This has been something I've dealt with for some time. What should a directing reel look and more importantly sound like? Now I've had a number of reels cut for me, and I've as an editor cut many reels for directors, cinematographers, and even editors, but when I look online every reel looks the same... They all look like what I consider a cinematography reel essentially, a music montage, and pretty pictures. If you're a director, isn't sound part of directing? What do you do with sound? On my directing reel, I included sound and dialogue because I consider myself a story teller first and foremost, I believe I have strong images in my work but only in a context of the story. But please read this and I hope to hear your thoughts and get a discussion going. What is most important to put on a directing reel? Here are some examples a few are mine, some are others I found. This is a director's reel I found. Now no offense to the filmmaker intended this is a about presentation, not the quality of your work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lv75Qpkhuw Ok now here is my director's reel. Maybe mine's boring with dialogue and use of the production sound, but which one gives you better feel for the filmmaker? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vd7xoNd4Kw And then here is a Cinematography reel, or atleast one I consider good, and gives me a clear sense of the work of the camera work. Here is the question, why do filmmakers feel this is what thier director's reels should look like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOzlh48uYPE
Filmmaking / Directing : "Directing Reels" What is Right?... by Daniel J. Pico
"Directing Reels" What is Right?...
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Well, I think it's an issue of whether you want to highlight your best work, versus catering to the short attention span of most viewers. I did have a similar reel consisting of a few entire scenes, but realized it didn't have the same immediacy or impact as a quick cut series of images to music. The latest one has gotten far more praise. You may want to cut one that conforms to that style and test both out for responses. Here's mine btw https://vimeo.com/65740846
I tend to agree with Evan. The different reels suit the directors taste and probably makes them feel good about their work. I have yet to direct my first which is slated to shoot mid-oct if I can greenlight the budget. If you have enough material you could make a reel featuring all three styles in one....
Nice reel, Daniel. I think it's really a matter of what the filmmaker feels can be most effective. There are benefits to the hit-em-hard quick-cut style in Evan's and there are benefits for directors to use actual scenes to highlight direction. Cinematographers don't need any sound, as they're highlighting the visual in their work. I'm a comedy director, so I incorporated a little of both. https://vimeo.com/71187234