[Demo reel] Galen Linnett

galen linnett · Jan 2011

this is my first thread so please bare with me. this is a link to my demo reel. [ame]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7obdvv32FU[/ame]
I'm hoping to get as many critiques as possible in the next month to take my environment modeling reel from a 7/10 to a 9/10. I would love to get a job modeling/ texturing environments for tv/movies/animation.I'll have another month to tweek it and then I'll feel confident in mass spreading it. All work in this demo is mine and I realize how shitty the alien animation is so don't bother commenting on that or any animation for that fact. I'm mostly concerned with Eye sores. I've watched the thing so many times I don't know what naturally stands out as looking unprofessional, out of place, floating or in need of color correction.
here's my portfolio http://galenlinnett.daportfolio.com/gallery/148474
I'd appreciate a critique but I'd prefer your time be spent critiquing my demo reel. I also don't mind critiquing other people's work in exchange for your critique

TheMadArtist · Jan 2011

First off, I'd lose that horrible font. Just have your first image be a screen that shows your name and contact info for about 5 seconds. In that first shot, the transition from wire to render is a bit jarring. I'm a bit confused as to why you have 3d work, then breakdowns, then 2d work, then back to more 3d without breakdowns. I'd keep it all 3d work. It's good work, but some of your shots drag on a lot and makes your reel far too long. I'd keep it at around 3 min. Get in and get out. For instance the static that you have after the "recovered footage" text isn't needed and the camera will sit on a shot where nothing is happening and we've already seen what the environment is offering. All in all I'd work more on the editing and pacing and go for a more impactful edit. Lose the special thanks too, makes you look like a student, and even if you are that's the last thing you want to be considered as.

Take a look at Digital Domain's reels, in particular the environment or feature films ones and see how they go about pacing them out and showcasing the work and breakdowns.

Looking at your site as well, I'd lose the about me section or at least reword it so you are not talking about yourself in the third person.

And I'd definitely drop the comic art all together. Also, you might want to consider not having so many pieces that have characters in the foreground silhouetted. I counted six total.

galen linnett · Jan 2011

I can't tell you how much that means to me to have a subjective critique. everyone I ask seems to treat me like their simple son. Just a pat on the head and that's nice work. It's awesome advice because your treating me like an adult. Thanx. I was wondering if you think my 2d concept in general(in my portfolio) is dragging down the rest of my work. Either way I really appreciate your work. If there's anything I can do to help you out just msg or email me.

Habboi · Jan 2011

That's nice work son.

No but looking at your portfolio I see some nice detail among almost all your work but the thing that lets them down is the final render. I don't know what you used to render your scenes but maybe there's something better? I get this CG vibe from them which I always treat as in-between game art and film art. Neither real nor fake.

Then again let me use an example picture.

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/o/2010/351/7/6/760456623008a208d005f83a65af2075.jpg

The flower pot appears too bright and could use more shadow. Heck the lighting is too washed out and needs more defining shadows. The floor texture is a bit weak in that there's no real detail in the diffuse. It looks like a browny/grey colour with a normal applied to it.

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/o/2010/351/2/6/26473631648c34d23a049a60143549a9.jpg

Why is everything blurry in this picture? Also the picture at the back, although seamless, doesn't seem to be the correct angle to trick me into thinking it goes on.

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/352/a/e/aead8ffac6fe52cfb164b357b282dd30.jpg

This piece is nice but it's a shame the cave appears un-textured.

Oh I also forgot to critique the actual website but you've got a sort of splash page going on there. Why make me click onto your gallery when that could be the first page that's loaded? I also want to see texture sheets, wireframes.

As for the demo reel there's some good work on there. The most impressive piece for me was either the car or the scene with the alien ship in the cave.

Font is horrible. Change it to something more neutral and professional. Look up some prof' fonts.

Your projects all seem to take on a huge sense of scale which is one of the impressive parts of your reel but perhaps you should work on smaller scenes to really pump out the best work you can produce. Something like a hallway.

Overall you've got some good work, some needs improving texture and lighting wise with more defined shadows and mood. Colour theory is good although that cave is let down by its boring grey/gray. Hope that helps and good luck finding a job if that's what you're doing.

galen linnett · Jan 2011

that is soo helpful dude. I think you might have just gotten me a job. It's so funny that I never even noticed the cave entrance before. My friend said it seemed to bright but had to darken it quite a bit more than my style guide. I agree with everything as well. when you tell me it's like I subconsciously already knew I just want to hear the truth. This is like therapy for CiG-heads. but yeah so helpful especially with the shadows comment. I didn't even notice until now. I think I was trying too hard to simulate indirect lighting so I tend to oversoften shadows

moose · Jan 2011

cool reel!

I agree with Mad though, drop that purple orange and red beveled text. It almost seems ironic to have it there, but i think you could come up with a better design/visual motif

during the 3rd bit, the hand-cam piece, the static goes on for about 3 seconds too long. Would rather see it static for a second or less, then visual tape blip to the recorded stuff. I thought the reel was over until i looked at the timeline of the video.

Not sure i agree with the presentation of the jeep, seeing the things fly in is neat, but i think you have them stick to the car too early without much easing out of the motion. In general i think the reactions to the pieces being attached are too short, and could use more bump & life.

@ site: I think its cool you do comic art, but i would drop that content from your site. Just doesn't fit, and doesn't seem to match the same quality as everything else. There are a few pieces of concept art too i'd drop:
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/o/2010/352/c/0/c0be971183a8adcaf5094f01845361b8.jpg (or at least crop to the center figure)

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs51/o/2010/352/c/7/c7f0af1fb81b13729c65d80ecccd7e2a.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/352/3/2/327f44e2497cd89c33bbc8bf5fb134bd.jpg
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs48/o/2009/247/9/e/9e59b3da1608b5e2570ef95af8c9ca34.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/o/2010/352/0/b/0bd431909062a3f997e966b660ee3ba8.jpg

not sure of the purpose of the "Home" section. make your portfolio focus "home"

love the outdoor outback stuff. looks nice!

galen linnett · Jan 2011

cool thanks for the help. I agree with all the concept art choices. I've just seen my own work too many times, my eyes blur over and I can't tell so it's great to hear about which pieces to work on more and which peices to chuck. I agree with MADartist that I have one too many silouhetted characters in the foreground

Jessica Dinh · Jan 2011

Sorry I don't have any critique to offer . . . I just wanna say your stuff is amazing and inspiring to me

Thanks for showing!

NomadSoul2501 · Jan 2011

Hey a really great effort and a strong reel in the making.
I especially enjoyed the sense of scale going from close range to distance shots.

I have to strongly agree with everything that's been said about the font/pacing/static.
One thing I think you should decide on is your specialty.
I loved everything about your reel until I saw the monkey/aliens characters.
You are very strong in creating environments and the character work drags your reel down.
Its good that your trying to convey a sense of being a generalist but I wouldn't put that in the reel at the moment there's just too big a difference.
Same thing about the birds in the city environment. their animation was basic at best and that distracts from the environment.

The modeling on the high poly environment in the end looked great, I would have loved to see breakdowns for that but some of the shaders where off.
The textures looked good with just the right amount of wear and tear to them but something was off.

Anyway, keep up the good work!

Cheers!

haikai · Jan 2011

Really nice display of skills here. Main problem for me is that the reel is too long. Depending on what you want to show off and what position you're applying for maybe it's worth cutting some stuff out and rearranging things a bit.

galen linnett · Jan 2011

NomadSoul2501 wrote: »

Hey a really great effort and a strong reel in the making.
I especially enjoyed the sense of scale going from close range to distance shots.

I have to strongly agree with everything that's been said about the font/pacing/static.
One thing I think you should decide on is your specialty.
I loved everything about your reel until I saw the monkey/aliens characters.
You are very strong in creating environments and the character work drags your reel down.
Its good that your trying to convey a sense of being a generalist but I wouldn't put that in the reel at the moment there's just too big a difference.
Same thing about the birds in the city environment. their animation was basic at best and that distracts from the environment.

The modeling on the high poly environment in the end looked great, I would have loved to see breakdowns for that but some of the shaders where off.
The textures looked good with just the right amount of wear and tear to them but something was off.

Anyway, keep up the good work!

Cheers!

I just watched your demo. I've had screenshots for your demo on my wallpaper slideshow for a year now, that's so cool to hear from you. I thought the pacing was perfect I never got bored and the cinematography was phenominal. I also thought your website was super professional and was wondering how you made it. anyway I appreciate the critique and yeah I know there's something just not right about the last scene. I think, like you said, some of the shaders are off but moreover I think it's that the whole scene is just a bit too blue- with a blue roof top as the focus.
anyway I can't thank you enough for the help and advice. keep in mind I'm not working right now and if you come across any open source volenteer projects outside of the polycount threads gimme a pm.

galen linnett · Jan 2011

Once again I really appreciate the critiques. they are super helpful and when you agree with other comments it shows me what sticks out for the average viewer. I hope to update the post with a new demo within the week but a 500 frame shadow layer can be a little time consuming. until then you guys all rock.

James9475 · Jan 2011

I didnt read any of the replies so sorry if this has been covered:

1)Its way too long

2) You spend way too much time being cinematic, adn not enough time showing what employers care about, the final image, and your wireframes/texture sheets.

3) Theres a lot of animation and effects sneaking in. Unless you think they are professional quality, remove that stuff. You reel is as good as the worst thing in it.

jordan.kocon · Jan 2011

Hey its looking not bad, but I noticed one large hiccup. At around 3:50 when the camera is panning around the building, the bird that appears in the top left of the screen isnt moving, he is chillin in the air with no wing movement. It's not until a second or two in that he actually starts moving.

jimmypopali · Jan 2011

I would defiantly recommend checking out Feng Zhu's youtube channel.

I'm not sure whether or not too many people know about this, but this is an invaluable source of both learning techniques and a lot of colour, perception, post effects and general tips about drawin, composition and the entertainment industry. Huge inspiration.
Also, the tips don't stop at 2D conception, tips apply to all fields. Will even help with 3d environment conception and planning.

[Demo reel] Galen Linnett

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