Clients Ask Me All the Time: Should We Use Actors or Our Staff for Filming?
When you’re producing videos for universities or academic institutions, one of the first creative decisions is who will appear on camera. Should you feature real students and staff or hire professional actors?
Recently at Coolbox Video Studio, we explored this question while creating a series of films Welcome, Graduations, and Alumni for Leeds University Business School. These videos aim to showcase the school’s vibrant community and inspire prospective students to discover more.
Here are some key pros and cons we’ve observed:
🎓 Real People (students, staff, alumni)
Pros:
- Authenticity: Viewers feel the genuine connection of real experiences and unscripted energy.
- Relatability: Prospective students see people “like them,” which can be more persuasive than polished performances.
- Unique Insights: Real voices often reveal unexpected moments that resonate.
Cons:
- Scheduling: Coordinating around busy academic calendars can delay shoots.
- Nerves on Camera: Not everyone is comfortable in front of the lens, which may require more takes or coaching.
- Limited Acting Skills: It can be harder to hit precise messaging or timing.
🎬 Professional Actors
Pros:
- Consistency: Actors can deliver scripted lines with confidence and polish.
- Efficiency: Faster production days, less time coaching on-camera presence.
- Flexibility: Easier to direct for specific moods or messages.
Cons:
- Cost: Professional talent adds to the budget.
- Authenticity Gap: Savvy audiences, especially students, can sense when someone isn’t truly part of the community.
For the Leeds project, we opted to highlight real members of the Business School. Their genuine pride and excitement made the films feel personal and inspiring, exactly what potential students need to see.
👉 What’s your take? Have you had success with real people, or do you prefer the reliability of trained actors in education-focused content?