5 Tips for Video Reels
In our last blog post for auditions, we covered resumé tips. But how about video reels?
This is another challenging audition material that takes time to put together. If done well, your video reel will highlight you and be satisfying to watch. Here are 5 tips for video reels:
Keep your video reel 1.5-3 minutes long. Similar to resumés, not many people watch videos longer than three minutes. To maintain the viewer’s attention, keep your reel short and intriguing.
Use quality footage. We’ve all seen videos with poor quality and didn’t enjoy that experience. So, don’t make that same mistake in your video reel. It doesn’t matter how impressive your dancing was if the sound quality was distracting or if the video was fuzzy. Those are elements that can cause the viewer to lose interest.
Select video clips that show off your strengths and versatility. Since you have approximately 2 minutes to make an impression, choose the most interesting or technically challenging part of the dance and trim the video to allow time for other videos. Just like a resumé can be tailored to the company, so can your video reel. If the company to which you’re sending your audition materials favors contemporary work, be sure to include more contemporary work in your reel.
Use videos that have fewer people in them so that the viewer focuses on you. In corps pieces, add an arrow in your reel that points to where you are so that the viewer doesn’t waste time trying to locate you and miss half of your dancing.
Transition smoothly. Just as transitions can make all the difference in a dance combination, they also affect videos. To make the viewer's watching experience more enjoyable, plan out transitions that are seamless and not distracting or jarring. Transition from one video clip to another using similarity in lighting, a perfect music shift, or cohesive dance steps.
Have more questions or want someone to help review your video reel? The School of Ballet 5:8 offers dancer coaching sessions where an experienced professional dancer can give you feedback and advice.