A REEL tight arse.

11 Mar

keywords: film casting reel, actor casting reel, film your own scene, create your own reel, iphone filmmaking

We commonly hear schools telling actors just starting out to “just get out there with a bunch of friends and shoot scenes with your phone” and make your own acting reel. This extremely well-meaning advice might actually just do you more harm than good when starting out your career. We assure you that successful actors don’t land their big break from self-shot iPhone footage made into a reel.

“Self-shooting you own scenes might just do you more harm than good when starting your acting career.”

Before you decide to challenge me to a fight, let me just say that I love how smartphones are giving people the freedom to shoot anywhere anytime, but if you want a career in the film industry you gotta understand that its got to look professional. You’re not aiming to be a Youtuber, otherwise you would be here. Let me show you why self-shooting a few scenes on your smart phone just wont cut it in this industry.

Don’t undervalue your performance

A successful actor lands their big break because their reels cover the 3 essentials: show they can act, show their screen presence, and look professional. I can almost hear you saying: Yeah, i can act. Tick. Yeah, I got screen presence. Tick. But can you honestly say the last video you shot on your iPhone looks professional?

Establishing a creative career is not easy to do. Acting is a long string of defeats, and some victories. You may feel like giving up a million times, but we realise we just can’t - it’s gotten a hold of us and we just can’t stop. You have to believe in yourself enough to get whatever you need to make your dreams happen. Why should you settle? Do you believe that your acting is not good enough? Is self-shot iPhone footage going to get you your dream?

There are some amazing movies that have been shot on smartphones - so it’s totally possible.

Your iphone videos will never look like the ones Apple shows you. Why? Because smartphone companies are guilty of glorifying video features by displaying them through the lenses of those who have spent decades mastering the craft of filmmaking. They want people to see how capable these smartphones can be in filmmaking so they collaborate with famous directors like Ridley Scott (Galaxy S23 Ultra).

Don’t be fooled by the marketing, I assure you these incredible directors were not a one man band, and they sure as hell didn’t just hold the phone and hit the record button. Each one of these smartphone company films goes through rigorous production processes that most consumers will never replicate. I’m talking lighting equipment, specialised lenses, stablisers, extensive post-production services and the list goes on.

What do you have? A smartphone (and let’s be honest, it’s probably not the latest either), plus you maybe have a selfie stick and a ring light.

Yes there have been a few award-winning films shot on an iphone. (Unsane, High Fantasy and Uneasy Lies of the Mind.) It can be done. But you need to take into consideration that these were made with all the bells and whistles when it comes to accessories and additional equipment, and full professional production crews. These films work because the footage works for the type of story being told.

The pitfalls of smartphone filmmaking - explained!

Smartphones have tiny cameras and sensors, which means they’re not good in low light and they can’t handle high contrasting scenes. Yes, you can add adapters and lenses to get the cinematic depth of field. (cha-ching $$) But you cant change the limitations of the sensors which means all your footage will have to be shot on overcast days, outdoor. Unless you plan on adding lights. (cha-ching $$) Yes, this limitation can be overcome with lighting if you have the knowledge and expertise.
Small cameras are difficult to stablise or hold comfortably for long times, which means you are going to have shaky footage. Depending on the look you’re going for, it may work out fine, but generally it means your footage lacks that professional feel. Yes, you can get accessories like a gimbal or tripod to help you get steady shots (Cha-ching $$)
ever tried to see your phone screen in sunlight? It’s impossible to see it clearly. Now imagine trying to frame the shot under those conditions, asking yourself, “am I even in the shot”
Frames per second help filmmakers control the look of a film and give it that professional feel. Smartphones are restricted to shooting in 30fps or 60fps. Which means when your shooting here in australia you’re going to get those awful flickering lights under some artificial lighting.
Smartphones give limited manual controls when it comes to controlling shutter speeds and aperture. You’re going to need to be able to brighten or reduce the exposure while you’re filming (shutter speeds) and get that beautiful depth of field (aperture) for a more cinematic feel. Yes there are pro apps that expand your control over the image like Filmic Pro (cha-ching $$), but you’ll never have the level of control that a professional camera will give. Do you have the skills and knowledge how to control the shutter speed, aperture and white balance?
Cinematographers spend their whole careers mastering the craft to envoke feelings for the character with dynamic angles. A high shot or low angle shot, Medium Close up. What angle does your scene need? Yeah, it sounds simple, just point and shoot with a smartphone, but it’s not that easy especially if you can’t see what your shooting while your shooting it. Yes, there is a fix for that too -a monitor or swivel screen (cha-ching $$)
• Phone audio is limited. Smartphones have small omnidirectional microphones (they pick up sounds coming in form all directions). Meaning it will pick up every background noise and not be a clear where you need it on the lines being delivered. Yes it can be overcome by attaching an external microphone. (cha-ching $$) Don’t forget that you can’t monitor the audio while your shooting either. Trust me when we say, it is frustrating when an actor gives the best performance of the day and the sound recording doesn’t capture it right.

Don’t forget to add overheating, short battery life while shooting video and limited file storage to the list of challenges to overcome.

Production Value

We all make a judgement call on a movie at first glance. If it looks like it was shot by an amateur, we automatically downgrade its importance subconsciously. Yes, we can put up with a crappy picture, but nothing screams amateur more than poor sound and poor lighting. Two things not easy to nail without experience and knowledge, but not impossible if you have the right additional gear.

But what really suffers when you choose to self-shoot a scene with a friend is the script and the performance. How do you pick the right script for your scene? Trust me, not just any script will do, and you sure as hell don’t want to be compared to a famous actors award-winning performance of the same scene. eek. Access to a scriptwriter really comes in handy here, cause they can put together a script that is tailored to your dreams and shows off your skills that is both memorable and entertaining. When self-shooting, you miss out on the experience of a director. Who is going to have your back while your busy performing and give you honest feedback? A good director guides the actor by working with them to interpret the script, blocking and staging the scenes, and helping them deliver their best performance.

We know it’s tough starting out in a creative industry. We’ve been where you are. It’s tough struggling to make ends meet and dreaming of your future, while still needing to to get the stuff you need to build that career. Yes, it may be tempting to whip your smartphone out and start shooting scenes to save money, and if you still want to do that - don’t let us stop you. (We’ve even put together a basic list of additional equipment for you in this article: “The Complete Guide to Actor Screen Tests.”) But there are plenty of ways to not spend a dollar AND get cinematic footage for your reel without resorting to self-shooting. Believe in yourself and your acting skills - you deserve to be in a professional shoot. If you don’t believe us check out this article “Getting clips when you ain’t got no clips.”