Real estate video: cinematic film or agent reel?

Listing video comes in two very different kinds. One is a fast, vertical reel with you on camera, walking buyers through the home. The other is a cinematic film of the property on its own: no one on camera, slower, with more care in the shooting and the edit. Both show buyers how a home flows. They're made for different places and do different jobs, so it's worth choosing on purpose.

The agent-on-camera reel

An agent reel is short and vertical, made to be watched on a phone. You walk through the home and talk about it: what's been updated, how the light comes into the kitchen, the thing about the house you'd tell a friend. Ours runs one to two minutes.

• Where it works: Instagram Reels, Facebook, Stories, and texting to buyers and their agents.
• What it does for the listing: it reaches people who weren't searching for a home today, and gives buyers a feel for the place in the time it takes to scroll.
• What it does for you: every reel is also a video of you being good at your job. Sellers who watch it see how you'd present their home, which is why it's one of the best ways to win more listings with video.

If you really don't like being on camera, that's worth knowing before you book. A few nerves are normal and fade quickly with direction; real reluctance shows on screen.

The cinematic film

A cinematic film is about the home alone. It's shot with slow, steady camera moves, edited to music and color graded, so it looks like a short film rather than a phone video. Ours runs one and a half to three minutes, in horizontal or vertical.

• Where it works: the MLS and listing sites that take video, your website, YouTube, the seller's own sharing, and a screen at the open house.
• What it does for the listing: it shows the home at its best, at its own pace, with a sense of occasion that matches the price.
• What it does for you: it's a portfolio piece you can show at listing appointments for years.

How to choose

By the home

The more a home's appeal lies in its setting, light and finishes, the more a cinematic film earns its place. Large homes, estates, waterfront properties and new construction are the natural fit; see how to market a luxury listing. For a well-kept colonial or a townhome in a busy market, a reel that reaches local buyers quickly is often the better use of the budget.

By where you'll post it

Decide where the video will live first. If most of the views will come from Instagram and Facebook, go vertical: the reel, or the film cut vertically. If it's going on the MLS, your website or YouTube, a horizontal film fits the screen. A video in the wrong shape for its platform loses much of its value.

By what it needs to say

A reel sells the home and you at the same time. A film sells the home alone. If you're building your name in a town, the reel does more for you. If the seller wants the home presented as something special, or you'd rather stay off camera, choose the film.

Can you have both?

Yes, and for some listings it's worth it: the film for the MLS, your website and the seller, the reel for social. They're shot differently (one follows you, the other follows the light), so plan for a longer visit. Our Premier package is built around the cinematic film, with drone video, a 3D tour, a floor plan and twilight photos; Starter and Signature include the agent reel. Either video can also be booked on its own.

Open with aerials

Drone footage makes a strong opening for either kind of video, especially for homes with land, water or a view. A few seconds from above shows buyers where the home sits before they see a single room. More in drone photos for New Jersey listings.

Before the shoot

• Agree on the shot list. Tell us the three things buyers should remember about the home, and we'll build the video around them.
• For a reel, know what you'll say. Not a script, just the points you want to make in each room. We'll direct the rest.
• Prepare the home as you would for photos. Video shows more of every room than a photo does, so closets, counters and corners matter. The pre-shoot checklist covers it.
• Turn off ceiling fans and TVs, and plan for pets to be out of the house.