Tutorials on making kickass reels?

rodpv

Hey guys,
I'm not sure if this topic has already been covered somewhere but I never actually learned some good tips about how to craft a good reel by using software like After Effects, Fusion or Nuke or whatever.

I've used a very simple approach in photoshop and movie maker but I always see a lot of interesting reels with a bunch of advanced effects like fading wireframes, camera movements, FX ecc

Does anybody know about specific technical tutorials (not the generic tips like "keep it short", etc) for a 3D artist wanting to create a reel?

I mean there are thousands of tutorials around but never found one for that specific case.

Many thanks!

PyrZern

I thought reels are reserved in high regards for animator or fx artist :P

rodpv

PyrZern wrote: »

I thought reels are reserved in high regards for animator or fx artist :P

Yeah I'm perfectly aware that you don't need to have shiny effects or transitions to showcase your work but it would be nice to have a basic grasp of how some things are done.

Odow

Except if you have really big scene with fx, most people hate having to look at a video if you're an artist. Quality is crappy, music is 90% of the time super annoying, it's too fast, too slow, too "idon'tgiveafuckaboutthat" A folio with screenshow of your scene and asset breakdown is so much better. let the real for technical, rigger and animator.

kanga

I think what Odow said is true for people who are forced to look at dozens of reels at a time. That would drive a person nuts for sure But our work is 3d and I think a really good reel can be a real help 8n selling your wares. Here is a collection of great reels: http://www.cgstudentawards.com/next-gen-gaming/soty-finalists-games?view=category which is a link someone here posted. The soundtracks are well done and the movies are edited nicely. There really isnt much in the way of fx just some fade overs. If you want to morph from one model state to another just render out two sequences and let one fade in over the other.

Hope the linbk helps.

rodpv

Well actally I've done something very simple with my personal work and clay. Which is this:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfbKFKHi5k"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfbKFKHi5k[/ame]



Thing is it's been done in photoshop CC since it was quite handy

I'm all for simplicity and elegance but I was just wondering if anybody knew some fancy stuff :poly121:

Eric Chadwick

I have some videos on my site, but I feel it's bad to show still models in video form, as turnarounds or whatever. It's a real waste of your viewer's patience.

I only show videos when it's something in-game, or something that has to be shown in motion to make sense.

If an instructor is telling you to make a reel, but you're not an animator or fx artist, then they don't know shit about current portfolios. Sure, make one to fulfill the course, but be sure to chuck it once you're serious about seeking work.

Important reads on the subject (I wish I had these when I started out!)
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Portfolio

rodpv

Eric Chadwick wrote: »

I have some videos on my site, but I feel it's bad to show still models in video form, as turnarounds or whatever. It's a real waste of your viewer's patience.

I only show videos when it's something in-game, or something that has to be shown in motion to make sense.

If an instructor is telling you to make a reel, but you're not an animator or fx artist, then they don't know shit about current portfolios. Sure, make one to fulfill the course, but be sure to chuck it once you're serious about seeking work.

Important reads on the subject (I wish I had these when I started out!)
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Portfolio

Hi Eric thanks for your precious tips.

Although my reel, even if static, beginner-like, simplistic and poor actually got me my first 2 freelance gigs here in London. The first one I didn't even sent it but has been found. So I'm actually quite positive is always good to pack things in an easy "play" button. But I come from a traditional background so obviously that's just my humble opinion. I'm sure the game industry is different.

Mine was just a curiosity about some "techniques" and not about the utility or the generic structure of a reel

Eric Chadwick

More effects are not going to improve your models. Better to put that time into improving your models, etc. Show a few high-rez stills, all on one page.

But if you still want to learn video fx, best bet is to seek out video editing sites.

Also, d/l videos with fx you like and go thru them frame by frame to figure out what they've done, and how many frames they did it in.

rodpv

Thanks Eric,
yes I'll be looking into some After Effects or Fusion stuff. Maybe the second one so I have a bit of vfx compositing going on

sziada

you are much better off just doing your 3D well and presenting some really nice high resolution screenshots. At the end of the day they are not going to care about what affects or music you have in your reel.

seth.

I think the reason for the difference of opinions might be down to industry differences. No low poly wires textures or full characters along with wanting to make a reel tells me that you are probably more interested in VFX and being a modeller for film. all the above advice is solid for game art, if you want into this industry then really just drop the reel, get some decent game ready stuff and screenshot it along with textures and wires, or drop it in marmoset viewer and let other people spin it around to their hearts content.
Unless its a big environment (flythroughts are awesome) or you need to see the object in motion I really see no point to a reel, a static object spinning around does nothing for me.

Tl;Dr

If film is where you want to be then maybe you are better off asking this question on a more VFX orientated forum?

rodpv

seth. wrote: »

I think the reason for the difference of opinions might be down to industry differences. No low poly wires textures or full characters along with wanting to make a reel tells me that you are probably more interested in VFX and being a modeller for film. all the above advice is solid for game art, if you want into this industry then really just drop the reel, get some decent game ready stuff and screenshot it along with textures and wires, or drop it in marmoset viewer and let other people spin it around to their hearts content.
Unless its a big environment (flythroughts are awesome) or you need to see the object in motion I really see no point to a reel, a static object spinning around does nothing for me.

Tl;Dr

If film is where you want to be then maybe you are better off asking this question on a more VFX orientated forum?

Thanks guys. Even if my question was way simpler and with no pretense at all: I was just asking for a bit of technical advice but it's clear that it got entangled with the desire of expressing opinions about "the nature of a reel and its purpose", where I've already formed a certain kind of idea and it's for me now working.

I feel we're now going out of my original simple topic but I completely respect the advices and thanks for the feedbacks again!

Eric Chadwick

OK fair enough, sorry to derail.

If you post examples of video fx you like, I bet people could offer ideas about how it was done.

Francois_K

The best way to make a kickass reel is to just look at professional reels , make a list of what they did , how they did it , try and replicate , fail , repeat , nail it , boom.

Trial and error.
On youtube there's cgbros which have a huge collection of showreels and the likes. From modeling to animation to tech art.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCGBro

Should check that out.

rodpv

Yep! I have a folder with some reels I like.... just trying to find it in my messed up HDD O_O