How to make a good video showreel

To try to promote yourself in the video market, you need to use a video showreel. Since this is a promotional video in which the product to be advertised is you, it is good that the video is coherent and highlights all your best works, also differentiating according to the sector you want to deal with.

What is a video showreel

It is a short video, running time from 1 to 2 minutes, containing your best job performance in the industry. Much more than a simple resume, the showreel is much more like a portfolio dedicated to the video sector and is used to show your skills, your best work and the equipment you use.

Creating a video showreel to promote yourself can be complicated, especially at the beginning. You risk overdoing the material and the clips. So here are some concrete tips to follow to create a video showreel capable of attracting potential viewers by leaving their mark.

Tips for making a good video showreel

1.     Don’t be afraid to make cuts in your showreel

If necessary, cut mercilessly. It is important to highlight in your showreel the core skills, abilities and strengths that you will want to highlight.

2.     Be brief

Likely, those who will watch your showreel will not even get to the end. For this reason, it is important to be short and that your ability is clear and evident from the beginning. To attract attention, you don’t need minutes and minutes of material. You just need to leave your mark.

3.     Open and close the video showreel with your best bits

Neil Gallagher, an industry expert and college professor, suggests starting with a bang and ending with one of your best pieces. Therefore, it is good to insert your tip piece immediately and then leave a second of excellent quality to close your showreel.

4.     Market the video showreel

Your showreel can be imagined as an advertising campaign in which the product to promote is you. Our advice is to do video marketing to promote yourself through this showreel while focusing on your skills but not overdoing the length.

5.     Make your role clear

It is not enough to insert simple cuts of your work but clearly explain what your role was, how you contributed, and your professional skills in your showreel. Make sure your name is clear right away, along with your skills and abilities. It also shows the before and after if you specialize in color grading and color correction works, so you do not just explain your role but clearly show your skills.

6.     Go into detail: what did you do

What tools did you use? What’s your best pieces?  This is important information that should not be overlooked. Clearly explain your work. It is not enough to show what you did, but it is important to explain how you did it.

7.     Simplicity always pays off

If you are a beginner, avoid venturing into too complex projects that could appear unprofessional if not well finished and treated; if you are a rookie, keep to simplicity by focusing everything on the quality of your showreel.

8.     Technique in a showreel beats originality

The showreel definitely needs style to attract attention but remember that we should first be getting technical skills base. Therefore, it is important always to prefer technique to originality that you will learn to handle with time and experience.

9.     Avoid clichés

The showreel is a great way to show technique and creativity, so it is good to set aside trivial cliché. When you prepare your showreel and you want to amaze, think about how the people who watch it could take the clichés; your work must never seem banal but creative, sophisticated and refined.

10. Create a relevant showreel

The relevance is key. It is therefore vital to know who will handle your showreel. If you specialize in several sectors and prepare more than a showreel, select the most appropriate one depending on the viewer to whom you send it.

11. Update your showreel regularly

Your showreel is a bit like a portfolio. It is important to update regularly to present your last best work because you will definitely improve from the beginning and your first jobs will certainly not be the best to display.

The digital sector is always constantly evolving. Show your potential viewers that you have adapted your equipment, that you use competitive software and that you continue to update yourself by studying the best techniques and news.

12.  Include only your best works

It will seem like a trivial thing to say, but it is not. Avoid adding lots of works to make a good impression. You will impress your potential viewers by using only your best works in the showreel. How it works in general for the world of work is not important the quantity but the quality you offer.

13.  Add graphics and titles

Graphics are great for going into detail. Don’t just use some clips in your showreel but insert graphics to specify exactly your contribution to that project. The showreel video could be an infographic video to show your previous work.

14.  Keep the rhythms right

The right rhythms, as well as the right timing, are essential. No potential viewers have more than 30 minutes to view the different showreels. Therefore, it is necessary to concentrate everything in a time frame of 1 to 2 minutes.

The different clips have the right time and that none take up too much time, avoiding that they are repeated. Then be careful not to make the mistake of putting all the best at the end; remember to start with a bang and close with a high-quality piece always to keep curiosity.

How to produce a video showreel

Knowing how to promote yourself in a professional and appropriate way can make a difference in attracting more viewers. Potential viewers often request more than one creative showreel before choosing the one to work with.

It is suitable to remember that they will dedicate a few minutes to your showreel in which, however, you will have to leave your mark. An excellent way to do this is definitely to insert your best work from the beginning to attract attention and push them towards the end, where you will insert another of your best works. This will surely raise your chances of being chosen.

To conclude

What makes a showreel perfect? It is very subjective, it is still a creative portfolio that has to show your skills, but there is no single way to do it. However, it is of fundamental importance that you represent yourself in the right way to tell about your skills and abilities.