New Reel - Looking for feedback, thanks!

[Bruce Greene]

http://www.brucealangreene.com/director-of-photography-reel.html

 

I've just completed the "1st draft" of a new reel. I would appreciate your feedback about how it's working, technically (how does it work on your computer, phone, tablet), artistically, and as a sales tool.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Miguel Angel]

Hi!

 

I watched it on the iPad and on my Mac, it worked well on both.

 

I think that it is a very nice reel, maybe a bit long and I didn't especially connect the "landscape" shots at the beginning with the rest of it, which has a better pace and shows that you are a fantastic cinematographer who has a personal and artistic voice and is able to light any given scenario.

 

Said that, I didn't like the two or three "blood" shots as in I think that they don't match well with the rest, maybe in a different position?

 

Besides that, everything looks beautiful, as always!

 

Have a lovely day!

[Bill DiPietra]

I think you're doing yourself a disservice with the rapid-fire editing. Your work is really nice, but it's rather hard to judge it fairly since the shots are so quick.

[Bruce Greene]

Thanks for the feedback. It's much appreciated!

 

The genesis of this reel was a request by an agent for a compilation reel. On my website I already have clips, with longer sequences (less quick cutting). But this reel is not for cinematographers, but for producers.

 

Since I posted this this morning, the agent has commented that it's still 45 seconds too long. And my biggest challenge is that most of the movie stars are Russian and not known in the US. My assignment, should I choose to accept it, is to front load the American familiar actors, and cut 45 seconds without destroying any sense of photography or story telling...

 

I'm afraid that if the cuts are more relaxed, there will be very little breadth to the reel. Unfortunately, my target is US TV producers and they want to see shows and actors they know, more than good photography. Tough business isn't it?

[Phil Rhodes]

Not as tough as when you haven't actually got any known faces on your reel...

[Mark Kenfield]

+1 on the edit being too quick. It's so fast it's honestly hard to take in much of anything. I think having some rapid-fire sections is fine, but at present it's a bit hard to watch, if you had some more moderately paced sections interspersed with the rapid stuff, I think you'd have something people could sit through more easily.

 

Nothing wrong with the pictures themselves though, just the pacing.

[Bruce Greene]

+1 on the edit being too quick. It's so fast it's honestly hard to take in much of anything. I think having some rapid-fire sections is fine, but at present it's a bit hard to watch, if you had some more moderately paced sections interspersed with the rapid stuff, I think you'd have something people could sit through more easily.

 

Nothing wrong with the pictures themselves though, just the pacing.

Thanks Mark for your reply. I think though, it's not a reel for cinematographers to view, but for producers. I have more leisurely samples on my website for those desiring a more in depth look. This one is more like a movie trailer, than the actual movie... This reel was created at the suggestion of an DP agency, for a maximum of 2.5 minutes (the longest, from his experience, that a producer will look at a reel when there are multiple reels to review).

 

If I can get some producers to look at it, I'll know better how well it's working for them. Personally, I'd rather just hand them a BluRay of an entire movie, but only 1% of my friends will watch a whole movie, no matter how entertaining it is :)

[Bruce Greene]

+1 on the edit being too quick. It's so fast it's honestly hard to take in much of anything. I think having some rapid-fire sections is fine, but at present it's a bit hard to watch, if you had some more moderately paced sections interspersed with the rapid stuff, I think you'd have something people could sit through more easily.

 

Nothing wrong with the pictures themselves though, just the pacing.

BTW, Mark ... you have a great reel!!! Well done :)

[Romain le Faune]

Wow, such a high level here ! And a lot of different styles, looks, I think I gonna keep my Reel to myself haha.

 

I'm okay with the pace, but I admit I turned the music off though (I'm not watching it for the music anyway :p )