a while ago my roommate attended seigraph and told me that all the employers were asking to see flatbooks instead of full blown portfolios.
so my question is this: do you think an "animation flatbook" that's been professionally printed to about the size of a comicbook could take the place of the giant portfolio case if it contained the same content?
like, would it be exceptable to just leave a copy of my demoreel and my flatbook whenever i apply for jobs.
it just seems a bit more economical than having to print several different large prints for every job i apply for.
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http://ben-reynolds.com
Animation and Design
They usually want to see your work in an a4 booklet format. They also like to be able to keep portfolios in filing cabinets, so larger formats may just be thrown out. It would be a bad idea to send origionals anyway so you don't really need to send any oversized material. Good luck
actually, a4 format does make a lot more sense than comic size now that i think about it, thanks alot doubt
http://ben-reynolds.com
Animation and Design
What is the range of pages for a booklet and would printing on both sides be good? As I understand it, a4 covers both letter and legal sizes so which would be better? Would a mix of different papers help or keep it all on cheap paper.
I was thinking that legal could be better because the pages could be bounded on their short side.
Sounds like extra work and expense to me. Why not just make printouts or photocopies of your work on good 8.5 x 11 paper and slip them into one of those presentation books with the clear plastic sheets? It's quick, cheap, and keeps everything together. Your book should be about your drawing skill, not your layout skill.
Professional printing/binding is going to be expensive unless you print way more copies than you'll need, which is a waste of paper and ink. Catch-22.
BTW, I haven't put together a "formal" portfolio in years. The only one I own holds my originals as loose sheets, just to keep them neat and handy in case I need to rescan them.
I just print my drawings on decent,(on sale) paper and put them in an a4 cover(they cost about 50 cents) The ones with the plastic sheets are usually a bit bigger than a4.
If Your artwork is insanely good I don't think the studio will care about the size, but if your a normal person I would think about it.
Is that what they call them? "flatbooks"?
8.5 x 11 is what I do. Decent scans or photocopies. In something that they can be removed but not fall out at opening. Don't stack it with everyting you've ever drawn.
Some bigger studios may have requiremnts as to how many of types of works pertaining to the position you are applying for. Ask.
I know Disney at one time may not've even looked at stuff if it didn't meet the requirements or was presented loosely.
Perhaps print your contact info on each sheet in case they take it out and look at it and decide it's a swell sample but don't know who did it.
I surmise at the interview is when you can bring the big portfolio. I use the samples as just that, a sample.
Fancy leather binding with gold leaf won't dazzle anyone except to say, What a nice binding. Content, content, content.
This is a little OT, not exactly what you were talking about but I once had a Disney Newsreel article that talked about all the attention getting things people did to get jobs at Disney. Basically the article said in the end if one is talented their talent will be seld-evident by their work and resume.
Presntation is something important...but not everything.
Well, anything that will hold 8.5 x 11 (or A4) is bound (excuse the pun) to be a bit bigger than that size. Has to be, in order to accomodate the binding, etc.
I think we're both around the same section of the office supply store, though. I've used what you show in your image before as well.
8.5 x 11 inches is a good size. Anything over 11 x 14 screams student. Also it's cheaper to run off 10 or 20 portfolios at 8.5x11 than a bigger format.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."