What Makes a Good Reel

What makes a good reel? I don't know.

The End.

No seriously, I think the most difficult thing about reels (and for the purposes of this post I'm talking about DP reels) is that they're so subjective. I think the first question you need to ask to piece together the answer is "Why am I making a reel?" Fun? Class assignment? Internship? Employment?

Although, our reels are primarily for the purposes of this class, I'm hopefully putting together a reel that will snag an internship or job when the time comes. So I try to think about my reel from a perspective employers POV.

When I'm watching a reel there are a few things I like to see.  Some of them are nit-picky, borderline A-holeish things, and some of them are major. Most employers, now prefer online reels, and let's be honest 2.5 minutes of internet time is like 4 hours of real-world time. How many times do you click on an internet video and turn it off thirty seconds in? Do you want that be your reel?

-For crying out loud, pick a decent font. It sounds trivial, but I think it's pretty big. Part of being a DP is sense of style and design, and those standards should extend across your reel. From the perspective of any busy employer, if I turn on a reel and your name comes up in Comic-Sans I will turn it off. Any kind of overly elaborate font/graphic can be an equal turn-off. If you don't feel confident, stick with something safe or spend some time researching. And please don't stick with the default font in Final Cut.

-Music. I've read a lot of different stuff when it comes to music in reels. I've heard everything from no music (because some employers will actually mute your reel to focus on the visuals) to music is one of the most important pieces of your reel. I think the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Rachel touched on this in class. Please don't select music with sucha driving beat that pacing feels dictating by the song. I'm not saying that occasionally editing to the beat is a bad thing, but allow your shots to speak for themselves. Think about the content of your shots, and the best natural compliment to them. Also keep in mind that your reel is a showcase for an employer and not a mix-tape to impress your girlfriend or boyfriend. Apple loops? Please don't.

-Can you light a scene? No, seriously, can you? For me, this is a big one. This is another by-product of the DSLR  wave is that people aren't lighting scenes anymore. If your reel is entirely outside shots with natural light, I'm going to assume you don't know how to light a scene no matter how beautiful your exteriors are.

-Strong beginning, middle, and end. It sounds like common sense, but alot of reels seem to either front load or back load.

-Cohesion. If you can't edit, that's fine. Hire someone who can. The fact that it's a DP reel doesn't excuse a poorly edited reel. Keep in mind that your entire reel is representation of you. Don't shoot yourself in the foot. On the opposite end of that comment, it's a DP reel and not an editing reel. Don't edit the poop out of the footage.

and most importantly...

-Your personal stamp. There are tons and tons of DP's that can shoot some pretty pictures, especially with the influx of DSLR filmmakers. I like to feel something when I watch a reel. Although the shots may be from a ton of different projects in a variety of styles, I like to feel a common thread running throughout. That thread, I think, is what separates you from other DoP's. That's what gets my attention. That's why I hire you.

Here are some I've seen on vimeo that I like.
http://vimeo.com/6134256

http://vimeo.com/7462334

http://vimeo.com/12215902

http://vimeo.com/13846247

BYE, BYE

-Henry