Quick answer: attach a 45–90 second highlight compressed to about 18 MB so it plays right in the booker’s inbox, and include a link to a longer set for anyone who wants more. Put the best moment first.
What bookers want to see
Venue bookers get a lot of emails. A video that opens instantly and shows you playing to a room answers their real questions quickly: can you hold a crowd, do you fit the room, and is the sound good. Polish matters less than a strong first 15 seconds.
Step 1: Cut a highlight
- In Photos, open your best performance video and tap Edit.
- Drag the yellow handles around your strongest 45–90 seconds. A chorus with crowd reaction is ideal.
- Tap Done › Save Video as New Clip so the full recording stays intact.
Step 2: Get it under email limits
Gmail allows 25 MB and Outlook about 20 MB, and attachments grow by about a third when sent. So aim for 18 MB (Gmail) or 14 MB (Outlook or unknown). A 60–90 second clip fits at 720p and still looks and sounds good, especially when the audio is clean.
Step 3: Add the link to a full set
Upload a longer set to YouTube as Unlisted (or a similar service) and paste the link under the attachment. Unlisted videos don’t appear in search but anyone with the link can watch, which suits press kits.
Step 4: Write a short email
Keep it to a few lines: who you are, what you play, the dates you’re after, your draw or past venues, the attached clip, and the full-set link. Put the venue’s name in the subject line so it doesn’t look like a mass email.
Checklist before you hit send
- Clip opens with music, not tuning or talking
- Attachment under 18 MB (or 14 MB to be safe)
- Link tested in a private browser window
- Subject line names the venue and the dates