Version 1.0 of my first demo reel

therealcalituna

Hey All,

I just finished a roughish first version of my demo reel. Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time.

http://myweb.csuchico.edu/~ekeenan/demoreel.html

-Eric

whats_true

That very first character, I would take it out. I mean, is a big blob with bloby hands and a bloby head and bloby feet, really demonstrating that your a modeler?

What does that middle page, with the world and fire and stuff, mean? Are you now going for a after affects position? Your a modeler and a texture artist, this adds nothing to the reel.

Why do you have models but then they are textured by someone else? I thought you were a texture artist? Why shuffle the work to someone else?

Finally, why do you have a full blown animation at the end of the reel? Geez dude, pick a craft and stick with it. If your a modeler, show the best models. If your a texture artist, show the best textures. If your both, do both. Don't do models, then have someone else texture it. Don't model and texture, but then have the guy doing full blown animation. Subtle animation is fine, but the kids doing all sorts of stuff.

Anywho, just my 2 cents.

cholden

Too much time spent looking at that book than the art.

Polycounts are too wasteful to be considered for game art. That and texturing overall appears to be rusting metal or rock pictures slapped on models. Post individual pieces you wish to improve on this forum for more details on how these things could be improved.

You come across more as an animator than a modeler or texture artist since your grande finale is an animation.

I think you've got a long ways to go, but could get there quick if you focused on getting one piece good and applying that knowledge to your other works, and avoid characters.

sir-knight

have to agree here, depending on what you're applying for you need to tailor fit it a bit better. Personally as an animator, I think the animation of the baby is pretty weaksauce. When he gets up, you can see the limbs jittering all over the place in a bad way. Also, his expression does not change at all. His face is frozen and all he's doing is moving his eyes around.

Your first piece the blob dude... is not something I'd lead a portfolio with. Remember, the first thing you show has to suck them in to make them look at the next, and the next. Start and leave on high notes.

I've worked in a place where they litterally give you 20 seconds, and if you don't give them something in the first 5 worth looking at or making them curious about the next piece (in a good way) your stuff is going to end up in the bin.

dolemite

I think you need to make the VW bug way more mind blowing if you are using that many polygons. Like the light fixtures seem to just jet into the surface of the hood. If you are making a piece that hi poly, there should be better dressing for the seems.

The material of the car body is barely coming across. After that the metal for the bumper and the light fixtures is just not really coming across as metal at all. I'd learn to use mental ray arch and design materials or something like that, if I was going to make things that hi poly.

Orgoth02

If you are a modeler/texture why do you have animation work on your reel. Focus on either modeling and texturing or animation. Being a generalist is not going to help you get a job.

Hellspawn

Just a small note, on that last animation with the baby, were his legs like major freakin out or was it just me?

rdramsay1121

yeah, like what others are saying, you should put just your best work up- look over what you have and pick out only the ones that best represent your skill level (you need to be a bit harsh on yourself in this instance; I've made tons of work while in school but in the end I only picked out 3 or so for my last reel).

Another thing, if you want to show off details on your models (normals, etc) you should do picture-in-pictures; run a zoomed up image of the model in the background / side of the turntable. You should also keep your reel under 2 minutes too (its like a resume)

Rhinokey

here is a big tip in making a portfolio, look at games you like, and hten compaire your art with it. look at screens of guns from say gears of war, unreal, battlefield games, and say to yourself "am i on par or better than these?"

do the same with your characters, your snake guy, would it fit seamlesly in any current game?

did you even look at the animation of the baby, you notice its foot jerking around all over the place? what made you think that was fine? that should be a easy thing to see that was messed up and go back and fix.

take some time post work here and get comments. improve and build a pfolio as you go.

good luck

oobersli

Characters... too many wasted polys. boring characters as well, boring sillouettes. Guns.. your trying to let the polys do too much work and not focusing on finding a medium between normal maps and poly usage. like cholden said.. looks like your just using a rust texture over everything. If you plan to be a texture artist you're going to have more WOW than that.

Also.. your music has a blip in it like halfway I think. I had my headphones on and it scared the living bejeezus out of me. I also dont think the music works well with the style of art youre going with.

hope ya take everyones crits in a positive view and post up your work so that you can build on it.