portfolio dilema
polycounter lvl 17
hey everyone,
im encountering a big disaster when coming to deciding what to do for a portfolio demo reel. currently i am required to create a demo reel consisting of 6-8 props. these props can be anything from weapons, to vehicles, to a game asset, just nothing simple like crates or barrels (they will even allow busts). here is where my issue comes in. i want to make guns, (LOTS AND LOTS OF GUNS!), but part of the requirements is that the pieces must be different, they even specify, "do not do 8 guns." so im deciding, what sort of vehicles or props could i mix in with this. my answer so far...
NOTHING!
im wondering, what is better to see: a demo reel showing experience in one area (in my case, weapons), or is it better to be diverse and show similarities for hard surface/organic in general.
as it stands, im debating whether or not to continue doing a "prop" demo reel (i havent started, ive just been gathering concepts), or to switch to an environment reel. i figure if i am going to be doing props, i may as well do a full environment (unless its something unique and specific that i can find).
im just looking for a second opinion on this matter if anyone would be so kind.
thx,
-sean marino
im encountering a big disaster when coming to deciding what to do for a portfolio demo reel. currently i am required to create a demo reel consisting of 6-8 props. these props can be anything from weapons, to vehicles, to a game asset, just nothing simple like crates or barrels (they will even allow busts). here is where my issue comes in. i want to make guns, (LOTS AND LOTS OF GUNS!), but part of the requirements is that the pieces must be different, they even specify, "do not do 8 guns." so im deciding, what sort of vehicles or props could i mix in with this. my answer so far...
NOTHING!
im wondering, what is better to see: a demo reel showing experience in one area (in my case, weapons), or is it better to be diverse and show similarities for hard surface/organic in general.
as it stands, im debating whether or not to continue doing a "prop" demo reel (i havent started, ive just been gathering concepts), or to switch to an environment reel. i figure if i am going to be doing props, i may as well do a full environment (unless its something unique and specific that i can find).
im just looking for a second opinion on this matter if anyone would be so kind.
thx,
-sean marino
Replies
Plus tables, racks, trashcans, bullets, and a room to house it all + lighting.
A full scene that contains the types of items you are interested in making.
@scoobydoofus: that sounds like a great idea.. ill have to see if it will fly with my teachers (and if it doesnt i may just be like bfd im doing it anyway). ill keep that in mind. only issue with that would be that im only going to be doing 6-8 guns, of which vary from ww2, modern, and scifi. so keeping it consistent will be somewhat of a challenge for that.
Yeah tying all the assets together with a theme and eventually a game scene is definitely a good idea, and will set your work apart from people who will just have made the first random objects that popped through their head.
Justin_Meisse, I agree that it's kind of silly, but I guess it's always nice to teach the students how to do basic video capture etc, it's always useful for doing 360 animations, or flybys of environments. I think nowadays environments are best shown off with videos, to show how the materials react to lighting, and eventually little animated details etc. But yeah, a proper image portfolio is always best when applying to jobs, any kind of video support should be bonus and optional.
~ +1
You're not going to wind up just making rifles all day, look at any modern FPS and you've usually got a weapon that calls in an airstrike, etc. I'm a weapon artist at Volition but I still have a handful of vehicles and robots in my work docket.
Some sort of military depot environment theme will let you come up with a lot of related items that aren't strictly weapons - whether its an armory with racks and a desk/computer for the quartermaster, or a garage with some guns and a Humvee and a portable generator, etc, you'll show a greater diversity of props while still keeping it themed around what you want to do.
@bal: for the requirements for prop, they want just a 360 of each piece, environments could be flythroughs or stills (in video format regardless), but here's the difference. naturally the environment reels will require a bit more of busy work as opposed to fine tuning details, which is where im trying to find a balance. if i do an environment reel (either 2 or 3), ill spend less time on making things look as good as possible (which is i guess how some things get done in the industry), and more time trying to bang out interesting but unique pieces that all fit together in some way shape or form.
@ghostscape: that may be the direction i will go with a prop reel. my limit is 8, min is 6 (for 6 only they all have to be textured, i can get away with only modeling if i do 8.. tho i plan to texture). problem with incorporating an environment with the props is the similarity that everything will have, essentially turning it into an environment reel, and 1 environment with some pretty props wont cut it (here anyway). what i think i may do is just a basic demo of 360 props.. maybe about 3 guns, 1 vehicle, and 2 props.. all changing from scifi to modern and historical.
thx for the input everyone.
We were required to make a website portfolio which is exactly what you should be required to make. We did also have to make a print portfolio which was expensive but great to have at GDC and interview type events.
More useful than anything else you do with this is making sure your assets are textured and finished.
I'll second the Print Portfolio thing - being able to flip through a simple binder with some nice prints was great when I was last at GDC - nobody wants to pull their laptop out and load up your stuff, I think one guy did it (and the website/cd business cards that I had were the same stuff I had printed, anywayways). Being able to pull out stuff in 5 seconds and start pointing and flipping is amazing when you only have a minute to make an impression.
I'm teaching a Character Art class at Champlain College semester, and I'm certainly not going to ask my student to compile a demo reel.
Although that seems like such a foreign concept to much of the faculty, Keep in mind that many faculty members had their experience in the industry when demo reels were essential. Heck, I believe places like Bioware and Blizzard demanded on their website a VHS format of a demo reel until mid 2000s, or it would not even be looked at.
As to the OP, Your work is pretty nice. I would suggest if you do decide to go with more Guns and Props, diversify them substantially. Make a Wild West hand cannon, then follow it up with modern day Sniper Rifle.
It might not diversify the subject, but it shows how you treat different styles and materials.
Vehicles are also not a far stretch of a skillset (when I was working on FarCry 2, I believe the weapons guy made the vehicles as well).
In the end, if the point of the diverse content is show the diversity of your skillset, make sure you pick items that exemplify them.
@ghostscape: yeah, there are a lot of people who choose not to texture their props just due to laziness, or lack of motivation, which often times kinda pisses me off that they wont even try. to me, an untextured prop just really doesnt sell (especially when its a low poly projection).
@JacqueChoi: thanks. ill take those suggestions into account.
oh man I remember that! fun times...me and the VHS tapes...hey wait, I graduated from AiFL too in '03... and if tuition didn't kill you, to postage for those tapes sure did.