careersportfolioAI

Build an AI Video Portfolio That Gets You Hired: A Step-by-Step Template

tthementors

2026-01-23

10 min read

Build a vertical AI video portfolio that gets you hired in media, XR, and AI content—step-by-step template with showreel, episodic samples, and metrics.

Hook: Your portfolio is being judged on mobile first — are you ready?

Jobseekers and students aiming for roles in media, XR, and AI content face a single, urgent truth in 2026: hiring teams expect evidence you can produce AI-driven, vertical, episodic content that hooks audiences on mobile. If your demo reel is still a horizontal montage of unrelated clips, you're missing the format employers like Holywater and other vertical-first platforms are betting on. This guide gives you a step-by-step template to build an AI video portfolio and showreel that gets you hired — with concrete assets, file specs, interview talking points, and distribution tactics tuned to 2026 hiring trends.

Why vertical episodic AI content matters in 2026

Platforms and studios are investing heavily in short serialized vertical video. In January 2026, Holywater — a Fox-backed vertical streaming company — raised $22 million to scale mobile-first episodic programming. That funding signals a broader shift: studios want creators who can build fast, repeatable micro-episodes optimized by AI for performance and IP discovery. CES 2026 further confirmed hardware and creator tools are now built around phone-first production, foldable devices, and lightweight XR capture — all enabling new forms of vertical storytelling.

Quick fact: Vertical-first streaming platforms are hiring producers, AI content designers, and XR engineers who can ship episodic pilots and measurable growth experiments in weeks, not months.

What hiring managers are looking for (and how to show it)

Across content roles — production, creative AI, XR, and product — hiring teams want proof of three things:

Format fluency: You know how to tell a story in 9:16 and design for thumb-scroll discovery.
AI + pipeline chops: You can use AI tools responsibly to generate assets, iterate fast, and integrate results into a content pipeline.
Performance thinking: You test, measure, and improve episodes using retention, completion, and conversion metrics.

Every portfolio piece should make those points explicit — with artifacts, metrics, and a clear statement of your role.

The three-lane portfolio strategy: what to build first

Structure your portfolio into three lanes so recruiters can quickly evaluate breadth and depth:

Showreel (60–90s): A vertical-first demo reel showcasing your best episodic moments, transitions, and design sensibility.
Episodic samples (3–6 pieces): Short vertical episodes (15–45s) that demonstrate narrative hooks, pacing, and AI-assisted asset creation.
Deep-dive case studies: One or two breakdowns that include process files, prompt logs, timelines, analytics, and your specific contributions.

Why this works

Hiring teams skim. The showreel proves immediate competence. Episodic samples show you understand vertical storytelling. Deep dives prove you can scale and document production — critical for studios using AI and XR at scale.

Step-by-step template: From idea to interview-ready portfolio

1) Pre-production: Choose a compact IP and format

Pick a micro-IP concept you can iterate over 3–6 episodes (e.g., a microdrama, a recurring XR demo, or a serialized how-to).
Define episode length: target 15–30s for discovery experiments and 45–90s for narrative payoff.
Create a shotlist and vertical-first storyboard: each episode should have a 0–3s hook, a 3–20s complication, and a 2–5s payoff.
Identify AI tools and assets: text-to-video, voice cloning (if used ethically), character models, and generative backgrounds. Record the version and date of tools used.

2) Production: Fast, modular, repeatable

Shoot or generate assets in 9:16. If filming, set up simple rigs: phone on gimbal, natural light, lav mic. CES 2026 showcased more affordable gimbals and foldable capture tools — leverage them for cleaner production.
Use AI to accelerate: use tools like Descript for quick edits, Runway for generative image/video fills, and Luma Labs or similar for volumetric/XR capture (choose tools appropriate to your role and document settings).
Build modular templates: intros, lower-thirds, and end cards that can be swapped across episodes to show consistency and efficiency.

3) Post-production: Polish and optimize for platforms

Export master files at 1080×1920 (or 4K vertical) using H.264/H.265. Keep a high-bitrate master (ProRes/LL) for archiving and a web-optimized MP4 for hosting.
Add captions burned into the video and provide separate SRT files. Many platforms auto-play muted, so captions are essential for retention.
Design thumbnails and the first-frame moment to match platform discovery patterns (hook + text overlay).

4) Documentation: Show the process

For each episodic sample, include a one-page case study or a PDF that contains:

Role: what you did (writer, director, AI prompt engineer, XR dev).
Tools used and versions (e.g., Runway (vX), Descript (vY), Unity 2025 LTS).
Prompt logs and prompt engineering notes for AI-generated elements.
Performance metrics from tests (retention, completion rate, likes, shares).
Time and budget: how long each episode took and with what resources.

5) Packaging and hosting

Host your showreel on Vimeo Pro or a private YouTube link for recruiters; use a short URL from your personal site.
Host episodic samples on platform-native players (YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok) to show live engagement, and mirror them on your portfolio site for control and analytics.
For XR demos, include WebXR embeds or a downloadable build on itch.io/GitHub Pages with a short video walkthrough.

Showreel template: The 90-second vertical-first sequence

Follow this ordering to maximize impact — recruiters should get the promise, the skill, and the outcome in under 90 seconds.

0:00–0:05 — Title slate + brand (your name, role, contact). Use a vertical-safe logo or avatar.
0:05–0:20 — Quick montage of strongest hooks across episodes (fast cuts, bold motion, captions).
0:20–0:50 — Two 15s episodic examples with context captions: "S1E01 — Microdrama: 15s — Wrote, Directed, Generated BG with Runway"
0:50–1:10 — A technical peek: screen capture of your prompt logs, timeline scrubbing, or XR scene flythrough (15–20s).
1:10–1:20 — Metrics overlay: retention numbers or A/B test results (if available). Keep it concise.
1:20–1:30 — Final call-to-action: contact info and link to full portfolio/case studies.

AI-specific best practices and ethics (must-haves in 2026)

Employers now expect transparency about AI use. Include a short "AI disclosure" page in your portfolio stating what was AI-generated, which models were used, and licensing or permission statements for any dataset-derived assets.

Prompt transparency: Save prompt versions and top-performing prompts. Present before/after outputs to show iterative improvement.
Attribution: Credit model providers and any third-party assets. If using voice cloning, document consent and license.
Bias and safety: Note steps you took to reduce bias in generated characters or narratives — this signals maturity to employers.

How to present metrics that matter to hiring teams

Numbers make your case. Recruiters want to see measurable outcomes tied to your work:

Retention Rate: % of viewers who watch past the hook (0–3s), 15s, and completion.
Episode-to-episode retention: % who watched S1E01 and returned for S1E02 in your test groups.
Engagement: Click-throughs to your profile, shares, and average watch time.
Efficiency: Time-to-ship and cost-per-episode (even rough estimates are helpful).

When applying, put a two-line summary under each portfolio item: role, result, and a one-sentence lesson learned.

Interview prep: Stories that land the job

Practice concise, evidence-backed stories. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), but tailor it to content roles:

Situation: Describe the vertical-first problem (low retention, unclear pacing).
Task: Your role in improving the format (e.g., episodic writer + AI prompt engineer).
Action: Tools and processes (tool versions, prompt log snippets, A/B test setup).
Result: Concrete metrics and what you learned about audience behavior.

Bring a short live demo to interviews: a 30–45s episode and the case study PDF ready to share. If the role is remote, prepare a short screen walkthrough (2–3 minutes) showing your assets and analytics dashboard.

Distribution and discovery: where to show your work in 2026

Target both platform-native discovery and controlled portfolio hosting.

Platform-native: YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok — these show real engagement data that employers trust.
Professional hosting: Vimeo Pro and a personal portfolio site (with analytics) where you can present case studies, SRT files, and master downloads.
XR/interactive: WebXR embeds, itch.io, or GitHub Pages for builds; include a short video walkthrough for non-technical hiring managers.

Advanced strategies and 2026–2027 predictions

To stand out, adopt these forward-looking tactics:

Modular asset libraries: Build reusable AI-generated packs (characters, backgrounds, sounds) and show them as part of your deliverables.
Data-first iterations: Run small continuous experiments on episodes to optimize retention — show the A/B tests in your case studies.
Interactive layers: Add lightweight interactive elements (branching choices, AR stickers) to episodes; by 2027, streaming platforms will increasingly promote interactive vertical IP.
Team playbook: Document a 2–3 page production pipeline for AI + human collaboration that a small studio can adopt.

Prediction: by late 2027, platforms will prefer creators who can deliver both serialized IP and the data infrastructure to scale it. Start building both creative and measurement muscles now.

Deliverables checklist (download-ready)

One vertical showreel (60–90s) — share link + private host.
Three to six episodic clips (15–45s) — platform-native + mirrored on portfolio.
Two deep-dive PDFs with prompt logs, tools, timelines, and metrics.
Master files (ProRes or equivalent) and web-optimized MP4s.
WebXR or interactive build (if applying to XR roles) with a short walkthrough video.
AI disclosure and attribution page with consent statements where needed.

Composite case study: How a student leveraged this template

Jane (composite example) was a media student applying to XR studios in late 2025. She built a 75s showreel plus four 20s micro-episodes using phone-captured footage, Runway background generation, and Descript for edits. She included a one-page case study for her strongest episode showing a 42% hook-to-15s retention lift after two A/B rounds. She also added a WebXR demo hosted on GitHub Pages. Recruiters noted the combination of creative thinking, pipeline documentation, and measurable results. Jane received three interview invites and accepted an XR producer role.

Where Holywater and CES trends create opportunity for you

Holywater's funding round (Jan 2026) is a clear signal: vertical episodic content is expanding and platforms will need creators who can build serialized content fast and use AI to scale. CES 2026 reinforced the availability of creator-grade tools for mobile-first production. Use these industry movements as leverage in conversations: note that you’re building episodic pilots, running retention experiments, and documenting workflows — exactly what vertical platforms are buying now.

Final checklist before you apply

Is your showreel vertical and under 90s? yes/no
Do your episodic samples include a clear hook and payoff? yes/no
Do you have at least one deep-dive with metrics and prompt logs? yes/no
Is your AI usage disclosed and attributed? yes/no
Can you demo a 2–3 minute walkthrough in interviews? yes/no

Closing: Build iteratively, show the data, and own the format

In 2026, the creators who get hired are those who can marry storytelling with AI tooling and measurable results — especially in vertical episodic formats. Use the template above to produce a compact, compelling AI video portfolio: a vertical showreel, episodic samples, and deep-dive case studies that demonstrate process, ethics, and outcomes. Document everything, optimize for mobile discovery, and be ready to walk a hiring manager through your experiments.

Ready to get hired? Start with the showreel template here: 60–90s vertical, hooks-first montage, two episodic examples, a technical peek, and metrics. Need feedback tailored to media, XR, or AI content roles? Book a mentor at thementors.store to review your reel, prompts, and case studies — and turn your portfolio into the exact hiring signal studios are paying for.

thementors

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.