New Demo Reel

[amarillospider]

Hey Peoples,

 

Here's a new demo reel. (Terrible terrible compression, but this isn't the final version, just something to get feedback on.) Everything done in A:M

 

http://www.alonso-soriano.com/anim/SorianoDemo.mpg

 

5.4Mb Mpg (so you can view it in whatever you want)

 

What do you think? I'm looking for brutal critiques. What needs to go, where can improvements be made?

 

I know the audio is off (only audio in 1 piece) by a frame or two but I'm pretty sure that happened when I was stitching it all together.

 

Suggestions on order? Some things are from my last demo, do they still belong?

 

Be achingly blunt, please!

 

Thanks.

 

-Alonso

[teh1ghool]

Very nice, actually, and what program did you use to stitch it together?

[jamagica]

Most animation looked awesome. For some reason the fight scene with the three (or four?) figures looked quite linear.

 

Try to slip some clips in there that show squash and stretch. I'm guessing that in a demo reel you want to show that you apply all main principles of animation to your work.

 

It seems that the reel ends at a cut off...add an end title, repeating the contact information, etc.

 

Then if you add music after doing all that stuff, it'll be awesome

[Dagooos]

hey amarillospider,

 

Could you post in .mov format so we can step through the frames?

[robcat2075]

Could you post in .mov format so we can step through the frames?

If you load it in to Quicktime you can single frame it.

 

It's hard to crit it on a per clip basis because each one has things that are going well and then moments where they are not.

 

Quickly single framing it, it appears many of the jumping/tossing motions may not be well arc'ed. FOr example the two legged sphere on teh big jump travels straight (well, now that I've tracked it with a dry erase, it actually is arcing upwards a bit) from 08:05-08:10 then right angles down to the wall from 08:11-08:15. I'd defintitely round that out and make sure his horizontal velocity is constant between foot contacts.

 

Also the contacting foot at 08:12 stay rigid, I would expect the heel to give some to indicate the weight of that action.

 

I guess all of the issues in the silent clips would be grouped under weight/inertia

 

On the last clip, the frozen spines really stick out to me. (that's my big snit these days... frozen spines

)

 

I'd start the boy out in a less symmetrical pose away from Harriet so he can move even closer to her to deliver his line.

 

Those huge heads really need anticipations for their moves, and compensating motion on the bodies.

 

I like the fact you've packed alot of stuff into only 33 seconds. I think that's a good strategy.

[amarillospider]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

 

I used VideoMech to stitch it together, then converted it to MPG with avi2mpg (both freeware). I don't have a way to put it into mov right now, except run it back through A:M (which'll take 5 hours) but you should be able to play an MPG in quicktime by right clicking and choosing open with quicktime (that's how i do it at least)

 

Jamagica, the credits repeat at the end, sounds like maybe it is being cut off. There should be: single guy doing martial arts, running eyball, fight scene, acting scene,

 

Nevermind, I just checked it, it is cut off for some reason. I'll get that fixed as soon as I can.

 

 

-Alonso

[NancyGormezano]

I don't have a way to put it into mov right now

-Alonso

 

Quicktime pro (29.99) from Apple - takes an avi & converts to mov (& also giving you compression & fast start options).

[Luxo]

Hey Alonso. Awesome stuff. I think you have the right order of presentation. Great characters on the last animation. The only crit is that you should have your name and contact information at the end of the Demo Reel too. Keep it up.

[NancyGormezano]

I seem to usually have a different take - I am not skilled enough to critique on a frame by frame basis & I'm not sure how demo reels are critiqued at the studios you would be submitting it to - but my guess is that demo reels that get noticed are based on "How well does it stand out on first impression" & Does it have a WOW factor? All this was said so that you can take what I say as just observation from a lookie-loo, who knows nuthin' about what people are looking for.. I do not know if this reel has enough WOW to stand out, in comparison to the other reels that they would be receiving.

 

It gives me the impression that you have a personal mastery of martial arts. Good sense of weight, balance, & quick timing.

 

And I get the impression everything is animated (except for the last clip) to a certain beat & that it's a martial arts type fighting beat. (including the egg with legs) - So I would guess that you are aiming this at the game industry? It has a very staccato clunky feel to it (looks like a game to me), does not have a movie feel.

 

I can appreciate the difficulty of having the players look convincing as they interact - and I would say you do that well (again from first impression). I do notice that the yellow guy when he is on the shoulders of the green guy seems too floppy from an acting standpoint - and that the red guy (after green guy gets tossed) seems to slide some on the ground. I notice the lack of shadows which if included would help tie the actors to the ground.

 

It would have more wow - if some interesting sound effects/music were also included with the scenes that don't have it. (I know - you're going for animator position - but to me - these other things give a more polished look)

 

I would want to see more extreme poses with subtle acting & variation in mood in the last piece to show proficiency in a different genre - or even with more comical, surprising exaggerated responses.

 

Unfortunately I'm also noticing that the render quality is distracting, along with some scintillating - Is this a final render? I would think even tho you're going just for animating it still would be important to show a better render. Did you upscale? or is it a internet mpg compression problem? I found it shows better if I half sized it to 320 x 240 - less distracting.

 

Again - I am not qualified to really know what the studios would be placing empathsis on, and I offered mostly frill impressions. You obviously have way more chance of being hired than I . Salud y Vida! Nancy

[amarillospider]

Okay I'm pretty sure the whole thing is up now. There should be credits at both ends, and it should be about 1:10 long.

 

Thanks Nancy, interesting point about the martial arts timing through out. I wonder if the full acting piece has that feel to you (only the very start of it made it through before, it's much longer.) And don't worry the final version will be cleaner and have sound probably.

 

So the first link should work for the full thing now. I really appreciate all your comments.

 

-Alonso

[Gaijin]

Don't forget to make sure that you have sound recorded on *both* tracks when you lay down the audio tracks. The one snippet with sound in your post is left-channel only.

[PF_Mark]

Another reason for having the same credits at beginning and end is wether or not the person have media player set to hold last frame or jump to the beginning frame the clip ends without an annoying jump at a the end. First impressions are very important but the last thought even subconscious maters as well. It has already been stated but the Wow factor needs improving the fuzzy ness takes alot away from the High quality animating you have done. If you are sending this into companies I suggest greating DVD set everthing to highest quality and let AM render for the next couple of days. I was just checking out Camstasio Studio 3 which is what Hash uses for the TAoAM tutorials it has a free 30 day demo trial download it get a web camera pitch your self as the demo runs I know you feel that putting sound in is cheating when it comes to animating but I think you need show you off not just the animations. I know nothing of what your future employer wants to see but do not hold anything back Wow them with Sound video Quality, Computer skills, Presentation, Animation, Voice overs, Up to date everthing in one and make it look like you spent thousands doing this. I have read how a 14 year old kid web diesigner got so much bussness designing website in is bedroom adn when the interviewer ask how companies reacted to his age and that he was working out of his bedroom he replied he never told them his age or anything else the work sold itself BUT he says you have to look Big and professional and if you have lots of cash

 

look at the site

 

http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/whatsnew.asp

 

Look at what you can do and blow them out of the water using a 30 free day trail

 

If you need any help just ask me I have some not alot experience in multi presentation and I would be glad to help