HOW I WORK:
Unlike some editors, I prefer working with my clients one-on-one, especially during the initial session.  When you first come in, we'll input the material into the system, discuss the material/strategy and then begin laying out a rough cut.  I often tweak audio, video, music, transitions, titles, artwork and the DVD authoring aspects of the project on my own.  You can return to review the material in person, or review it over the internet.  Once you sign off on the project, I finalize the material and make your master.

The average acting reel takes about 3 to 4 hours.  

PREPARING:

Proper preparation will save you LOTS of TIME and MONEY.

First things first!  Pick your strongest material.  For an efficient, cost-effective edit session, you should narrow down your best material into no more than 10 to 15 minutes of footage...tops.  Remember, an acting reel needs to be short...2 1/2 to 5 minutes (I prefer 3 1/2).

Some people find it daunting to find their best stuff, especially if they have a lot of material.  Trust yourself as the artist, get a second opinion from another respected actor...or, bring it in and let us take a look.

TIPS:
1.  You may be tempted to use ALL of your best scenes in your reel, but if we've seen a particular aspect of your performance once, we don't need to see it again, no matter how good it was.  Choose scenes that reveal different aspects and levels of your acting talent.

2.  Simple, short lines of dialogue...even one-liners are often great to use!  Keep an eye open for those great deliveries...even if you didn't get a lot of screen time.

3.  Special skills or aspects of your talent.  Do you have any footage of you handling firearms?  Riding a horse?  Fighting?  Doing stunts?  Juggling? Being emotional (crying/laughing)?  Is there anything caught on film that sets you apart from other actors of your type?  Maybe you have a scene that shows your stunning beauty or chiseled physique.  Material like this is often particularly good for a montage or for transitions between scenes.  Bring them in!

4.  Sometimes music can add to the open, close and even sometimes...can be of benefit while playing under a particular scene.  Then again, sometimes music can be distracting to the work.  Each case is different.  While considering music for your opening, close or a montage sequence, pick a couple of selections to bring in that are reflective of you, your personality and the image you project.

3.  Please rewind all tapes to the beginning, zero out the counter on the machine... then find your in and out points of your selects.  Then write the numbers down and bring those notes to your first session.  This way we can find each segment quickly.  Have tapes cued up to 30 SECONDS PRIOR to the first frame of material that will be captured.  For DVD material, use the counter on the DVD player to log your in and out points.

4.  Remember to bring in other supportive material, such as headshots and a copy of your resume (often used when packaging the final reel).

5.  Bring in your original footage, rather than footage already in your demo reel.  This ensures that quality is retained and that there will be the proper available footage on both sides of a cut or transition.

ARCHIVING YOUR PROJECT:

At no cost to you, SunTopia Films archives your complete project.  This allows you to return for quick, cost-effective updates without the need to re-do any of the previous work.  You may also call in any additional orders for DVDs or to make simple changes to your reel per your direction.

Further, SunTopia Films does not charge a fee to de-archive your project.  This is a complimentary service, you're reminded to keep a backup of your project and any of your originals.