The video production market is tough. If you want to become a client’s go-to crew, you have to convince them to book you in the first place. And you have 30 seconds or less to do it.
Here are three simple tips to make sure your demo reel knocks out your competition
Put in the Time
There’s not really a way around it: If you want to have a great demo reel, you have to produce great work. And to produce great work, you have to work hard. No matter how gifted, nobody picks up a camera or sits down at Premiere and produces great work in the first hour—or even the 100th hour. Practice truly does make perfect. If you want a demo reel that looks perfect against tough competition, you better be ready to put time into your practice.
Keep It Simple
Your demo reel is like your resume. Use it to show off your highest quality work in the shortest amount of time possible. Thirty seconds seems to be the sweet spot to highlight your skills without boring clients. Make it visually diverse. Demonstrate your macro lens with up-close nature shots and your drone skills with sweeping landscapes. Consider including a shot from an interview as well as a fast-paced action scene. There’s no formula, just be sure to showcase a wide range of your best work.
Make It Easy
No matter how badass your work or your reel maybe, it won’t do you any good if potential clients can’t easily access it. Make sure your demo reel is optimized for mobile viewing, desktop viewing, and anything in between. Post it on Vimeo and YouTube so it’s easy to watch and to share. Meet your clients where they’re already searching for your skillset by setting up a profile on a variety of online media matchmaking platforms. On our comprehensive online database, you can create a robust profile to market your demo reel, stills, gear list, awards, and more to some of the largest clients around the world, including Disney, Oracle, and Verizon.
The Bottom Line
The challenges of freelancing in the video production field are many, but the beauty of it is you’re in the driver’s seat. When you do great work, showcase it on your demo reel and make it easy for clients to view it—well-paying projects are sure to follow.
About Crew Connection
Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.
Read the original article on ProductionHub here.
