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For many actors in our industry, the very existence of a showreel represents a monumental achievement: the end of a long and difficult battle to get the thing researched, compiled, rehearsed and shot. And it is<\/i> significant, especially when you think about how many actors balk at the task and leave themselves woefully underrepresented in their field. However, the completion of a showreel is only the first step. You need to update your showreel\u2014and regularly\u2014to best reflect your growth as an actor.<\/p>\n
Update your showreel at regular intervals in your career to ensure it reflects your current acting abilities, passions and the kinds of roles you are hoping to pursue. The best way to update your showreel is to set regular deadlines so that refreshing it becomes an ingrained part of your practice. You may also wish to update the showreel as you feel taken by inspiration: perhaps upon the discovery of a new scene, or after an influential job. If possible, try to avoid updates immediately prior to important events, such as meeting with an agent. Instead, plan ahead for these possibilities so that your focus isn\u2019t split at a crucial time in your career.<\/strong><\/p>\n Our focus today will be on the \u201cwhen\u201d of showreel updates, less than the \u201cwhy\u201d or \u201chow\u201d. But before we dive into our topic, let\u2019s take a second to remember how good<\/em> it can feel to freshen up your industry-facing materials. It\u2019s a lovely way to reinvigorate yourself in quiet career spells, and to remind you that the thing you love the most is something you do well.<\/p>\n Before we leap into the specifics of when you should update your showreel, let\u2019s start by making an important distinction. In this article, we\u2019re talking about a showreel as a collection of self-tape clips, rather than examples of your existing work from film and television. We\u2019ll instead identify this as a \u2019sizzle reel\u2019.<\/p>\n The popularity of sizzle reels is still widespread in the industry; many actors view them as helpful calling cards that show off a mixture of their acting ability as well as their most impressive screen credits.<\/p>\n However, their usefulness is waning in an age when actors have more agency than ever to capture performances with cameras in the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, the ability to film one\u2019s own tapes<\/a> means the work an actor puts out there isn\u2019t limited to previous castings (or the competency of the filmmaker behind the camera.)<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve yet to film a showreel made of self-tapes, we\u2019d suggest making that a number-one career priority.<\/b> It\u2019s a chance to show potential employers a direct, unfiltered look at your talents.<\/p>\n Your showreel needs regular updates\u2014much like your headshots<\/a> and your CV. If that\u2019s the case (and it certainly is), why not just schedule regular updates for your showreel throughout the year?<\/p>\n You could work towards a quarterly review of your material, choosing to swap out the \u2018weakest\u2019 of your self-tapes with a freshly-shot replacement. It\u2019s a great chance for you to do an honest check-in on how you present to the industry.<\/p>\n Throughout the year, keep yourself on the lookout for material<\/a>. Build a folder of potential scenes; have them ready to rehearse and shoot as the need takes you. With a little planning and a dash of diligence, you may even be able to have the choice of a few shot scenes to pick from.<\/p>\n Regular updates to your showreel have numerous benefits. We\u2019ve already spoken a bit about the chance to reflect on your current abilities; if it\u2019s been a year since your last update, odds are you\u2019ve spent a year growing and developing your skills as an actor. Let your reel reflect that growth!<\/p>\n An updated reel is also a useful conversation starter. It\u2019s a chance to reach out to casting directors, potential agents\u2014even the agent you\u2019re currently with who might have gone quiet of late. It allows you to declare that you\u2019re still working, still improving, still growing.<\/p>\n This option is, arguably, the dream scenario. Whenever the mood takes you, film a scene you\u2019ve stumbled across and add it to your reel!<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great way to keep you receptive to the wealth of suitable material out there in the world, be it from scenes you\u2019ve performed in an acting class<\/a>, read in a play or seen in a film or television series. And if the material itself is what inspires you, it\u2019s likely to be aligned to your brand<\/a>\u2014the kinds of roles you\u2019re hoping to book.<\/p>\n The trick with this tactic is to keep yourself regularly inspired\u2014and to hold yourself accountable to do something about it. If this describes you, then scheduling regular updates to your showreel might be a moot point.<\/p>\n But if you lack that kind of drive, or your life lacks the kind of flexibility to allow spontaneous tapings, you might need to seek out alternative methods. There\u2019s no shame to this: honesty in this area is going to pay off in the long-term.<\/p>\n So this option is a tricky one. If we define \u201coccasion\u201d in this context as a milestone in your career such as an important meeting, a big audition or bagging yourself a good agent<\/a>, you most definitely want your showreel reflecting your best acting work.<\/p>\nShowreel vs. Sizzle Reel<\/b><\/h2>\n
Update Your Showreel Regularly<\/b><\/h2>\n
Update Your Showreel When Inspired<\/b><\/h2>\n
Update Your Showreel for an Occasion<\/b><\/h2>\n