{"id":9939,"date":"2020-09-16T15:16:28","date_gmt":"2020-09-16T15:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/?page_id=9939"},"modified":"2022-04-13T19:15:41","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T19:15:41","slug":"reels-and-tapes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/build-your-portfolio\/reels-and-tapes\/","title":{"rendered":"Reels and Tapes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How To Make An Engaging Demo Reel<\/h1>\n

KEEP IT SHORT<\/h2>\n

If you ask 10 different editors how long a demo reel should be you\u2019ll get 10 different opinions\u2026 but there\u2019s one sentiment that\u2019s pretty consistent, KEEP IT SHORT.\u00a0 A demo reel should highlight YOUR BEST work,<\/strong>and thus should probably not be a sampling of everything you\u2019ve ever done.\u00a0 My personal opinion is 60 to 90 seconds for most cases<\/strong>, and I can think of few reasons why you\u2019d ever have a reel over 2 minutes.\u00a0 One of the main tasks of a video editor is to be able to tell a clear story in a condensed amount of time.\u00a0 Underscore this ability by showing off your body of work with brevity.<\/p>\n

MAKE IT SPECIFIC<\/h2>\n

When applying for a position, ensure that your demo reel is targeted specifically to an individual skill or job function <\/strong>(i.e. Director, Editor, Director of Photography, Animator).\u00a0 This may mean that you will have to create multiple reels, but you will benefit in appearing more focused.\u00a0 Because those hiring have a very limited amount of time to review reels, they will likely only want to see examples that pertain to the position they are hiring for.<\/p>\n

COLLAGE OR SAMPLES?<\/h2>\n

Demo reels seem to be divided into two types \u2013 the rapid fire \u201ccollage\u201d type reel that shows quick shots cut to music or the segmented \u201cscene\u201d based reel that shows short samples of clips cut together in some context (for example, several 20 second scenes with multiple shots each). Which is \u201cright\u201d for you?\u00a0 I\u2019d say it depends.\u00a0 Typically, the collage type reels work best with spot \/ commercial \/ short-form work while the scene reels might be most appropriate to spotlight narrative \/ documentary \/ journalism based projects. <\/strong>As a general rule of thumb, for whatever style reel you make, ensure that the clips are \u201cdigestible\u201d by the viewer.\u00a0 Can they take in what\u2019s happening in the footage?\u00a0 Does it appropriately highlight your abilities?\u00a0 Whatever you do, pick a style and go with it throughout your reel!<\/p>\n

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD<\/h2>\n

Although the old saying \u201csave the best for last\u201d may be true in some situations, for demo reels this is simply not the case.\u00a0 Make sure you lead with your strongest work<\/strong>\u2026you only have a few seconds to grab the viewer\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

YOUR WORK ONLY!<\/h2>\n

Whatever footage you show in your reel, make sure that you had some part in it.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have the body of work that the job requires, don\u2019t apply for it! <\/strong>Instead, keep working on your craft so you\u2019ll have a better shot for future opportunities.\u00a0 Dishonesty may not only cost you one job, but in small production markets (where word travels fast) it could mean the end of a career.\u00a0 Be smart!<\/p>\n

SLATE IT<\/h2>\n

Include your name and contact information on a quick slate at the start and end of your reel<\/strong>.\u00a0 With all the other details and creative decisions being put into a reel this can easily be overlooked.\u00a0 Stick to your basic contact info:\u00a0 name, email, and website.\u00a0 Your reel\u2019s worthless if the viewer doesn\u2019t have a way to contact you.<\/p>\n

SHOWCASE YOUR INVOLVEMENT<\/h2>\n

One way to convey the specific roles you had in your showcased clips is to include short descriptions in your reel<\/strong>.\u00a0 For instance, if you\u2019re an animator who did the modeling for a particular scene, include that over the video footage (i.e. \u201cLead Modeler\u201d).\u00a0 This will not only keep you honest about your involvement but it will give the viewer a better sense of your abilities.\u00a0 You can also include the software or tools that you used (i.e. \u201cFinal Cut Pro Editor\u201d or \u201cSteadicam operator\u201d) I\u2019ve seen these designations as lower thirds or as small text in the corner of the frame.<\/p>\n

HIGHLIGHT IMPRESSIVE CLIENTS<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve got an impressive client list, use it to your advantage! <\/strong>Major corporations, popular films, or network television programs are impressive and can be notated in your reel.\u00a0 Just like highlighting your technical skills, this can be done by putting the name of the project over the reel footage in a lower third or corner of the frame.<\/p>\n

EMPHASIZE TECHNICAL ABILITY<\/h2>\n

You may want to use your demo reel to show off your work process. I\u2019ve seen many colorists show \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cafter\u201d shots of their work and to great effect.\u00a0 In such instances, do a split-screen or quick shot sequence to show the different \u201cstages\u201d<\/strong>.\u00a0 This is also an effective technique for compositors and broadcast designers.<\/p>\n

SAY \u201cNO\u201d TO COPYRIGHTED MUSIC<\/h2>\n

Not only is the unauthorized use of copyrighted music illegal, it will likely turn off potential employers.\u00a0 As tempting as it might be, don\u2019t risk getting your reel quickly tossed aside due to this technicality.\u00a0 Instead, use an energetic royalty-free music track <\/strong>to make your reel lively and spirited (Premiumbeat<\/a> has 1,000s of high-quality royalty-free tracks).<\/p>\n

DON\u2019T REPEAT FOOTAGE<\/h2>\n

Repeating footage in your demo reel may lead others to believe you have a very limited body of work.\u00a0 Instead, err on the side of brevity<\/strong> by leaving the viewer wanting to see more.<\/p>\n

QUALITY CONTROL<\/h2>\n

Check spelling, check for technical errors (glitches, noise, etc.), check for audio mistakes, and then check again! <\/strong>\u00a0Having an error-free reel shows attention to detail and carefulness.\u00a0 Check, double-check and then have a colleague check!<\/p>\n

ONLINE, ALL THE TIME<\/h2>\n

Your demo reel should be online and easily accessible. <\/strong>Upload it to a video sharing site like Vimeo (a process made even easier with the built-in uploading tools in Final Cut Pro X).\u00a0 Hosting on Vimeo insures that it\u2019s viewable by the overwhelming majority of computer users<\/strong>, whereas sending a specific file type (WMV, MOV, etc.) may prove troublesome if the viewer doesn\u2019t have the right software installed on their computer.\u00a0 You want to ensure that it is quick and easy for a potential employer to view it.\u00a0 When someone is hiring in a hurry, the ability to quickly shoot over a link may mean a better chance at getting a job. \u00a0Also, by putting your reel on Vimeo you can quickly swap it out when you need to make modifications or additions.<\/p>\n

LABEL WITH CONTACT INFO<\/h2>\n

Aside from marking the beginning and end slate of the video, be sure to include your contact information on the physical DVD or website<\/strong> (Vimeo) as well.\u00a0 You want to make it as easy as possible for the hirer to contact you!<\/p>\n

ACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE<\/h2>\n

One of the benefits of keeping your reel(s) online is the ability to keep it \u201cactive\u201d.\u00a0 Make sure you revisit it every so often\u2026 especially after you\u2019ve completed a round of new jobs.\u00a0 Your demo reel should showcase your best and recent<\/em> work. <\/strong>Also, it\u2019s important to make sure that all of the source files are in a place that you can easily get to them.\u00a0 It shouldn\u2019t have to be a daunting task every time you want to update your reel.\u00a0 When updating, you can start by swapping weaker shots for newer and better ones.<\/p>\n

SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY<\/h2>\n

Use your reel to showcase you. <\/em><\/strong>Are you a little edgy?\u00a0 Got a wild sense of humor?\u00a0 Don\u2019t be afraid to put a bit of you into your body of work\u2026 it will give employers a better sense of who you are as a person. \u00a0When putting together your demo reel, use your best judgment in how you want it to highlight your personality.<\/p>\n

ASK A CRITIC<\/h2>\n

Before showing it to a potential employer, give your reel a few rounds of critique with your acquaintances<\/strong>. What does your reel say about you?\u00a0 Would they hire you based on what they saw?\u00a0 Where are areas for improvement\/what\u2019s missing?\u00a0 Now, take their feedback and improve!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How To Make An Engaging Demo Reel KEEP IT SHORT If you ask 10 different editors how long a demo reel should be you\u2019ll get 10 different opinions\u2026 but there\u2019s one sentiment that\u2019s pretty consistent, KEEP IT SHORT.\u00a0 A demo …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":9875,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9939","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9939\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}