demo reel help

jaheeres

Member
I just completed my demo reel and would like some feedback on the best way to complete it. Right now I have my slate at the beginning and then a minute long sample of my work, then I have raw video in order:

  • Breaking News,
    Weather
    Light hearted news
    packages
    sports
.
If anyone has any suggestions to move the order around feel free to let me know, like should i show my packages after the demo reel or breaking news b-roll

thanks for your help!
 

TheChief

Member
I would drop any and all raw footage in the reel. When I look at demos, I look for packages. I want to see that you can shoot in sequence, compose shots, and edit well. Raw footage does not show how well you can edit, and editing is more than half the ballgame. Just my humble opinion and good luck!
 

Latin Lens

Well-known member
I agree with TheChief....lose the raw video section. Your stories/packages should contain the best stuff from whatever the story is....so as long as you can prove what your "eye" is and that you can shoot and compose a proper sequence and/or show some creative shooting/editing then for five best stories from different categories should be enough. Be aware that some ask for a SECOND tape so you might want to hold off on some good for stories for the second one.
 

JimmyS.

Well-known member
Agree with the rest about the raw footage. I routinely looked at raw footage from photographers, just to see how they coulda improved the story with the video they had.
As far as your reel, I not only looked for the technical editing, but the storytelling. It is very noticible when the reporter and photographer team are not on the same page. That was very important to me, and it should be to you as well.

Good luck with your search.

"that is defiantly helpful". That's a funny typo.
 

jaheeres

Member
b-roll

So when i said raw video i really ment b-roll of most of my good shots. Bascially an extended demo reel what have you.

so now i just have my demo reel and the main packages.

does this work?

thanks
 

JimmyS.

Well-known member
Well, it's hard to determine because it sounds like you are talking about a montage... Some chief's like a little montage off the top, creative shots and editing to music or something, but if you go that way, keep it fairly short. Maybe tell a little story about yourself with soundbites. But, that will take a lot of time. Some chiefs want you to get right to your pkg's and live shots. Understandable, don't waste their time. Oh, try to use on air video. The reason? Anyone can go back the next day and perfect a story. I preferred to see stories that actually aired, not 'repaired' later. On another note, my last two reels had a montage at the top, but that was 10 and 11 years ago and I got hired at the only two stations I made a reel for. Things are a bit different now, though.

Good luck in your search.
 

zac love

Well-known member
I would say if anything have a montage of your best shots off the top for at max 10-15sec w/ a countdown on the screen & your name / contact info. Pretty much the montage is just a background.

I have had good results w/ starting off with a good nat-pack. Lets them see what you can do all on your own. This is even better if it is a nat-pack has real hard-news quality to it & good enough to start off the show. A nat-pack on a lemonade stand might not play as well.

Next I would do a hard news / breaking news package. A story that didn't exist 20min before you started working on it would show that you don't need lots of prep to do a good job.

I would add a longer feature package, and by longer I mean 2-3min. Show what you can do in sweeps when you have a few days to really get every cut & cutaway right.

Then mix it up with some more stories that show off your skills. Light hearted, live shots, weather packages, etc. Find the best mix and put it on there, but keep the entire thing under 10min. If you haven't gotten someone wanting to call you in for an interview in under 10min, you're not going to convince them.

And if you like, I would end with 1-2min of more b-roll / weather shots that you're proud of with your contact info on screen.
 

JimmyS.

Well-known member
Good ideas... However, I think 10 minutes is too long. Most Chiefs have several tapes to go through with very little time. They have a pkg to shoot, a live truck to inspect, personel issues, broken or damaged equipment, ND meetings, maybe budgetary issues to deal with, story ideas, running the desk, or taking a vehicle in for maintenace. Your first pkg better impress them. I can't tell you how many times I started a tape and ejected it 30 seconds later. If I see glaring mistakes on your reel, out it comes. I may not have thrown it in the trash, but I probably wouldn't have looked at it again unless there wasn't any other qualified candidates. I know that sounds harsh, but when you have little time in the day, you can't waste it.

I think something must be said, as well. Attitude was a very high quality. With several of my hires, I saw something in a story. Maybe it was that one fantastic shot, That one great edit, or obvious hustle. Those were the photographers I wanted to contact. And, one of the first things I asked and talked about was attitude. The reason? You can teach skill, but you can't teach attitude. I think out of a regular staff of 22 and all the subsequent market changes, terminations, and new hires (editors included), there were maybe 4 out of all of them that had a piss poor attitude... And you know who you are!

Lastly, there was a certian photographer; Tammie, from California that I felt had TRUE TALENT. We brought her in, interviewed with everybody, watched the cast.... Sent her home. A couple days later I was sitting down to call her and offer her the job. ND comes into my office and tells me the position got frozen. I was devestated and had to call this photographer and tell her sorry. That was a horrible moment and I felt terrible. Soon as the position opened again, she was the first one I called, but she took another job.

So, what I'm trying to say is that you may have the best reel in the country, but if you don't have certian qualities that Chiefs look for, it won't happen. Also, sometimes things are out of the Chief's hands and there is nothing they can do about it.

Again, good luck in your search.
 

Cornelio78

Active member
I got some definitely good info from this thread.

One question, i noticed someone mentioned to use ON AIR content. Is that a must? I mean sometimes at my station things don't get "recorded". Or don't get recorded right and I have no control over that. That and now i have to go back and find all the stuff that Aired, but worth it if it make a world of difference.
 

Latin Lens

Well-known member
I got some definitely good info from this thread.

One question, i noticed someone mentioned to use ON AIR content. Is that a must? I mean sometimes at my station things don't get "recorded". Or don't get recorded right and I have no control over that. That and now i have to go back and find all the stuff that Aired, but worth it if it make a world of difference.
I would only use the "on-air" stuff if its linked to a creative live shot and can thus run in its entirety...a great to above average well edited story...beats a well light live shot anyday.
 

photoguy603

Well-known member
I keep my tape under 10 min. Starting with something that moves....good breaking news or something like that....it shows you can work under pressure then move into more artsy pieces of carefully crafted pieces.....3 to 5 great packages should cover it.....NO RAW VIDEO....no one wants to watch someone else's raw vids......there's no point. hope this helps
 

photoguy603

Well-known member
I got some definitely good info from this thread.

One question, i noticed someone mentioned to use ON AIR content. Is that a must? I mean sometimes at my station things don't get "recorded". Or don't get recorded right and I have no control over that. That and now i have to go back and find all the stuff that Aired, but worth it if it make a world of difference.


Sorry missed this......I don't think it's a must....unless you have a great active live shot you would like to put on there.....plus especially if you feed in video....sometimes the quality just won't be as good
 
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