Create three honest practice pieces
Choose places or products you already use and make it clear that the work is self-initiated. Create one place story, one product demonstration, and one spoken recommendation. These formats show range without pretending you were hired.
Give yourself real constraints: a 20-second edit, one hour of shooting, natural light, and a clear delivery date. Constraints make the exercise closer to a client brief.
Present decisions, not only finished videos
For each piece, write a short note with the objective, audience, hook, deliverables, and what you would improve next time. Businesses want to see that you can think through a brief, not only operate a camera.
Keep the portfolio easy to scan. Six strong examples with context are more useful than thirty unexplained clips.
Make your working area clear
State your city, travel radius, languages, preferred subjects, equipment, and normal turnaround time. Add one reliable contact method.
When you approach a local business, suggest one specific content angle based on something you genuinely noticed. A concrete idea is easier to answer than a general request to collaborate.