There are a few things I’ve noticed over the years, and one of them is how people initially respond to content.
It’s all subjective, but to me, performance matters above everything else—especially if you’re an aspiring actor looking for your big break. To me, this is a non-negotiable statement.
A solid piece of content with a strong performance can get the attention of a director far more than an under-five role in a Marvel movie. Granted, having a huge credit on your résumé is great. But if we’re judging the actual performance, delivering one line like, “Would you like coffee with that, sir?” isn’t nearly as valuable as having a strong scene or monologue that actually shows what you’re capable of.
Then come the opinions and egos of everyone else.
I was filming at our actor studio in San Antonio recently in a room that had a slight echo. When you’re producing micro-budget content, you have to make concessions. Not everything is going to be perfect. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if someone’s reaction to your performance is, “You were great, but I heard a little echo,” don’t put too much weight into it. They’re probably not the person you’re trying to impress with your work anyway. Maybe there’s a slight echo in your demo reel. Maybe there’s a shadow somewhere. Maybe your shirt is wrinkled. So what?
An experienced director is going to look past those minor imperfections and focus on what matters: Can you act? Are you believable? Can you hold the screen?
Someone more interested in showing you how much they know will often focus on the mundane details.
Your demo reel isn’t supposed to be a $20 million finished product. It’s supposed to showcase what you’re capable of as a performer. Of course, you should always strive for the best quality possible, but there’s also a reality to production.
If you want a dedicated sound mixer, wardrobe department, lighting crew, and hair and makeup on every shoot, you can easily add hundreds of dollars per day to the budget—and that’s on the low end.
You also learn over time. You evolve. Over time you’ll also upgrade equipment. Honestly, your phone is fine. Here’s what I use right now.
To me, it’s much more interesting to watch an actor’s content improve from project to project—both in performance and production quality. If you’re creating your own content to help build your acting career, that should be the goal.
Make something. Learn from it. Make the next one better. The performance should always come first.
