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Sharing published works online; best practices


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Hey folks, what do people feel is the best practice for sharing their published work online? I guess this is mostly applicable to web spots and TVCs.

For instance, if a client publishes a piece you shot and you want to point to it as a shining example of your impeccable work, would you add a link to that on your website, Facebook, etc, or would you prefer to re-upload the same content to your own Vimeo page, then link that. Other options?

Of course, this all hinges on appropriate permissions from clients. Has anyone run into issues surrounding that? How about director's cuts versus client cuts, and whether clients ever take exception to an alternate cut being unleashed on the world.

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I've made short clip reels of my films from the past 10 years or so.  But, I do not post the reels until after the movie has been released (unless I have permission otherwise) and marketed.  I've never had a complaint, and sometimes I've found the production company or even the distributor linking to my clip reel.

When I've needed to, I've even downloaded a film trailer from the web, color corrected it to make it presentable, and re-uploaded it to Vimeo, and link to it from my website.  I've never had a complaint or issue, except once.  And that time they changed the trailer and didn't want me showing the older version (that I liked better).  In this case, I changed the trailer, but ultimately replaced it with the older trailer after the film had had it's run in the cinema and on TV.  What surprised me was that the production company found my (older) trailer online within one day of uploading it.  And it's not like all that many people go to my website either.

To make the clip reels, I have often had access to the master files as I've been my own colorist.  I like these better as the trailers are not always to my liking and have usually been color corrected without my input.

https://www.brucealangreene.com/clips

 

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Mathew...how can you have 0 posts? Doesn't your OP post count for #1?

You should have something in your contract about using samples of the finished work for your portfolio. I can see a client not wanting to give away full control for your use. But figure out some wording to get what you need. You touched on all good options...links or actual content on YT or Vimeo. Generally I like a sampler video that shows examples from many projects.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

 

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10 minutes ago, Daniel D. Teoli Jr. said:

Mathew...how can you have 0 posts? Doesn't your OP post count for #1?

You should have something in your contract about using samples of the finished work for your portfolio. I can see a client not wanting to give away full control for your use. But figure out some wording to get what you need. You touched on all good options...links or actual content on YT or Vimeo. Generally I like a sampler video that shows examples from many projects.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

 

When I last shot for a major Hollywood studio, they would only allow me 30 seconds of footage for a reel.  And I needed to search the movie, write down the timecode, and then pay for an online session to copy the footage. A minimum cost of $1000.

I ended up finding a high quality online trailer that was downloadable and used that ?

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Good input, thank you guys

 

Daniel, good question RE my post count. Maybe this one doesn't count - or at least it didn't when I started posting it...
Very good points about permissions and contractual ability to share. I've never gone to the trouble of including it in a contract (I will from now on), but also never run into resistance. Not after the client has aired the campaign, anyway.

Bruce, the mix down "long trailer" is a great idea. My first thought when watching yours were that they were too long, but then I remembered that I wasn't watching a film trailer, but a Reader's Digest condensed version so I could judge your work without tracking down the film and spending 2 hours watching it. A very natural next step after folks have been wowed by your reel and are now doing more of a due diligence and style check. I love it. You've got a great, polished look, too. Well suited to the material. Cool Impossible Camera shot through the window on Me You He She.

I guess I'm leaning more towards posting my own clips, rather than sharing their links. Setting aside the issue of being able to tweak the cut or grade - By re-uploading, a video is linked to your Vimeo or YT page (keeping people watching your content, rather than moving on to someone else's). The one flipside I can see is that sometimes the context of a client is valuable. For example, I recently shot a TVC campaign for a state tourism board. By sharing the client's link, you can see the scope of the campaign (online magazine, videos, etc), which lends gravitas to the project. In that case, I'm (hopefully) communicating that I have been entrusted with bigger projects. A client potentially has more views and like and all that guff, but I'm not sure how pertinent that is to someone already watching it.

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Thanks for the kind words Mathew.

Yes, my clips reels are longer than most people watch, it's true.  In my case these are foreign films that don't play in the US so they are not well known here.  The idea is that for someone seriously looking at my work, they will get a sense of the whole film in a few minutes if they are truly interested.  For others, I think 30 seconds is about all that most really watch.

And yes, if you have a link to an impressive client site for your TVC work, I can see the advantage in posting that link.

I posted a while back about how we did the "impossible" window shot in this thread if you're interested.

 

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1 hour ago, Bruce Greene said:

Thanks for the kind words Mathew.

Yes, my clips reels are longer than most people watch, it's true.  In my case these are foreign films that don't play in the US so they are not well known here.  The idea is that for someone seriously looking at my work, they will get a sense of the whole film in a few minutes if they are truly interested.  For others, I think 30 seconds is about all that most really watch.

And yes, if you have a link to an impressive client site for your TVC work, I can see the advantage in posting that link.

I posted a while back about how we did the "impossible" window shot in this thread if you're interested.

 

This brings up another possibility. Using HQ stills or a series of stills to illustrate your projects on your resume.

I was an early adopter of using an illustrated bio. 

nsfw

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/biography-of-daniel-d-teoli-jr/

Personally I prefer looking at pictures or film clips than in reading words. You can have a book of text and still be a shitty camera man. But actual work IS the proof in the pudding.

When you look at Bruce's frame do you need much more information? The lighting, shadow detail and comp? Could he say the same thing in a thousand words with no photo? Would 10,000 words do it? Nothing will replace visuals. 

My bio is kinda a mess. I changed the blog to a zine format and it wrecked the spacing and layout of the photos. But I got too many blogs to go back and fix thousands of photos. Plus I don't really care. I'm not looking for a job, I'm a museum photog and experimental filmmaker. I just work on my own, place my work with museums and institutions, on a donation basis. Plus I specialize in a few areas seldom other work in. So lots of wiggle room with my work. But if I had $$ to burn, I'd hire someone to make a nice looking bio instead of the free WordPress model.

Here is a vita by Les Krims. He was an early mentor of mine from the 1970's. Beside museum grade photographer, he is a professor at a university in NY. It is an excellent example of an artist's resume / vita or CV combined with illustrations of the artist's work.

nsfw

https://archive.org/details/LesKrimsVita

Edited by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.
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41 minutes ago, Daniel D. Teoli Jr. said:

This brings up another possibility. Using HQ stills or a series of stills to illustrate your projects on your resume.

I was an early adopter of using an illustrated bio. 

nsfw

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/biography-of-daniel-d-teoli-jr/

Personally I prefer looking at pictures or film clips than in reading words. You can have a book of text and still be a shitty camera man. But actual work IS the proof in the pudding.

When you look at Bruce's frame do you need much more information? The lighting, shadow detail and comp? Could he say the same thing in a thousand words with no photo? Would 10,000 words do it? Nothing will replace visuals. 

My bio is kinda a mess. I changed the blog to a zine format and it wrecked the spacing and layout of the photos. But I got too many blogs to go back and fix thousands of photos. Plus I don't really care. I'm not looking for a job, I'm a museum photog and experimental filmmaker. I just work on my own, place my work with museums and institutions, on a donation basis. Plus I specialize in a few areas seldom other work in. So lots of wiggle room with my work. But if I had $$ to burn, I'd hire someone to make a nice looking bio instead of the free WordPress model.

Here is a vita by Les Krims. He was an early mentor of mine from the 1970's. Beside museum grade photographer, he is a professor at a university in NY. It is an excellent example of an artist's resume / vita or CV combined with illustrations of the artist's work.

nsfw

https://archive.org/details/LesKrimsVita

Daniel, I've been told by producers and agents that they want to see the resume in a standard format, so that's what I've done.

I do like your idea of the illustrated bio though!  I think I might "steal" your idea!

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Well, I didn't invent it, but you seldom see illustrated bios. Since it is kinda rare, it may stand out. When the topic is visual talents, we might as well 'show some off' is my thought.

If they ask for a certain format, give them what they want. When I applied for a Guggenheim and Aaron Siskind Fellowship they asked for very specific limits on the size and type of bio they accepted. So I tried to oblige. Didn't get the fellowships, but learned something in the process.

BTW, you filmmakers should be applying for Guggenheims if you have a decent body of work. It is free and the only thing that surpasses it is the MacArthur Genius.( but it is something you can't apply for.)

Here is the 4 part series on my experience applying for a Guggenheim:

Some links NSFW

Part 1: The Quest for a Guggenheim – What Inspired Me / The Upcoming 4 Part Series / Notable Guggenheim Fellows in Photography

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/notable-guggenheim-fellowship-recipients-in-photography/

Part 2: The Quest for a Guggenheim – History, Application and Process Timeline

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/the-quest-for-a-guggenheim-history-application-and-the-process/

Part 3: The Quest for a Guggenheim – Submitting a Portfolio / An Example Portfolio that Failed to be Awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/the-quest-for-a-guggenheim-an-example-portfolio/

Part 4: The Quest for a Guggenheim – Budget, Notification, Rejection and Closing Remarks

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/the-quest-for-a-guggenheim-budget-notification-closing-details/

Good time to get going if you want to apply. You still have some time for 2019.  Prestige, recognition and money. Plus it is free to apply...so why not? Even if your body of work is so-so, good experience and free...do it! 

 

Edited by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.
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