I am creating an opening for my demo reel, and I would like to recieve critics and suggestions on how to improve. This has to be the best I can do, for I think that a good opening would give me better chances of a job right from the start.
There are 2 simulations of the title, one for the ending and the other for the opening. I rendered only one because it takes a long time and work. And I am not even sure this is a good idea. So I will wait for ideas before rendering the other.
Also, I do not know witch one should be in the opening and witch in the end.
My ideas: the flares (the stars on the specular) are too much, it is too crowded, the layout might not be the best and there are problems in the mesh of the title that I could not get rid of.
If anyone has any idea of what could needs to be improved, I appreciate. I did my best, but I am not exactly creative.
Looks quite nice, but my main thought is about the length of time.
If you are looking to be an effects artist then that is fine. If you are then looking to show a lot of modelling work, prospective clients have to wait 13 or so seconds until they will see anything. Because you have created all the work for the titles that does say good things, but in general you want to get as quickly to a polished piece of work as you can.
My first reel I posted here had a lot of constructive feedback that I was using too many flashy effects, editing tricks and titles and not letting the work shine through on its own.
The render really is very nice though, so perhaps open with a piece of work and your name subtly in the corner and then close the reel with this piece?
I like it… I think I will like it more is the ‘Reel 2009’ text bubbles can be more random.
Flash/fade a few second (2 secs) of wireframe in a during the animation ~ to shows that “This is part of my work too!.” at the end, some audience will say, “Hey, can you please re run the reel and freeze the wireframe part?”
@BenDansie
When I first read your post I thought I should do that and go straight to the works. Though with a heavy heart, considering the work this gave me. But then seeing bigbad comment I understood it better. I am a generalist, but effects is really what has been more pleasant and rewarding for me. So this would be the leading idea, yes. I did that with water exactly because of that.
So that is one of the works I want to show. But it is still an intro. I think I could make it a lot shorter. Less then 10 seconds long.
I hope I understood your post well. I have just spent a lot of time in this piece, so there is still a lot of “faterhood” feelings for it. I may be picking what I understand to defend and idea that should not be to begin with.
@bigbad
Thanks. I forgot to mention to the forum and to myself what is my focus. Though I want to be a generalist, I would not mind getting more effects in my portfolio. So, if it is ok for an effects artist to keep this intro, I will.
@mziskandar
The bubbles in the title… well, that is something strange with the simulation that was not intended. I will try a different method for simulating it to see if I can get rid of that. So far, using fluid control, this was something I had to accept as a loss.
And you say that I render a wireframe? That is really a good idea! That would make it clear that it is not just an intro, but part of the portfolio.
Yes, I will definitely do that. But considering the time, I guess I will do it in the end, with the credits and contacts.
Really cool! i cant wait to see your completed demo reel! its all blender?
any chance of putting it on vimeo so it can be downloaded? i like collecting blender demo reels in case anyone asks me, “What can blender do already? its just another junky free program…” Ben_Dansie, yours is one of my favorites! hows Durian going?
IMO, you could’ve cut the render after 9 seconds instead of the 13 you’ve got there (i.e. 2 seconds for the bubbles to settle so that the text could be read, then bam! on to the next thing)
So, I did one attempt following the tips I could.
Here it is:
But youtube DESTROYED the quality. I do not understand how others can get good quality on youtbe. It seems youtube only preserves and respects quality when the video is HD, but then many videocards can not play the video well.
Does anyone have any idea? It can not be that all videos I upload have to be HD.
But anyway, like before, critics are very welcome. It is still not the final reel.
@wysiwyg,
It is up on the above address. It is not all blender, since I began learning it only in the end of 2008. But hopefully in some time all my portfolio will be blender. I do not do anything with 3ds max anymore.
@Aligorith
I shortened the opening to exactly 9 seconds. I did more to be sure I would have space.
But it was a trouble, all through the 3 minutes of reel, to cut every unnecessary frame I could.
impressive!
about quality, i thought it was fine, although if you’re really concerned, you can upload it to vimeo and allow people to download the original video file
I did it! http://vimeo.com/8594911
And the quality is even worst then that on youtube XD
But at least it seems we can download the original. I did not check if it is in deed the original.
What a strange default choice… I guess they do this to save bandwith.
I changed it. And the download is, for now, the original in good quality. It seems they will delete it in one week.
you’re right, the quality is lower for the streaming version.
downloading the original…100%
very nice work, it’s a shame for the compression artifacts from streaming versions.
my only complaint is the music, it’s okay for a minute or so, but after that it’s tiring and repetitive.
very nice! you have such good control with fluid sims, in blender and realflow. a lot of this seems to be 3dsmax; do you still use it or have you switched to blender? just curious…
@spacetug
I am changing a lot of things, including the music. This time it is Strauss. IF I get to sync it (witch I have not been able to do for the past 2 days) it will be still a little repetitive but I guess that better.
Also I hope to be able to get youtube to accept it in a better quality.
@wysiwyg
Yes, lots of max. But since I have met blender, I am trying to completely switch to it. And for the last 6 months or so, I have not used it. I hope to be able to keep like this, but I guess that wherever I will work, they will probably expect me to use max.
but you have to add it.