How do I add my demo reel to Backstage?

Backstage supports both uploaded video and embedded YouTube/Vimeo URLs for your demo reel and scenes.

To add:

1. Go to your Profile and click Media (or Reels & Videos depending on current UI).
2. Choose Upload or Add YouTube/Vimeo.
3. Pick your file or paste the link.
4. Title the clip clearly — "Full Reel 2026", "Comedy Clip — The Day Off", etc.
5. Set thumbnail (usually auto-generated).

What to include:

• Your primary reel (under 2 minutes, strongest moment in first 10 seconds).
• A comedy clip if you have comedic work — casting filters for this.
• A drama clip for dramatic work.
• A commercial reel if you do commercial work.
• Self-tape scenes if you don't have produced footage yet. Better than nothing.

What to avoid:

• Reels longer than 2 minutes — most casting directors stop watching after 60 seconds.
• One giant highlight reel with slow transitions and music. The montage-style reel is dated. Simple cuts.
• Student film footage with bad audio — re-record your side if needed.
• Unlabeled clips — casting picks which to play based on titles, so clear labels matter.

Tip:

Hosting on YouTube (unlisted) or Vimeo instead of uploading directly gives you analytics (who's watching, how long) and easier updating across platforms.