Few questions on how putting together a resume tape????

[kambel]

1 How many packages do I have to include and long have to be each package?

2- Most of the time I work alone, Do I have to include a stand-up of a reporter?

3- I want to include my sports stuff- but we dont work packages in sports only VO's

4- How I organize the tape in order example slate-packages plus sports and slade etc etc??

5- I want to send demos to some english speaking stations, Does it neccesarily have to be english packages??

Thanks for any help that you guys can bring me

[A Step Above Productions]

Originally posted by kambel:
1 How many packages do I have to include and long have to be each package?

2- Most of the time I work alone, Do I have to include a standout of a reporter?

3- I want to include my sports stuff- but we dont work packages in sports only VO's

4- How I organize the tape in order example slade-packages plus sports and slade etc etc??

5- I want to send demos to some english speaking stations, Does it neccesarily have to be english packages??

Thanks for any help that you guys can bring me First off what is a "standout"? And what do you mean by "slade"?

Are you talking about a stand-up and a slate?

[kambel]

Sorry my english its bad sometimes!!!

[A Step Above Productions]

If you are looking for an english speaking station and your first language is spanish, I would recommend and market that has a large latin population... Sell your self as a bilingual Photog.

As far as your tape I don't think you need a slate (but that is just me).

Start your tape off with the strongest pack you have (include stand-ups). Follow up with the next best (two or three packs). End with something light (nat-pack or a kicker type pack). Think about how a producer stacks a show and produce your tape in the same way.

If you do sports and all you shoot is vo, I would not put vo's on a tape. Mention in your cover letter and resume that you shoot sports. If they like your tape they may ask to see some of the vo for sports you have shot.

Here is my attempt at spanish...

--------------------------------------------------

Aquí está mi tentativa en el español...

Si usted está buscando una estación de discurso inglesa y su primera lengua es español, recomendaría y pondría que tiene una población latina grande... Venda a su uno mismo como Photog bilingüe.

Hasta su cinta no le pienso necesidad una pizarra (solamente ésa es justo).

Encienda su cinta apagado con el paquete más fuerte que usted tiene (incluya estar-sube). Siga con el mejor siguiente (dos o tres paquetes). Termine con algo la luz (nacional-embale o un paquete del tipo del golpeador). Piense de cómo un productor apila una demostración y produzca su cinta de la misma manera.

Si usted hace deportes y todos lo que usted tira es el Vo, no pondría los Vo en una cinta. Mención en su que letra de cubierta y curriculum vitae usted tira a deportes. Si tienen gusto de su cinta pueden pedir ver algo del Vo para los deportes que usted tiene tiro.

[kambel]

Well thanks man for your help, now Im more clearly about this!!!!

Any more suggestions welcome!!!

[Sore Shoulder]

Personally I like using a slate--put it at the beginning and end of the tape. This way there is no question as to the beginning and end of your tape.
I agree with the above as to putting your best package first, and no VO's. But I believe if your best package is a feature go ahead and put it on first.
Try to put a variety of packages on. GA, spot news, feature. And try to use a variety of reporters, you want to show that you can work with different people.
If you want to work at an English speaking station I think you stories should be in English (if you have them). That way the Cheif (or whoever watches) can tell that you have matched video and audio. If you don't have and English packages just make sure to explain this and explain what the packages are about in your letter.
Maybe someone out there has crossed over from Spanish to English station and can give you some better insight.
Good luck. :)

[Dave McCain]

?Como estas? Okay, my spanish is a little shaky so here is my point:

--One thing I was criticized for: the absence of breaking live shots on my tapes. In other words, include any breaking live shots in your collection. The form for my tapes include breaking news, standard news ( commuinity issues ) features and sports, if you have it. If you don't have a breaking news package, include a breaking live shot with vo as your breaking news. Several news directors ( N.D. ) actually told me that including live shots in your resume shows the N.D. how you can handle breakers under short amounts of time. Sounds silly but true. Also, it dosn't hurt to show examples of interviews with good or great lighting setups. Good luck. :cool:

[rexreed]

Let's hear from a person in charge of hiring because there always seems to be some crap ideas thrown out on this topic. Stack the tape like a news cast? NO- put your best story first but you need to have more than a tape of features. Are you serious Mcain? You would put an interview on a resume tape to show good lighting? How about putting a package that includes the interview that was so great? Let's here from a manager.

[McColl]

Okay. This is a recurring topic, but due to my limited computer literacy it will be easier to do a new post than search all the old threads... so here goes.

CONTENT:

Packages. Five of them. Show variety. General news, spot news, a feature. Stuff you are proud of. If you have a good natpak, make sure its a GOOD natpak. They are tough to really do well and will make or break you if you include it. You will not be penalized if you don't have one on there. NO RANDOM VO/SOTS or VOs. You may take this for granted, but you'd be surprised how many tapes have these things on them. You are showcasing your ability as a storyteller, which is a hell of a lot easier to do with packages. And show that your material is up to date. September 11th was 2 years ago. I'm sure it was a huge deal for you to go and cover the tragedy, but what have you done recently? By sending that stuff, you're telling me that you haven't done anything better in the last two years. OUCH. Lighting/live montages are totally unnecessary. And by the way, save the music video montage for someone else. It has been done before. Many, many, many times.

THE SLATE DEBATE: Sure, why not. I can take it or leave it. It's not going to get you hired or passed over. Just make sure it matches whatever is on your resume. 5-7 seconds is enough... we do have a pause button in the highly unlikely event that we're going to be pulling your info from your slate. And if you have a goofy email address on there, consider getting one that's a little more professional. bigazz69@whatever.com isn't what we're looking for.

GET THE EDGE: Label your tape. Spine and on top. Include a rundown on a SEPARATE piece of paper. Tell me about the story and how you put it together. Send the tape on the format requested. If none is specified, send it on VHS. Don't steal the work of others and try to pass it off as your own. WE WILL FIND OUT. YOU WILL BE FIRED.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I could care less if it's stacked like a newscast. I want to see consistancy. I want to see that you can do it all. Your best two stories of the five should be the first one and the last one. If you blow me away with the first one, I WILL WATCH THE WHOLE THING. Leave me with a smile. And the week you send it off, put in a little extra effort at your job. Because if I like the tape, I'll be asking to see the last 5 stories you have done. :cool:

Happy hunting.

[sports dude]

Here is a question for you....What if all of your video on your resume tape is sports. will that matter? That is all i shoot is sports. Mostly high school sports. But i do have some pro and college video also. So how do you put together a kick but tape. Any thoughts?

[McColl]

Originally posted by sports dude:
Here is a question for you....What if all of your video on your resume tape is sports. will that matter? That is all i shoot is sports. Mostly high school sports. But i do have some pro and college video also. So how do you put together a kick but tape. Any thoughts? A common misconception is that pro and college footage means that you're a good sports photographer. It could also mean that the real sports photographer called in sick that day. Kidding. Seriously though, if all you have is sports, you can still show variety in your work. Think storytelling instead of shot after shot of you following the ball in perfect focus. If you're looking for a news position, stick with packages, not highlights. There is a hell of a lot more to sports than just highlights. There is always built-in drama. Show that you can find it and tell a good story... and you won't have a problem getting a news gig. I've never hired anyone for a strictly sports position, so I'll leave those comments to others.

[Gabounk]

To add to the conversation...
Should you add the awards and/or recognition some of the stories on the tape received? If so, where?

[McColl]

Originally posted by Gabounk:
To add to the conversation...
Should you add the awards and/or recognition some of the stories on the tape received? If so, where? There have been other debates on this board strictly about awards... and without rehashing all of that, in short, go for it.

Recent awards are more impressive than the 3rd place AP or the local stuff that you won 5 years ago. If you can show consistancy, that will help you. You can either put the stuff on the tape rundown or in its own section on your resume. To me, it's a little classier to put it on the rundown. Seems less like 'bragging' to the chief who thinks people who chase awards are fools.

Again, don't make stuff up. It will bite you in the ass 9 times out of 10. Awards are very easy to verify. Here's another one that bugs me: I was reviewing a resume the other day, and the candidate had an 'awards' section on the resume, with one award... an Emmy. I'm thinking, great! Let's pop that tape in! Then I read the fine print... the emmy was for 'best newscast' and it was won by the STATION during the time the applicant worked there. Weak.