It is necessary to have an acting reel to market yourself as an actor. It's the same as a resume in video form so casting agents can have a look at your acting talent and be keener in hiring you. Getting an acting reel can be very expensive but if you know how to use editing software such as iMovie, Movie Maker and Adobe Premiere, you can easily create your own acting reel. We have listed a few tips here to make your acting reel professional.
• Show only your best
This is a standard rule. You don't want giving an impression of doing low quality acting work. If you feel like you haven't given your best in a particular scene, don't include it. Remember, it's better to have a few great scenes rather than ten average ones. Place the best one in the very beginning, the second best, next and so on and so forth. The people watching it may not have a lot of time so showing the best one would leave a positive mark on them.
• Do not use DVDs
DVD copies need to be reformatted before finally being able to edit. Therefore, try getting copies of the raw video files if you can from the tape of the camera you used; if it's digital, then getting the raw file out of it would be easier but remember those cameras using tapes are the ones with the higher quality. If you are going to use a video taken in a shoot, make sure to keep in touch with the editor of the film you were in so you can request for the footage anytime you need it.
• Keep it simple
The people watching it are more interested to see your acting skills, not your video editing skills. If you're not going to submit a resume and a cover letter along with it, it may be necessary to add some information about you in the beginning of the reel and more at the end. Make sure that at the end, the time is long enough for them to see and write down your information.
• Keep it short
The word demo reel means something. It means that they don't have all the time to watch a whole movie of you. Pack in your best stuff and condense them in. Pixar recommends no more than four minutes and some good reels just last two minutes.
• Pick the right music
Your audience may not share the exact liking for your type of music so make sure to play it safe and stay away from rap and death metal. Expressing yourself through music may not be the best for your acting reel. Also, music with lyrics can be very distracting.
• Ask for feedback about your self-made reel
Let your family and friends break the painful truth to you instead of your potential employer. Ask your colleagues about their honest opinion about your acting reel before sending it out. Carefully consider their suggestions and make adjustments.
• What to include with your acting reel
Include a well written cover letter, a resume, and a reel breakdown showing the content of the reel with a short explanation of the aspects you did for each shot.
You're all set! Good luck on your chosen path and hopefully these tips helped you create your own acting reel.
http://www.acting.com/articles/entry/5/Acting-Reel-Tips-How-to-Make-Your-Own-Demo-Reel