Just a 'silly' question re demo reels.......
 

Hi all,

I like many others are in the process of putting together their first demo reel to seek employment with.

The 'Demo reel' is like this Holy grail, always out of reach.

The silly question:
How good does one need to be to get a job? I have absolutely no idea of what other people (seeking employment i.e. their first animation job) are producing (quality wise and content).

This is a silly question, but one that must be asked if only for me.

re Jim

This is just a hunch but I would think about this issue from the employer's point of view. My guess is that for example ILM is getting more applications than they really want. So it is obvious that only the best are selected for further interviews. The demo reel should reflect the absolute best of your capabilities and expertise. This is of course only my opinion. I don't have any experience whatsoever since I am in the process of putting together my first demo reel also.

This could be of course totally different situation for a small company who takes whoever they can to work for them :)

re silly question re demo reels..
 

thanks KB,

I'm concerned about 'quality' of content, sure I'll put my best stuff forward. But what is good, I have little or no reference (I feel at the moment anyway).

re Jim

Err...umm..that's a tough one :) I wish someone could give a good comprehensive answer :)

But then again... you can't do better than your best, right? At least I like to think that if I know I've put everything I have to a project, it must be as good as it can be at that moment. If it's not good enough to get you a job, then there must be some room for learning more.

Oh, well...this is just me blabbering. I would like to see some reference too... :)

Thanks KB
 

Thanks mate,

Be keen to see some sort of 'benchmark', if at all possible, probably not, but somethng, please!!!!!!

re Jim

what i really dont get about demo reels is what theyre meant to show?
is it meant to b like a short story with a plot? or just random animations/models?

just remember NO SPACESHIPS!! everyone hates them 'cause they have to look at them all day.

a good demo reel (burned cd works better unless specified otherwise...don't use funky compression codecs) should be about 2-3 minutes long, with your very best work first. after that, you can include whatever you think demonstrates your skills, even if it's bouncing balls. if you worked on a team project, give credit where it's due...and this thing is only as good as the "worst" piece of work, so choose carefully when you're ready to make it and send it out!

if you have an original concept (i dunno, purple elephants playing rugby...a traitorous penguin advertising microsoft products, statues that make less than flattering comments about the tourists posing in front of them), definitely put that in. oh, and animating a human character is a big bonus. if you're looking for work in television, games or film, include specific work. i.e. low-poly models for a game.

good luck!

Some resources on Demo Reels, and some other stuff.

http://www.3dark.com/archives/index.html

Hope it helps!

Actually, that is not always true.

Foundation Imaging LOVES spaceship reels, if they are done well.

It even says so in there reel requirements.

...at least it did about a year ago...

Of course, I could be full of crack:)

But generally speaking, you would get tired of watching the same things over & over again, so your best bet is to leave those apart (That goes for funky flying logos also) :D

I suppose the best way of going at it is creating a short. With a story, showcasing storyboard art, animatics, and generally every aspect of 3d you´re proficient with. You could also check what position they are hiring for, and create a piece showcasing work only done in that technique.

What I found interesting was that almost all demo reels primers shouted at the first lines: NO MORE STARWARS! ... Lol (makes you think)

adldesigner , nailed it on the head. Show what you wont to get hired for!!! If you rock as a animator than really gear your reel to great character performence. If your are great at modeling than concentrate on making really good models with great textures.