Hey — quick note for screenwriters.
Been getting a few script requests lately.
One thing that made a difference: cutting a short mood reel before pitching.
I’m a video editor, so I tried it on my own script — just tone and rhythm.
If anyone’s curious to try it, feel free to reach out.
3 people like this
Sizzle reels can be great sales tool. But make sure we can follow a story. This is a bit long as a tonal reel.
Hey Alex Gutenberg - thanks for posting! I concur with Geoff and will also suggest that using such recognizable actors in the mood reel also risks taking the viewer out of the story you want to tell. cheers
Thanks for sharing, Alex Gutenberg! Actually, I'd be curious to see what screenwriters vs. editors think about it. Definately share it in the Screenwriting Lounge ( https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting ) and the Post-Production Lounge ( https://www.stage32.com/lounge/post_production ) as well!
So, my two cents - yes, it can help, but also it can mislead. I'm a bigger fan of something on the page that can more quickly give me that tone AND keep me reading. For example, in the feature script "They Cloned Tyrone", the title page has a single image that let's us know it'll be a winding, trippy journey, and the second page has a quote from Chris Rock that summarizes the theme beautifully. If you put those two things into video form, it would take 5 seconds max.
That being said, I think if you're going to ask 30 seconds, 60 seconds, up to 2 minutes of someone's time, you are better off including the actual story of your script - because otherwise we'll make assumptions about your script from the moodboard and if those assumptions do not align, it's possible your reader will stop reading.
One way you could guide our eyes with a pre-vis video like this would be with title slates in between clips to let us know. That way you have story info (slate), visual representation of that, plus either the good or the bad (i.e. image with kid vs. image with rival), and then end it with the driving question of your story. Whatever that big debate is, I want to know it in a nutshell by the end because THAT is what is what is going to make me want to read your script. And the truth is - if the story is written well, I don't need the moodboard.
If ever you'd like notes on your script, btw, I host a guided script exchange event in the Writers' Room - drop me an email if you'd like more details! K.Ross@stage32.com