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.