Hey everyone,
I recently graduated film school and have been submitting my thesis film to festivals. For it being my first film submitted on the festival circuit, its been doing rather well, having won several awards, and will be playing in a pretty big festival this week. However, if I get the chance to talk to agents or managers at this or future festivals, I don't currently have a director's reel to show them. Is this a bad scenario? Do I definitely need a director's reel or is this just something handy to have?
While I have footage from my films from film school available to me, the majority of them I don't consider to be the best quality (one I had to shoot without lights because a crew member had them and couldn't be contacted. Another has some sound issues because we had to shoot near busy roads and I lost the SD card with the replaced audio) or they're just okay but don't stand out. The ones I do like however, I do not currently have access to or I cannot locate the drive they are on.
Does anyone have any advice of what I could do? Is there currently any alternatives I can do for a reel or did i just accidentally shoot myself in the foot?
Any and all advice would help out a lot.
Thanks!
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When I first started I wrote 5 individual scenes ranging in genre and went to the local college and Facebook asking for help! I was able to put together a small crew, audition local talent and shot the scenes over weekends. I used it as my reel and it got me my first music video and short film. The key is to network and find passionate individuals like yourself and just do it!
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If your full-length feature is the best representation of your work, that should be your calling card for feature film work. If the festivals you're playing are prestigious fests, I hope a prestigious critic will attend your screening and give a great review. A prestigious review can be a great calling card if you email managers, agents, producers, etc. If they read that review, they may well ask for a screener of your movie.
I helped an Australian director find US representation. His movie screened at Fantastic Fest in Austin. He received a great review from The Hollywood Reporter (among other trusted publications). I included that review when I emailed agents and managers on his behalf. Upon reading the review, the agents and managers requested a DVD of the movie (or passed on watching it). He ended up in a really nice position of choosing among about 6-8 managers, and he also signed with an agent and with my entertainment attorney. It was the Hollywood Reporter review that convinced multiple reps to take the time to screen his movie.
Best of luck!!
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I would like to ask why you don't use the trailer for your film or built it as your reel as long as you don't have other material. A trailer usually shows different sequences with a mixture of dramatic, fun or action scenes. As a director's reel it is not that important to show much dialogue, I think. It's more the way how you capture the mood, the light and how you resonate the sound and music to your pictures - from my point of view. Good luck!
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Erik - if you want to become a Director, then the direct answer to your two question are; yes you need one and if you don't have one - make one. Obviously source it from your work to date.