Nudity in a demo reel?
 

What are people's opinions on this? A couple people I spoke with (within the industry) said it would be ridiuclous to think anyone would be offended by something like that, but I'm not sure (especially if the reel is viewable online).

Sounds like a bad idea to me!.

Mike

We live in the age of the new prudery and the world is full of people looking for things to be offended over. If you're hustling corporate biz, I'd say no because it doesn't get much more prude than in Corporate America. But if you're looking to demo serious photographic work, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Every major photography magazine has nudes.

Agreed. You'd better send it to me for review first.

Have a link? I would have to watch it over a few times to decide.
:)


Being serious though. These days, everyone is offended by everything. I'd leave it out.

Like one of the previous posters, you would really have to think who your target audience is watching the demo reel. With nudity involved though you will probably offend someone and what will it really gain by including it.

It's like what I told a neophyte mountain biker who was pondering the risks of a steep downhill run:

If you gotta ask, then don't.

:-)

Then again, do you want to do business with people who are offended so easily?

Amen to that! I, for one, am tired of the Bluenoses who are most easily offended getting to make the rules and smothering the rest of us who would prefer living in a more open, sensual, and tolerant society. As it is, to survive in today's repressive climate we might have to go along but we don't have to like it.

Wow, I should have known a topic like this would get so many responses so fast.

Normally I would just "play it safe" and leave nude stuff out, but it just so happens that some of my best shot's have been... well... nude. A murder scene in a shower, for example.

I don't think my target audience (filmmakers) would be offended by it, but at the same time I have to be sure not to use it for corporate or event jobs.

Does anyone know of legality issues of having it viewable online (it's not right now, for those who asked ;))? I would think I'd just need to put a warning/disclaimer in front of it.

If everyone involved is over 18 I doubt there'd be any legal issues involved. Of course, you might not want to visit certain countries with very closed societies <grin>

There's nothing that says you can't show multiple reels. I'd make up a conservative one for corporate and event markets and a more adventurous one for entertainment and creative markets.

Multiple reels are preferable. A corporate client could easily be put off by the nude scene on a business level, or at the very least unsure if you are simply the right person to shoot what THEY are looking for. The more your reel resembles the type of project that you are being evaluated for, the more likely you are to get hired.

Same goes for your narrative reel--corporate headshots and people sitting at computers are not great selling points if someone is making a feature (unless it is supposed to resemble a corporate video!)

Pretty simple... it is more likely to put people off than get you the job. As Charles said, a reel or reels should be guided toward the clients you most often go after. Charles himself has a very nice narrative steadicam reel, check it out. Do you have one with some of those nice shots from Mr 3000? There was a couple money SC shots in there...



ash =o)

Thanks Ash,

Yeah, the current version of my Steadicam reel is a few years old so Mr. 3000 is still up front--I'm trying to get around to a recut but I've been focusing more on the DP reel which needs to stay as current as possible.

Both are narrative reels. I don't find it's critical to have a separate commercial/music video reel for Steadicam, but I should have one as a DP and that's ANOTHER project I have to get to (I don't shoot as much of that though).

If anyone wants to look, they are here.

Nice demo reel Charles.