full image - Repost: Need Help Deciding Beginner Demo Reel Content to Film (from Reddit.com, Need Help Deciding Beginner Demo Reel Content to Film)
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Hi all. I need help to decide what kind of initial demo self tape I should create.I have been taking Acting classes, scene study classes, doing background work consistently on major films and network shows, reading plays weekly, and seeing as much theater as affordable. I am looking to take the next step to get the ball rolling and begin creating self tapes, which I plan to put on Backstage / Casting Networks to meet the submission criteria for submitting for speaking roles.I already have headshots, but for both Backstage, and Casting Networks, video is required on most roles with speaking parts to even submit to audition. I would like to shoot anything, but I’m getting conflicting advice on what to shoot and it’s throwing me off. From what I gathered reading this subreddit and other outsides sources over time, is one really well produced self tape could be more beneficial than 5 small clips from poorly produced student films. Something that you can control all the variables your own. So without even having the student film content as an option, I’m really only left with producing my own self tape.My initial idea after researching self tapes on Youtube was to shoot a self tape with a mixture of different pieces, rather than a full monologue straight through. This way, I don’t have to have one video as “dramatic monologue”, one video as “comedic monologue”, and give people just one video to watch that can have a taste of both.Inspiration #1 - Damon Idris | Inspiration #2 - Kimberly DooleyI’ve located a quiet external studio I can use to film these, have a DSLR, external mic, lighting, etc. I’ve already done quick test proof of concept shots in this space and so far I’m happy with the the test footage. Where I am hearing conflicting things is from this Studio 24 Video, where he talks about how having amateur self tape footage can potentially do more hurt than good. When I was researching monologues / self tapes and came across videos recorded on a laptop webcam with poor audio and lighting, I felt that was more in the realm of what this video is describing, which is not how I’d be filming anything. He says it looks “amateur”, but that’s just it, I am a beginner, so I wouldn’t be submitting these to get an agent, they are just for those self submission sites. Once I get credits and get real reel footage, I likely wouldn’t keep shooting these.This video I watched from Acting Career Center basically states the opposite, how filming your own content is better than absolutely nothing as a beginner. He recommends shooting a scene with a partner where there is dialog between two people rather than a monologue, so that they can see you also reacting. I have people I can reach out to to help with that part, but I would prefer to shoot something completely solo to start if possible. So my choices would be: Full Monologue from a Play, Montage Self Tape, or doing a Scene with a person off camera to begin. What would you recommend first? Thanks in advance!And if you say, why not all three? I’m not against that… I am just looking to figure out which one to prioritize first :) I’d ideally shoot these every two months, to keep perfecting them little by little, but still have something prepared in the meantime to submit.
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