How to Make a Showreel and What To Do With It!

We have an important announcement to share with our MD readers. Please stay glued to this page because we’re going through how to make a showreel (aka demo reel/demo tape) and what to do with it! We want one from all of our talent to leverage your exposure as an unmissable talent.

You might know that a showreel is a showstopper tool when it comes to giving agents, casting directors and clients the chance to see you through a different lens for roles that will incorporate more communication.

It’s a chance to up-level your presence by presenting a concise (usually 60-90 second) clip of your best work so they don’t just view you in 2D but where you pop out and become more *real.*

So, where to begin, and how do you compellingly showcase yourself? We’ll explain all here:

Assemble original samples

Gather all your best projects to highlight your skills and versatility so that you can make a powerful impression in a short time.

Get brainstorming

Planning on which pieces of work you want to showcase can be difficult but if you’re a newcomer, then use what you have for the time being until your portfolio expands and deepens with versatile projects. If you have more to work with due to time and experience, use the strongest work and keep content engaging.

Short and sweet

Aim to not overwhelm your viewer with too much. Remember less is more so keep it short and straight to the point so you don’t lose your viewer’s interest.

Incorporate music or sound effects

You can jazz your showreel up by adding music or sound to enhance the appeal, but not to be overpowering.

Edit like a pro

There are video editing software out there – Adobe, Canva, Final Cut Pro X, HitFilm Express (this one’s free!), – which you can use to refine the aesthetics of your clips. This will help polish it up and have it oozing “professional!”

Review and feedback time

Revisit your showreel a few times in between breaks so you approach it each time with a fresh mind. If you’re not happy, go ahead and switch it up. Ask friends, family and your agency to give you feedback too!

It’s time to export and share

If you’re at this stage now – well done. Even though it’s a short recording, we know how much time and effort goes behind the scenes to get it to the finalised stage.

This next bit is where, we’re answering, “What to do with it.”

You can now export your showreel in a high-quality format, upload it to your ePortfolio and tag us #MDShowreel so that our agency, models and clients can see your work. Phew!

Refresh it regularly

As you grow in your career, replace outdated clips with new, stronger work that demonstrates your progress. This will help keep your showreel fresh and relevant, which clients are always happy to see.

Happy showreeling, MD talent! We hope you enjoy the process and if in doubt, get in touch with our team (we’re real people, promise!), and we’ll be happy to help.