demo reel ethics

NewYorkLion

NewYorkLion

Well-known member
So, here is my question.

I've finally Tivo'd a bunch of the footage I've shot for various broadcast stations, however, since most of it was on 2 camera shoots, my shots are intercut with other guys. How do I approach this in my demo reel? I mean, do I just put a whole segment on there and let the prospective clients guess which shots are mine? I've done that before on projects where I was the DP and didn't see any problems there, however as a lowly "operator" I don't know what I should do. What do you folks think?
 
NewYorkLion said:
So, here is my question.

I've finally Tivo'd a bunch of the footage I've shot for various broadcast stations, however, since most of it was on 2 camera shoots, my shots are intercut with other guys. How do I approach this in my demo reel? I mean, do I just put a whole segment on there and let the prospective clients guess which shots are mine? I've done that before on projects where I was the DP and didn't see any problems there, however as a lowly "operator" I don't know what I should do. What do you folks think?
Click to expand...

Hmmm... could backfire. What if all the shots they pick aren't yours?

Seems much better to just use your own work. Afterall a reel is supposed to represent your work. As an actor, I could have sent in someone else's reel mixed in with my own and let the casting director guess which was me, but it seemed easier to just send my own work in. :thumbsup:

Just my .02!

-Robert
 
Hmm, well I realize what a demo reel should look like, I already have one set up with all my own stuff on it. However, I haven't produced anything myself for a while and my skills have gone up exponantially since then, however all the shooting was done as a contractor for various prod. campanies. Right now I really want to put a reel together with only the broadcast stuff I've shot. The problem is, if I cut out the other shooters' footage, the stuff won't make any sense. As I'm sure alot of you know, as a freelancer, it's pretty hard to get raw footage back from a production company. What If I worked out some kind of system with a title where my shots are? Do you guys think that would be confusing?

-Colin
 
This isn't common practice, but maybe you could try it out...
Add a black and white effect onto each shot you didn't do and only leave your shots in color.
 
There are some more subtleties to this. For example, if you are a director/shooter/post-artist, but not necessarilly all three on every project, you should provide a shot breakdown (with times) for your reel, and for each shot, explain what you are responsible for.

In your case as a shooter, I think the ideal thing for you to do would be to cut out your shots and edit your own reel.
 
thisiswells said:
This isn't common practice, but maybe you could try it out...
Add a black and white effect onto each shot you didn't do and only leave your shots in color.
Click to expand...

Submit a 5 minute demo reel that contains 3 minutes of your work, and 2 minutes of "others" in B/W or otherwise.

See your demo reel go into the garbage.

No one is going to sit through a demo reel, and seriously consider it if it isn't all your own work. It just shows a sloppy reel.


First rule: It's all your work.

There is no second rule.
 
pookie said:
Submit a 5 minute demo reel that contains 3 minutes of your work, and 2 minutes of "others" in B/W or otherwise.

See your demo reel go into the garbage.

No one is going to sit through a demo reel, and seriously consider it if it isn't all your own work. It just shows a sloppy reel.


First rule: It's all your work.

There is no second rule.
Click to expand...

So how would you approach the situation? I do have some segments from shows where I was the only shooter, but some of my best stuff was on 2 camera shoots. I guess I'll just use the solo shoots.

What do you folks think about using segments from projects I was DP on but would have cutaways that my 2nd cam. op. shot?

I'm getting the feeling here that i should strictly use my own shots.
 
pookie said:
Submit a 5 minute demo reel that contains 3 minutes of your work, and 2 minutes of "others" in B/W or otherwise.

See your demo reel go into the garbage.

No one is going to sit through a demo reel, and seriously consider it if it isn't all your own work. It just shows a sloppy reel.


First rule: It's all your work.

There is no second rule.
Click to expand...

I agree. The original poster wanted suggestions, so I gave him a bad one since he didn't like any of the good ones. Oh well. But, you're right, pookie.

Maybe you should just list your broadcast credits on your resume instead of your reel.
 
thisiswells said:
I agree. The original poster wanted suggestions, so I gave him a bad one since he didn't like any of the good ones. Oh well. But, you're right, pookie.

Maybe you should just list your broadcast credits on your resume instead of your reel.
Click to expand...

The B/W idea is a good one to isolate out shots by other people, for a personal reel, to show "after" you've got a job, to move your way up the food chain and demonstrate other abilities.

But on a demo reel.......no.
 
John_Hudson said:
Dan Brown would be proud.
Click to expand...

Like a deer in headlights......

1085820-M.jpg
 
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