Since James brought it up, i was curious if anyone else saw real value in showreals for actors. Especially one cooked up specifically for a showreal that wasn't comprised of parts in movies the actor had done?

Two actors submitted showreals to me (actually one had it on her website). Neither actor fit the part I was trying to fill so the showreal didn't help. I'm curious if anyone else has found showreels very useful or not, I mean you're still gonna audition them...

Yes, particularly when looking for actors I can't afford to pay (i.e. usually inexperienced ones :)). It's much easier to tell whether someone can act at all from their showreel than from their CV.

Of course some showreels just prove they can't act :).

As a director/editor myself (though not an award winning one) I don't find showreels usefull at all. I look at them sometimes, but I've never seen one that would sway my decision in the casting process.

However, if actors didn't use them, people like James here would be out of business. ?99 ($183) seems like a good rate.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

I've edited (and shot) actor's showreels before, and the rates look about right to me given the amount of time and equipment involved. Maybe I should take it up as a sideline :).