3D Generalist Showreel critique please

[caliber400]

Hi, im about to finnish my showreel and would really need some professional criticism before i release the final version. It could be anything from the specific clips or just the reel as whole.
I will be really glad for your help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJOSgBTcTpQ

[RichardB]

My standard reply to showreels is ‘Too long and too much’.

You have some excellent work in there, but I think you have to be a lot more coldhearted about what you show.

For example, your second sequence, the car

“Oh,” I think “thats a great CG car. And here’s another shot it. And…another shot of it. And now, another shot of it. And now? Is that the same car, or a different one? Oh, back to the red car- oh, technical passes”.

My thoughts on stuff like that are ‘Show it once, show it well, then NEVER show it again.’

You’ve modelled and textured a great car. I saw that immediately in the first shot. Nothing in the second, third or fourth shot in any way added to my impression.

The same with the technical passes - it’s obvious from the end result you are in command of the passes.
You don’t need to show them. The person watching the reel either knows full well what passes look like, in which case this is switch off time, or hasn’t a clue - so why bother showing them?

Same with the plane - yes, it’s CG, I know, I get it.

Now the next segment, the DMP I think you can do a before and after, because the two are so strikingly different. But all you need here is a clip of the end result with a swipe of the starting plate to show the work. You don’t need to show the breakdowns and the 3d plates.

The ‘special offer’ graphic just screams Video Copilot to me, I would pick and choose who you show that too - more one for potential customers rather than potential employers

To sum up - you have really good work. Your material is professional and polished. BUT you seem more concerned with showing us you know how to do the trick, than the trick itself. And you are a bit too in love with some of the shots.

Here is an exercise.

Cut this reel down to 30 seconds.

I’m not saying you have to have a 30 sec reel, but I think the choices you make by when doing that will be really helpful to you in deciding what actually needs to be on your reel.

Cheers
RB

[caliber400]

BIG thank you for an awesome and constructive response. It really means a lot to me. I will take take that information you gave me, have it in mind for showreel 2.0, - special offer one definitely wont be a part of 30 second reel

My standard reply to showreels is ‘Too long and too much’.

You have some excellent work in there, but I think you have to be a lot more coldhearted about what you show.

For example, your second sequence, the car

“Oh,” I think “thats a great CG car. And here’s another shot it. And…another shot of it. And now, another shot of it. And now? Is that the same car, or a different one? Oh, back to the red car- oh, technical passes”.

My thoughts on stuff like that are ‘Show it once, show it well, then NEVER show it again.’

You’ve modelled and textured a great car. I saw that immediately in the first shot. Nothing in the second, third or fourth shot in any way added to my impression.

The same with the technical passes - it’s obvious from the end result you are in command of the passes.
You don’t need to show them. The person watching the reel either knows full well what passes look like, in which case this is switch off time, or hasn’t a clue - so why bother showing them?

Same with the plane - yes, it’s CG, I know, I get it.

Now the next segment, the DMP I think you can do a before and after, because the two are so strikingly different. But all you need here is a clip of the end result with a swipe of the starting plate to show the work. You don’t need to show the breakdowns and the 3d plates.

The ‘special offer’ graphic just screams Video Copilot to me, I would pick and choose who you show that too - more one for potential customers rather than potential employers

To sum up - you have really good work. Your material is professional and polished. BUT you seem more concerned with showing us you know how to do the trick, than the trick itself. And you are a bit too in love with some of the shots.

Here is an exercise.

Cut this reel down to 30 seconds.

I’m not saying you have to have a 30 sec reel, but I think the choices you make by when doing that will be really helpful to you in deciding what actually needs to be on your reel.

Cheers
RB