These tips are for all the actors, directors and anyone who attaches their body of work in emails.
When sending out your work, be it images, videos or files think of the person on the receiving end as well as what you are trying to showcase. Sending an email full of attachments may not even go through if the receiver has a limit to attachment size. Not to mention that they then have to download these in order to view them. Remember a lot of people read their emails on their mobiles and most will not have the patience to wait for your entire work to come through.
So how to get noticed and make sure your work gets looks at. Here are some tips you could follow.
1. Send one link with all your work. The link should lead the person to see all your work online, e.g. a website.
2. You don't have a website, you can still use what's free and available.
Like a link to a photo album on Gmail or G-drive, if you have videos, you can have a separate blog with your work or even an Instagram or Facebook page with only your work that needs to be seen.
3. If your an actor or photographer and still want to attach your work, send a comp card.
That way in one image the person gets a quick idea of your work. Don't forget to put the link to the rest of your work on the image.
4. For directors, cinematographers, music composers etc, you may have multiple files to share.
Do not paste multiple links in the body of the email. Instead send either a short montage or a playlist with individual work.
5. Remember its important to customize your showreel especially if you are sending this for a pitch. You want the showreel to match the pitch, like beauty work to a beauty client or drama work for a storytelling script.
6. A playlist can be easily made on youtube for videos.
You can have different playlists for the variety of work you want to showcase.
Like different playlists for a director could be under the genres - comedy, action, vfx, beauty etc.
7. If you have to send different genres of work do not send more than 2 - 3 links.
If using your website make sure there are separate tabs that can quickly take people to the desired section on your webpage quickly.
7. Link to FTP's or sites like we-transfer where one has to download the files before viewing is a big NO-NO.
8. Use hyper-links ideally or at least make sure your link is clickable and the person does not have to copy & paste in the browser.
Keeping your email neat and short is always the way to get people to glance at your work. If they like it, then further conversation and detailed work can be shared at a later stage.
Check out more professional filmmaking tips here
Don't forget to read
Pro-tip #5 - File Naming
Pro Tip #7 - Up your skills
