Produced Demo Reels and Where to Find Them
Demo reels are an important part of every actor’s toolkit. Yet many actors—and you may be one of them—find that their reel doesn’t do them justice for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you have a string of co-star, one-liner clips. Or you have some guest star clips from 10 years and 20 pounds ago. Or you might be just starting out and have little or poorly produced footage. Regardless, casting directors want to see current clips that show an actor’s range on his or her demo reel.
Specialized production companies in LA offer demo-reel services tailored to a wide range of needs and budgets. Their packages vary, so if you want to improve your demo reel by investing in a produced one, do your research first. You can start by checking out and comparing the following options:
Base Price Range for One Two-Person Scene: $350 – $500
Lucky Break Reels offers demo reel packages ranging from one 30-second scene to four 30-second scenes. The price of the packages varies accordingly. You can also choose from shared-cost packages in which the company matches you with another client, and the scene features both of you. All packages include a first meeting that determines the scenarios, characters and a shoot date. From there, the company will write the scripts, offer rewrites, cast the scene, scout the location, coordinate the schedule and prep the shoot. They provide a two-person film crew with full gear on the shooting day. Lucky Break Reels will then edit and export the final cut into both full and compressed files for easy uploading.
Base Price Range for One Two-Person Scene: $250 – $700
Create Your Reel offers three separate packages for their two-person scenes: shooting only, standard and premium. All packages include a phone consultation and full resolution MP4 file of the final product as well as versions formatted for Actors Access and LA Casting. The standard and premium packages offer a custom 1.25 page script, and the premium package includes one hour of rehearsal and direction. The company also offers splitting the package cost with another actor, so a $700 premium package for one scene would cost you $350 if you go that route. Create Your Own Reel also offers “minilogues,” short one-shot monologues that come with their own set of pricing packages.
Base Price for One Two-Person Scene: $247 – $647
If you want to be in the driver’s seat, consider JIG Reel Studios’ Hot Shot Scenes. This package allows you to write your own script, select your scene partner and book a one-hour time slot to shoot the scene for $247 per person. The company also offers two other types of scene packages: Highlight and Produced. If you want the works, you’ll have to shell out $647 for the Produced Scene package. But it comes with perks that the Highlight package does not, including longer scenes, more location options, an IMDb credit, casting services and at least four crew members on set. JIG Reel Studios offers package options ranging from one to four scenes, and prices vary accordingly. They also offer a monologue option.
Now that you have a head start on finding your best demo-reel production company, you can start thinking about the characters you want to portray in your produced scenes. Have fun casting yourself in roles that best demonstrate your range. With a professionally produced reel that reflects your talent and skills, you can be assured that your professional toolkit works fully to your advantage as you pursue your acting goals.
