American Cinematographer - December 2000 - 94

on

that tape.

I suggest that cine¬

matographers use sound designers,
Flame or Henry work, and even recut
and retransfer commercials if they
don't like what the

agencies did. This
competitive, and it's
incredibly difficult to separate your¬

business is very
self from the
that.

pack."
Opinions vary on how to do
According to Judy Marks, who

own self-titled agency, a
demo reel should somehow reflect

has her

the direction

cinematographer

a

pursue. "You can say that a
reel is about composition or lighting

hopes to
or

camera

movement,

bottom line for

For

cinematographers,
the complex task of
assembling an effective
demo reel is frequently
a source

of both

a mere

formality, or even a non¬
cinematographers

issue; experienced

often hired because of their

are

impressive bodies of work or long¬
standing professional relationships.
For most directors of

however, such

a

photography,

situation is the

elation and despair. AC
finds out why.

exception and not the rule.
Agents, directors and produc¬

by Christopher Probst

best work, but should also be created
with

one

it's

sales tool. "I

a

major consideration: that
see a

lot of cine¬

matographer's reels, and it absolutely
boggles my mind that someone
wouldn't spend every minute and
every dime he has on his reel," states
Devin Mann, a representative of

all-

matographers at Innovative Artists
Agency. "I get about 10 submissions a
week, and I immediately look at all of

-

dilemma of how

to create an

encompassing document of one's
skills is a rite of passage that each
must grapple with as his or her career
progresses. Naturally, this presenta¬
tion is most important at the begin¬
ning of one's career, when a name is
judged entirely by a 1/2" VHS or
3/4"+6 calling card: the demo reel.
The role a cinematographer's
demo reel plays throughout his
career varies widely. Early on, a reel
must represent who you are and
what you're capable of doing, to
people completely unfamiliar with
you and your work. For more estab¬
lished cinematographers, a reel can
December 2000

agree that a demo reel should not
only showcase a cinematographer's
ers

matography is the cinematogra¬
pher's need to present his work in
an engaging, provocative and
succinct manner. As any director
of photography - young or old,
worldwide
will attest, the singular

Inseparable from the art of cine¬

92

be

commercial and music-video cine¬

them because I don't want to miss

a

possible gem. What I usually find is
that although most cinematogra¬
phers spend a lot of time working on
their craft, many forget how to
present their craft. You can be a bril¬
liant cinematographer, but if you
have a lousy reel you're not going to
get the job."
"It doesn't

matter

what font

you use on your resume, or even
whether an agency's name is on it,"
Mann continues. "Getting hired for a

job has everything to do with what's

raphy is that

a

a

but the

director of photog¬

reel has to reflect

where you are coming from [and]
the kind of work you want to do," she
"It's

very simple idea, but it's
key: a reel is a reflection of what's
important to you. If you try to please
everybody, you're going to end up
not doing a good job and not being
very happy doing it."
Stacy Cheriff, a former partner
asserts.

a

of Marks's who

now runs

self-titled

her

own

boutique agency for cine¬
matographers, notes that many of
the people who view reels - partic¬
ularly with commercials or music
videos in mind
are often
looking
for something specific. "They want to
see what they're
looking for. They
may be looking for green midgets
with blue hair, and if you have green
midgets with blue hair on your reel,
you'll be selected. Unfortunately,
what they're looking for changes
every minute. And what they say they
want and what they eventually pick
can often be completely different
things! Go your reel is absolutely
crucial. In the absence of having an
advocate for you present, you're
being judged solely on that [factor];
your reel truly stands alone and
speaks alone."
"When I get a reel, I look at
things differently than a director
does," submits Gregg Dallesandro of
Montana Artists Agency. "I almost
like to see something that's more
-



American Cinematographer - December 2000

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