From Zero to Netflix Spain: The Actor Nobody Wanted Until Everyone Did

He Couldn't Get Cast. So He Directed Himself Into the Industry.

Daniel Chamorro studied film directing at Universidad Complutense in Madrid — a five-year degree. In his third year, he shot his first short film in his house with a single actress. It won 30 awards. He used that prize money to fund the next film. And the next.

While building his directing career, Daniel began acting in his own films — first to practice, then to create his own showreel material, since nobody else was hiring him. He studied with Bernard Hiller in LA, Mallorca, Italy, and Germany, and spent a year in Berlin connecting with the Berlinale Talents program.

For years, he sent that reel to directors he'd met at festivals. Nobody hired him as an actor. Not once. Then one day, a close friend was about to direct a major Spanish series and passed Daniel's material to the casting director. She said yes.

On his first day on set, Daniel gave 20% during the rehearsal, treating it like a warm-up. The director positioned the camera on his shoulder — the back-of-the-head shot, a signal of distrust. In the next take, Daniel went all in. The camera moved to face him. The director spent the rest of the day telling the crew Daniel was exceptional. He was then called for the next project: Netflix's first Spanish original series, Criminal.

What Casting Directors Actually Want to See in Three Minutes

Daniel was specific and practical about showreels, speaking from both sides — as an actor submitting reels and as a director watching them:

• →Maximum three minutes. And every year, the attention window gets shorter. They may only watch 10–20 seconds of any one clip.
• →Show range. A drunk, a priest, a corporate executive, a villain — different emotional registers, different physical presences. Be chameleonic.
• →Don't put two similar scenes back to back. If two clips show the same type of character, cut one. Keep only the stronger version.
• →Leave them wanting more, not less. End before they feel satisfied. The feeling should be: "I want to see more of this actor."
• →Re-edit your own footage. If your face is too small in a scene, zoom in. Add subtitles in English if the scene is in another language.
• →Don't filter your headshots. Casting directors call you because of how you look in the photos. Arrive looking like those photos.

The Core Principles Daniel Has Used for 30 Years

Daniel studied with Bernard Hiller — known for naturalism, presence, and confidence. His advice distills years of working on both sides of the camera:

Your Difference Is Your Power, Not Your Problem

When a Ukrainian participant asked how to compete internationally as a foreigner — always the outsider, always being cast as "the Russian" — Daniel's response was direct:

He pointed to his friend — a very tall, unusually proportioned actor who struggled to find roles — who eventually became one of Spain's most sought-after monster performers. The alien in recent films. The creature in Mama. The thing that made him unemployable in conventional roles made him extraordinary in others.

How to Be Remembered in a Room Full of People Playing It Safe

Daniel's philosophy as both actor and director: make a choice nobody else will make. In one audition, he was playing a priest searching a living room for money. Instead of playing it like a villain, he started humming. Casual. Light. Unbothered. The contrast was far more unsettling than anything obvious.

In another scene — a drug addict fighting with his mother — he stopped mid-argument and kissed her on the forehead. Then walked away. A mafia moment. The opposite of what was written. The director loved it.

How to Behave When the Camera Is Rolling

Daniel's on-set advice comes from directing as much as acting. As a director, he watches actors closely. As an actor, he learned what directors actually need from their cast.

• 1

  Never stop a scene unless the director says stop

  If something goes wrong, use it. Marlon Brando picked up a dropped glove and turned it into the most tender moment in a scene. Accidents are gifts. Directors can fix almost anything in the edit except a scene that was never completed.

• 2

  If the director says nothing, it was good

  Don't ask "was that okay?" after every take. Silence means continue. The director knows where they need more takes and will ask. Trust the process.

• 3

  Listen to what your partner actually says

  If they change a word, change your response. Real listening creates real reactions. The scene becomes fresh when two people are actually responding to each other.

• 4

  Be punctual. Always.

  The only thing you control completely on a film set is your own timing. It costs nothing and signals professionalism more clearly than anything else in your first week.

The Honest Path to Representation — Starting With No Credits

Daniel was clear about the chicken-and-egg problem: agents want to see your work, but you can't get work without an agent. His solution:

• 1

  Create your own material first

  Direct short films. Shoot scenes with friends. Your first job often has to come from you — not an agent. Once you have one credit, everything changes.

• 2

  Use IMDB Pro as a contact database

  Pay for IMDB Pro (~$150/year). Build a spreadsheet of every relevant agent and casting director. Send personalized emails — use their actual name, reference a specific project they worked on. Mass emails are ignored.

• 3

  Maintain a professional online presence

  Instagram and Facebook should be clean and professional. No party photos. When a casting director Googles you, your social profile is your first impression.

• 4

  Ask for discounts — it often works

  Daniel wrote to major film festivals asking for entry fee waivers. Sometimes they said yes. Sometimes 50% off. Ask. The worst answer is no, and you're already getting no.

Where to Build Your Professional Presence