The Do's and Don'ts of creating a demo reel

A demo reel is one of the most important things that you need as an actor to help you market yourself effectively. It is therefore inevitable to have the best demo reel if you wish to get your prospective employers to consider hiring you. This is your commercial, and you definitely need it to represent you appropriately, sell your skills and land you your first or even your dream job. You want to be noticed and the only way to do this is to know the right way to create your demo reel.Here are a few dos and don’ts that will help you create the best demo reel
The Dos

• Only include the best of your work

This sounds pretty obvious but should definitely not be overlooked. I am sure by now you know that your weakest point determines your strength, in the same way, your demo reel will be just as strong as the worst piece you have ever done. Whenever you create more pieces, you should constantly edit your demo reel and re-evaluate what work you would currently consider to be your strongest. Constantly replace the ‘weak’ pieces with stronger ones. Consider having a demo reel that has few quality pieces than one with many mediocre pieces.

• Mark the beginning and the ending of your demo reel with the strongest pieces

There is a high probability that your demo reel won’t be viewed all through. To be on the safe side, start off with your best work and end with something that will make the viewer remember you.

• It should be geared towards the job of your dreams

If you are sure of the specific job title you would like to be hired for, you should take time to do pieces that are related to that. If you generalize by doing many reels with unrelated areas of focus, then you may not be placed where you would like to be.

• Know and focus on your strengths

Let your demo reel reflect what you are good at. It is not necessary to show that you are capable of doing everything.

• The simpler and shorter, the better

If your demo reel goes beyond two minutes then you need to edit and get rid of some of your weaker pieces and leave only your very best.

• Include a cover letter

Most people overlook the cover letter but it largely determines whether or not your demo reel will be watched. It should be very specific to the particular position you are interested in. Highlight your experiences, skills and your strongest technical skills.

• It should be easy to play

Test it on as many systems as possible and ensure that one does not need to install special codes or software to play your demo reel. If you are sending it to a specific studio, check their site and convert your demo reel to their preferred form.
The Don’ts

• If you do not have approval for some work, don’t include it

You may have done some work under some ‘not-for-public’ agreement, strictly do not include it. If you would like to show that you are capable of doing such a project, then you should recreate it in a personal project.

• If you do not love doing certain work, don’t include it

Your demo reel determines what work you will be hired to do. If you end up being hired to do what you do not like, you are likely to perform poorly.

• Do not insist on music

If adding your favorite music to the reel does not add value to it, then it is better off without it. It is risky to add music, because it may make some viewers dislike the whole reel.

• Don’t include work that you haven’t done

Honesty is valued in every field. A demo reel is supposed to tell your employer that you are capable of doing the work in it. If you end up being employed and perform way below the expectations, as dictated by your demo reel, then you will be labeled dishonest.

• Don’t waste so much time on fancy packaging

Your focus should be on the content rather than the packaging; you will be hired