Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1378252
D E PA R T M E N T 23 KEYFRAME SUMMER 2021 23 HOW TO ASSEMBLE A SUCCESSFUL REEL When your portfolio calls for a reel, there are a few musts—and a couple don'ts— that are essential for capturing the right kind of attention. LINK IT: Don't use big files that need to be downloaded. Make sure you have a link to access your reel. Not only are links easy to view, they are easier for an employer to share. THINK SMALL: As you decide what you want to include, keep in mind that the agreed-upon sweet spot for a reel is between one and a half to three minutes. It's better to have a few short reels high- lighting different skills, than one too-long reel that includes every- thing you can do. CHOOSE A PLATFORM: There isn't a blanket preference for platforms, as long as your reel has smooth, high-resolution playback. The most commonly used plat- forms are YouTube and Vimeo. CONTROL QUALITY: Scott notes the importance of full play- back speed, low compression, and color accuracy. For the latter, he says, "If the color or gamma of your content is broken, it can really tor- pedo an otherwise fantastic reel." SIMPLIFY: Reels often contain too much content. Focus on your best work and avoid repetition. Showing multiple passes of a shot may be nice for an important shot, but Scott says, "It can drasti- cally reduce the impact of your reel and may pull the reviewer out of the content." He also notes he has seen reels slim on content because the artist might be start- ing out, but it was made up for with "editing, menus, titles, and additional details in the reel," as well as exceptional personal work. LET IT FLOW: McAteer recom- mends taking the time to create a reel that flows smoothly from shot to shot. She suggests a bookend approach: start with one of your best shots to engage the viewer, and then end on another prime shot to leave a strong impression. HIGHLIGHT QUALITY: Emphasize how you used specific tools. "One extremely complex, beautiful shot involving multiple characters and FX elements with detailed breakdowns of each component done by a single artist will give more insight than a dozen same-as shots where the artist inherited a lead lighting rig and sweetened characters slightly," says Edwards. PRO TIP FOR REELS "Almost all reel review meetings I've attended in my career were run without sound. I know that it is common to edit a reel to music, but there is a high prob- ability that we'll be reviewing with sound off. That isn't to say you shouldn't add music to your reel. I would just suggest making sure that the artist watch the reel with sound off to make sure it still works and isn't too cutty or drags too much because of choices made to time with the music." – Marc Scott ADD MORE: Include information that describes your contribution to each shot. For burn-in text added directly to your video, Scott sug- gests something very short and simple at the bottom or top of the frame for each shot: name of project, name of company, and your contributions. For example, "texturing" or "compositing only." McAteer adds she also wants a burn-in of your contact info at the beginning of the reel. BREAK DOWN YOUR SHOTS: Provide a detailed reel break- down—on your website or a document to be downloaded—with the information you burned in, as well as the software you used. Edwards says this also provides the opportunity "to dive deeper into breakdowns and descriptions for work relevant to the given posi- tion." Make sure all information is relevant to the job you're applying for. And for those employers who might happen across your website, you can include links or tabs for the different types of work you did, so that someone can view perti- nent categories. AVOID AT ALL COSTS: Do not include restricted content. If you're not able to show it or don't know if you have clearance, Scott says to avoid it always. "I have seen tal- ented artists skipped for a position because they included restricted content." This is where your resume and website come in, because you can explain what you are working on, and why you can't share it: in development, untitled project not yet announced, etc. A SUCCESSFUL REEL AN EFFECTIVE RESUME WRITING PORTFOLIO PASSWORDS