How to Make a Demo Reel

By: Richard Bailey

People ask me all the time about that one little super-important thing that every production or post-production person should have, and since I’m not one to turn people away when they’re curious about the world’s best profession – mine – I wanted to address the basics of the demo reel in hopes that everyone would shut up about it already.

Seriously, though, this is for you because I love talking to people about the process. Even if you already have a reel, I’ll discuss different tips and tricks to take your reel to the next level. So keep your eyes peeled and your Avids primed, here’s how to create a killer reel.

What is a demo reel?

A demo reel, reel, sizzle reel, show reel, or whatever else you’d like to call it, is essentially a moving portfolio of your film/video/graphics/animation work. Traditional artists and painters are expected to have a portfolio, and digital artists and filmmakers are no different. Your demo reel is your personal commercial for the work you’ve done. In short, it’s a trailer for your skills.

Employers, production companies, agents, and other parties interested in using your services often ask to see what you can do. This is your chance to show them.

Why do you need a reel?

You need a demo reel because no one believes you when you say “I’m a really good filmmaker/editor/animator/whatever”. Rule numero uno about the production world is, “show don’t tell”, and that’s exactly what a demo reel should do. In order to show future employers, clients, or jealous friends how good you are at your particular skill (directing, producing, editing, graphic design, animation, even acting), you need a reel that displays your work. Many employers won’t even consider candidates without a reel of some kind, and consider it just as important – if not moreso – than your resume.

How do you make one?

There are millions of ways to imagine and compose a demo reel. No two reels are alike, just like no two editors are alike. That being said, in order to make an effective demo reel there are a few guidelines to stick to. The most basic way is to select clips from pieces of your work, edit them together into a montage, and pair them with music. Essentially, you make a music video out of your best shots. That’s only the bare minimum, however, and no one likes it when you only do the bare minimum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtrLKGZZFg

Don’t get me wrong; the bare minimum can be extremely effective, especially if you know what you’re doing. Simple is almost always better, and with the minimalistic design of iEverything, simplicity is “in” right now. So don’t clutter up your reel with cheesy filters and those awful transitions and star wipes. No, keep it simple. Edit to the music. Select your best shots. Let your work speak for itself. Briefly.

Which brings us to the next point.

How long should it be?

Everyone has an opinion about this; my opinion just so happens to be correct. A good demo reel should be absolutely, unequivocally no longer than 3 minutes*. I promise you don’t have any more perfect shots than that. If you do, you don’t need a reel to get a job, because you’ve worked on so many projects you should already have a solid network of people who know your work.

I recommend making your reel well short of 3 minutes, in fact. Between 1:00 and 2:00 is about where you want to be. Keeping your reel short is extremely important, and not just for the reasons you think.

Sure, you might think I want you to keep it short because you don’t have that much work to show off; and that’s true. No matter how great you think your work is, it simply isn’t that good. But brevity is also key because part of what people judge about your demo reel is how well you can edit. An important part of editing is knowing when and where to cut the fat, and how to keep things concise and fast-moving. If you can’t keep your reel under 3 minutes, how are you going to advertise for a television episode in ten seconds? Or 3 seconds? Yes, you may be editing 3-second commercials.

It’s also important to keep that timer low in order to avoid pissing off the viewer. If a person is looking at your reel in consideration for a job, most likely you’re not the only person they’re looking at. The sad truth is that you’re probably one of hundreds of applicants. If you don’t impress them very quickly, they’re only going to dislike you more for wasting their time with a long demo reel. Or they simply won’t look at it at all.

*(unless it is for a very specific purpose, such as a government contract or proposal)

What should it include?

Your demo reel should include only your best work. Nothing else. Nothing. It really is that simple. It bears repeating, and it is important to remember that not all of your work is your best work. Have some humility and cut out that shot you love from your student film. It’s really not as good as you think.

Your reel should also include work that is recent and relevant to what you say you do. If you claim to be a 3D animator, then keep that footage that you shot of that beautiful sunset out of your reel. Show me your 3D animation. Duh.

Once you’ve got the basics down, you should also try to include some personality in the execution of your demo reel. Text, graphics, music, dialogue, even narration can work like wind on the coals of the fire. Your work just might glow. This should be done with extreme caution, however. Watching an otherwise good reel that’s been ruined due to unnecessary ‘personality’ is as much fun as having someone staple your corneas.

What if I don’t have enough work?

Although it’s important to keep your reel short and brief, you should also show off a wide variety of work. And you should have enough, even if you’re a student or a newb. For instance, if you’re a cinematographer who wants to film car commercials, I would expect your reel to have some excellent shots of, you know, cars.

If you’re just starting out, haven’t been on that many shoots, or want to change niches and find your portfolio lacking, you might think you’re hosed. But the nice thing about a demo reel is that you don’t need a whole project to add shots to the reel. You just need the shots.

For instance, when Sprocket Media Works was a brand-new production company. In order to show clients what they could do, they needed a reel. But they hadn’t officially opened the doors yet, and thus had very few things to show off.

Sprocket Media Works Demo 2015 from SPROCKET MEDIA WORKS on Vimeo.

That didn’t stop them. They went out to shoot, talked to people, made deals, worked for free, filmed products, attended events, and just, well, sort of made it up as they went along. They ended up with what you see above.

Want to film sports cars? Then go out and film some sports cars. Pull some strings, meet some people, or even ‘steal the shot’ using guerrilla tactics. Want to direct talent? Make a few spec commercials. Just because you’re not getting paid to shoot it doesn’t mean it can’t go on your demo reel.

Just as there’s no excuse for not creating a website, with today’s very attainable technological advances, there’s no excuse for not having enough on your reel. You can literally make it up.

Don’t lie, don’t steal from others, and don’t be lazy, either. This is a competitive industry. If you really want to succeed, you’re going to have to go after some of those shots with a little bit of tenacity.

Where should I put it?

Show off your demo reel. That means put it up where people can see it, link to it, and send it out. The usual suspects are Youtube, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Facebook, and most importantly your website (please link to http://www.shootingrichard.com/books). If you don’t have a website, make one. It’s free, and if you don’t have a website, there’s very little chance anyone will take your reel seriously.

In addition to that, see if you can find creative places to show it off. For instance, if you’re writing a blog entry about demo reels, you should link to yours in that article. My old reel is here: https://vimeo.com/132116210

Things to avoid or include.

The term “demo reel” is so broad that you could really include just about anything if it accomplished your goal. Here are a few things that the typical demo reel could either stand to lose, or benefit from adding.

Avoid

Avoid making your reel too long.
Don’t use work that isn’t yours.
Don’t use offensive music, and be careful with lyrics – make sure they match the theme of your reel.
Don’t make lazy edits. Every cut should count, every shot should be useful.
Don’t put it out there without letting someone else critique it first.
Don’t use too many shots from student films. Unless your actor or actress is famous now. Some version of your college short film has appeared on everyone’s reel when they first started out. True professionals put client work or work with real adults on their reels. Having too many student-looking people in your reel immediately screamsinexperienced!
Don’t make things up, including awards for fictitious film festivals. In fact, unless it’s a well-known award, avoid it.
Use your resume and website for text. Let the reel speak for itself.
Don’t colorize your footage too much, or make it too dark. Filtered or over-contrasty footage isn’t just poor editing, it’s hard to see on some monitors.
Don’t ever imply that a previous employer, filmmaker, or associate of yours was unprofessional or dislikable in any way. This includes putting in embarrassing footage or potentially damaging images of someone you’re associated with. Trying to harm or make fun of another person or company’s reputation can immediately discredit you and potentially land you in court for libel, copyright infringement, or plain old jackassery.
Don’t forget to keep updating! Reels go out of date at least every two years. I recommend a new reel every year if you’re an individual. There’s no excuse for your reel to still have lots of box-within-a-box shots of people from the 80s.

Include

Include a pacing that makes your heart pound, or leaves you wanting more.
Include only your best work.
Music is vital. In fact, it’s almost more important than the footage. It drives the soul, and can leave people with a feeling that you can design. Choose a song that is unique and relevant to your work.
You can get creative with form. Try adding a graphic look, combining footage,using dialogue or sound-bites to tell the story, using narration, or even explaining what it is you do on camera. This is your chance to show off your creativity, so do it.
Listen to what others think of it. Particularly other people in your field. Get peer reviews, but also get reviews from professionals who are better than you are (yes, there’s always someone better than you). Maybe you’ll even find a mentor out of the review process, who knows?
Try to include recent, important shots. This includes brands, actors or films that are recognizable, or things that show off your knowledge of a particular niche. For instance, if you want to film for the Bird Channel, include shots of rare birds to show you know what they are.
When you’re still in school, it’s okay to include shots from student films. But try to get client footage to replace it as soon as possible.
Include text or graphic elements in a creative, visually appealing way. Remember that the viewer wants to see the work, not the words.
Have different versions of your reel. In the same way that you tailor your resume to the job, so should you tailor your reel.
Make sure the editing is advanced. That makes the difference between a mediocre reel and an incredible reel. Treat your reel like a project in and of itself, not an afterthought.

Last thoughts?

Be creative. I can’t give you all of the answers! A good place to find an in-depth run-down on tips to make your reel better is this article on Premium Beat. They also have some cool reels you can learn from.

Original Article by Richard Bailey, who has just published a new novel. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Bailey/e/B01M8MTSJA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1