ENDA Episode 65 → The time when ENDA shares how important is the selection of a plate (Part 2)

In a previous episode, we talked about how the selection of a plate can drastically influence your final shot’s outcome.

Now, let’s focus on what might be the most obvious, but often overlooked factor: the quality of the Plate

Nowadays, it’s easy to find endless footage online these days, but truly high-quality clips remain elusive, especially if you have to pay for each download or maintain an expensive subscription.

Many of us prefer to use YouTube material or cellphone footage out of convenience, which is fine for our first projects or small tests. However, when building a professional reel, quality is everything.

It’s not just about resolution (HD or 4K), it’s about visual quality: cinematography, art direction, acting, production values, etc.

Supervisors and Leads are used to working with top-tier footage on real productions. When they review your reel, they’re looking for evidence that you know how to handle high-caliber images both technically and artistically.

In the end… yes, it’s tempting to grab the first decent-looking clip you find on the internet. But remember: choosing a plate that looks great right from the start not only boosts your final result but also shows the decisions you make as a compositor.

However, as you must be wondering, there is more in the selection of the plate aside from quality. Like… appealing to the people you want to impress.

How?

Well, that would be for a future episode, so… Stay tuned!

The journey continues…