Assembling a Cinematography Reel

J

Joe Calabrese

Well-known member
Hey everybody,

I'm looking to make a 3 minute cinematography reel for myself, but not sure where to get started. I want to show my diversity: I've done short films, sports, and a lot of other stuff. Should I basically be compiling a video of all my best work or best looking scenes and put a music track under it?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe
 
Hi Joe,
Firstly, you probably want to do some research by viewing other reels. Search DVXUSER, YouTube, Vimeo...ec. Mine is here: http://awakenedfilms.com/reel.html.

As for pointers:

- use your best stuff in the beginning, middle and end. SOme people ask if you should save something good for the end. Definitely, but do not add 'filler' stuff to bulk it up. Only the best of the best should be used.

- I recommend you shorten your reel to 30 seconds, maybe 45 seconds. The whole point of a reel is to get some one interested in seeing more or contacting you. Its like a shop window, not everything in the store goes in the shop window!

- Contact information should go at the tail, not the head. Nothing bothers me like a long boring contact title card at the head of a reel.

- Consider watermarking your reel.

I have hired freelancers and have been hired as a freelancer. Its tough to try and guess what a director or producer or client wants to see in order to give you the job. It is better to have multiple reels that can be shared based on the project or director's style than to try and stick an example of everything you have done in one reel.

BTW - I usually make a decision on hiring someone in the first 15 seconds of their reel. Most of the time I don't have the time to watch all of it...


Jason
 
Great work Marlon. I love that Steve Jablonsky piece, it's particularly inspiring. As for the OP...my reel his here if you'd like to check it out.

http://vimeo.com/10315218

According to my cinematography professors, you should start with your best shot and end with your second to best shot. The reel should be comprehensive of your work and should be varied. And, of course, shorter is better - the idea is to get a producer interested enough that he brings you in for an interview. The biggest pitfall is that people try to build a reel that will get them jobs on the spot, so they pack in all these great shots and spend time editing the reel to the music and ultimately it ends up being too long and boring. My mentor, John C. Hora ASC, says he has never watched a reel longer than 5 minutes and wouldn't expect anyone else to either. So, that's the cutoff point for me. Of course, there are exceptions.

I'd say check out Ryan Patrick O'Hara's reel - his is relatively long (5+ minutes) but it's one of the better reels I've seen in a long time, especially for someone so young.
 
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