So I alluded to this on Twitter, but I’m going to expand a little more on the subject of reel cutting. On Tuesday October 19th, Film Independent held a gathering for Cinematographers and Directors to connect. The event centered around the screening of about 15 DP reels. Don’t get me wrong, I watch my friends’ reels and random finds on the internet, but this was the most concentrated viewing of my peers’ work and it was a blast.
I walked away with lots of notes for myself. Like with any public screening, you learn a lot from people’s reactions. Considering how concise my current cut was, there was no shuffling of feet or signs of boredom. It did help to see my work sandwiched between a bunch of other material so I could clearly see what shots should go and what should be extended.
While it’s not ideal to cut one’s own reel, I enjoy editing and keeping things in house means that I can make updates whenever I have the time (and the footage from production). However, avoiding sentimentality about certain shots can be tough. You instantly recall the great effort or challenge you faced in getting it (or sometimes the opposite, it was TOO easy to include, even if people love the way it looks). Other than getting notes from friends, nobody has ever cut my reel for me (for better or worse).
Changing the soundtrack is always exciting. According to my Final Cut Pro project, this is revision number 26. I don’t have an exact system for changing the number and there are several cuts that I know changed a lot between say “15a” and “15d,” but in all this time, I’ve only used 3 songs. I loved using RJD2’s “Ghostwriter” but I started hearing the once unknown artist & song appearing in national commercials. I’m happy to see his success though, since I’ve been listening to his amazing beats since his days with MHz in the late 90’s. I believe it is important to use a song that most of the population doesn’t know. Not because my musical knowledge is filled with the arcane, but because I don’t want anybody bringing in their baggage/associations with the song. If a potential employee of mine uses Dave Matthews Band in their reel, I’m instantly going to be turned off by their work (and taste in music).
There a few of my friends that I consult with for musical choices. My best friend from high school, Christian Arcand, has always been a musical mentor. A certified hip-hop head, he was the host of Colorado’s legendary show, Basementalism, and often sends me songs to use in my reel. However, I really wanted to use something bluesy and the new Black Keys album, “Brothers” is amazing. Unfortunately, even though I’ve been listening to them since their classic debut, they are rapidly becoming very (very) popular. As much as I wanted to use “Sinister Kid“, I’m pretty sure it will be a single in the coming months.
It was a hard decision on what to replace The Baldwin Brother’s instrumental classic “Download the Upgrade” with, but I settled on Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “Shuffle Your Feet” from their 2005 release, Howl. Several other BRMC tracks and some Black Keys put up a good fight, but I’m confident this was a sound decision and can enjoy many re-cuts before returning to iTunes for some new soundtrack…
Reels are a necessary evil that we all confront. If there is only one positive aspect about cutting your reel, remember this: you have final cut.
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