Hi
Has anyone used material taken from a Spotlight session on their DC 's showreel ?.. When you leave they email the link to the Casting Director .
I thought maybe copy right may be an issue as its from a casting not an actual film ect.
Would welcome views as always thanks
Using Spotlight Casting on a Showreel ?
Moderator: busybusybusy
Re: Using Spotlight Casting on a Showreel ?
Hi Humph
Probably a bit late to this one, but offering thoughts anyway in case they are of use to you or anyone else.
If it's a Spotlight monologue: http://www.spotlight.com/artists/spotli ... logue.html
then I think that's fine to use as showreel material if you don't have anything else.
However if it's this
http://www.spotlight.com/artists/Spotli ... nTape.html
where you have recorded something to send to a CD in response to a request from a CD then I would say no - you shouldn't.
I would say that you should not (ever) use an audition tape as showreel material. You might want to use the same material (possibly) - but you shouldn't use something you shot at Spotlight for a CD as your showreel. You should definitely not use it if it isn't your material to use (e.g. a new script) - I think that would be likely to be very much frowned upon as scripts are often kept under wraps until a production is released.
In any case, I just don't think it's the right thing for a showreel. If you want to include a monologue as part of your showreel then I think it should be set up to look as much as possible as though it is the character in situ - so a studio set-up isn't likely to be appropriate. Depending on the chosen piece, you might choose to set it in a bedroom or a kitchen, a garden or a wood or a park bench.
Taking the monologue that Spotlight gives as an example monologue: I think this is better than having nothing, but I think putting it on a "set" (at home) as if the character were really talking to someone would be far better. I certainly don't know many adult actors who have opted to take up this offer. It's better than the absolutely ghastly "Spotlight intro" that they have thankfully now done away with - but I don't think it's a whole lot better...
In my opinion, monologues for showreels should just be a useful stop-gap until you have better showreel material. So much screen acting is about reacting - we learn so much watching someone listen, rather than watching someone speak. Monologues on screen are very rare things.
It is usually possible to get good quality footage (good enough for a youtube or vimeo link) using amateur equipment. You also have the possibility of editing it, shooting it from more than one angle etc. Having someone else in the scene is better still - even if all they are doing is listening!
Probably a bit late to this one, but offering thoughts anyway in case they are of use to you or anyone else.
If it's a Spotlight monologue: http://www.spotlight.com/artists/spotli ... logue.html
then I think that's fine to use as showreel material if you don't have anything else.
However if it's this
http://www.spotlight.com/artists/Spotli ... nTape.html
where you have recorded something to send to a CD in response to a request from a CD then I would say no - you shouldn't.
I would say that you should not (ever) use an audition tape as showreel material. You might want to use the same material (possibly) - but you shouldn't use something you shot at Spotlight for a CD as your showreel. You should definitely not use it if it isn't your material to use (e.g. a new script) - I think that would be likely to be very much frowned upon as scripts are often kept under wraps until a production is released.
In any case, I just don't think it's the right thing for a showreel. If you want to include a monologue as part of your showreel then I think it should be set up to look as much as possible as though it is the character in situ - so a studio set-up isn't likely to be appropriate. Depending on the chosen piece, you might choose to set it in a bedroom or a kitchen, a garden or a wood or a park bench.
Taking the monologue that Spotlight gives as an example monologue: I think this is better than having nothing, but I think putting it on a "set" (at home) as if the character were really talking to someone would be far better. I certainly don't know many adult actors who have opted to take up this offer. It's better than the absolutely ghastly "Spotlight intro" that they have thankfully now done away with - but I don't think it's a whole lot better...
In my opinion, monologues for showreels should just be a useful stop-gap until you have better showreel material. So much screen acting is about reacting - we learn so much watching someone listen, rather than watching someone speak. Monologues on screen are very rare things.
It is usually possible to get good quality footage (good enough for a youtube or vimeo link) using amateur equipment. You also have the possibility of editing it, shooting it from more than one angle etc. Having someone else in the scene is better still - even if all they are doing is listening!