Showreel FAQs
The purpose of an actor’s showreel is to pitch their potential value to the Film and TV industries in order to land them work. It is essentially a video CV. However, not all showreels are created equally. In fact, 99% of showreels do not garner results for actors. If you would like to learn more, consider joining one of our free Top 1% Showreel workshops.
As a general mindset, you should focus on the content rather than the length of your showreel. It can’t be so long that the industry has to watch 10 minutes to learn everything about you, but it cannot be so short that they learn absolutely nothing. We tend to find around the 4:00-4:30 minute mark (provided the showreel has been executed with our top 1% strategy) is ideal to communicate your full value to the industry.
Greater London and North West England. Just let us know which location is easiest for you to get to and we can arrange your shoot there. We try to avoid city centre locations, as they are very expensive, noisy and stressful. The last thing we want to do is stop every 30 seconds for plane noises during your shoot. We have actors coming from all over Europe to film with us, so us Brits can hardly complain at travelling 45 minutes out of the city!
Every actor who works with us will receive around 1.5-2 months worth of attention from your initial consultation, to receiving the final copy of your showreel! However, only the filming day is in person, the remaining parts of the process can be completed online.
The scene editing process is extremely thorough to ensure that only your very best work is displayed. This typically takes 3-4 weeks to complete, and once you’ve sent us any other footage you would like in your showreel, the final product will usually be delivered within a week.
Yes. We will provide any location that is required for your showreel scenes included in any of our showreel packages. We will provide an indoor location for any interior scenes and for you to relax/get changed/ stay warm! We will also find any necessary outdoor locations too. Typically we won’t confirm locations until the scripts have been written, so we know exactly what we need to source. If we need to film outdoors, we will always have an indoor base we can travel to and from.
Every scene we film has been written specifically to market each actor's chosen Character Archetype and Emotional Range.
We provide all props that may be required for your scenes e.g medieval weapons for fantasy scenes. However you are responsible for sourcing your own costume. We simply do not have the infrastructure to offer a wide enough variety of costumes for the amount of clients we work with, and it in fact cheaper for you to source them yourselves than us providing and charging an extra hire fee.We do however provide authentic WW1 soldier uniforms for any scenes of this period, as they are nigh on impossible for you guys to source. You can check those out here.
You do not need bank breaking equipment to film an effective showreel. However, we use Netflix approved cameras (Canon C70) and microphones (Rode NTG5) to make your scenes look and sound like they’ve been taken straight out of a cinema worthy production.
Hell yeah. In fact, we believe that 90% of your performance will be ready before we film your scenes. We have a 1.5 hour online rehearsal and script breakdown session ahead of the filming day, and unlimited in person rehearsal time on the filming day. We simply do not start filming until you and your Director are confident that your performance is camera ready. We are committed to getting the best out of you, not just getting it done.
We guarantee at least 10 days before the filming date, however when possible we aim for more like 2 weeks. If you require extra time to process your scripts, or would prefer to receive your script in a different colour, please let us know in advance and we will take care of that for you.
Our match up process is incredibly extensive. After your showreel strategy session, we will have a clear picture of which Archetype will be pitching you as in your showreel. Our Casting Strategists will then go away and work out the ideal Archetype to pair against you to help get the best out of you in your scenes. You will work with the other actors in an extensive online rehearsal process before the filming day. Every scene you can check out in our portfolio is with two actors who did not know each other prior to the Showreel experience. We know a huge fear is working with a plank of wood in your scene! So we take care of this for you. We’ve worked this way for 300+ showreel scenes and are confident that this method get’s the absolute best out of each actor and contributes to the most engaging and dynamic scene possible.
We believe the quality of scenes in your showreel is far more important than the quantity of scenes. Generally, as a complete beginner, we would recommend 3 scenes in total, but only focusing on 2 to begin with, as our process is incredibly detailed, and you don’t want too much to think about in one go. However, if you already have some usable footage (that is actually getting you results already) you may only need to add 1-2 new scenes to your showreel. If you are not sure what your showreel needs, feel free to book a free showreel strategy session to receive a free plan of action.
Typically, for 1 scene, you will be required for 3-4 hours. For 2 scenes you will be required for 7-9 hours, depending on the scenes and external factors e.g weather and lighting. We would always recommend booking the full day off, and having an open return for your travel arrangements home. Running over schedule is rare, but it happens… this is the film industry!
Once you have paid your deposit we will inform you of our exact filming availability for the month you wish to film in. We will kindly ask you to keep 2-3 of your available dates free until we have written your scripts and we find the perfect actors to work opposite you. Once the whole team is confirmed, we will confirm an exact filming date that works for the whole team.
If you’ve booked an outdoor scene and it is raining on your filming day, we will have to assess whether it is still possible to film on that day. Unfortunately, we cannot get our equipment wet, and your Director would much prefer to be focusing on your performance rather than protecting the camera with an umbrella. We are very diligent with our forecast checks, and will only suggest filming dates for outdoor scenes if the forecast looks clear. However, due to operating in the UK, the sad fact is that the weather can change at the drop of a hat. In the event your filming slot is postponed, we will happily reimburse your travel expenses and arrange another date for you to come back. Most showreel companies only offer indoor scenes to make their lives easier, but we are much more ambitious with the type of work we want to create. Once we’ve expanded to the Maldives, you’ll be the first to know!
If we have to cancel your filming day for any reason we will refund any travel or accommodation expenses that you may have already incurred that are non-refundable. We will be in touch as soon as possible to reschedule your filming day. However, it is incredibly rare that we ever cancel a filming day.
Once you have paid your deposit, if you would like to move your booking further into the future, you are more than welcome to do that. However once your showreel strategy session has taken place and you have received your scripts a fee of £150.00 will be required to change your filming date.
Absolutely. We will include any previous footage you already have in your final showreel edit, included in the price of our 2 and 3 scene packages. We will also review your footage and advise you on what should and shouldn’t be included. Sometimes it is difficult to know whether the footage you have is actually marketing you effectively, so we will advise you on this included in our service.
Yes. We have a portable, professional studio which we will set up in our inside location after we have filmed your showreel scenes.
We don’t believe any time in the year is better or worse for filming showreels than any other. Each season has its pros and cons, and we are more than equipped to deal with them. We’d recommend just booking whenever you’re ready!
Nerves are normal before an exciting event. We won’t start filming until you feel comfortable. Your Director has worked with actors of every experience level, and will be on hand to ensure your experience is as fun and enjoyable as possible. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about!
If you are unwell ahead of your filming day please let us know as soon as possible. You’re Director will be in touch with you to decide the best course of action. Unfortunately any cancellations 2 weeks ahead of the agreed filming day, will require a new £150 deposit to secure a new filming day. This is due to our indoor location also being non-refundable and unfortunately that fee simply cannot be subtracted from our crews wages.
Failure to attend agreed meetings without any explanation may unfortunately result in us asking you to leave the process without any refunds. If you need to reschedule an agreed meeting, that’s no issue at all, just let us know as soon as possible. Failure to turn up on your filming day without explanation will result in no offer of rescheduling and your outstanding payment will still be legally due despite you not filming your showreel.
Our editing process is the longest and most thorough part of our showreel service. Every take, every line and every reaction we capture is analysed alongside each other to ensure only your best performances are shown. You are trusting us to be the best authority on your work, and ultimately, like in the industry, your Director will have the final say.
Each scene we edit will go through 4-5 revisions before we ever send it to a client, however on an incredibly rare occasion there may be one or two things that either we or you think need tweaking, and in that case we are of course happy to put the scene through another revision. We want every scene we create to be perfect, and we’re always willing to go the extra mile to ensure we continue to have 100% customer satisfaction.
Generally this is a hard question to answer as it is very subjective, however we really believe the best way of learning is doing. Your showreel will realistically always need to be kept updated, so if you’re waiting for a time where you feel you will absolutely nail it…we don’t think that exists. Actor’s are notoriously self critical, and realistically you could do your best work in your eighties in this industry. 9/10 times we think the best thing to do is jump into the deep end. We’re confident you will learn more about screen acting in one day filming with us than most actor’s get taught in three years at drama school. It’s a big claim, but we’ve been to drama school…
However, we would say, don’t book with us unless you are going to actively participate in the process and do the work. Unlike a lot of companies, we genuinely care about you getting the most out of your investment. You need to work with us to get the best out of you, if you’re not ready for that commitment, then maybe it’s best to hold off.
You are welcome to book up to 6 months in advance with us. However we will not be able to offer an exact filming date until around 2 months before you would like to film.
No. In fact, we’re quite against that. Typically investment in our showreel packages is paid in three affordable instalments at agreed stages throughout your showreel process. You can check out our recommended instalment plan here. It is important to us that working with us is financially viable for every actor, so spreading payment across 2-3 months, hopefully makes this much more feasible for most actors!
Once your initial £150 deposit has been paid, it is not refundable due to our administration process already beginning. Refunds requested at further stages throughout the process will always be considered on a case by case basis. We have incredibly high standards for our work and will simply never send you anything that we do not believe is of an exploratory production standard. You can check out our 100% customer satisfaction.
We completely understand that a financial situation can change pretty quickly and would only ask that you are transparent with us. If you have yet to film your showreel but have already paid your deposit, we would be happy to move your filming date (and further installments) back. If you have already filmed with us and are unable to pay the final two installments on the agreed dates we can organise a revised payment plan that is more feasible for your current situation. We will do everything we can to support you provided you communicate with us.
By paying your deposit you are agreeing to pay the entire cost of your showreel. If you need more time to pay an instalment, simply get in touch and we will revise your payment plan. If you refuse to pay or ignore your invoices and we cannot get hold of you up to 30 days after the invoice’s due date, we will reluctantly have to take the case to the small claims court where administration fees and interest will be added to your invoice. This is of course the last resort, and we would urge you to get in touch if your financial situation has changed. Don’t make us buy a new hat…check out our terms of business here.