Video Audition and Casting Demo Reels
When it comes to video audition casting and demo reels for actors, runway models and print models all top agents and casting directors world wide agree: No casting demo reel is better than a bad casting demo reel.
Moda Bambini Kids Photography has over three decades of experience in the production of Los Angeles / New York level modeling and acting head shots as well as TV commercial, film and television acting audition casting videos and demo reels.
The basics: A casting demo reel must show you can act, show what you look like on screen and show that you look professional. This doesn't mean it has to have a Paramount Studios watermark on it but it should look like it could have one. A good casting demo reel gives agents, casting directors, film directors, movie producers, etc. a positive feeling about the actor and ideally should be done with the help of an on-camera acting coach.
Unbeknown to most people, agents and casting directors can click a button on the most often used casting web sites to eliminate models and talent that don't have casting audition demo reels. Yes, you read that right. Whether agents and casting directors submit you or you submit yourself - your submissions will never be seen by agents, casting directors and potential employers if you don't have a casting demo reel. Are you shocked and dismayed by that? If not, you should be.
Good entry level casting demo reels can be made inexpensively as long as the acting is believable and shows you at your best. If you don’t already have professional looking video clips - with dialog - from commercials, TV, and/or film work that you've already done then you will need to create your own video audition reel.
Come up with three 30 to 45 second scenes and looks and several roles you are the right type right to portray. Work one on one with an acting coach on your scenes. And always use a professional video camera, a professional camera operator and professional lighting as you must have great picture quality and great lighting so your casting audition reel looks authentic.
Sound quality must also be good and the acting must be the best it can be as anything less will lower the viewer’s impression of you, your marketability and your professionalism. Demo reels that are rushed to market with technical defects and design flaws or substandard audio will be viewed as inferior which must be avoided so don’t let this happen to you and your talent. A good demo reel should highlight your most marketable qualities and it should be an honest representation of how you look, sound and act right now. Videos that lack any of these features including old material should also be avoided at all costs.
Everyone in film and television, and sometimes even in the theater world, watches casting demo reels these days so it is imperative that you have them. And make it something really great, not like some backyard school project, as agents and casting directors see so many amateur looking demo reels that they have become a huge turn off as they see them as an irritation as well as a big waste of time.
So make sure that yours STANDS OUT. Shoot scenes you love. Shoot something you’d like to see yourself in. A great casting demo reel in combination with a great head shot can change your life in an instant. And - don't kid yourself - beginner and second rate photographers and video shooters are not capable of producing what is needed in order for you to be taken seriously by top agents, casting directors, film producers, etc.
Your casting audition reel is your best window of opportunity to showcase your talent. Each video clip needs to be the best it can so that your reel is the best it can be. If one of the clips makes you look less than very good, don’t use it. Often that reel is the first and only thing an agent or casting director sees before deciding to bring you in - or not - and It’s better for them to see nothing than to see something that’s just OK as then their impression of you will be just OK. If all you have are video clips of stage work, which are very seldom recorded with the best quality, and your goal is to book film and TV jobs - DO NOT use stage clips.
No casting demo reel is better than a bad casting demo reel, so until you have something that represents you in the most positive light for the roles you are most suited for - use your personality and a really great Los Angeles / New York caliber headshot to sell yourself as that will get you much further than amateur looking demo reels and photos. Do one scene with a bit of range or one dramatic scene and one comedy scene. Think of it as a monologue or a close up in a movie. Set it up like you’re speaking to someone or like they just left. Keep it natural and keep it real and if it looks like 'bad acting' don’t use it.
Another little known fact is that agents, casting directors, art directors, etc. have been asking to see video audition and casting demo reels of print models and runway models more and more over the last few years and video audition casting reels are now a big factor in as much as 70% of all castings and bookings for male and female models for runway, catalog and print work in major markets such as Miami Beach, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as well as secondary markets such as Orlando, Dallas, Fort Worth, Philadelphia, etc. which means that over half of all model castings require prospective models to have at least one video clip - just to be in the running. And, more often than not, the castings and bookings that require video audition demo reel submissions will turn out to be the highest paying bookings for the biggest designer labels and the biggest brands and - if you don't have a demo reel you pretty much don't exist and those all important career building bookings, tear sheets, commercials, film and television roles and big pay checks that come with them will all go to someone else.
So never let a bad head shot (or no head shot at all) or a bad audition reel or no audition reel at all become an insurmountable obstacle to your success. And never say to anyone, "I'm working on getting a great headshot" or “I’m working getting a great casting audition reel" as an excuse for not having one as you absolutely must have professional, high quality head shots and audition casting demo reels in order to be taken seriously.
New actors and models will also benefit by putting a great monologue or scene - or both - on tape. Just make sure each one is no longer than one minute, make sure it is right for your age and type, make sure it has great lighting and sound, make sure you are coached well and keep the entire reel short - no more than two minutes.
A professional reel production team can help you create your reel from the ground up - and doing it right the first time will always turn out to be the fastest and least expensive way to go after you factor in the cost of driving to castings - not to mention the cost of thousands of dollars worth of lost bookings. Do your homework to determine what castings you could be up for as well as the genres that are in line with those castings, or ask for help.
Scenes should look like clips from real TV or film. Having quality reel footage that is as much about you as possible is also key. The industry doesn’t need to know the whole story, but they do want the basics: What you look and sound like on camera, whether or not you have acting talent and what your casting for. If you do this with high production values, your headshot and your casting audition reel will not only get you in the door, it will make it much easier for you to book television, film and commercial work.
Casting reels are as essential to your career as a great headshot, a résumé and air to breathe. If you have no actual television or film credits, however, don't despair. There are acting headshot photographers, acting coaches and casting video production professionals in Miami, Miami Beach, Los Angeles and New York City that can create a great headshots and audition reels for you. Some will have you slate, do a short monologue and perhaps sing if you are a singer. Others will have different sets and/or a multitude of scripts both dramatic and comedic to showcase your talents.
Whether you are an actor or a print model or a runway model or a swimwear model a great casting demo reel is an amazing tool that can dramatically increase the quantity as well as the quality of your bookings. However, the fact that you may have little film and television experience to bulk up your casting demo reel means that you will need to get creative. Marketing yourself is all about emphasizing your strengths, determining what is unique about you and showcasing it.
As a stage performer or theater actor you must have a strong stage presence, an understanding of lighting, strong voice projection, etc. These are theater acting skills that can be enhanced based on your personal strengths. For example, if you’re in musical theater, film yourself reenacting a scene in a play or singing. Demonstrating your talent in a casting demo reel will help agents, casting directors, film producers, etc, to visualize you in their projects.
Never forget: Your headshots and your casting demo reel are two of the most important promo materials you have as an actor, print model, swimwear model or fashion model. They are your passport that proves to the world that you are a serious minded professional instead of a wannabe.
So do whatever it takes to have a great acting head shot and make sure any video clips that you post as an audition or casting demo reel are of the quality you see on television or in a movie theater or as close to it as you can get as that is your competition - not the people sitting in the same room with you on castings. This means the lighting and the sound, as well as your performance must all be on point.
Do one scene with a bit of range or one dramatic scene and one comedy scene. Think of it as a monologue or a close up in a movie. Set it up like you’re speaking to someone or like they just left. Keep it natural and keep it real - and if it looks like 'bad acting' - don’t use it.
Models and actors with up to date professional photos and comp cards from a trusted source typically get five to ten times as many bookings as those without. See proof positive that Photos by Moda Bambini Kids Photography in your portfolio and on your comp cards will make a world of difference in the quantity and quality of your bookings HERE
When it comes to video audition casting and demo reels for actors, runway models and print models all top agents and casting directors world wide agree: No casting demo reel is better than a bad casting demo reel.
Moda Bambini Kids Photography has over three decades of experience in the production of Los Angeles / New York level modeling and acting head shots as well as TV commercial, film and television acting audition casting videos and demo reels.
The basics: A casting demo reel must show you can act, show what you look like on screen and show that you look professional. This doesn't mean it has to have a Paramount Studios watermark on it but it should look like it could have one. A good casting demo reel gives agents, casting directors, film directors, movie producers, etc. a positive feeling about the actor and ideally should be done with the help of an on-camera acting coach.
Unbeknown to most people, agents and casting directors can click a button on the most often used casting web sites to eliminate models and talent that don't have casting audition demo reels. Yes, you read that right. Whether agents and casting directors submit you or you submit yourself - your submissions will never be seen by agents, casting directors and potential employers if you don't have a casting demo reel. Are you shocked and dismayed by that? If not, you should be.
Good entry level casting demo reels can be made inexpensively as long as the acting is believable and shows you at your best. If you don’t already have professional looking video clips - with dialog - from commercials, TV, and/or film work that you've already done then you will need to create your own video audition reel.
Come up with three 30 to 45 second scenes and looks and several roles you are the right type right to portray. Work one on one with an acting coach on your scenes. And always use a professional video camera, a professional camera operator and professional lighting as you must have great picture quality and great lighting so your casting audition reel looks authentic.
Sound quality must also be good and the acting must be the best it can be as anything less will lower the viewer’s impression of you, your marketability and your professionalism. Demo reels that are rushed to market with technical defects and design flaws or substandard audio will be viewed as inferior which must be avoided so don’t let this happen to you and your talent. A good demo reel should highlight your most marketable qualities and it should be an honest representation of how you look, sound and act right now. Videos that lack any of these features including old material should also be avoided at all costs.
Everyone in film and television, and sometimes even in the theater world, watches casting demo reels these days so it is imperative that you have them. And make it something really great, not like some backyard school project, as agents and casting directors see so many amateur looking demo reels that they have become a huge turn off as they see them as an irritation as well as a big waste of time.
So make sure that yours STANDS OUT. Shoot scenes you love. Shoot something you’d like to see yourself in. A great casting demo reel in combination with a great head shot can change your life in an instant. And - don't kid yourself - beginner and second rate photographers and video shooters are not capable of producing what is needed in order for you to be taken seriously by top agents, casting directors, film producers, etc.
Your casting audition reel is your best window of opportunity to showcase your talent. Each video clip needs to be the best it can so that your reel is the best it can be. If one of the clips makes you look less than very good, don’t use it. Often that reel is the first and only thing an agent or casting director sees before deciding to bring you in - or not - and It’s better for them to see nothing than to see something that’s just OK as then their impression of you will be just OK. If all you have are video clips of stage work, which are very seldom recorded with the best quality, and your goal is to book film and TV jobs - DO NOT use stage clips.
No casting demo reel is better than a bad casting demo reel, so until you have something that represents you in the most positive light for the roles you are most suited for - use your personality and a really great Los Angeles / New York caliber headshot to sell yourself as that will get you much further than amateur looking demo reels and photos. Do one scene with a bit of range or one dramatic scene and one comedy scene. Think of it as a monologue or a close up in a movie. Set it up like you’re speaking to someone or like they just left. Keep it natural and keep it real and if it looks like 'bad acting' don’t use it.
Another little known fact is that agents, casting directors, art directors, etc. have been asking to see video audition and casting demo reels of print models and runway models more and more over the last few years and video audition casting reels are now a big factor in as much as 70% of all castings and bookings for male and female models for runway, catalog and print work in major markets such as Miami Beach, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as well as secondary markets such as Orlando, Dallas, Fort Worth, Philadelphia, etc. which means that over half of all model castings require prospective models to have at least one video clip - just to be in the running. And, more often than not, the castings and bookings that require video audition demo reel submissions will turn out to be the highest paying bookings for the biggest designer labels and the biggest brands and - if you don't have a demo reel you pretty much don't exist and those all important career building bookings, tear sheets, commercials, film and television roles and big pay checks that come with them will all go to someone else.
So never let a bad head shot (or no head shot at all) or a bad audition reel or no audition reel at all become an insurmountable obstacle to your success. And never say to anyone, "I'm working on getting a great headshot" or “I’m working getting a great casting audition reel" as an excuse for not having one as you absolutely must have professional, high quality head shots and audition casting demo reels in order to be taken seriously.
New actors and models will also benefit by putting a great monologue or scene - or both - on tape. Just make sure each one is no longer than one minute, make sure it is right for your age and type, make sure it has great lighting and sound, make sure you are coached well and keep the entire reel short - no more than two minutes.
A professional reel production team can help you create your reel from the ground up - and doing it right the first time will always turn out to be the fastest and least expensive way to go after you factor in the cost of driving to castings - not to mention the cost of thousands of dollars worth of lost bookings. Do your homework to determine what castings you could be up for as well as the genres that are in line with those castings, or ask for help.
Scenes should look like clips from real TV or film. Having quality reel footage that is as much about you as possible is also key. The industry doesn’t need to know the whole story, but they do want the basics: What you look and sound like on camera, whether or not you have acting talent and what your casting for. If you do this with high production values, your headshot and your casting audition reel will not only get you in the door, it will make it much easier for you to book television, film and commercial work.
Casting reels are as essential to your career as a great headshot, a résumé and air to breathe. If you have no actual television or film credits, however, don't despair. There are acting headshot photographers, acting coaches and casting video production professionals in Miami, Miami Beach, Los Angeles and New York City that can create a great headshots and audition reels for you. Some will have you slate, do a short monologue and perhaps sing if you are a singer. Others will have different sets and/or a multitude of scripts both dramatic and comedic to showcase your talents.
Whether you are an actor or a print model or a runway model or a swimwear model a great casting demo reel is an amazing tool that can dramatically increase the quantity as well as the quality of your bookings. However, the fact that you may have little film and television experience to bulk up your casting demo reel means that you will need to get creative. Marketing yourself is all about emphasizing your strengths, determining what is unique about you and showcasing it.
As a stage performer or theater actor you must have a strong stage presence, an understanding of lighting, strong voice projection, etc. These are theater acting skills that can be enhanced based on your personal strengths. For example, if you’re in musical theater, film yourself reenacting a scene in a play or singing. Demonstrating your talent in a casting demo reel will help agents, casting directors, film producers, etc, to visualize you in their projects.
Never forget: Your headshots and your casting demo reel are two of the most important promo materials you have as an actor, print model, swimwear model or fashion model. They are your passport that proves to the world that you are a serious minded professional instead of a wannabe.
So do whatever it takes to have a great acting head shot and make sure any video clips that you post as an audition or casting demo reel are of the quality you see on television or in a movie theater or as close to it as you can get as that is your competition - not the people sitting in the same room with you on castings. This means the lighting and the sound, as well as your performance must all be on point.
Do one scene with a bit of range or one dramatic scene and one comedy scene. Think of it as a monologue or a close up in a movie. Set it up like you’re speaking to someone or like they just left. Keep it natural and keep it real - and if it looks like 'bad acting' - don’t use it.
Models and actors with up to date professional photos and comp cards from a trusted source typically get five to ten times as many bookings as those without. See proof positive that Photos by Moda Bambini Kids Photography in your portfolio and on your comp cards will make a world of difference in the quantity and quality of your bookings HERE
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