New Highlights Reel - Feedback appreciated

So I created a new demo reel, using highlights from various weddings throughout last year. TBH, I've found I'm not a big fan of doing them this way, as I kinda like just using highlights per wedding instead. But it was a task & I was in pretty deep and didn't want to give up. Anyway, there's probably 2 or 3 tweaks I'm aware of, and will likely make those minor changes, but wanted some overall feedback as to what others see. A 2nd set of eyes so to speak, or a critic/devils advocate:

37mediagroup Wedding Demo Reel on Vimeo

Also, FWIW I do longform weddings, shoot the entire thing, and solo. Not a trailer/highlight person per se, gotta shoot it all. Also admittedly I'd say I'm mid-end, taking what comes my way, aside from the tirekickers & peanuts offers.

[Adrian Tan]

Hi David, my main feedback is that I think you should consider cutting it down, on the basis that people have short attention spans.

It's currently at 9 minutes -- could you consider slashing and burning down to 2 or 3 minutes? Or do you feel that it's important to retain the length to show off more extended sequences and give a fair representation of what clients should expect?

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by Adrian Tan

Hi David, my main feedback is that I think you should consider cutting it down, on the basis that people have short attention spans.

It's currently at 9 minutes -- could you consider slashing and burning down to 2 or 3 minutes? Or do you feel that it's important to retain the length to show off more extended sequences and give a fair representation of what clients should expect?

Thanks Adrian, tbh that's something I totally felt. Which is why I didn't like mixing weddings. Not a fan of longer trailers as I think people don't watch them if its not their own, and just skip around. I can try skimming it down to 2-3 mins, not sure its possible but I'll likely need to step away from it for a couple days to take a new fresh look at it. Otherwise I may just keep it, yet use individual wedding edits to supplement it.

Thanks tho.

[Tim Lewis]

Adrian will know what I mean by that knocking sound! I don't know if this is the best music for the clips, but as I have found out from Adrian, it is popular.

David, the first thing I would do is get on to Vimeo and choose a better still frame for the video to display before it plays. The shot we are seeing to the seeing is not representative of your work.

The little dance sequence in the title slide looks very empty and "alone". Something with a bit more pathos and emotion would better help draw the viewers attention in at that point. Maybe consider that can go at the end? I don't have any criticisms of the camera etc. work as I don't feel qualified to criticise there.

If you have to get your head around a shorter version, I have found the walk away technique you mention to be very good. I come back and try a new piece of music of the length I want to end up with and often the cut comes from the inspiration of the music.

These are just some comments from a viewer, I don't shoot weddings (often), but, hey, at the movies, everyone is a critic!