.webp?width=660)
Esports is one of the most profitable businesses because of its massive relatability. Players of all titles are already chronically online, so watching a high-end production of your favorite competition has been the real tryhard experience since the invention of video games.
This production quality, however, can only be accomplished when all the moving pieces work like a well-oiled machine. Gamers just game, so on top of the unadulterated gameplay, camera crews, switchers, designers, handlers, engineers, and producers all work towards the show's top-notch look and feel. Casters finish the job, accompanying the visual aspect with their narration.
This last part is usually the most scrutinized, as it makes or breaks the broadcast by ruining the moment or heightening the experience, so you can imagine how these spots go to the crème de la crème in gaming. If your dream is to watch from the best seat in the house, you’ve got to be one of the best voices available and have something to show for it, so without further ado, here are tips and tricks from an RLCS analyst to create the best caster reel in esports:
1. Your New Mantra: Cast to Clip, Clip to Cast
Your caster reel will always be your cover letter, one if not the only piece of media anyone hiring will ever see from your end, so you better make it short and you better make it sweet. In order to put it all together, the first thing you’ll do after finishing a broadcast is go back and clip high-quality content for all kinds of scenarios: welcoming the stream, throwing to break, calling important moments, doing sponsor reads, cracking a joke with your co, etc.
This variety will help you come across as reliable and versatile. Make sure all clips have context, build up, and climax, all within 10-20 seconds per. Missing context makes for a whole lot of gibberish, no climax means no excitement, and a lack of build-up means no storytelling – esports casters’ number one source of inspiration in the booth.
You must update your caster reel at least every six months, sooner if possible, by filtering and rearranging these casting moments with better calls in bigger events. Remember: to cast, you need to clip, and to clip, you need to cast. If you haven’t been booked for anything, don’t hesitate to start your career by organizing your own event to begin this vicious clipping cycle.
2. Editing: Welcome to the 'You' Show
The end product will always need to feel cohesive with your brand. Its pace and style will be very telling of the type of caster productions are about to hire, so don’t just go into Cap Cut and slap those clips onto the timeline. Just like an artist’s set list: start with your second strongest, finish with your strongest one.
Make sure your video lasts between 2 and 3 minutes, only if the pacing and clips guarantee viewer retention. Chop off the tight start and end times of your clips, as dead air will beg for the pause button. Find royalty-free lyricless music; you don’t want to be drowned out by the singer.
Most importantly: use clips that show your constant best, not your extraordinary best. If hired, you need to show up and deliver exactly what was advertised, not a watered-down version excused by the event’s stakes. Your caster reel should showcase your personality; that’s what makes great casters connect with the audience and their mainstay projects.
3. Do Your Best to Stand Out
Last and most definitely not least, all reels include an intro and/or outro screen with the caster’s name, gamer tag, and additional info such as notable events, accolades, employment, and contact details. That is all good and dandy, and I highly recommend you sneak it in.
What I will ask of you, however, is not to replicate exactly what everyone else is doing. If your reel is your cover letter, you need to make it as different from the rest as humanly possible. Try a meme video template like “caster core” jumpcuts. Match your casting calls to cinematic shots of the saved replays. Rank your own clips in a listicle green-screen format. Heck, turn your intro/outro into an infomercial with matching voiceover and music.
Anything that will make you stand out from the rest, and above all, entertain whoever is selecting talent from the reels. This will go a long way, assuming you’re going mano-a-mano with heavy-hitter talent as an underbooked newcomer. It’ll also show your ability to connect and create moments beyond the game.
At the end of the day, casters are the streamers and content creators of the esports world. Not only is clip farming encouraged in the big moments, but it's also sought after by event organizers of all sizes. Everyone wants their stream to shine; your reel should show why you should be in charge of the shining. So get going, learn Cap Cut, and GLHF.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming features and opinions.