about and possible features for your demo reel:
- Format – The preferred format for a demo reel is trending toward DVD and away from video tape and that’s a good thing! They offer so much more flexibility and options for you to explore, as well as higher quality playback and use on computers as well as DVD players.
- Running time – The average length for a single reel is three to five minutes. This includes the time spent showing your headshot and contact info at the top and tail of the reel.
- Using the Internet – Since the DVD can be played on a computer, you can add links to your website, your agent or your email address. But make sure your reel can be easily played on both a Mac and a PC. Nothing turns people off quicker than when technology doesn’t deliver!
- Multiple Reels – On your DVD you can create more than one demo reel and get the most bang for your buck. If you also happen to be a magician, a stuntwoman, do TV hosting or audio narration, then create a main menu that allows the viewer to pick and choose. A word of advice though, you should have the DVD automatically play your main reel first without any prompting, then once it’s done it should go to the menu screen with all the other options there. Also, be sure to have your headshot and contact info on the menu page.
Packaging
Once your DVD reel is finished you’ll need to think about how you’ll integrate it with the other marketing and advertising items you’ve already created - your headshot, website, audio reel, etc. Here are some things to consider:
- The Tiffany Theory – You’ve just finished spending some serious money creating your reel, so the last thing you want to do is stick it in a cheap paper sleeve and start handing it out! By spending the extra money to create a flashy DVD movie case for your reel, with your headshot on the front and your resume on the back, you instantly give it a measure of quality, pizzazz and professionalism…this is known as the Tiffany Theory.
- Alternate Packaging Ideas – Another interesting option is to have your reel burned onto a mini disc that is integrated with your business card. They look slick and are easy to keep with you when making the rounds. Also, if you have multiple reels, you might want to consider creating your own YouTube Channel to showcase them all. It’s free and the videos will be easily found during a web search.
- Compressing it for digital download - Whether for your YouTube Channel, website, agent’s homepage, etc., you need to have a copy of your reel that has been compressed for easy downloading in a known format, like QuickTime, etc.
“The Tiffany Theory states that a gift delivered in a box from Tiffany’s will have a higher perceived value than one in no box or a plain box. That’s not because the recipient is a fool; it’s because in our society, we gift-wrap everything: our politicians, our corporate heads, our movie and TV stars, and even our toilet paper. Public Relations is like gift wrapping.” – Michael Levine
Sean Pratt - A 25 year veteran, I teach actors about the business of the Biz; holding workshops, writing articles, posting videos & career coaching. ...
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