Of course the basic idea of a demo reel is this: show off your cool work, land a cooler job. I wish it were as simple as throwing your work into a movie file, typing your name in the lower right hand corner and pressing submit. It's not. Like anything else dealing with art, you have to be mindful of how a demo reel is constructed and how one element interacts with another.
I've had to learn this the hard way.
Even though many employers will admit they only pay attention to the first :45 seconds of the reel, and that they mute the sound when watching them, you still have to create a two minute reel. It has to start AND end strong. Music should be included, it shouldn't be obnoxious, and it should say something about you as an artist. Are you fun, serious, abstract, contemporary. How does the first clip you decided to show relate the the one that follows it? How are your transitions? Do you have any? Should each major section be labeled (Effects shots, illustrations, fine arts), or should your work flow from one piece to another?
I've been putting together my reel and I've been faced with all of these questions and then some.
Whew!
~Melissa
2 minute reel eh? Mine is 1:31 should I add an extra 29 seconds? :D Make a reel for school to satisfy your teachers then make a reel you send out. Only good work, and that should be as long as it needs to be no longer.
ReplyDeleteWhere is your demo reel? Online? Email me but I'm not going to tell you what my email is. Find it or guess it ;D
Wow, thanks for stopping by! It's funny, my reel ended up being 1:31 seconds too. I know you don't HAVE to make a reel that's X-length, but I've always thought 90 - 120 seconds with a good amount of time.
ReplyDeleteMy reel will be up by the end of the summer when the project I'm working on is completed ^^; I threw up a collection of playblasts to satisfy my teacher, but I'm too ashamed to make it public :-p It'd be amazing if you could look at it when it's done... for reel.
Ha! A pun! ...yeah...
~Melissa