Video Demo Reel

Virum

Newest version.

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I always feel guilty posting my video stuff here...like it's some lesser form of art (probably is).

Anyways, I'm trying to get a moderate demo reel together. Sadly I don't have a lot of footage at the moment (only a couple of projects) because work and school have been keeping me - and mainly other people - busy. But I should be shooting more stuff soon so I can add to it. I'd still like some thoughts...the idea is to get some work with it even if it's not great stuff. I've already got an infomercial lined up but I'd like to do stuff like music videos.

10mb Quicktime mpeg4 audio sorensen 3 vid.

HarryFour

The car stuff was cool, and Ozzy did the job. Everything else was kinda meh...what's it suppose to be, a detective story? The glass pouring bit was a little long/didn't serve much purpose. The gun in the beginning was cool but then the slow walk up thing was a little cheezy to me, unless that's the aim. What camera are you using?

Virum

Some of it is from a private eye short, some from a feature I'm working on, and some from other stuff.

Yeah I watched it again just now and think the walking should go too. I was advised to actually make it shorter by another forum, which actually seems like a good idea to me too, it seemed kind of weird only having a 45 second "reel" so I tried to extend it a bit.

As for the camera, a modified DVX100b:

http://www.reel-stream.com/

Virum

Tightened it up

HarryFour

I can't watch it on the computer I'm currently on, sadly, lol. The walk felt weird to me (before) because at the very beginning it looks like he's standing and you told him to start walking, so if it were cut down it'd probably look better. I'm in the process of collaborating on a script to hopefully shoot sometime next year, and I was looking at the DVX100, how's it shoot/feel? The picture looks great and I've heard good things.

Virum

I love it to death, best 3,000 I ever spent. Of course, I don't use it as a stock DVX much anymore (most of the footage I film uses the andromeda mod I paid to have put in it).

Godfather

For 3000 smackers, i'd hope you'd love it to death.



The tightened up version works better by the way.

Virum

Thanks Godfather.

And if you count the 2,000 I spent to get it "andrometized" it's closer to $5,000.

I want to be a filmmaker so it's worth it to me.

Deek

Video a lesser art! for shame! I've posted vids here before. Art is art and no medium is lesser than others.

I also like the shorter version. However, Reel's in general should be about a minute. I know most folks wont look past the first 10 secs but if they do they wanna see more. It all feels like it's from the same film to me. I would think hmm this guy does this one genre really well i wonder about others?

Like the shots you chose except for the blurry car shot.I think the pan is good and I like the tight feel of the shot. However, the blurry takes away from the reel when you have everything else crisp and clean.

Final Question: How is the depth of field on that camera?

Virum

Thanks for your comments Deek.

Yeah, most of it is from one project (I'm shooting a horror short soon though, which means I can add more pretty soon!), and both projects are related. One is a 1930s gangster movie and the other is private eye short (the b&w stuff) and the fact that the actor is almost always the same doesn't help.

My friend is going to london one week so I think I'll take that weekend to just shoot some cool shots for the reel.

As for the depth of field....well, 1/3 in ccds. So it's nothing to write home about. It's real nice if you can get pretty far back and zoom in, but unless your shooting exteriors that doesn't work and you can't get real tight pans that way. I do have the m2 35mm adapter but because of lightloss it's pretty useless indoors if the room doesn't have windows or anything. I had 3,000 + watts of light going and i had to have my 50mm at f2 to get a decent exposure (camera was at 4.whatever because for sharpness reasons you don't want to go lower). So m2 is great for sunny or even cloudy days outside.

Do you have any tips for getting work? Especially of the music video variety?

For what it is, it's a great cam.

HarryFour

Much better man, much better....what's this andromeda mod you speak of? How does it compare to stock?

Aneurhythmia

HarryFour wrote:

Much better man, much better....what's this andromeda mod you speak of? How does it compare to stock?

From the site it looks like it just pulls the RAW data from the CCD before it gets compressed. If it's anything like digital still photography, then aside from avoiding compression data loss, it gives you greater flexibility for post-processing.

Virum

Yup, and it also pixel shifts for an HD picture.

Deek

you mean as far as that particular camera or just in general shooting tips?

Virum

Just finding work, not really sure what to do other than an ad in the paper.

Aneurhythmia

Virum wrote:

Just finding work, not really sure what to do other than an ad in the paper.

Around me there are a ton of shitty cinematographer/camera operator positions posted on craigslist.

God_is_my_goldfish

Aye, around me as well (I'm a freelance videographer/producer) but most projects are looking for free work, at least to start out. To really get paid work you should hit up mandy.com or the site for whatever local film community is around you, here in Chicago it's the IFP, so something like that.

Deek

Ditto on Craigslist. Also a good way to get some experience under your belt and show folks you have talent and such is to make short films. hook up with some friends who also have the creative gene and work together on projects. Like you and a web designer and a pencil paper artist. People will then see you more like a company and you will get more of all types of jobs. Plus by working with people like that you always have someone to be an extra or hope a mic! :-D A good way to start getting jobs is to talk to people who you perhaps jest met and mention of yeah I'm a videographer. You would be surprised how many people are like wow I have thing thing.....

hope that helps somewhat.

Virum

Thanks guys, it does. I'm actually finishing up editing a short right now. I'll put it up here when it's done, or when the contest I'm making it for lets me.

Staleghoti

I didn't know Fieros came in Banana.


But seriously, it looks pretty cool, well done.

Virum

Well it's an '88 and the paint's a bit faded. Some panels are brighter than others.

Staleghoti

You should get a medal simply cause it still runs.

Virum

Staleghoti wrote:

You should get a medal simply cause it still runs.

It's not mine actually, it's my friend's (the guy that does the smoking in that two shot). I have a '71 VW bus that I should have a metal for for keeping it running. That damn thing has given me so much grief.

Forbe!

The shots dont go together. One part shows people in a speak easy drinkin' 'shine and wearing early 1900's attire, while the other shows a Fiero.

It does not make sense.

I agree with the crispness in contrast with the blurry shots, it doesnt go well together.

Virum

Forbe! wrote:

The shots dont go together. One part shows people in a speak easy drinkin' 'shine and wearing early 1900's attire, while the other shows a Fiero.

It does not make sense.

I agree with the crispness in contrast with the blurry shots, it doesnt go well together.

It's a demo reel, not a trailer. It's suppose to show off what you've done, and show diversity. I just haven't done much yet, which is why a lot is from my private eye short and from my 1900s movie.

Thanks for the thoughts on the bluriness.

Forbe!

Well, in that case....


It needs more dicks.

firebane_543

the quality looks good, but the composition of the shots ain't.

Virum

firebane_543 wrote:

the quality looks good, but the composition of the shots ain't.

That's a first. I've gotten several complements on my eye of shooting and composition on other video forums.

firebane_543

well, that's cool.
congratulations.

..................................

Virum

Well, if you aren't going to go into it I'm not going to take you seriously. Sorry.

Metalbourne

He's got a point, guys. We can't give him bad critiques, he already got a good one on a different forum. It's airtight, we can't do anything. We'd might as well pack it up.

Kalynar

Metalbourne wrote:

He's got a point, guys. We can't give him bad critiques, he already got a good one on a different forum. It's airtight, we can't do anything. We'd might as well pack it up.

Or we can give him a bad critique with some actual feedback instead of shitting our opinion in our hands and smearing it up on the AC wall like brainiac did.

Metalbourne

Kalynar wrote:

Metalbourne wrote:

He's got a point, guys. We can't give him bad critiques, he already got a good one on a different forum. It's airtight, we can't do anything. We'd might as well pack it up.

Or we can give him a bad critique with some actual feedback instead of shitting our opinion in our hands and smearing it up on the AC wall like braniac did.

Hey, if I wanted your opinion, I'd shit in your mouth and ask you how it tasted.

Virum

Metalbourne wrote:

He's got a point, guys. We can't give him bad critiques, he already got a good one on a different forum. It's airtight, we can't do anything. We'd might as well pack it up.

Merriam Webster:

Main Entry: crit·i·cism
Pronunciation: 'kri-t&-"si-z&m
Function: noun
2 : the art of evaluating or analyzing works of art or literature; also : writings expressing such evaluation or analysis <an anthology of literary criticism>

"lol bad composition" isn't a critique. It's a statment.

You don't go up to someone and say "wow you're [whatever art form] sucks." unless it's really really bad (which I know my stuff isn't really really bad, I've had professionals in the industry tell me have some talent and have had them rip apart a few of my stuff as well).

Now, if he had said, "You're composition sucks because you let your actors weave back and forth in front of a light and it's really distracting" I wouldn't write it off.

Basically, you don't go into it and give reasons, I won't take you seriously.

And if you thought what he gave was an actual critique, you're a moron.

Kalynar

Metalbourne wrote:

Kalynar wrote:

Metalbourne wrote:

He's got a point, guys. We can't give him bad critiques, he already got a good one on a different forum. It's airtight, we can't do anything. We'd might as well pack it up.

Or we can give him a bad critique with some actual feedback instead of shitting our opinion in our hands and smearing it up on the AC wall like braniac did.

Hey, if I wanted your opinion, I'd shit in your mouth and ask you how it tasted.

If I wanted any shit from you, I'd scrape it off of Bacon's Dick.

firebane_543

shhesh. fine.
i'll go all technical on your ass.
First off, the second cut is of the human eye, the human eye is a very important structure in composition. Having that close of a shot, and having the eye move too much is jarring and distracting.

Also you could have used levels on that eye, to color correct the whites of the eye so it would look, well...not dull.
Having that good of a camera, and not knowing much about color correction is sad.

The transition between the eye and the next cut is kinda shifty. not fluid. the eye stays on too long, and the crossfade is too short on the next cut.

Many of the shots are unstable, that is, they are not shaky enough to pass off as handheld, and not stable enough either to pass it as anything else.
spend 30 bucks on a tripod, and you will see your compositions improve MUCH.

the shot with the hands is too red, and boring. nothing happens, but hands.

the smoke shot is cool though.

the shot of the girl with the skirt is just plain ackward.

I really like the car shots though. although it doesn't suit the period.
neither does the music.
feels like you just threw ozzie on top, and that's it.
plus if you want to use this as a demo reel, i'd advise against using copyright music. some employers will write you off when you do that.

But what does it matter? you won't agree with half the stuff I wrote, and you'll write the rest off as spite.

but when I say I dont like the composition, it probably means I don't like the composition. This is a visual art, first impressions are the most important.

Virum

Now see, you actually put some time into it and I'll actually take what you said into consideration.

Thanks.

firebane_543

well, it's flame week.
i thought a short little fire would suffice.

Virum

firebane_543 wrote:

well, it's flame week.
i thought a short little fire would suffice.

Wait...so were you serious with what you said or not?

Cause I can still call you one fucking ignorant cocksucking motherfucker if you want.

Phonehand

It always gets me that the characters in student film look positively like students and generally don't fit in context.

I like it though.

Virum

Phonehand wrote:

It always gets me that the characters in student film look positively like students and generally don't fit in context.

I like it though.

Haha yeah. Thanks.

You use what you can get. I wish I was actually at a university though, I'd know more people I could get to be in it.