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BossMonkey's Demo Reel

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BossMonkey's Demo Reel

Hey, I'm throwing together a demo reel for Cartoon Network that I have to hand in tomorrow. Supposedly they like people who know how to use Flash, lucky for me, since that's most of my stuff. I don't have that much stuff, and my teacher was telling me that because of that, the most I can hope for is an internship.
I'm wondering what you guys think:
http://ribaldyouth.com/krishna/anim/demoreelDIVX.avi

If you saw it and thought that the black at the top and bottom of some scenes changing sizes was distracting, I was thinking making the background white instead of black would help, but I unfortunately don't know too much about premiere, and couldn't figure out how to do that, let alone any fade transitions (I was thinking of putting one in to fade to the contact and program info at the end).
Also, how awkward was it to have the last clip in sound? It was synced with sound, so I needed to leave it in even though the rest of the clips had none.
Any other crits?
Thanks

i can't see it, but..

Good luck:)
I think you should address the issues you mentioned ASAP
Wish I could see it.

Wish I could help:(
Could you make a Quicktime of it?

I know premiere pretty well too (although I don't use it much since Final Cut Pro). Post again please:)

I'd like to, but the file ends up being 570 Mb =\

I checked out your reel. I'm not sure how you submit it (as a file or as VHS) but the DIVX codec used on the file was pretty picky- my Windows media player (with the divx codec installed) wouldn't play it, and neither would a Divx player that I have. I had to use VLC to actually see it. Once I got to watch it I thought was pretty good. Nice perspective stuff, cool camera work, and some nice use of color. I wouldn't worry about the white background or scene size change.

The only suggestion I would make would be to remove the last clip (the presidential thing). It felt really "average joe flash on the internet". It really didn't keep up with the artistic quality of your earlier scenes and spoke nothing of your animation talent. I know you need some filler material, but the minute I saw it I thought less of the reel. If you need to show that you know Flash, though, then you may have no choice. Oh well. Not bad overall, though.

I'm sure that someone who actually hires animators would have some better tips for you- I'm just a layman, so please take my suggestions with a grain of salt.

By the way, quick tip on transitions in premiere:
You use most transitions (like fades) by overlapping clips...
put one clip (the "transition from" clip) in the Video 1a row and the other (the "transition to" clip) in Video 1b. Drag them around so that they overlap, and you will be able to drag a transition into the "transition" strip where they overlap (see below):

Video 1a ==================.....................................
transition ..................********....................................
Video 1b ...................=====================.............

Good luck
Cook

I actually like some of your stuff, and there's certainly potential there, but sound is the least of your concerns when almost everything in there is far from complete. (Incidentally, it's also the least since most people have the sound off or low while they watch a reel)

On the one hand you can say your job wouldn't necessarily involve creating the "clean-up" but it's only through an actual finished pieces without the so-called "searching" lines that you see what's actually there, the meat of a character's style and how it moves. Especially in light of how many other polished people you'd be competing against for any given position there, not having taking the time to go through and finish what's there already puts you at a disadvantage to someone who did equally good animation but also went back over their roughs to create something more tangible than dancing constructions.

Again like I said, -I- personally like it, but it's not the reel material I'm used to seeing (ie all-out, or at the very least, done) and wouldn't blame them if they didn't consider it for the internship, let alone anything beyond. It's sort like in high school, when we were assigned a certain number of sketches to do for our journals each week. They'd ask for something fleshed out, and each week (through the end of the year believe it or not) half the class turned in drawings of objects, well done and not well done, just sitting there floating. To get an A you had to have a background near which the object could contextually exist. I don't mean this literally as backgrounds are out of the keen of what you're doing, and the one that's in there with the trees I think is astounding. I just mean go through with it 100% and really sell it, and I think it's fair to reason they'll want -proof- that you can -draw- as well as you can. Your reel might be short but covering all the steps and all the details could make that matter much less.

Where do you go to school, incidentally? Is this a mock-up (ie make a reel as if you were to be hired) or are you actually doing this?

thanks cook. I'll probably take out the last clip by your suggestion

scattered> I'm at Savannah College of Art and Design
At first I wasn't planning on turning anything in, since I really don't have a demo reel to show, but my teacher suggested that there might be some potential there, and I figured it couldn't hurt... hopefully

Hi Bossmonkey,

From one monkey to another, great stuff, but you have got to take out that presidential stuff at the end. I wouldn't hire you if that was in your reel, but I would if I only saw everything befor that.

I would leave the black at the top and bottom because it'll be watched on TV or a monitor so it'll blend in. If you make it white, it'll stand out more.

Are you submitting it to Cartoon Network Atlanta or Burbank?

Once again, great work, and I wouldn't say that was Flash, thats traditional animation. Just say you are an animator and you also know Flash and 3D. Oh, and your name and contact info is on way to short at the end.

Good luck,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

And one more thing. I'm not to sure about the 3D balls either. I wouldn't mind if those were gone too.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

stuff to remove

Hello BossMonkey! I'm very pleased to see traditional animation done in flash since a lot of the normal flash animation is really bad. Everything looks good except for the girl on the swing, the 3d ball, and the presidential thing. They are not as good as everything else on your reel and should be removed. Good luck with Cartoon Network.

On a side note, what year are you? I go to SCAD too. I'll be a sophmore in the fall.

"Animation isn't about how well you draw, but how much to believe." -Glen Keane

mightymew>
yeah, I'm not a fan of those clips either, but without them, the reel runs only 30 some seconds long. in fact I'd rather take out that bean bag clip too. maybe that's a sign that I should wait =\

I'll be a senior next fall

Don't feel bad Bossmonkey. I think you should submit your reel anyway (after taking out some of the stuff). There's no rule saying you can turn it in only once. Give it a shot and see what kind of reaction you get. You have a lot more stuff on your reel than I do, but I'm submitting mine anyhow (not to cartoon network but to a place in VA).

"Animation isn't about how well you draw, but how much to believe." -Glen Keane

Send it in Bossmonkey. The worse they can say is "no." But if you don't send it in, you will never know. 30 Seconds is fine. They see you are a student and such aren't expecting to see 10 minutes of feature quality animation, they look for talent and promise. I see those in the 30 seconds of animation, but all that gets washed away when the presidential clips come on. Take a chance, all it will cost you is a few bucks to mail.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

ape>
not even
cartoon network is coming to scad, so I just drop it in a dropbox

but I DID have to pay for the vhs tape... :mad:

With one year left, how do they handle that? If they're obsessed with you, do they wait till you graduate? I know for internships you can take it for credit, but what I'm talking about is if they desire you for a permanent spot once you've proven yourself...

If they offer you a job, take it. You go to school to learn your craft, so ultimately you can make a living at it. If that opportunity comes alittle early so be it. If it doens't work out, the school will always be there. Granted you never want to stop learning, but if you tell them you want to finish school, they'll just move on to the next willing appicant. Diplomas mean nothing in our craft, it really is what you can do.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."