The document provides advice on creating an effective acting showreel. It lists top tips to avoid, such as having a montage or including irrelevant content. Advice from Google includes keeping the showreel short and simple, focusing on the opening, and making the actor's role clear. Spotlight advises obtaining footage from productions with permission, only including recent and representative clips, and making scenes as original as possible. The document also notes advice that is disagreed with, such as the need for professional equipment or perfect lighting. Overall, the research highlights the importance of showreels for actors and tips for creating an entertaining and unique reel.

1. Showreel research

2. Top 10 tips to avoid (I will use)
● Don’t have a montage
● Dont put bad acting videos at the end as they still may watch
● Don’t have it too long
● Don’t use grainy footage
● Don’t wait ages to update reel with recent videos
● Don’t use celeb footage for example you filmed a two second scene with Alan
Rickman
● Never use an unfocused shot even if your acting is good
● Don’t include irrelevant content such as headshots
● Avoid having a script when filming
● Avoid bad lighting & camera positioning

3. Advice on google ( I will use)
● Keep it short and simple
● Focus on the opening
● Think about the audience ( positioning)
● Seek advice from trustworthy friends and family
● Make your role clear to the audience ( what character are you trying to
portray)
● Keep it right in length (1-3 minutes)
● Make it personal and unique
● Use a variety of different clips such TV footage and monologues
● Be yourself

4. How to make a showreel ( spotlight advice )
The first piece of advice spotlight gave was getting the footage from the
production instead of using DVD or other streaming platforms. It’s wise to agree
with the production before using it as sometimes they may not want you using it
due to copyright reasons. Next they said make sure the footage you select is a
good representation of you as a performer now as many people submit older
videos which are outdated. A showreel is something you build on and continuously
update so don’t rush it, three or four clips of 30 seconds is more than enough. It’s
a great idea to make your scenes as original as possible to make it stand out from
others as casting directors watch hundreds of showreels.

5. Advice I don’t agree with
● It can't just include monologues
● You have to use a professional camera ( your smartphone is perfect)
● You need amazing lighting
● You cant edit anything
● If your doing a duologue you can use the same gender to play female roles as
the focus is on you not them

6. Reflection Log
In reflection of my findings, I discovered how important show reels are for an
actor, as this is the first piece of material for agencies as well as a headshot.
Based on these they can see the potential of the actor as well as assess the age
range and character demographic. From this research, I learnt a lot of good tips to
help me make my own showreel entertaining and unique from others. The advice I
learnt on spotlight helped me gave me the confidence to apply myself and be
accepted on to their books through my agency. Therefore I used this research in
my personal life which boosted my acting career.