Expert: Rusty Meyers - 4/13/2008

Question
Hi, I was just wondering about acting reels.
Can you only have one if you have footage of you from a movie,film,etc or is it alright to tape yourself performing scenes or monologues and editing them into a reel?
Thanx

Answer
You can do anything you want.

However depending on who you are sending it to or using it for will make the difference on its contents.

Usually home made reels don't work, if anything it makes you look amatuerish.

Things that were actually from a TV show or commercial or film that can be found on imdb.com is best.

However if you don't have much (if any) of that then just make sure that whatever you shoot is done professionally, with lights and sound.

DO NOT just make up a scene or monologue and send it to anyone but your friends, it just isn't going to looked at seriously.

5 minutes is plenty, and put you best stuff on first, since they usually don't watch more than a minute of anything, especially if it's bad from the start.

Good Luck.