Showreel.com
A dedicated platform for creating and hosting professional actor showreels
Overview
Showreel.com is a specialized service built specifically for actors and performers who need professional demo reels. It connects actors with editors and provides tools for assembling polished showreels from existing footage.
The platform allows you to upload raw footage, choose editing styles, and work with professional editors to create a cohesive reel that highlights your range. Turnaround times and pricing vary depending on the complexity and length of the project.
How It Works
Unlike general video platforms, Showreel.com understands the specific requirements of casting industry reels. Editors on the platform know how to structure scenes, balance comedic and dramatic clips, and keep the overall length within the two-to-three-minute sweet spot casting directors prefer.
Pricing varies based on the services selected, from basic editing packages to full production reels. Check the site for current rates, as they change with demand and editor availability.
Who Uses It
Showreel.com is a good option for actors who have raw footage but lack the editing skills or software to assemble a professional reel on their own. It removes the technical barrier and lets you focus on your performance.
Pricing & Plans
Showreel.com pricing varies based on the editing package selected, the length and complexity of the final reel, and the amount of raw footage provided. Basic editing packages that assemble existing clips into a structured reel typically start at approximately GBP 100-200, while more comprehensive packages that include scene selection, color correction, audio cleanup, and custom graphics can range from GBP 300-600 or more. Full production packages that include filming original scenes specifically for your reel are available at premium pricing that varies based on the scope of the production. Rush delivery options are available at additional cost for actors who need a reel assembled quickly for an upcoming audition or meeting. The platform provides transparent pricing on its website with package breakdowns, and editors provide custom quotes for projects that fall outside standard package parameters. Compared to hiring a freelance editor independently, Showreel.com's packages offer the convenience of a specialized service that understands actor-specific reel requirements, which may justify a modest premium over general video editing rates.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Showreel.com's editors specialize exclusively in actor demo reels, which means they understand the industry conventions, pacing requirements, and structural choices that casting directors expect, unlike general video editors who may produce a polished video that does not function effectively as a casting tool. The platform removes the significant technical barrier that prevents many actors from creating professional reels, as learning video editing software well enough to produce a polished result requires dozens of hours of practice that many performers would rather spend on their craft. The professional editing quality ensures your reel represents your performances at their absolute best, with clean cuts, balanced audio, and appropriate pacing that keeps casting directors watching rather than clicking away. The collaborative process allows you to provide feedback and request revisions, ensuring the final product reflects your artistic identity and highlights the performances you want to lead with. For actors who have accumulated footage from multiple projects over time, a professional editor can identify the strongest moments and assemble them into a cohesive narrative that showcases your range more effectively than most actors can achieve editing their own work. The convenience factor is significant — rather than spending weekends learning Premiere Pro, you can submit your footage and receive a finished reel while focusing your energy on auditions, classes, and bookings.
What Could Be Better
The cost of professional reel editing, while reasonable, adds to the already significant expenses of an acting career that includes headshots, classes, casting platform subscriptions, and website hosting, and budget-conscious actors may struggle to justify the expense when free editing software like DaVinci Resolve is available. The quality of the final product depends entirely on the footage you provide, and actors with limited or poor-quality source material may be disappointed when even professional editing cannot transform weak footage into a compelling reel. The collaborative editing process introduces a time delay between submitting footage and receiving the finished reel, which can be problematic for actors who need to update their reel quickly for a time-sensitive opportunity. Pricing transparency can be limited, as the variable pricing model means you may not know the exact cost until after a consultation, making it difficult to budget in advance. The service creates dependency on an external provider for reel updates — each time you book a new role and want to add footage, you must pay for another editing session rather than making a quick update yourself. Some actors report that remote editing services, while technically competent, sometimes miss the nuances of which performances the actor values most or which types of roles they want to pursue, resulting in a reel that technically looks good but does not strategically serve the actor's career goals.
Our Recommendation
Showreel.com is recommended for actors who have accumulated strong footage from multiple projects but do not have the time, technical skills, or desire to learn video editing software and would rather invest money than time in creating a professional reel. The service is particularly valuable for actors transitioning between career stages — such as moving from theater to screen, or from student films to professional work — who need a reel that strategically positions them for the roles they are pursuing. If you are comfortable with basic video editing and enjoy the creative control of assembling your own reel, the free DaVinci Resolve or affordable iMovie options may serve you better, saving the editing cost for other career investments. Actors who update their reels frequently should weigh the ongoing cost of professional editing against the one-time investment of learning to edit themselves. For your first professional reel or a career-defining reel update, the investment in professional editing is worth it to ensure the best possible presentation of your work.
Pro Tips
Before submitting footage to Showreel.com, organize your clips by project and clearly label which scenes you want included, as organized source material helps the editor work efficiently and produces a better result. Provide clear direction about the type of roles you are pursuing and which performances you want to lead with, as this strategic context helps the editor make choices that serve your career goals rather than just assembling your best technical footage. Request that the editor deliver the final reel in multiple formats — a full-length version for your website, a one-minute cut for social media, and individual scene clips for casting platform uploads. Ask for the project file or timeline alongside the finished reel if possible, so a future editor (or you, if you learn to edit) can make updates without starting from scratch. Review the finished reel with a trusted acting coach or industry mentor before publishing it widely, as a fresh pair of experienced eyes can catch issues with pacing, scene selection, or presentation that you and the editor may have overlooked.
