The Real Importance on Displaying Your Reel/Work: YouTube & Vimeo versus website

[Philip Howells]

I find this an interesting thread but wonder if there isn't an aspect we've been missing and that is the ownership/rights in the work we wish to display and the bearing on the practicalities of that by using one medium rather than another.

After a career in corporate/broadcast/event production I now make mainly weddings which, because of the music content, adds a second rights dimension to our common problem.

Whilst I agree with Charles Papert that the web has or should have replaced the showreel, the fact is that it is broadcasting. More than that the medium has within it devices designed expressly to pick up unauthorised use of copyright music.

I'm not suggesting that in strict legal terms including the same work and examples in a showreel is any less of an infringement of the owners' rights, nevertheless the scale on which one makes that infringement by giving a potential client a showreel DVD is significantly different to posting the same work on Vimeo, You Tube etc - and I'm not taking into account the legitimate points that have already been raised about the image such placing gives one's work.

I wish there was an equable and simple solution but I'm not smart enough to devise it.

[Chris Davis]

Not to mention understanding the terms of service of the various video websites. For example, YouTube is pretty wide open - if you as a widget manufacturer want to host your commercial/product video on YouTube that's just fine according to their TOS. However, the same is not true with Vimeo. Vimeo is clear that they are not to be used to "offload your hosting costs". Vimeo is a community where video producers can share their work for creative comment and discussion, not a free place to host your demo videos. Even Vimeo's paid upgrade does not allow that type of usage.

[Philip Howells]

You raise an important point Chris, one of which - because I don't run the risk of being caught even though it'd be a simple lottery given how many others do it blatantly - I am unaware.

Indeed, it seems to me that, given the huge number of wedding samples posted on Vimeo, the restriction you describe is honoured more in the breach.

I wonder if organisations like Vimeo realise how much they'd be helping legitimate businesses like ours to counter the hobbyists who ignore their rules with such impunity if they did start enforcing them and thuis oblige the freeloaders (for that's what they are essentially) to pay for their own hosting and streaming.

[Michael B. McGee]

here it is:

Michael B. McGee - Director of Photography | Camera Operator

It's still in "beta", but thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate your input.

[Dylan Couper]

*not to Michael specificaly*
I used to be a videographer/DOP... and used to think that having a great site with a professionaly presented demo reel was important.

Now I'm doing more producing/hiring of crew, I have to say.... I couldn't care less what someones website looks like, or even if they have one... only what your reel looks like and how easy it is for me to access it. I'd way rather have a single Youtube/Vimeo link sent to me than having to go to your ultra hip website, figure out your sexy new Flash interface, and wait for your slow reel to buffer and play.

So... while you probably DO want to have a good looking website, the most important thing is to put your reel front and center and make sure it plays lickety split.
Just my 2 cents as someone who hires videographers out on a regular basis.

Michael....
Like the website, easy to use, clean simple and doesn't try to hard. I'd rather see a link to a demo reel of clips rather than all the individual projects. That lets me get a good grasp of your range very quickly, and everything you do to make my life easier, makes me like you more.

[Michael B. McGee]

Thanks. A "reel" is in the works. I appreciate your advice.

[Steven Davis]

Hey lads here and abroad. I came across a nifty wordpress plugin called Vimeography. The link is here, https://wordpress.org/plugins/vimeography/

Even the free version is cool. I'll probably upgrade, but it does what I needed it to do, display multiple videos in one spot from Vimeo.

So there's my tip, hope it helps someone.

[Josh Bass]

Even though it says in some posts above we're apparently not supposed to use Vimeo for hosting demo reel/work sample clips? Maybe I read that wrong.

Anyway, I think a combo of the two is not bad. . .use Vimeo/YT to host/play the vids, but have it all funneled through a website that's more personalized to you/your company (embed the YT/Vimeo vids on your own site, in other words).

As I understand it, for searchability/SEO/"Googlebility", certain websites/platforms work better than others. . .Wordpress, Squarespace, etc. I currently have an Iweb site I upload to a server, thinking I should switch over to something more Google/search-friendly and see if it helps things.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Even though it says in some posts above we're apparently not supposed to use Vimeo for hosting demo reel/work sample clips? Maybe I read that wrong.

You didn't read it wrong, but what you read is wrong. Nearly every demo reel I have ever seen is from Vimeo, and if they started taking those down, you'd probably hear about it. I wouldn't sweat it.

[Josh Bass]

Ah. Ok then.