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| AMATEUR'S ANECDOTES |
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Reel Demos
Written by Philip M. Ware
vol. I, article 5
Reel Demos
So, you're sitting in front of your computer. You're staring in your directory called "Output_images" and you're thinking, "You know? I'm pretty good!" You're starting to get excited -- that weird feeling in your stomach that is a combination of adrenaline and apprehension.
The next logical step is to tell someone you're good -- but telling isn't what it's about, it's showing. It's time to put together a demo reel to show off. It's time to let people know how good you are and, more importantly, what you can do for their company.
You're looking at your shiny objects, your space battles, your humongous robots looking over Bryce-created landscapes. You're looking at animations that are flashy and glittery, but also fairly common and you've also just read the article on 3DArk that talks about demo reels, and now you're worried. All you've really done involves pre-made objects -- for the most part -- or Bryce-driven landscapes, or space warrior type battles. You know, now, how taboo these are if you want to be able to get your demo reel even looked at by someone who would want to hire you to work on the next Listerine commercial or the next Toy Story. There are two things you can do, now: throw your hands up, exasperated, and start over with your portfolio, or, get creative with what you have. I prefer the second option, don't you?
So what does get creative *mean?* Exactly that. I don't mean make a paper-machete binder for the video tape. I don't mean back-mask Led Zepplin for the soundtrack. I *mean* come up with a concept, an angle, a way to sell the common place that makes your talent seem less common place. I'm going to walk you through a sample of some of what *I* would do for *my* demo reel if I weren't in a position where I don't have the time, resources, expertise or gumption to put one together.
 Story Lines
You have to be able to sell your ideas. That's the whole point, right? Well, that means there has to be an idea or concept to sell. If you're just showing a series of still images with an occasional animation tossed in, the odds of a feeling of continuity are probably fairly slim. There needs to be a connection, a theme, something that carries the viewer from scene/animation to the next without leaving that viewer wondering what the heck is going on.
Be creative with your story lines, but not too far out. You also don't want to freak out your viewing audience or leave the asking the same question from before that you wanted them to avoid -- what the heck was that? So, we need to look at concepts.
Here is one of mine: I've got all these images that producers have seen a million times over, and I've got a slew of animations that showcase what I can do with stock primitives/objects. So, this is all taboo, right? Well -- pick an angle. You can lament the fact that everyone else can do it, too, or you can figure out what makes yours special. So, come up with a storyline that will carry the viewer through the images and animations in a way that will showcase not only the skill in the stills and animations but in how to present them in a fresh way.
Narrator Man
The gigantic logo "PMW Designs" swooshes in with a titanic thud to the foreground, followed closely by "PRESENTS" which whirs into place like it's being drilled to the foreground plane. Whee. Flying text, flying logos -- <sarcasm> there's something that will impress the audience. </sarcasm> Introduce the skills you've just been working on -- character animation.
The "PRESENTS" has just finished bolting down. "CUT! CUT! No, no, no!"
What's this? A little head in a director's beret hops down into the scene from the director's chair that is just off-screen. Facing the animation, the director walks out to center screen, pointing at the logo. "What is this? A flying logo? Who still does flying logos?"
The director turns around, facing the audience. "I must apologize. I was under the impression that my staff wanted to create impact" or something equally snappy. Of course, this is all much easier if you are capable of doing fluid character animation. If you don't have a grasp of bones or IK, I wouldn't recommend drawing your viewer's attention away from what you *can* do with sloppy/not good character animation.
"Now, why don't we try this again?" The director heads off and supposedly sits down in the director's chair. You don't see this, but you do see the horn of the bullhorn peek onto the screen. "OK, positions, everyone. 'Impress the Producers' take two." Dramatic pause: "Action!"
A perfect segue into your next animation. In fly the wonderfully textured space ships, heading towards the slowly revolving planet in the distance. Moments later, they're attacked by equally well textured enemy craft. Perfectly rendered laser whiz all over the place, and, again, the director is irate! "CUT!"
This time, though, you decide that you're not going to take it, anymore. You got ahold of a good blue-screen and a nice deal on a video camera so you finally get to use your DC30 card. You stroll over to the director to plead your case. "But, sir, I reduced the polygon count from 365,000 to around 113,000...doesn't that count for something?"
"So, it rendered fast?" "I guess." "But what about those textures?" You shrug. "About a 10-minute job in Photoshop. Textures are easy. It's mapping them on the objects that's the trick." The director looks at the objects, then at you, "So you did these yourself?" You shrug, "Well, yeah. I've really been working on my procedural mapping, too -- if you hadn't stopped the animation you would have seen the enemy craft shimmer and disappear, and then the scene would be over."
Back Patting
As you can see, there are, indeed, ways to spice up things that look fairly banal to the experienced producer, but there's also a danger of taking the above scenario a little too far. Its' at this point that you want to introduce your skills in a way that will please the on-screen director and the sitting-at-a-desk-determining-your-3D-fate producer. If you're stroking your ego a little too much in the piece you've put together, the audience is going to notice. If you are underselling your talent, the audience is going to notice two things: you aren't showcasing enough talent and you aren't confident. So, with this fine line drawn in the sand, what are you going to do?
Plan carefully. Read the articles out there on how to put out a successful demo reel, see how it compares t yours, and make the changes required to blow the socks off of a producer. Oh, yeah. If you're going to steal (OK, OK, "hitchhike") the above idea, let me know, OK, just out of courtesy? Thanks. Besides, if you need crunchy guitars for your background music, I'm your man.
Would you like to add, share, or correct some information? 3D ARK welcomes your contributions. Send mail to: webmaster@3dark.com
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