Everyone knows the importance of a well put together show reel, but it's surprising how many there are out there that fail to tick all of the right boxes. Very often a show reel will fail to showcase the breadth of skill of the candidate, or will let itself down with a few issues that are fairly simple to fix. Therefore, we've put together a list of points to help you perfect your show reel and to maximise the impact it has on prospective employers. After much discussion at Escape Studios, plus a fair bit of back and forth on Twitter, we have whittled down the list to these 8 tips:
- 1: Watch the length - You need to showcase all of your skills, but it's important to keep things from dragging on and on with a long show reel. Make sure your show reel lasts no more than one minute as films longer than that will very rarely be watched all the way through.
- 2: Show a range of skills - We love to see how strong someone is in a certain discipline, but we also like to see that they aren't limited to one technique. Employers want to hire someone who can cover a wider range of jobs well, so it's important to show this in your reel. If it isn't obvious at first look that you have a range of experience, then find a way to make it obvious..
- 3: Break it down - Everyone wants to see the finished article, we all know that. However, we also want to see how you got there. Showing breakdowns of your work is a great way to highlight your techniques and to show that you know what you're doing. It can take some time out of your precious one minute of film time, but it has more impact than several seconds of other work being shown.
- 4: Over reliance on techniques - One big gripe amongst employers (or anyone who spends a lot of time checking out show reels) is an over reliance on certain techniques. Turntabling, for example, is a simple technique for any show reel, but it is often over used. Find a way to mix up it and always aim to show something new or different.
- 5: You're only as good as your weakest clip - Whilst we suggest reels should be no longer than one minute, that doesn't mean they have to be anywhere near that long if you don't have your best material to fill the time. Don't try to fill it up with clips that aren't fully finished or any work that you aren't perfectly happy with. It's far better to leave the viewer wanting to see more of your work than leaving them with a weak clip at the end... Afterall, the last clip is the clip they'll remember.
- 6: The first ten seconds are key - If you had only ten seconds of time to impress a prospective employer, what would you show? The first ten seconds of a clip are vital to selling your skills, so be sure to maximise this time.
- 7: Innovate - Whereever possible, try to do something that is unique to you. When you come to finish your reel try to find a way to differentiate yourself; whether it's with the editing, the work shown, an intro / outro that is unique or completely unexpected, the way you send it to the prospective employer or anything else that is innovative. Showreels serve the purpose of geting your work viewed, yet there is no reason to stick to the mold that everyone else uses. If you can find something that makes you stand out (in a good way) then give it a shot.
- 8: Aim it at the right job - It may seem fairly obvious, but so many people will submit an animation show reel in for a lighting job application. Therefore, it's sometimes best (if you are multi-talented) to have a show reel set up for different jobs. You may decide to have a sho reel that covers lighting AND animation (for example) but if only 50% of the showreel is relevant to the employer, how interested will they be? Perhaps it's best to blow them away with your lighting skills and provide a snapshot of your animation, or vice-versa for an animation job..
3d Demo Reel Guidelines
For each one of the categories :
Format: Personalized, single page web presence. Demo reel must be incorporated into web page
Length: 1 – 2 minutes.
Audio: Relating to demo reel content.
Credits: All work in demo reel must be credited to proper source
Character Modeling Reel :
1. Show 4-5 character models in wireframe, smooth shaded, and textured view.
2. A minimum of 3 characters must be textured photo realistically.
3. Two characters must be a male human, or female human (biped).
4. One character must be a quadruped.
5. Characters should be posed with a minimum of 10 secs of animation per character.
6. Use various geometry types (polygons, nurbs, subdivision)
7. Models must show knowledge of the underlying skeletal and muscle structure of a living
subject. Show the reference drawings the models are created from.
Character Animation Reel :
1. Animation must consist of original character used in reel with storyline.
2. Must be complete with lighting, rigging, texturing, and fully rendered
3. Reel must display animation demonstrating proficiency in no less than 9 of the twelve
principles of animation
Lighting & Texturing Reel :
1. Proficiency in 3D texture mapping techniques: Projection, procedural, and normal
mapping
2. Photorealistic examples of lighting and texturing for a minimum of three 3D environments.
3. Photorealistic examples of lighting and texturing for a minimum of two 3D characters.
4. Stylized examples of lighting and texturing for a minimum of two 3D models.
5. Rendering must demonstrate global illumination and/or ambient occlusion
6.Must have at least three animated example displaying the interaction of light on surfaces.
7. Must show the examples of mood, time of day, and light/color bounce
Architectural & Environmental Reel Specs :
1. Show two environments with a minimum of either:
a 1 exterior
b 1 interior
c 1 fantasy/ futuristic
2. Environments should convey personality of inhabitants as well as convey mood and time of day.
Dynamic effects are optional.
3. Environments must demonstrate proper scale and proportion
4. Rendering should be photorealistic for interior and exterior environments. This does not apply to
fantasy/futuristic
5. 3D camera animation should be smooth and reflect the limitations of a real-world camera
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