How To Create A Showreel For Casting Directors
When creating showreels for casting directors, it's all about the details. Whether you are new to acting or established in your career, it's important to keep your latest work ready to go for casting directors. A showreel is no different from a CV so it should be kept up to date, tailored to your audiences and showcase your best skills. Read on to find out our recommendations when it comes to creating a showreel for casting directors.
Showreels for Casting Directors
The key points we've laid out below will help you decide what you should and shouldn't include in your showreel. Remember that your audience is a casting director. They are normally very busy with limited time, so gearing the showreel to their needs will result in a higher call back rate.
The Focus Should Be On You
The glamorous image of the acting lifestyle is what people frequently think of in this career. But the focus should always be on you and your talents. Acting is just about the actor. It isn't about the cool gadgets, exotic locations or even the other actors to an extent. Your showreel should show you at your best. So when you are looking to create a showreel for a casting director, focus on your best quality work. Unless it is showing your best acting, you should leave out:
Fancy drone shots.
Cameos with famous people.
Films that won awards.
Projects you have a personal affinity with.
Consider The Subtle Moments
Acting isn't about overblown dramatic moments. It can be about the little moments too. The silences between lines, the shared look between characters or even the way you pick up an object. With this in mind, consider adding scenes to your showreel that display the depth you can go with a character. A scene may contain a loud fight, but it shouldn't just be about a screaming match between two people. A 'big' scene like a fight should contain all the nuances of a real-life argument. Highlighting the subtleties within your acting talents will show casting directors your versatility, understanding of your characters and the control you exercise over your performance.
Quality Speaks Volumes
Quality over quantity is key in almost all industries. It's not about putting every single piece you've ever been in onto your showreel. Select only your very best. However, quality is not just about your own acting - though of course, this should be a priority. Quality also speaks to the production value of your showreel. If your editing, visuals and sound are sharp, it allows casting directors to focus on you. If the production value is low, it can be a distraction to your audience. All they will think about is the weird high pitched sound or the blurry image rather than focusing on the acting. If we go back to the CV comparison; it could be an amazing CV showcasing all the skills and experience you'd need for the role but if the text was difficult to read, had spelling errors and you printed it on some garish paper; the employee probably will only focus on this.
Play to Your Casting Type
Not everyone wants to be typecast. Some actors like to have variety and that's cool. But it can sometimes be essential to find roles that fit well within your talents and experience. If you are going for specific roles or want to be seen as fitting a particular type, then tailor your showreel to include your best scenes where you are performing these characters. Having the confidence to say, 'this is who I am as an actor and these are the roles I want to excel in', will improve your casting chances.
Create your perfect showreel
If you would like help creating your perfect showreel for casting directors, get in touch. Whether you need several scenes, one to flesh out your existing portfolio or need editing work, we can help. We offer a fully bespoke service for actors of all ages, experiences and styles. Our showreel service is a bespoke package for each actor but will include;
Scriptwriting
Full equipment
Full crew
Direction & coaching
Extra cast if required
Sound & video Editing
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch to have a chat with one of the team.
Resources for making showreels
Below are some more resources on creating quality showreels for your career.