If you are in the process of editing your demo reel and looking for tips, here are some easy to apply recommendations on how to edit a showreel. As an experienced showreel agency, we understand how vital the final post-production steps are when creating your showreel. So, read on to learn our top showreel editing tips that will help your demo reel or self-tape stand out from the crowd.

Showreel Editing Tips

Learn more about showreel creation over on the blog.

Compliment or Contrast?

While choosing which showreel scenes to include or create should start at the beginning of the process; sometimes, it’s during post-production whether it works or not. You can create two combinations of scenes, complimentary or contrasting styles. Do you want all your scenes to gel together in tone, style and/or genre? Or would you prefer to show variety in your work? Choosing several drama pieces with distinctive character differences could work perfectly for a dramatic role whilst still displaying your range. Whereas pairing a comedy piece with a horror role might be what you are looking for if this showreel is for an agency or a unique part with a lot of range. Think about what purpose you are creating the showreel for

Keep it short

An essential but often overlooked aspect is how long or short a showreel should be. We’ve written about this previously, but the general advice is between 1 to 3 minutes. Of course, you don’t want it too short, risking not showing any of your talents. At the same time, a more extended showreel can quickly get boring for casting agents and directors who see hundreds of demo reels a week.

Review the sound quality

While film and TV are clearly visual mediums, the sound is just as important. Whether it’s dialogue, music or sound effects, you need to use sound effectively to aid the story. When editing a showreel, consider the quality, volume and subject of the sounds used. Do they need to be tweaked in any way? Should you lose something or add something in? Consider the environment the showreel will be shown. Will the audience be able to hear anything even if there are other distractions? Reviewing the sound is a vital part of the editing process and should not be skipped.

Review the visual style

Reviewing the visual style is, of course, a vital element in editing a showreel. It’s not just about splicing the different scenes together but also about improving the look and feel of the video too. If you have created a purpose-made showreel scene, you must ensure the colour grading and lighting reflect your vision well. But, it doesn’t mean you can’t do the same to existing sets. If you can get you’re hands on the original files, it may be worth improving the visual effects of your scenes so they look tip top and work with additional scenes within your demo reel too.

Think about the order

As we said above, choosing suitable scenes for your showreel is a big part of a great reel, but considering the order to display the scenes is another thing to consider carefully. Do you want your most ‘impactful’ scene to come first to make a great first impression? Or would you finish with a bang and have your big show stopper come at the end? Once again, it’s about the different scenes you’ve selected and who the showreel is for. Experiment with the other options available to you and let friends, family and colleagues view the final results to get a feel for the best approach.

Showreels with Isaac Who

If you want some help with filming or editing your showreel, we can help. We offer a fully bespoke showreel service, but we can also provide an excellent post-production showreel editing package to help you put your best work together. So get in touch with your team today to book your slot. Or, if you are more a do-it-yourself person, why not book into our editing suite at The Treehouse studio?