I recall my post-production days quite fondly. I was always running around the facility compilingnotes for artists, or making sure deliverables were in the right format, or sitting on calls with potential clients that centered on their creative vision for a given project. It was hectic, but it was fun, although one of the things that wasn’t so fun was trying to book freelancers for a project when it was beginning to ramp up.
The company was a design studio that specialized in film title sequences, so we were always on the lookout for new talent. We obviously had a list of people we liked and trusted, but with freelancers getting booked elsewhere or needing a break, one of my jobs was to slug through reels and try to spot anyone with potential. Those were the days of CD’s and snail mail, which meant my desk was always cluttered with reels that needed to be reviewed, notes around artists that needed to be followed up with, and CD’s that could be discarded. Thankfully, those reels on CD’s are now for the most part a thing of the past, but the way in which reels are put together has changed as well.
While it’s true that every employer and producer will be looking for different things in a reel, there are a number of items you want to keep in mind when putting together a showcase of your work. Whether you’re an editor, a motion graphics artist, director, cinematographer or just about anything else, there are details you can and should establish or clarify with your reel to provide a showcase of your talent and work which will propel and guide your career.
Your Reel Doesn’t Have to be a Reel
Reels got their names from the actual film reels that they used to come on, but we’re long past the days where anyone wants to deal with anything physical. Even after the change to a digital format, reels still tended to be a linear showcase of an artist’s work and recent projects. That approach doesn’t take advantage of the digital format capabilities which allows artists to put the power in a producer or potential employer’s hands.
If a producer or employer is looking to see something specific, an artist may or may not happen to have that showcased in a linear reel. Perhaps the person doing the hiring is trying to see how an artist animates a logo, but that work isn’t shown until the end, or it’s only a brief illustration of that skillset. It’s possible that person doing the hiring will follow up to ask to see more, but it’s more likely they’ll move on to someone who immediately gives them what they want to see. And it’s simple enough to give someone that ability.
Take a look at someone like Art Adams, who has his works arranged by category on his site. There isn’t a single place for you to sit back and watch a collection of his “best” work, but this sort of control over the content allows the viewer to easily select and watch what’s most relevant to them. This setup frees the viewer from having to sit through material that might not be important to them, and it allows an artist to specify their talent and skills in an easy to digest manner.
Be Specific About Your Best
It’s no secret that your reel should feature your best work, but specificity is key. A producer who’s hiring a cinematographer for a hamburger commercial might love the mood and atmosphere a particular person has showcased in their reel, but it’s very likely they’ll want to see how that person handles lighting food. If the artist have that example in the reel the person doing the hiring will probably wonder how those skills would translate, although they likely won’t for very long. It’s likely they’ll move onto someone who can answer that question for them quicker.
The aforementioned breakdown that is more of a collection of your work is one way to give producers and potential employers options, but you can also create reels that are based on several different variables. Thomas Danielczik has three different reels that showcase his corporate, documentary and narrative work, respectively. While this isn’t as specific as a producer or employer might be looking for, it does give the artist the chance to put their best work in front of that person, and very powerful work can often compel a follow-up if one is necessary.
The categories and topics that your work falls into are yours to define though. Instead of genres you can break it down by type. An animator might have one reel focused on their 2D design work while another showcased their 3D capabilities. You can go even further by breaking out what you can do with text in one reel while another one highlights your work with texture. The possibilities are endless here, because so much depends on what you want to highlight and what type of work you’re looking to pursue.
Putting your best work in front of a producer or employer can be even more effective than allowing them to peruse all of your work, as it can be overwhelming to look through all of the various projects that an artist might make available. However, a specific way to look at your best work can make it that much more powerful.
You’ve got about 15 seconds to impress someone
Everyone seems to be busier than ever, and that’s likely because there are now so many things that occupy our time in so many different ways. Smart phones allow us to be constantly connected. Tablets and laptops mean you can take your work with you wherever you go. There are almost a billion websites on the Internet, and if you want to see how much is happening on social media every single second, take a look at some of these mind-boggling numbers. All of which is reason to believe that the majority of people spend less than 15 seconds on a website. There’s just too much to do every single moment of the day to dwell all that long on any particular thing.
Additionally, the haphazard nature of a production is a factor in how much of a reel gets watched as well, as projects can come together or change quickly. There are numerous reasons a project could get bumped up a couple of weeks or have that same time period slashed, which means the need to bring freelancers in can change and force decisions to be made very quickly.
All of which means that you’ve got to make an impression quickly. Most employers and producers are looking for something that catches their eye, and will then look to ensure that person is technically competent. If you can’t do both within the first ten seconds of your reel you’re in trouble. If someone has to watch your entire reel before they’re sufficiently impressed or have an understanding of your skillset, you’re not going to hear back from anyone very often.
When I was looking through reels we would often be gearing up for a particular project, but in my head, the things I was mostly looking for was something that was “cool”, and I would give those reels 10-15 seconds to show it. If they did, I kept watching, but if they didn’t, I’d move on. Even now I can’t tell you exactly what “cool” looks like or how to describe it, and I can also tell you that I sometimes didn’t even watch the whole reel after I saw what I needed.
While some might advise you to create a reel that is only 15-20 seconds total, you’re better off breaking things out by type if you want to keep things that limited.
The whole idea behind a reel in the first place was to give viewers an idea of what you can do, and few are able to handle such an all-encompassing topic in 15 seconds. There’s a reason to spread out your capabilities over the standard 60-90 seconds of a reel, but the clock is ticking in someone’s head the moment they start watching whatever you’ve put together. You have to make every second count.
Music
Music can bring a viewer into or out the narrative of a film or TV show without their knowledge, and the same is true for reels. Music can bring out elements and aspects of your work in an incredibly powerful way while also tying together various types of projects and styles. At the same time though, music can also be incredibly distracting and cause the viewer to give you even less of their time than they would otherwise. Some producers might not be listening to the audio when they run through reels, but that’s no reason to avoid creating an experience that will resonate with anyone who fully participates in it.
Many creatives want to show off as many pieces of work as they can in a linear reel, so they’ve tended to use fast music that can fall into various genre types, including techno, house, etc. That style is a bit dated these days, and while it can work, utilizing a style that countless others have been using for well over a decade isn’t the best way to stand out from the crowd.
The most important thing to do when it comes to music for your reel is to pick something that specifically works with the material you’ve put together. It’s easy for me to talk about something that “works”, because that’s going to mean something different for every single person, but there are some specifics to keep in mind. Does the music change tenor or tone as it progresses? What sort of an emotional reaction do you have to it if you’re just listening to the music by itself? Would the music work if it were included in any of the actual projects you’re showcasing? Did you cut the video to specifically go with the music you chose? These are details that you need to work through to ensure you’ve selected music that keeps your viewer engaged which will compel them to keep watching.
And even though it’s something that lots of people do, let me say unequivocally that you should not use copyrighted material. First and foremost you shouldn’t do it because you’re exposing yourself to getting sued, and at best a potential employer will take that to mean you’re reckless; at worst they’ll just think you’re a fool. However, a more practical reason to avoid using copyrighted music is because you don’t want someone thinking about the song more than they’re thinking about what you’re showing them. You don’t want them responding to the music, you want them responding to what you’ve put together.
Don’t include anything you didn’t do
It seems obvious to say that you should only include the work that you actually did on your reel, but so many projects are a collaborative effort, which means the line between what’s yours and someone else’s can sometimes be difficult to establish. You can and should provide a project breakdown, but when you’re putting together your reel you want to catch someone’s eye, which means you’re going to be forced to make some choices. If you only animated the text for a particular spot, can you put that whole sequence on your reel? If you directed a commercial spot, should you highlight a sequence that features amazing lighting that you weren’t responsible for creating?
Those sort of questions are judgment calls, and while the details should be laid out in a project breakdown and when you talk with a prospective employer about your experience, just being in a position where they look at the project breakdown or ask you those questions means you’re doing something right. The answers to certain questions about your relevant experience will impact your rate, but at that point you’re having a negotiation, which is even better than an interview.
Showcasing projects you’ve been involved with as you try to work your way to the next level can also become a matter of establishing where to draw the line. For example, someone who works as an animator and wants to become an art director might include samples from a project that they helped with, but will leave the detail of exactly what they did buried in a project breakdown or glossed over in a discussion. Of course, at that point we’re way past the spirit of collaboration and more on the side of an outright lie. This sort of career progression is forced, rather than earned, which can turn off a number of employers if they catch on to that sort of subterfuge. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to take the next step in your career, but your reel should highlight the things you’ve done, not the things you want to do.
If you’re thinking about including an example of work that you haven’t been involved with at all, just don’t. That will catch up with you in one way or another, whether it’s when you find yourself with a task you don’t know how to do, or when you have a producer asking you why you’re taking credit for work they know someone else put together. Odds are they won’t even ask that though; they simply won’t hire you and will advise their peers and colleagues to do the same.
Ask Around
Getting a new and different perspective is essential, but feedback can be tough to ask for and receive. Your first instinct is usually to ask your family and friends, but they might not feel they can be totally honest with you. Plus you need to be in the right mindset when you’re asking for comments. If someone offers criticism will you be defensive or open to what they have to say? Are you ready to defend what you’ve put together or are you more curious to find out what someone thinks?
Luckily, the collaborative element in creative projects like film and video isn’t just a spirit that exists on set or in the edit room. Creative people have all sorts of insights and advice about everything, and the majority of the time they’re more than willing to share those opinions with anyone who asks. Sending a link via email to a colleague with a simple “tell me what you think” in the subject line can get you a ton of insight. Starting a thread on the forums at Cinematography.com, CreativeCow or within AnimatorsForum can be good places to post your work and hear back from fellow professionals. You can also tap into your local community. In fact, this specific thing is something Dorian Heller mentioned not too long ago…
“Over at AE Seattle, we occasionally do a demo reel night. People bring in their reels and as a group we break it down, and give them constructive criticism. Some of the advice learned at these meetups is invaluable, especially for beginners just starting out.”
You’ll most likely be able to find similar user groups in your field of expertise wherever you’re located, and if you can’t, this could be a great opportunity to get one going.
Many professionals are understandably hesitant to show anyone what they’ve put together, either for fear of ridicule, or concern about what they’re going to hear back. Having thick skin is practically a prerequisite for this industry though, and if you aren’t ready to hear what your peers think, how are you going to be able to handle what the general public says?
Just like any advice though, be sure to take what works for you, and discard the rest. There is no “right” way to do anything creative, and different perspectives will help you figure out an approach that makes the most sense for you and for your career.
What’s Next?
You’d think the easiest part of sorting through reels would be contacting the creator, but that was often the most difficult. I can’t tell you how many artists listed emails that either bounced back or apparently gave out ones they never checked. Maybe they were already booked or had a reason they didn’t get back to me, and an acknowledgement of either of those things was always something I noted. When artists responded to say they were booked but asked if they could follow-up when they were available again I always told them they could. Those were the kind of people that I wanted to bring in and work with.
You can and should spend a lot of time crafting your reel, but you also need to think through what happens when someone wants to make contact or talk with you. If you have all of your information available on a personal website, do you have an email listed there that you check on a regular basis? If you have a submission form are you getting those submissions directly? If you’re posting your reels to YouTube or Vimeo is your contact info readily available? You don’t need to hover over your inbox in anticipation of receiving a message, but responding to an inquiry in a timely manner is both professional and courteous, and won’t go unnoticed.
Assembling your reel is critical, but that work is never done. You need to constantly update your reel, which can turn into a chore, especially if you have a reel that is specifically designed to work with the clips or sequences you’ve already pulled. That might be another reason to create an à la carte library. On the other hand, new material presents you with an opportunity to introduce a fresh element into your reel, or send this new material to someone who you know has already looked at your work. The right producer or potential employer could receive an update around your availability and/or new skillset very well.
As with your career, the work you present to potential employers should always be growing, changing and evolving. How you approach and showcase those developments is ultimately up to you, but don’t ever think that it’s a process that ends.
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