I write every single word. I direct every scene. I do all the editing. Nothing is getting passed on or outsourced, I create these things myself.
It started a few years back. My actor friends were getting depressed because they’d been in the game ten years and had no screen work to show for it. It’s not that I planned to make showreels – it’s just that, by complete accident, I’d trained myself to be the guy to do them.
I always thought I was writing, directing and editing as a way of building up to feature films. And hopefully, that’s still the case. But for now I am attempting to perfect the art of making showreels from scratch for actors.
Not that it can be perfected. Some showreel companies try to make out they can – but for me, a showreel is a piece of art in itself. My job is to get to know who you are as an actor and an artist, and to write stuff that will suit you, that will capture your casting type and offer a whole lot more.
My clients are doing pretty well, getting agents and TV roles and improving their overall presence in the industry. It’s hard to quantify how much a showreel plays a part, but it definitely has an effect.
I am passionate about directing actor reels. I want to see you succeed. This industry is so tough – and in recent years there have been more and more actors graduating and less and less roles for them on the television screens. It’s hard to know what you can do to counter that but, without question, a good showreel is one of the key factors.
In my experience I have found: there are two types of actors; those who say they will have a showreel, and those who actually have a showreel. It’s integral to be the latter.
Showreels are not cheap, but they’re an investment. Much like how I live as a filmmaker – constantly investing in lenses and sound gear and lighting that will make my work improve. That’s how the actor does it, refining their craft through getting out there and doing it.
And a reel opens doors. It shows people who you are and what you can do. When we nail a scene, we become storytellers – you get to be an actor on a screen making people care about you. And that, in turn, makes casting directors and filmmakers want you more.
You can find out more on my showreels from scratch page. The reason I told you that I craft these reels myself is not to impress you but to impress upon you that I take this work very seriously, and it’s my genuine goal to help you reach that next level as an artist.
To discuss a showreel, email me at: dj@danieljohnsonfilms.co.uk. Or, Find Me on Twitter.
