Updating demo reels is like digging through mountains of old journals looking for an ounce or two of something precious. The hope is you find a gem or two allowing you to keep making new piles to dig through later on. I simultaneously curse at and thank all the live event coverage and interview footage I pass on the way to anything even remotely interesting looking.
Demos are also about the edit and music. In times past (here and here) I was looking for something moody and hoping to show how cool I am. Turns out once you hit your mid-thirties it’s a little easier to care less. Who would you rather hang out with, the moody kid in the corner concerned with how cool he is or the one who’s both smiling and giving you an opportunity to dance as you walk through the door? Don’t worry, they’re both secretly on the cusp of throwing up out of nervousness when someone sees the work they’ve done.