Need feedback on demo reel before going live

Loganm187

Loganm187

Well-known member
I just got an AF100 a few months ago and upgraded from my DVX100 and need to update my demo reel with my new work as I am getting quite a few jobs lately. One question I have for you guys is that I have some amazing DVX100 footage from a feature and a short i shot, but I'm scared to put them with my new reel with my AF-100 footage, so during a certain part in the song I condensed my previous demo reel of dvx100 projects down to 9 seconds of super fast imagery to show of some of my previous work and to get a point across that I have a lot of experience... I'm probably just over thinking all this and towards the end of the reel I'm not sure about the structure either. I just want some feedback on this before i take the video off "unlisted" or cut a new reel. Thanks!
 
It starts to feel a bit repetitive in the 2nd half for me.

My completely subjective suggestions would be...

Consider just starting the reel with your first little fast montage, (and at that point in the song*). Would cut 22 seconds off the real, and make it less repetitive and tighter imo.

Also, my suggestion would be to cut out most of the shots of girl in black bathing suit. It sticks out from the rest of the real, and the amount of those shots also adds to the repetitive feel i was getting by the end. (I actually thought it was longer before i saw the timecode, but maybe that is just me). Instead, I would consider replacing most of those shots (maybe keep the first one at :32, and replace the others) with maybe the girls walking shots you have at :07-:10. I'd also suggest replacing the first shot of bloody bearded dude at :40 with perhaps the blue eyed cig smoker at :21, or something else from the beginning of the reel that doesn't get showcased too much later on. I think you have enough boxing/fight movie stuff in there to form a narrative, and that is the least impressive of those shots, imo.

Personally, I think that would help show you off in a better light, and as having a more robust body of work that you are showing off. If it starts to feel repetitive, that would be a likely thought imo... "He must not have done that much work"... even if it's just a matter of having only upgraded your camera a few months ago, and showing off mostly footage shot since then :)

So, you'd end up with a hard start and finish, with some nice visuals and contrasting pacing in the middle, and would hopefully lose some of the repetitiveness of the footage that doesn't really have a narrative that can be easily associated with it. i.e. girl in black bathing suit is better served as a 1 off, imo... where some of the fight movie stuff can sustain multiple shots for me.

my 02

*not familiar with the music or how you acquired it... but, as a general comment, if you are making a professional reel (or making anything to be publicly displayed, or to promote ourselves as content creators) folks should make sure they only use properly licensed or owned music, etc.
 
Nice work. I like the raw and grittiness of the reel. It's very different than most I've seen. Did you say most of this was shot on the DVX?
 
I'd say 80 percent AF100 and the other 20 is DVX. I forgot I actually had this up.... I changed the REEL and it went up awhile back. I do seem to always end up shooting very gritty stuff :)
 
I don't like the flashy subliminal stuff, man. Makes me wonder what images you're ingraining in my brain. Yeah really don't like that stuff, man. Sorry. And I just think a lot of the footage is just too gross, like a big close up of some sweaty old hairy man and his moustache all up in my face, then seeing some girl on the ground getting beaten with a hammer. I just don't dig it all, man.

If you're getting work with it, great. More power to you. My opinion? Tone down the violence. I think the second reel is better since you've taken out that fast cut stuff, but honestly man I can't sit through it.
 
My reel isn't very violent at all... And I get all kinds of work and actually have a country music video next week and two more music vids and a short the following month. So, I'm suppose to tell my clients they can't have violence or old men in their shorts or music videos? To each his own, but I think you should open your mind a bit. There is nothing offensive in my reel if you have every seen a PG-13 movie.
 
Actually, Loganm187, your reel is violent. It opens with a guy getting hit in the face. It continues to have a violent theme throughout the whole thing. You have a quick shot of a woman getting hit in the head with a sledge hammer and blood flying out of her mouth, for Christ's sake. Why do you have that in there? What does it accomplish or tell about you cinematically? To me it comes across as a taste choice and I don't like the taste of women on the ground getting beaten in the head with a sledge hammer.

Listen, that's your creative taste, that's fine. This is my opinion. You're an artist, like everyone else in this forum. Not everyone is going to like your work, not everyone likes mine. You wanted feedback on your reel and that's what I've given you, dude. My opinion. It doesn't mean your reel is bad, some people think it's good.

If I were looking for a guy to shoot something for me, I wouldn't hire you based off of the tone of your reel. It just gives me a bad feeling when I watch it and I don't want to go any further with the creator. Okay? That's what I got from it. You are obviously getting business with it so good for you. You wouldn't get my business though, okay?
 
I'm gonna agree with Lizard. While technically your work is nice, there is a violent theme here. If you're seeking ad agencies or a rep, you're gonna limit yourself with this reel. In other words, if you're looking to expand, this reel will keep you contracted.
 
Thanks, Dusty.

You know, I was thinking about this, Logan and I wanted to tell you something.

I respect your creative vision as an artist. I don't necessarily like it, but I understand your reel represents you, just like mine does me. I think if you change it without wanting to, you'll hurt yourself financially. I think you should only change anything in your reel if you really think it's right.

I say this because what you put out there into the world is what you're going to get back in return. So if you modify your reel and it doesn't really represent how you feel, you'll probably attract people who you wont work well with. I could be wrong.

Maybe your reel is perfect because it demonstrates your skills and will attract people who wont clash with you morally and aesthetically.
 
My clients are either hiring me for music videos, short films, or weddings based on my reel. For creative work like music videos or film my reel attracts people because most everything has an edgy feel too it (Music Artists love this) which is what we all wanna be doing, right? Does anyone really get excited about corporate or event videos? My Reel reflects my past work which is mostly narrative and music. I have 6 jobs from now until the end of June and that includes two music videos (rap and country) One short film and two weddings (One couple told me my style was so "modern and edgy" and they hired me to shoot their wedding because it wasn't just the same old crap.) I am lucky I can make a living doing this, but I hate doing anything where it's not a creative project ( I hate weddings, but they pay well) I think my reel reflects me past work very well as it should for anyone trying to sell themselves. Also, the two music vids and short I'm shooting aren't very "edgy or violent" at all, so those images will be in my next reel along with more wedding footage showing a vast array of different styles of work which is what we all wanna show, right? I just like shooting/directing and am glad I can make a living with my talent. I'm not looking to shoot a commercial for Disney world with my reel.
 
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