Showreels - Advice Wanted Please
- Thread starter Kerryman
- Start date
ThomasNL
Thomas van der Burg
There aren't really set rules for showreels. The average seems to be about 2-4 minutes long. Try to really put variety on it, for a director most "orchestral" stuff will sound the same. So pick things that sound different (but do wan't to find work in).
But we always combine a showreel with like a playlist of music and videoclips. If you approach someone, don't just send a showreel, but send handpicked examples that you think are suitable for that person or pitch.
But we always combine a showreel with like a playlist of music and videoclips. If you approach someone, don't just send a showreel, but send handpicked examples that you think are suitable for that person or pitch.
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Kerryman
New Member
Thank you @ThomasNL, that's very useful advice. I'm also wondering about how I should send the samples, and if there are dedicated websites for doing so?
I've just found 'Reelcrafter' which looks promising, but the sign-up legalese is a bit convoluted and worrying.
ThomasNL
Thomas van der Burg
yeah Reelcrafter is nice but quite expensive. I haven't really found a good alternative. For now i'm just sending private youtube video's/playlist or dropbox links. I'm thinking of maybe using my website with unlisted private pages to do it. That way you can highly customize it and you're not stuck with those insane monthly costs of Reelcrafter.
NekujaK
Atomic batteries to power! Turbines to speed!
I used to have a side gig doing video and photography work, and am comfortable comipling and editing my own showreels, so I can't comment about templates or websites.
After compiling several showreels, I learned some important tips:
- Determine if the purpose of the showreel is to showcase your music or to showcase your work/credits?
- If it's purely to showcase your music, then you might be better off creating individual videos for each composition and compiling them into a YouTube playlist. That way, you can point people to either the playlist or individual pieces, and they can choose to listen to as much as they want at their discretion.
- IMHO, the best use of a showreel is to highlight your credits. You're basically saying "look at all these clients who have successfully used my music." It's less about the music and more about establishing credibility.
- Keep the individual clips in the showreel short. Potential clients don't need to hear more than 10-20 seconds of a piece to understand what you're capable of. The actual music is less important than we think it is. It'll be far more meaningful to someone that you got cuts on The Walking Dead, This Is Us, and Stranger Things than listening to the music.
- The total running time of the showreel can be as long as you want, but know that most people won't watch/listen past 1-2 minutes, so frontload it with your most impressive stuff.
Good luck!
After compiling several showreels, I learned some important tips:
- Determine if the purpose of the showreel is to showcase your music or to showcase your work/credits?
- If it's purely to showcase your music, then you might be better off creating individual videos for each composition and compiling them into a YouTube playlist. That way, you can point people to either the playlist or individual pieces, and they can choose to listen to as much as they want at their discretion.
- IMHO, the best use of a showreel is to highlight your credits. You're basically saying "look at all these clients who have successfully used my music." It's less about the music and more about establishing credibility.
- Keep the individual clips in the showreel short. Potential clients don't need to hear more than 10-20 seconds of a piece to understand what you're capable of. The actual music is less important than we think it is. It'll be far more meaningful to someone that you got cuts on The Walking Dead, This Is Us, and Stranger Things than listening to the music.
- The total running time of the showreel can be as long as you want, but know that most people won't watch/listen past 1-2 minutes, so frontload it with your most impressive stuff.
Good luck!
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Kerryman
New Member
Thanks again. I'm just looking at a YT video comparing ways to send showreels by Dave Kropf and Reelcrafter gets a good review but, as you say, it's fairly expensive for the full version. I'll give it some thought and may start with the basic option to see if it works for me.
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Kerryman
New Member
That's really helpful, thank you. I've got a professional standard photography portfolio website (that includes video) and has pages for my bio and links to other websites (like Buy Me a Coffee). I've been a photographer for 40 years and that side of things is fairly second nature - and I'm well known enough not to have to work too hard on promotion now.
But, I'd like something similar just for my music, as I'm starting to get some work in that area. As mentioned in my reply to @ThomasNL above, I might look at Reelcrafter to see if it's useful to me.
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Kerryman
New Member
I've gone ahead with the basic ReelCrafter plan, for now.
My first showreel is here. I hope you'll take a look.
My first showreel is here. I hope you'll take a look.
excellent advice.
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Kerryman
New Member
Yes, it's the same with other professions - like my main one.
MDesigner
Composer, ReelCrafter CEO
Hey there! I'm the CEO/co-founder of ReelCrafter, and I wanted to ask you what you found concerning.
We're 100% transparent, and I'm a composer myself, so I guarantee there's nothing to be worried about. Most of it is boilerplate privacy law-related stuff that we have to cover. But feel free to fire away, and I'll be happy to address any concerns!
MDesigner
Composer, ReelCrafter CEO
Hey Thomas!
Respectfully, I don't think the cost is "insane." I look at it as an investment in my career. If something costs $250/year or $100/year, and it will make it a heck of a lot faster/easier to pitch for gigs, AND get all kinds of analytics to help me figure out what tracks are really engaging my client, then I say to myself, "If I can't land ONE music gig to pay for this, then I'm doing something wrong."
I understand the price is out of reach for some folks who are starting out.. TOTALLY get it. I remember it being a challenge paying for sample libraries that cost hundreds of dollars, when I was early in my career. We do have a limited free plan that should be plenty sufficient for people who just want to pitch here and there.
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Kerryman
New Member
ThomasNL
Thomas van der Burg
Yeah sorry, my wording was a bit harsh. It is not insanely priced. It is just that monthly costs can stack up unnoticably. I'd rather pay a one time fee for something and own it for life. But I completely understand that is not a viable solution for you as hosting video's is very expensive.
MDesigner
Composer, ReelCrafter CEO
Thanks, Thomas! I appreciate you recognizing this, as a lot of folks don't understand how costly bandwidth is (compared to storage). SoundCloud almost went through bankruptcy (twice?), and we didn't want to go that route by offering too much for free. But our free plan should be good enough for someone sending out demo reels once in a while!
Cheers!
