For animators, compositors, effects artists, motion graphic designers, if you want your art to move than your demo real is going to be more important than a resume alone. Prospective employers are not going to care who you have worked for in the past as much as they do about what you did whilst you were there.
The things you put in your demo real should be at least minimally animated. Typically your reel should have a short title screen and closing credits, but do not waste time, jump straight into it and show your best work first. Remember that you’re more than likely to be applying for a visual effects position so audio is optional, and if you do decide to include a track make sure it matches the pace of your reel.
Each reel you make should conform to the same tailoring techniques as you resume. If you want to be an animator than your reel should show a single character go through a gamut of emotions and reactions. This shows your versatility and is much better than ten different characters doing the same walk cycle.
If you’re a modeller show turntables of your models and objects, it is important to show both a textured and a wireframe view, even if texturing isn’t your strong point. The wireframe is going to reveal your proficiency in modelling however if your reel is going to be screened by a recruiter than the shaded view is going to give a better overall impression.
Texture artists need to demonstrate interesting and rich textures, in both stylised and realistic surfaces. Show your fully rendered models as well as un-textured shaded models in order to show the detail in the maps you used to create the surface.
Effects artist are not only going to need to show interesting effects but also show the effect composited into live action footage. You need to demonstrate a seamless blend, it’s a good idea to include source footage, rendered plates, and composited clips within the reel to demonstrate where your work lies.
