Sound reel for location sound?

[felixlee]

Lately, I have been getting requests to submit a "sound reel"? Is that even possible? I mean yes, I can stitch together a bunch of audio I recorded, but is there something specific you guys put in? I feel like the people asking for these things, should be avoided.


happy holidays!

 

[BRH]

Yes,,, exactly. Sound people don't have reels.. this is something young people think, typically students in Los angeles. Even if sound people had a reel, what are you going to give them, the raw sound, or the processed finished sound. Once you record something and get paid for it.. it's no longer yours to distribute. Oh yeah, and where is your website.. complete BS.

 

[gpforet]

I don't do reels. I will provide references of what I've worked on and with who. I typically work on small projects where the two people most intimately knowledgeable about my work are the director and the editor.

Lately, I have been getting requests to submit a "sound reel"? Is that even possible? I mean yes, I can stitch together a bunch of audio I recorded, but is there something specific you guys put in? I feel like the people asking for these things, should be avoided.


happy holidays!

 

[Noiz2]

For location sound it's total BS. For post sound it's also pretty much BS but you do actually need a reel if you want to do much advertising work. The agencies always ask and it's something they expect. A sheet with credits is more the usual for post work.

I would however disagree with the website. Especially these days it's your "store front" and also your business card. What's on it varies a lot and it's probably less of a thing for production work but if your a freelancer with a wide would-be client base I think it's fairly important. If your working in big budget features you don't need either, but a lot of sound folks do have websites.

Oh almost forgot, Games. They will also want a reel.

Does it make any sense, even for post - not really. Maybe a little for post ads and games.

 

[felixlee]

Yes,,, exactly. Sound people don't have reels.. this is something young people think, typically students in Los angeles. Even if sound people had a reel, what are you going to give them, the raw sound, or the processed finished sound. Once you record something and get paid for it.. it's no longer yours to distribute. Oh yeah, and where is your website.. complete BS.

I figured as much. And its like which audio raw/processed would show my skills? I should just stitch together a 10+hour wave file and say heres my reel, take a listen.

 

[felixlee]

I don't do reels. I will provide references of what I've worked on and with who. I typically work on small projects where the two people most intimately knowledgeable about my work are the director and the editor.

Thanks for the input. I just finished a gig and from what I gathered from this forum. No news is good news... usually..

 

[felixlee]

For location sound it's total BS. For post sound it's also pretty much BS but you do actually need a reel if you want to do much advertising work. The agencies always ask and it's something they expect. A sheet with credits is more the usual for post work.

I would however disagree with the website. Especially these days it's your "store front" and also your business card. What's on it varies a lot and it's probably less of a thing for production work but if your a freelancer with a wide would-be client base I think it's fairly important. If your working in big budget features you don't need either, but a lot of sound folks do have websites.

Oh almost forgot, Games. They will also want a reel.

Does it make any sense, even for post - not really. Maybe a little for post ads and games.

With credits Do you just list the projects you have done? I feel like a resume for a sound mixer is just redundant listing of title and just positions, which IMDB can handle. I feel like providing a resume/Reel as a sound mixer has no relevance because the final product can be infinitely different from the product you delivered.

 

[Noiz2]

With credits Do you just list the projects you have done? I feel like a resume for a sound mixer is just redundant listing of title and just positions, which IMDB can handle. I feel like providing a resume/Reel as a sound mixer has no relevance because the final product can be infinitely different from the product you delivered.

You can do what you want, but it is common to have a "one sheet" of credits that you can send out. I am talking from a post perspective so you might want to hop over the JWsound and ask there since that is 90% production mixers. IMDB has two problems. First if you don't have a lot of credits (track record) it can take a long time to get your credits listed. Second since it's so automated a lot of super micro films are getting listed so you can find people who have a big list of films but have never worked professionally. And it requires someone follow a link, and that is surprisingly hard for some. Also if you do a bunch of stuff IMDB doesn't list as in industrials and ads, your going to be SOL. I figure if the top names in post all have one sheets to hand out it's probably a good idea, YMMV.

The relevance of a resume is that is shows you have worked on some decent projects (assuming you have and the credits are legit). It gives you credibility. It's something you can hand to somebody. It's something they can put in a file, which is often the first place people in a pinch look.

As to the reel, I completely agree. Even for post there are way too many cooks to have a reel mean anything. BUT if you want to work on ads (again this is a post perspective and production may be different) you HAVE to have a reel. They keep them on shelves and screen them with directors etc. Same with games, it's meaningless but you wont even be in contention if you dont have a reel (unless of course you have some history with them).

I would imagine that production mixers use clips from the finished movies. What your trying to put across that you have been hired to work on very good films. Also you shouldn't assume they have seen those films listed on IMDB, or that they really remember them if they have. Your reminding them (hopefuly) of a good experience they had that you had a hand in making.

The 10+ hour wave file is probably the best idea I have seen latly to stay unemployed. Not only will nobody listen to it the mear fact that you gave it to them shows total contempt for there time. I know you were kidding but... A reel if you have one should be under 5 min, 3 is probably a better goal. All your doing is reminding them of all the great projects you have worked on and wouldn't they like you to shed some of that greatness on their project. It's not educational it's your ad.