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Check out my Demo Reel please...

corywoolf

corywoolf

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 28, 2004
1,352
4
I am not done with it yet, but am pretty close. There is no real purpose of this other then to show my editing skills and creativity. Keep in mind that I am just a senior in high school. I am hoping to use this (once completed) as part of a dvd demo reel I am going to put together using FCP 5, After Effects, DVD Studio Pro, Adobe CS2. Most of this was done for some of my community college courses (through dual enrollment). I just hope to start off as either a PA or assistant editor in the NYC area. I am planning on moving out there next summer after I graduate. My dad lives there and I have been there a few times and like the city. Anyone know anybody @ Macrumors or elsewhere that would be able to give me advice about jobs in the NYC area in Video Production? I know there are SO many kids these days into video production. It has been my passion since I got my first mac with the first imovie back in the sixth grade. I would like to hear opinions on the demo reel, as well as on the job market in the NYC area and any advice.

thanks

I am open to hearing your constructive criticism. :)

http://www.youtube.com/?v=CAzAJGL-cEc

I haven't taken the project into AFter Effects yet, so no titles or contact info.
 
The link you provided doesn't take me to a specific video. That said, you don't need experience to be a P.A. It's a crap job that's easy to get.
 
one secret to being a good free lance video guy is be diverse.
one thing that always kept people calling me was that i also knew
after effects as well as avid/m100/fcp and i could suppliment
the clients graphics needs. So take some classes in photography,
graphic design and broaden your horizons. Add skills to your toolbox. go.
 
OnceUGoMac said:
The link you provided doesn't take me to a specific video. That said, you don't need experience to be a P.A. It's a crap job that's easy to get.
Click to expand...

Well thats good to hear.

Sorry about the bad link, I tested it last night and it said it might take a a while before the movie got into their "database".


new link: http://www.youtube.com/?v=CAzAJGL-cEc
 
Perhaps I'm just biased against video, but I would recommend learning the rules of film editing. Once you learn these, you'll know where to focus on in your reel.
 
OnceUGoMac said:
Perhaps I'm just biased against video, but I would recommend learning the rules of film editing. Once you learn these, you'll know where to focus on in your reel.
Click to expand...

So I did a google search and read a few things, I really didn't learn much from the articles. Be more specific on what parts you don't like and why?

thanks
 
well, you're a senior in high school so you have plenty of time to work on it...I graduated college and I'm still learning things...I was a broadcasting major, but we never focused on the really creative aspects of video editing...we made video for the news and were discouraged from using any transitions other than fade outs.

...I say all that to say that video is fun, but you do have to practice to get better and I'm currently still doing just that....im tapping into my creative side. I did look at your video and I don't know what the music really had to do with the clips or where you were going with the video. It seemed like it was a bunch of random shots with music in the background. Perhaps you should have a theme or something. You can show your creativity and your clips still be cohesive. You're off to a good start though. You can only get better from here.
 
I have to agree w/jayeskreezy. Right now your reel is a seemingly random collection of images on top of a repeating (and rather down tempo) music bed. Your reel needs to show samples of your work in an engaging and energizing fashion in about 4 minutes. A typical kind of framework is a high energy, attention getting intro, then 3-4 samples of your work, and finally a high energy, attention getting outro.

RE NYC:
I didn't go east to NYC but west to LA and even though the scenes are different I think they share a lot of basic similarities. The first thing to keep in mind is that you have to patient and persistent. Every year there are thousands of new graduates that venture off to NYC (or LA or any other big industry town) to do exactly what you want to do. There is such a surplus of talent that working for free is common and even craptacular PA gigs probably pull in 50-75 apps and have "experience required" tags on the job listings (even if there is little/no pay). Networking will get you more jobs than sending off resumés so don't write off internships/non-paying jobs flat out and keep in touch w/people higher up on the food chain than you.

I could ramble on for pages 'bout what I've learned thru my experiences in LA, but it's too late at night for me to assemble a coherent post that long. ;)
Last thing though, no matter how negative and/or pessimistic picture I paint I never want to discourage anyone from going after their dreams. I just want to help people go in w/their eyes open. Running headlong into reality hurts a bit less if you are expecting the sudden impact.

OnceUGoMac said:
Perhaps I'm just biased against video, but I would recommend learning the rules of film editing. Once you learn these, you'll know where to focus on in your reel.
Click to expand...
In terms of editing what does it matter if the footage was acquired on film or video? Aside from a few logistical differences the acquisition format is irrelevant. It's not like 20 years ago where film was cut on a flat-bed and video was cut on linear machines. Or am I misunderstanding what you are saying?


Lethal
 
Yeah, the music is royalty free, so it kind of sucks. If you could hook me up with a good royalty free song that would be sweet.

thanks



LethalWolfe said:
I have to agree w/jayeskreezy. Right now your reel is a seemingly random collection of images on top of a repeating (and rather down tempo) music bed. Your reel needs to show samples of your work in an engaging and energizing fashion in about 4 minutes. A typical kind of framework is a high energy, attention getting intro, then 3-4 samples of your work, and finally a high energy, attention getting outro.

RE NYC:
I didn't go east to NYC but west to LA and even though the scenes are different I think they share a lot of basic similarities. The first thing to keep in mind is that you have to patient and persistent. Every year there are thousands of new graduates that venture off to NYC (or LA or any other big industry town) to do exactly what you want to do. There is such a surplus of talent that working for free is common and even craptacular PA gigs probably pull in 50-75 apps and have "experience required" tags on the job listings (even if there is little/no pay). Networking will get you more jobs than sending off resumés so don't write off internships/non-paying jobs flat out and keep in touch w/people higher up on the food chain than you.

I could ramble on for pages 'bout what I've learned thru my experiences in LA, but it's too late at night for me to assemble a coherent post that long. ;)
Last thing though, no matter how negative and/or pessimistic picture I paint I never want to discourage anyone from going after their dreams. I just want to help people go in w/their eyes open. Running headlong into reality hurts a bit less if you are expecting the sudden impact.


In terms of editing what does it matter if the footage was acquired on film or video? Aside from a few logistical differences the acquisition format is irrelevant. It's not like 20 years ago where film was cut on a flat-bed and video was cut on linear machines. Or am I misunderstanding what you are saying?


Lethal
Click to expand...
 
corywoolf said:
Yeah, the music is royalty free, so it kind of sucks. If you could hook me up with a good royalty free song that would be sweet.

thanks
Click to expand...

Honestly, I don't think anyone worry's about music for their reel. Just don't use something too popular.


Lethal
 
haha like Lethal said, its crazy out here (LA). You will be surprised that people will do free work in the extend of Edit on FCP, do color correction, Fix the sound, and Make a DVD and go into Photoshop and edit kickass menues. All. For. Free.

Yes its insanity. The only way you make it up in this business is contacts. Ive never had a job where somebody asked me "hey, where did u go to school?" or "let me see your resume 1st" BUT I did get a job because I worked with a fellow named Nate and he liked my and called me again cause he had a new gig going (will be filming the music video this weekend) So it is all contacts and again like Lethat said, Competition is like made. Free work is almost a must.

But, this also isnt a random job where somebody is like "I need some money, I think ill get in the entertainment industry" If thats your motive, you will loose soon. YOu have to go with the mentality that you love this field and keep pushing through.
 
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