a decent reel?

[rafikiwilliams]

just want some input on a reel i did up today... i dunno if im very fond of it. but its better than what i had before which was nothing...

what do you guys think?

http://www.facebook.com/v/1103859556487

or

http://www.vimeo.com/5814364

or

http://web.me.com/rafikiwilliams/Rafiki_Williams/Portfolio.html

[Steve Laramie]

The concert stuff in the begining is pretty crappy even though you cant really control lighting and what not. I would cut that out. You need to pick and choose shots this demo reel could get the point across even better if you cut a minute off of it. Their are a good amount of good shots and a good amount of bad shots. Get rid of the bad shots. Also up to you man but the song makes me want to kill myself. Overall not bad just gotta polish it off.

[yabyum]

ugh definitely i recommend taking out the footage of the dance routine in the gymnasium. it looks like any parent shooting with their handycam and a tripod. otherwise good editing, but i'd for sure put some of the more impressive looking footage near the front.

[grinner]

it screams "i need a light kit!"
You could easily cut it in half with just your best stuff.

[rafikiwilliams]

thanks guys, thats the kind of input i need!

and grinner. you read my mind. a light kit would be nice.

[Justin Kuhn]

If you have any doubts about a shot selling your skills as a shooter, it needs to go.

I learned this from an industry pro cameraman, worked on some name stuff. I brought a reel in to his office that was three minutes long, he tore that apart. I cut it some, came back, he tore that up, etc. I got it down to two minutes or so. He said it would get better the more work I did. I came back like a year or so later with my current reel, he gave me one tiny note and said, "Now that's a cameraman's reel." It's a minute and ten seconds and I'd added a lot of shots.

I know you do different stuff, but a shooter's a shooter. The good shots need to come first to hook 'em in and then you've got to maintain an iron-willed discretion when it comes to quality. And strive to mix it up. Don't show anything more than once and only show it long enough to make it look good.