5 Mistakes That Are Killing Your Editing Showreel

YouTube keeps serving me up video editing showreels, and I see the same mistakes over and over and over. How do I know they’re mistakes? Because I’ve made all of them myself. 

I’ve not only been a pro editor for over 20 years, but I’ve also hired lots of editors over my career, having reviewed hundreds and hundreds of editing showreels. Below I’m going to share the five mistakes that annoy me most, and what to do instead (Point 5 may be the most important of all). Watch the video above for the full lesson.

Point 1

When you sit down to create a showreel, what’s the first thought that comes to mind?

When I first started out, my first instinct was to create a fast-paced montage of my work because I thought it would impress people; I’d cram in as many cool cuts and effects as possible. This style might get YouTube views, but it’s probably not what’s going to get you hired. Producers reviewing your reel want to see all of your editing skills. A montage only shows that you can edit a montage.

Montages are great for cinematographers or motion-graphics artists—but it’s not the right format to showcase an editor’s skills. In fact, I think a better term for an editor’s reel is a "clips reel": a collection of short, finished pieces, or scenes that display your true editing abilities (i.e., how you evoke emotion, how you structure a story, or how you captivate an audience with rhythm and sound).

 Point 2

Are you showcasing the kind of work you want to be hired for?

I once included everything I’d ever worked on—short films, corporate videos, scenes from a documentary—thinking it would prove my versatility. Instead, it just confused potential clients. There’s a proverb that says, “He who tries to catch two rabbits catches neither”, and I think this old adage holds true for editing reels. 

Your reel should focus on the type of work you’re targeting. For me, it’s commercials. If you want to edit music videos or feature films, focus on those. Don’t make your audience guess what you specialize in.

Point 3

But what about your other skills? Shouldn’t you include those too?

I made this mistake early on—trying to showcase every skill I had. I’d include a motion graphics sequence or a short section with color-graded shots. But here’s the problem: most of the best editing jobs hire specialists. And if you pitch yourself as an editor/colorist/motion-graphics artist, your reel will likely be set aside. You’ll be passed over. The best jobs probably won’t care that you have color grading experience because they have a pile of color-grading showreels from people who specialize in that.

Here’s one caveat to this—it’s okay to showcase your multiple skills, but make separate reels. If color is also your thing, make a color-grading reel, but don’t combine it with editing.

Only show the skill you want to be hired for. If you’re pitching yourself as an editor, don’t muddy the waters with other skills. Keep your reel focused and clear. You’ll thank me later.

Point 4

I have a question for you: how long do you watch a YouTube video before you click away?

I’ll be honest, the attention span of the people hiring editors may not be much longer than the people who watch YouTube videos. They might only watch the first 30 seconds of your five-minute reel.

Therefore, start with your absolute best work. If they only see one thing, make it unforgettable. Hook them early because that may be all they see.

Point 5

Who’s your showreel really for?

There are so many different editing styles—narrative, documentary, commercial, and even YouTube editing. And there are so many different people hiring editors—business owners, ad agencies, directors, producers, creative directors, and content creators.

My best piece of advice is to pick just one target audience and make all of the decisions with your showreel to suit that audience.

I posted my own commercial editing reel on YouTube so you can see what I actually send out. This reel is for ad agency producers and they are in the business of hiring editors to edit commercials. It’s not a montage; rather, my showreel showcases the exact type of work I’m trying to get (commercials). It also shows them just one skill of mine—editing (and even though I did most of the sound design, I didn’t need to point that out). It starts with Matthew McConaughey because he’s a memorable actor.

Start with your specific target audience and tailor your reel to what they want to see. This is the most important tip because if your reel isn’t speaking to the right people, it’s not doing its job.

Austen is an ADDY award-winning film & commercial editor with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with global brands like Meta, KPMG, SAP, and Christianity Today. His PSA work has championed causes like school safety (with Matthew McConaughey), driving safety, and anti-tobacco. A thought leader in the editing field, his online lessons quickly amassed over 100K views after launch.