Create Your Reel

Kevin, Retta, Steve and the whole gang at CYR are awesome. They provide a great service to actors who need a whole reel, or maybe just a clip to round out their reel. I’ve shot with them twice and have gotten great, professionally produced footage quickly and easily. The footage has helped «beef» up my reel, which in turn has gotten me called in much more frequently. Combine that with some great headshots and this is an invaluable tool for the developmental actor!
Don’t waste your time trying to become a one-​person production company and shoot footage for your real yourself (unless you really know what you’re doing). Leave it to the pros at CYR who will take care of everything. They have a mini-​sound stage with tons of sets and props and they put everything together for you. All you have to do is show up and be your best performer.
They can even recommend great make-​up artists as well. It’s a turnkey service run by excellent and kind folks. If you’re on the fence, or thinking of another company that does this, just do CYR, you’ll be happy you did.

Getting back into the acting game was daunting, especially since so much has changed. The thought of creating a reel was the furthest thing from my mind. These guys made the process so simple, and they made me so comfortable during taping. I also felt very comfortable giving input.
Not only would I recommend using them, I will most certainly use them again!

So I know this place already has great reviews, but I just had to write one for them not only because I so appreciate what they do — but to also encourage other actors not to hesitate to work with them!
For the longest time I didn’t think I needed to go to someone like Create Your Reel. I could do it myself, I had some credits — even shot a few web series, I’ll put it together myself blah blah blah. Well that was dumb!
I just shot with them and the quality is far superior and most importantly they create clean clips — focused entirely on you! Yes, it’s great if you have a scene with Tom Hanks but if you need a reel/​clip that truly showcases you (which we all do) then make your life easy and just go here. The writing is great, the director is awesome and the entire experience was a blast!
And frankly it’s cheap! If I add up the cost and time and energy in trying to do it myself (I even bought Final Cut) their service is a steal!
Actors, as a friend and colleague, make your life easy, let them help you so you can get to work! Your agent will be better able to sell you to casting — it’s as much of a requirement as a headshot is these days. Really. I wish someone would have told me a couple of years ago to just shut up and do it! So I hope you do! Best of luck actors! :)

This was my second time collaborating with CYR, as I had worked with them earlier this year and was extremely impressed with my final product. Not just that, the level of professionalism, to how quickly the turn-​around was made me a very satisfied client.
Prior to coming in and shooting, I had my own ideas and set design notes ready to give to my director. The day of my shoot, he honored my ideas as well as providing his own notes which were totally in-​sync with mine. You can alter whatever you want if you feel something is not genuine to you and your character, and are not scolded for it!
I look forward to continue working with Creatr Your Reel. Trust me when I say, you will love the experience. I wish I knew about them when I first moved to LA two years ago to get a jump-​start on a GREAT reel.
Andrew D.

Perfect experience from the beginning to the end. It was such a smooth ride working with them. These guys are so professional and real experts in what they do. I did my research before I went to them and I can for sure say that they are the best. I needed great footage to show for, trying to get auditions for bigger roles that did my acting justice. And that’s exactly what I have received.
Director Steve Hosford is fantastic and so is their make-​up artist they recommended Lisa Marie DeRoma. Love them.

CYR is awesome for what it is: a place to get original footage prepped, shot and edited for a demo reel. That is what they do and they do it well. They do a verbal consult but everything is crystal from the site. They write your scenes but you have the freedom to weigh in and tweak it… only you know yourself, and what sells you the best and they get that. It really is about you at CYR. Before you get there to shoot, they know your chosen scenes and so they prepare your background beforehand (it saves time). The crew on set are always looking to guide you so your relaxed while in the moment of your scene. After a few takes they see your selling points and adjust their critiquing accordingly.
The price is a big investment so go in knowing who you are and what type of work you will book eventually. That is key. As for agents knowing it is not a «real reel» with real footage… that is a given. My agent needed a reel to pitch me to casting directors and so it was a given I would need to have one ‘created’. I viewed Kevin and his team’s work and felt their work was the most professional out there; they also had competitive pricing.
I went back after booking co-​star roles because I realized there were roles that I was never being called in for… I believed I needed to show myself within that context and so I shot two more scenes with CYR one year later.
The scenes were a bounty hunter/​detective and the other a nurse/​doctor. Within a year’s time I booked a role as a social worker, a kill-​house operative and CIA agent for major TV network shows. Coincidence, maybe…
I went back to CYR after booking a bunch of ‘real’ shows/​scenes because Kevin is the master editor in my book! I sent him my good news and asked if he could add these co-​star/​guest-​star scenes to my reel. I know you can get that done at AA and LACasting but they will not edit it, they only add it to the front of your reel or keep as a separate clip. The finished reel is always done professionally and Kevin asks questions and works through your confirmations every step of the way.
CYR is great and they really want the best for you… (I am still a client!)Kevin recently added my latest guest-​star scenes, from a new FOX drama, to my reel and it is nothing less than awesome.

I’m so happy with my reel! The direction I received on set was amazing — my muscles were definitely stretched and the footage looks amazing. I love having footage I’m proud of and I’ve gotten so many compliments. They are the best kept secret for reels!

I had a very good experience with these folks. The process is clear, they’ve delivered on time. For the money, I think this is a great value. Sure, everyone knows you’ve had this shot yourself. its not a real show. But the script was pretty good, the set looks great, good sound. It shows you care to invest in yourself and make a reel. I’ve found dealing with the team very professional and straight forward. At the end, they deliver your scenes in multiple formats, ready for web posting.

A HUGE waste of money. They put their best filmed scenes on they’re website, and what you get is nowhere near what they advertise or tell you to expect. Kevin was extremely unprofessional and rude and made me very uncomfortable. When I told him and the rest of the team setting the props and background that I had asked for something other than what they set up, they responded «you know that means we have to do this all over again? This took over 15 minutes to set up.» I felt guilted into not speaking up for myself and asking to get what I paid for– really just manipulated into getting a poor-​quality product. They filmed my scene late at night and the director/​camera operator made it very clear that he didn’t want to be there and that he was tired and bored. The other gentleman that was on set and was suppose to be supervising sat in the corner texting and playing games on his cell phone. I couldn’t believe I was there and getting such a terrible experiene and the amount they charge and I was helpless to do anything about it. The product is even worse than the experience. The music Kevin chose was random and haphazardly thrown together and edited into the scene. When it told him the type of background music I wanted he told me to go find it myself because he was too busy. When I told him he might have sent the DVD they create to the wrong address he sent me an email titled «FYI» and then told me off for thinking he had sent it to the wrong address. The truth was it showed up later than the time they said it would (I believe it was either 48 or 72 hours) because they just didn’t send it when they said they would.
ALL AROUND HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE :(I really was disappointed and I don’t want them to rip off more people for an exuberant amount of money in exchange for a poor product and service.
Stay away.

First off, The finished product looks like a joke and is totally obvious that it isn’t a real scene.
Second, agents and managers are not dumb, they WILL know that you had this done by some money hungry guys who couldn’t get actual jobs in the industry.
This place is good for actors who do not want to be taken seriously. The director undermines the actors and is very rude. The scripts are cheesy and cheap. You are not even allowed to look at the set before it’s finished. Also, any ideas you have, be ready to have those thrown out the window despite being the one who has hired THEM. Total waste of money.

From start to finish, CYR was extremely hands on in making sure we created the best reel possible. From allowing me to co-​write my scenes so that I was happy with them, to shooting as many takes as I needed to get the best shot, they were extremely helpful. The amount of patience these guys (and girl) showed throughout the whole process blew me away. It’s so rare to find that in this industry. I truly can’t say it to them enough, thank you!

Best place ever to create your acting reel. After months of research and asking fellow actors where to have this done, I found that CYR was the best in price, quality, editing, music, direction, script, etc. Stop looking any further and just make an appointment for your consultation. you will not be disappointed.

Kevin and Rhetta are so supportive, creative, professional and smart and really helped me to get video for my reel that I believe shows me off beautifully and will help me get more acting work. I strongly recommend them.

Hmmm where do i start? I love createyorreel. I luckily did my shoot with them before their prices went up. Ever since i got my reel from them, my audition rate skyrocketed. My acting coach, the wonderful Amy Lyndon directed my scenes and it was amazing. Kevin is really nice and helpful and down to earth. I would recommend them to anyone.

I cannot rate these guys highly enough. The process is uncomplicated and focuses on exactly what the casting directors are looking for — you in a simple uncomplicated manner. The filming experience was fantastic, a friendly professional team who don’t stop until the job is done and you are completely satisfied, no matter how many takes are required. My reel completely captures the essence of me in under 90 seconds. It looks slicker and more professional than I could’ve possibly imagined and my agent was also delighted. I’m telling everyone I know!

My name is Simon D Scott.
I’m a Canadian, bilingual actor. Fow a while I’ve been searching for a business in Canada that could shoot and edit a short, professional demo for me.
Unfortunately, everywhere I looked, they offered the same kind of service: A simple casting room with a black, white or blue backdrop. That was unfortunately NOT what I was looking for. I did not want an «audition room» demo. What I wanted was a real set, ambiance, sound, great image like it was edited from a real movie or tv scene. So I turned my eyes toward the USA, and I was disappointed to see that although some offered the kind of service I was looking for, it looked like it was shot by amateurs or the price was in the mid 4 digits!
Then, a friend of mine told me about create your reel. I was a bit discouraged with the results of my search so far but I looked them up online nonetheless. When I saw their portfolio, I simply could not believe my eyes (and ears) ;-)
So what if I had to fly from the east coast to L.A. No problem! The asked price was really reasonable for the quality they seemed to offer.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
From the first call you get from them, the whole process is friendly yet professional. They really work HARD to make sure the scene (s) you select are really what YOU want or need. You give them your premises, they write magic, and you’re ready to learn your scenes a week before the shoot.
They even referred a GREAT make up artist, Lisa Mari DeRoma!
The day of the shoot, I was greeted by the team who was fast at putting me at ease. They KNOW this product will be your official visit card and how much energy you’ve invested in this. They won’t ever let you down. You’ll shoot until everyone is happy with the scene. Before you know it, you’re done shooting, you’re sitting with the whole team, reviewing the rushes and selecting with them the scene (s) that will go on your demo reel. Then it’s the editor’s turn to do his magic.
When I got my reel, I was really, REALLY happy. I’ve worked in the media for 17 years before becoming an actor. I can appreciate a professional product. The image was awesome. The sound was perfect (and so was the ambient sounds and music, present without being intrusive). This thing really looked like it was taken out of a tv series or a movie!
I got more congratulations than I can count since I shipped this demo to castings. It helped me get a new agent. You know how it goes: they all write on their websites «If you don’t have a demo reel, you can shoot a scene with a home camera». But you KNOW you’ll be on top of the list when they see your demo reel.
If you are serious about your carreer, if you’re as much concerned about your professional image as I am, then you should go with Create Your Reel.
Simon D. Scott
SAG/​ACTRA/​UDA

I wrote a glowing review for CYR a while ago but for some reason it was taken down??? Anyway, I worked with Kevin and Co. over the summer and had a TERRIFIC experience. They were so professional, had great scenes for me to work with, and of course the product looked top-​notch. In fact, some folks have even asked what show my scenes were from because they looked so good. They were all super friendly and prompt, too – no waiting around for days to get the finished product. I will definitely keep using CYR for my footage needs!
They absolutely earned their «Best Of» awards from Backstage magazine. Hands down.

Create your reel was such a wonderful experience. I’ve worked with a few demo reel companies over the years and this one takes the cake. They were quick, organized, and the final product looks fantastic. I would recommend Create Your Reel to any actor looking for an entire reel or just fitting a character into an existing reel.
Scheduling for a phone consultation was fine. They got a hold of me when I’d scheduled and answered all my questions. The scenes they sent to me were all excellent. It was difficult to choose which ones I wanted to shoot.
On the day we filmed everything went smoothly. They were fast on the set ups, so they could spend more time on me. The great thing about CYR is that they make you work, and get the best take they can out of you. You only have a few seconds to show yourself off and they make sure they capture it.
The end result looks great and I’m proud of the work I did there. I’ll definitely go back for any reel work. Thanks CYR!
Best,
Bryan

I love this company! A reel is a very important tool for an actor. It shows how you look on camera and how you read. Create Your Reel is the best Reel producing company. They are professional and the quality is amazing!!! People often watch my reel and inquire which TV the clips are from because the quality is that amazing. This is by far the best investment I made on my career.
I use to work at a Casting Director Company and repeatedly heard from agents and casting directors that it is important to have footage and it is important to have good quality. If you put poor quality video footage they will think of you as ammature and this is NOT the first impression you want to make with a casting director.
I also love that Create Your Reel puts you in the drivers seat. You are in control of the content, which ensures that you are producing footage that will inform casting directors of your casting type.
They were voted #1 for a reason and I would certainly use their service again.
See for yourself you can view my reel here:

«I had an awesome time! You get the professional look for your reel at a very affordable price! I would recommend Create Your Reel to any actor that is serious about their craft!»
–Adrian Flowers