This is what you've been waiting and working for. The end of school is in sight and you're ready to make a creative contribution to the world, the likes of which has never been seen before. There's only one small glitch - now you have to figure out how to pay your own bills.
Every incredible career starts with that first job, and every first job starts with a good reel. So let's translate the basic ins and outs of building a good resume and reel into some terms you might be more familiar with.
Scripting
No reel should ever go out without a resume and cover letter. Writing them is a little like writing a script. They should be interesting and enjoyable for the viewer and have a storyline that leads to a conclusion; in this case, a job. A good resume format for job seekers fresh out of school includes 3 things:
Let's start with your experience. You may not have a lot of it, so make the most of what you have. List projects you've worked on in chronological order. Make sure you include the role you played and a brief description of the project. Keep it simple, though. Each entry should be no more than 2-3 sentences.
Listing your educational background is a good way to fill out your resume. You should include the school name, your concentration, degree and year of graduation, even if you haven't graduated yet. You can list your GPA if you wish, but it's not necessary. And don't go into a detailed narrative of your education. Unless there's something unique about it that makes you stand out from the other applicants, your audience will probably find it unnecessary information.
Finally, a short list of relevant; let me repeat, relevant - accomplishments is a good thing to include. Did you win an award for something you worked on? How about professional affiliations? Or school organizations? Anything that will set you apart from the competition while still being related to your desired position is good. And remember, you should keep your resume to one page.
Casting
On to the reel. Just like casting a film, you need to cast your reel by choosing the pieces that will best convey your message to your potential employer. In order to do this, you need to know a few things about yourself and the company you're applying to.
First, figure out where you want to focus. Do you want to be an editor? Producer? Writer? Chances are, whatever decision you make will change, or at least be refined, over the course of your career. But it's always good to have a goal in mind, even if that goal changes from time to time. Make a list of the pieces you have worked on that best fit your career goals. For example, if you want to be an editor, pick out the pieces that really showcase those skills.
When you cast a production, it's important to know your target audience. There are tons of actors whose biggest talent is connecting with an audience. Likewise, you need to choose clips that will connect with the company you're applying to. Within each discipline, there are many different paths. For example, producing a news program requires a completely different set of skills than producing a TV spot. If your ultimate goal is to be a news producer, select pieces you have produced that showcase news or documentary style programming.
Editing
Now that you know what pieces belong on your reel, it's time to do a little editing. A reel with 6 one-minute clips is much more interesting than a reel with 1 six-minute clip. Give your viewer some variety. If you show one long clip, you have two potential problems. The first is, unless you're Spielberg, your viewer is going to get bored. Six minutes is a lot longer than you think. Second, what if the viewer doesn't like the clip you chose? You're sunk. But if there are 6 shorter clips, you have a better chance that they will like something you have to show.
Once your reel is built, make sure you include a list with the title of each clip and your role in the production. Alternatively, you could convey this information with CG on the screen, MTV style.
Design
So, now you've got it all together. You've written (and proofed!) your resume and cover letter, and your reel represents who you are, or at least who you want to be. It's time to put the finishing touches on the package. Put a little thought into the presentation of your materials. You're trying to find a job in a creative field, so your presentation should reflect that.
Don't panic when you're trying to figure out the look for your materials. It doesn't have to be fancy; it just needs to be consistent. Keep the typeface the same across your resume, cover letter and media labels. If you've gone as far as to design a logo for yourself, use it, where appropriate, on all your materials. If you've picked out a great color scheme or a cool paper for your resume, figure out how those get incorporated into your VHS or DVD labels, too. When you're done, all of your materials should look like they belong together.
The End
Here are a few final notes to help you conquer the reel world. When you have a great idea you want to incorporate, write it down. Get paper samples from the paper store and put them where you will see them every day for a week before you decide which one to go with. Talk to your friends and professors about what you're planning to do and ask them for feedback. And most importantly, don't be afraid to experiment.
There's no doubt that marketing your skills is a lot of work. But plan it out, step-by-step, like you would any other project and your big debut will be a smashing success.
At the time of publication Jake Lambert was a Sr Producer at Broadview Media; production hub for several popular home improvement and reality shows. He is currently a Sr Producer with Draft|FCB.
