Actor Film/TV and Theater/Musical Theater Demo Reels:
Do you need to highlight your best work and demonstrate that
you’re ready to book the next level of roles in your wheelhouse?
An experienced editor with intimate knowledge of the industry
makes a huge difference!
Armed with demos we’ve crafted, performers with footage ranging from "sparse" to "series regular" have landed fantastic new agents, managers, call-ins, and bookings. Musical theater demos we've made have led to outright concert/cabaret requests. Since we even keep your footage on file, many clients come back to us year after year to update their reels with fantastic new clips!
We also do something else that editors don't usually do: we invite you to be present (during COVID, virtually so) during the edit itself. We find that this gives you better control over your results, and makes the editing choices specific to you -- so you always emerge with a demo (or two or three) you're proud to show off. The creative collaboration process ends up being both fun, and extremely insightful!
DEMO EDITING
What difference can a great demo editor make?
Glad you asked! Let's be real. Many editors aren't well-versed in industry standards for demos, or the casting director/rep's perspectives when it comes to them -- and the ones who are, aren't always incentivized to do the best work they possibly can for their clients. So, they cut corners that become glaringly obvious and detract from the final demo that the actor is supposed to share proudly. ...Then, those actors come to us, needing to start the edit process all over in order to get the demo they deserve.
Want proof? With her permission, here is an example of one such client who came to us having already paid another editor for their work on a reel that left them feeling dissatisfied. This reel was NOT edited by us:
Which demo do you feel best shows off the actor? Which most effectively positions her as readily castable in specific types -- and in large and recurring roles, rather than small ones?
If you'd be satisfied with the quality of the footage presentation, order of clips, internal-scene-edit choices, etc of the first one -- then you will do fine going to the big edit houses (who, by-the-by, charge the same or slightly higher than we do, without the personal attention we pride ourselves on).
But if you prefer that second one for the reasons we mentioned, and want to structure your footage to best represent you, then give us a holler. We'd love to work with you to make it happen!
TL/DR:
We're passionate about ensuring that you come away with a demo (and/or set of individual clips) that maximizes your footage and shows you off in the best light possible -- especially from the perspective of the reps, CDs, shows/projects, roles, and creatives that you want to target. We love working collaboratively, inviting you to be present with us (during COVID, virtually) so that you have greater control over the result. The edit process can be insightful and, dare we say, even fun!
Note how small the footage appears on the screen -- no editor should EVER make a black box surround your footage (it makes the actor visually less of the focus/feel more removed, through no fault of her own)!!! Also note how long it takes before you hear her say anything, or show off her actual acting chops; this paints her right off the bat as targeting smaller one-line co-star roles instead of being ready for guest stars and series regulars (which she most definitely is). And finally, the pacing: consider how some scenes are so quick as to not give the viewer any helpful insight on her performance, while one scene drags without providing additional value or focus on the actor whose demo it is.
Now, here's her reel after we "worked our magic" (editing is fun, y'all! really!!) on the Exact. Same. Footage.
Isn't Sarah Dacey Charles awesome???
DEMO EDITING INQUIRY
