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Demo Reel versus Website
I am serious thinking about chucking demo reels and just sending to online site only (as well as having Vimeo and YouTube channels).
Anyone hard pressed by clients for optical discs these days?
Richard M. Harrington, PMP
Author: From Still to Motion, Video Made on a Mac, Photoshop for Video, Understanding Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Studio On the Spot and Motion Graphics with Adobe Creative Suite 5 Studio Techniques
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21 Replies
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Have not sent out a demo reel in probably 5 years now…….
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” Winner, Best Documentary, LA Reel Film Festival.
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Can’t remember when I sent a reel or disc out last, been years. Most people calling have already seen my sites and just want more info. No one yet has been turned off by sending them a link. However I have most stuff ready to zip and email when a corporate client is completely locked down and has no access to streaming video. When I’m at a lunch meeting I pull out the Droid and play web demos there – interestingly enough it’s a soft sell that we do “web videos”.
Steve
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We either make a demo specifically for a prospect or send them a disc off the shelf. This comes down to knowing your audience. Some folks on corporate networks have trouble with online video or likewise need a disc to show others. Case by case basis.
Mike Cohen -
We don’t get requests for actual physical reels TOO often, but it does happen. In fact I just FedEx’ed one out today. The request came from the feedback form on our website, so I know for a fact that the requestor (a producer in another state who has a new client in our area) has already visited our site. They either want to see more, or to have a physical copy they can pass around, or whatever.
So yes… while we primarily rely on the web we also provide physical reels when asked. I think one of the advantages we have to our reels (we primarily produce broadcast commercials) is that we have different menu-accessible areas on our reels that show different genres… retail, financial institutions, health care, automotive, political, etc. We could put all that on our website, but then the site gets a bit big and overwhelming, I think. I’d rather keep the site a bit more simple giving viewers a “taste”… and if they want to see more (or see something more specific), they can give us a shout.
Like Mike we have also on occasion made custom reels for prospects, zeroing in on more specific spots that are either similar to their businesses or perhaps with a similar concept to what they are trying.
That’s a long answer to simply say, “We use both.”
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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I don’t think I have put a reel in the mail in over a decade.
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I’ve been directing people to my site for 3 years now.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
To quote a client from a recent conversation:
“The cloud doesn’t always work”
I was recently sitting at a computer in a hospital conference room – no Flash player and an old version of Windows Media Player, nor DVD playback. And network access was slow.
The real world can be much different than the world we media pros live in.
Know thy audience – offer options depending upon the client.
Mike Cohen
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A different twist to the question….as managers/owners of production companies, which would you prefer when looking to hire new employees? A dvd reel or website?
Doug
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As an employer, I prefer getting a physical reel in.
At the bare minimum, it shows me that a prospective employee is serious about wanting a job… simply because it takes a little time, effort, and trouble to actually get a physical reel in my hands. It only takes a mouse click to send me a website link.
That, plus I just prefer watching DVDs on a real television set, seen more as they are “meant to be seen,” rather than little embedded videos.
It’s been quite a while since we had a job opening or made any solicitation for reels, but I still get bunches of DVDs across my desk every week, and I do watch each and every one of them. Ok… I might not watch them the day they come in, and I might not watch all of each of them (some may only get fifteen seconds), but they do all make it into the machine.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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[Todd Terry] “That, plus I just prefer watching DVDs on a real television set, seen more as they are “meant to be seen,” rather than little embedded videos.”
That begs the question, DVD or Blu-Ray?
I can embed a full 1080p video. I haven’t yet made a blu-ray disc.
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