SAM
SWAINSBURY

Here's a great example of how every reel is different. Stuart had a very specific request, which was to create a short, "punchy" and dynamic action reel. He has worked a lot within the action genre (and is continuing to do so) and he needed a reel that was separate to his straight acting one. He needed to create a reel that showcased him specifically as an action hero. So that's what we did! We found that it didn't need to be long as after a while the action became quite monotonous. We focused on finding the different types of action and tone within his work, which gives the reel three natural chapters and a reprise at the end. Also within the clips a lot has been edited to favour Stuart. Some of the sequences are actually two scenes pulled together or close ups taken from one scene and added to another. So often it's not just about editing a few scenes together. It's also about how to make those scenes as effective as possible at showing off the artist whose reel it is.

Natalie is such a great actor and this is a great example of a classic showreel template. A good selection of varied scenes put together in a sequence that shows off the diversity of her material. There was a little editing of some of the scenes to help with flow and to favour Nat, but not much. The conversation was mostly about which clip should follow which in order to show the most contrast. A really solid reel.

This reel for Lagom Chef was edited for use on Instagram. It needed to be 90secs long, showcase the diversity of Martyn's work and capture his chaotic and dynamic personality. It really packs a punch and was so much fun to put together. Martyn is a treat to edit. Animated titles help the reel start with a bang and captions were important, considering where it was for Instagram. Comedy, rhythm and musicality were crucial on this edit. It's fast paced, so everything was trimmed as much as possible and very tightly packed. Like Martyn, this reel really makes an impact.

An elegant reel of Prasanna's work as a director. This is a re edit of a previous version, which threw up some challenges as it was already so beautifully pieced together. Despite being unpicked a lot, it still holds the framework of Prasanna's original reel, whilst having a different feel with the new footage. Over half the reel is new material. It was crafted with a forensic eye for detail, capturing Prasanna's delicate and sensitive touch as a director. Every frame was considered. Director reels have their own specific needs. Not only do you need to show a beautiful eye for composition and story, but also how you can help actors deliver the best performance possible.

Often I get asked if I can edit together a selection of scenes for an actor from a particular show - the show may have been super successful and recent. It's a really useful tool. It's also a good way to cover more of the content from that show than you would in a regular showreel. Duncan, for example, was across both series of Star Wars' Andor. He has so much good material in it it's difficult to choose what to use in a regular reel. So we made a separate reel entirely. That way we can include almost all of it. This is really useful for actors and their representation and I always recommend it.

A colourful and eye catching reel for Louise. The brief was to make a big statement in the first thirty seconds, showcase the wide breadth of Louise's work and feel glossy and engaging throughout. Motion graphics and animated titles help make an impact, which were really fun to use. It was the best way to integrate Louise's social media presence, newspaper articles and books. They are time consuming, but very effective in the right context. All put together, this reel really captures who Louise is as a professional.

Amy is a very versatile actor and her footage really reflects that. Mainstream TV, Indie films, a musical... And she's different in each. For her reel the main thing to consider was how to sequence her clips and what parts of each we should use. She's got a lot of material. The uncut version of her reel is 12 minutes long! This is my shortened, more selective edit. It's in the classic format, no montage or music and great care went into selecting the right moments to use from each scene. That means that we've been able to highlight as much of her versatility as an actor as possible.

The classic format for Indira's acting showreel. No montage, no music, just a classy looking sequence of carefully sequenced scenes. Sourcing high quality footage is very important. The reel can only look as good as the footage within it. And here some of the scenes aren't as high resolution as they could be. It doesn't stop Indira looking like the incredible talent she is, but it does let the overall look of the reel dip a little. Sadly it was all we had at the time. Now, more than ever, high resolution footage is a must.

This is a great example of the classic format of an actor's showreel. Well curated clips, simply edited together to give a lovely flow to the material. Careful consideration was given to the order of scenes and time was well spent editing the scenes themselves to favour Ben. So often a scene can be nipped and tucked for the purpose of a reel. Another character might have a speech that can be cut down, close ups can be cut and pasted to cover a stitch... As long as the story isn't compromised there is often a lot of room to favour the actor whose reel it is. The viewer will never know. It's a savvy and effective way to help a showreel make more of an impact.

A short and dynamic montage reel for Lily to showcase the breadth of her screen work. Montages aren't normally the way to go for actor reels, but in this instance it was what Lily really needed and wanted. In essence it's more of a sizzle reel, mainly aimed for catching the attention of the US industry. It's a great example of how every reel should be as different as the artist it's showcasing. There's no "one size fits all".