Showreel Assignment

Assessor: Gilly Hope
Deadline: 7th June 2017
Unit: 37 - Presentation Techniques for Broadcasting
Scenario: Using your filmed/audio work from across the year you have been commissioned to create a show reel. Include an introduction and explanation piece for each section of film.

TASK 1

What is a showreel? Why are they important?

A showreel (also known as a demo reel) is a short piece of video or film footage showcasing an actor or presenter's previous work. They are important because they can advertise the skills, qualities and accomplishments of an individual for a viewing audience to take in and assess.

Examples?

Proposal

It will be a simplistic approach, relying mostly on amateur maneuvers such as a single camera production that will hit off as my introduction, followed by footage of my clips from throughout this year of the course. The audience I have in mind is the class itself, as this showreel is intended solely to be shown for course purposes. Thus, the direction is intended to be linear, starting off with my earliest work and ending with my most recent. 

Actuality footage will only be featured in the very beginning of my showreel, as I intend to talk over the footage shown and explain what I have accomplished this year. There isn't a lot to write about to be honest, as I have everything else to sort through such as actual production of the showreel as well as compile documentation. 

TASK 2

Planning:

• pre-production documentation - all documentation shall be placed right here and if necessary, in a folder/document to be handed in.
• selection of location - locations include Bede Campus of Sunderland College. The only actuality footage used will be the opening of my showreel.
• dress and appearance - casual and plain, using only what I wore on the day. I find it suitable for an amateur, college student's showreel.
• props - no props were used or necessary. Only the camera and myself in front of it were needed for the opening.
• appropriate equipment - camera and tripod along with a possible Tascam for voice-over recording.

Presentation:

• rehearsal - actual presentation for my opening was done on pure improvisation and did not need a script. The case shall be otherwise when it comes to my voice-over recording. 
• recording - voice-over recording will have to  be done in a sophisticated manner, most likely in the Arts Academy studio where I can hopefully complete professionally. 

Script

1st clip: The earliest form of production that involved the use of cameras that I did was a mini-project we did with Alan Sill, simply entitled 'Bede College Trailer'. The task was simple: film whatever you want and then come back to edit the footage. I improvised from there and this was the final result.

2nd clip: My second experience with production and editing came in the form of a lyric video of 'It's Raining Men', by far the most painful experience in my life. It is admittedly poor and I think drags down the rest of the video; however, I took it as a lesson to improve upon my amateur editing skills. 

3rd clip: The Turing Test is a scene from the movie Ex-Machinia, which we recreated with the gorgeous and handsome duo of Al Smith and Laura Beattie. This was with our lecturer Keith Lawler, and was an attempt to get an idea at how single camera productions and techniques work. I was the cameraman for this project. 

4th clip: The Vox Pop interviews were apart of our assignment for Stephen Woods. Me and cameraman Brandon Ord went around Bede campus to interview individuals on their tastes in video games. This was part of research necessary to find our audience and demographic for our own pitched video game.

5th clip: My final production of the year. I, Kevin Middleton and Brandon Ord did a documentary on video game violence, and it is by far my best production, in my opinion. As always though, I could have added more actuality footage and include the interviews; still, there are two more versions as done by my team mates. 

TASK 3

Process - Self Evaluation 

Overall, the showreel itself is very amateur in it's making, which I think reflects my progress made throughout the year. It wasn't till this course that I could edit using Adobe Premiere or put work into camera. As for the actual showreel, it isn't the best. I find the voice over to be dull and boring, and the Tascam did me no favors. Nevertheless, it is complete.