SAG-AFTRA Foundation Offers Advice On Updating Your Reel

A demo reel is undoubtedly a crucial tool for actors, and it’s important for a performer to not only keep their reel updated, but to include materials that showcase the full range of their skills within a short period of time. 

To cover the dos and don’ts of demo reels, the SAG-AFTRA President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement hosted Tips for Your Professional Demo Reel on June 17 as part of its Biz Basics series. The session was led by SAG-AFTRA Foundation Small Group Leader Scott Krinsky. 

In his presentation, Krinsky offered helpful insight on ways an actor can tactfully approach creating and updating their demo reel. Krinsky noted the importance of ensuring chosen clips are of high quality and feature an actor’s strongest performances across a range of productions.

“So many people put all of their work into a reel. But when you think about it, you really only have [the viewer’s] attention for a few moments,” said Krinsky. “Make sure you’re including your best work and putting it in the beginning [of the reel].”

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is here to help you make the best reel possible. Krinsky demonstrated how to create a Foundation member account and sign up for free Foundation classes. A Q&A session followed the presentation.

To view the full video, scroll below. 

Small Group Sessions are one of the many professional services provided by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. For more information about the Foundation visit sagaftra.foundation. Other Biz Basics videos are available at sagaftra.org/videos. 

The views expressed by the guests are their own and not that of SAG-AFTRA. Any mention of products or services does not imply SAG-AFTRA’s endorsement.