Demo Reel Tips...

A lot of people ask what a good demo reel should have on it. I guess it depends on what job you are going for. At a studio like the one we work at, we like to see really good acting skills. What is good acting, you might say? Well, we can get into that another time, but it has to do with a lot of things. Are your acting choices good? Are you using too many gestures. Does your facial animation have nice design? Does the character have the right physicality? Are you good at polishing? How is the timing? All these things and more come into play when reviewing acting shots. I think its also important to have some good physical stuff. People say, put a run and a walk on the reel. I like this idea, but show me a walk with character, not just a canned one. When you look at work, you want to find something special about it. Something that catches your eye and makes you want to see it again. Always put your really good stuff in the beginning, fill the middle and end with a great shot. Keep the titles simple and clean on the head and tail of the reel. If you have your reel on VHS, make sure its cued up. I personally like DVD format the best. This contradicts the image i put up. Plus, you can put other stuff like your drawings and resumes on it. Music is good, just make sure you lower the level when you have a shot with dialogue.

So Remember:

Name over black
Great Work first
Filler (unless all your work is stellar)
Leave them wanting more
Titles with your contact info


hope this helps

-Andrew