Never underestimate the power of being READY when an opportunity knocks on your door. A reel can be the ticket to your next gig- and the absence of one might leave the impression that you are not a pro or not ready for the next level.
Here Are 3 Traps To Avoid
Too long
I will not look at a reel that’s longer than 5 mins. there’s nothing magical about 5, that’s just the point at which I lose interest. I either really like it within 1-3 mins, or I’m bored waaaay before then.
Cuts too slow
you’re not trying to tell a linear story in a reel, you’re attempting to captivate attention. This is typically executed by stringing together clips that are 3-4 seconds long.
Not COMPELLING
if you don’t use a variety of shots — close up, wide shot, stable, shaky, color, black and white, slow, fast, etc. — it will be hard to captivate the audience.
These tips typically hold true across genres - acting, directing, producing. If you’re a sports announcer, host or news talent, your individual clips will be longer but the reel should still be between 5-7 mins!
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I had Pierce Brosnan reach out to me too. Also been DM'd by someone with a very light profile who is asking some fairly odd questions. Sadly, I can't even get scammers to option my scripts haha!
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Adam Harper Pierce obviously felt a little bereft of work, after ending his time with the Bond franchise. I hope you reached out and offered him some comfort!
Elaine Chang Huh. I must admit your comment leaves me a bit confused. I'd sort of imagined that one of the benefits of a place like Stage 32 is that folks can reach out to other folks to take a look a...
Expand commentElaine Chang Huh. I must admit your comment leaves me a bit confused. I'd sort of imagined that one of the benefits of a place like Stage 32 is that folks can reach out to other folks to take a look at their stuff, or offer note swaps in a "I'll read yours if you read mine" kind of thing. Am I mistaken?
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Stephen Notley: I hope that S32 is exactly the right place for work sharing, etc.! What I have a problem with is people pretending they're others--in fact, ripping off others' identities--in order to...
Expand commentStephen Notley: I hope that S32 is exactly the right place for work sharing, etc.! What I have a problem with is people pretending they're others--in fact, ripping off others' identities--in order to reach out. I don't know what you find confusing about that key distinction. But I'm on board with what you say, and have befriended quite a few awesome fellow writers here in a short time.
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Elaine Chang Ah! Okay, I see the distinction. It's not that people are reaching out to you with interest in your work, but that they're pretending to be something they're not, posing as agents and pro...
Expand commentElaine Chang Ah! Okay, I see the distinction. It's not that people are reaching out to you with interest in your work, but that they're pretending to be something they're not, posing as agents and producers, etc. Got it! And very much agreed: liars are LAME!