VFX demo reel

Kevin George · 09:09 PM

Hi everyone!

This is my first demo reel. I've been a vfx generalist government contractor for a few years and am trying to make a move into roto/paint in features.

I have a specific question as well about the content - I plan on adding a couple of specific articulate roto shots as well over the next few weeks, and maybe dropping my DSLR greenscreen shot. Thoughts?

I look forward to any brutally honest criticism!!

Kevin George · July 29th, 2010, 04:43 PM

(small bump)

Well,

Obviously no luck at the Siggraph job fair (as I expected). At least I got to meet some of the recruiters face to face. They all suggested I submit my reel via DVD/mail when I get home, so I've got another opportunity to make changes, at least. I've really been having difficulty getting any criticism on this reel. I have no features experience but am looking for a way to get a start, so any advice on these shots or if I should change the overall direction would be very helpful! Thanks!

adrianspencer · July 30th, 2010, 05:41 AM

I think that's because it's virtually faultless! The Star Trek Roto' is remarkable. I thought I read somewhere that you had something to do with ESCAPE studios, but I see from your CV that you've studied with fxphd.com. You really should be working in features.

AIP Artist · 07:55 AM

What exactly are you trying to do? from that reel i see a compositor and not a roto artist. You want more work in your demo reel than what you have. Whatever position you are applying for is the only thing we should see in your demoreel. Now you could try apply for a compositor/roto artist which in that case you just need to add the tittle of roto artist in your reel. If your also trying to be a roto artist, show more roto shots. Show the original plate then the alpha channel of the roto and then the composite of the roto. This way the client can see how well you roto'd the subject out and how difficult. The one shot with the army vehicle should have tread marks on the grass and maybe a little dirt fly up from the tire to give it a more realistic feel.

AIP Artist · 07:55 AM

to add to what I previously said. I would add some dirt or grunge to the army vehicle just because it looks to perfect which makes it look 3D. Also like I said I would have more of your work in the reel. The work you decide to add in does not have to be something really long. Remember we are seeing just a few seconds of the piece. So my suggestion is make a lot of quick pieces and only put the best of you work in the reel. This allows us to see your capabilities in different scenarios. Good job on the startrek piece it was very well done. I would remove your last shot at the end just because we already saw it in the beginning. Also remove the shot of the lockers because no fence their is nothing really special about them and it looks like it needs better color correction. I take my comment back about the dirt from the arm vehicle I did see it when i looked closer but i would still try to add tread to the grass that gets ran over. To do that you could use a mask and as the vehicle drives over have the mask reveal tread marks.

daddywags214 · August 1st, 2010, 08:59 AM

Great work! I agree that the Hummer shot is the weakest; it needs to be made to look less perfect. I think your reel could still work without that shot altogether, didn't know if you had thought of that. I think you could apply for both roto and junior comp jobs with a reel like that. You should send a DVD w/ your stuff to Digital Domain. They don't have junior compers, but they are offering a comp internship this fall. There's also the roto department.

Kevin George · August 1st, 2010, 11:07 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I'll try to add some more dirt to the hummer shot. Texturing is clearly not my #1 skill, but I'll make it a bit dirtier. There are several things I can work on with that shot, I think starting with the matchmove, the more I look at it.

Could I really drop it and still have a successful reel? I didn't want to end up with a 15 second reel or start with the Trek shot because I was worried that may rub reel reviewers the wrong way (even though I think it turned out very well). I'd like to iterate on it some vs. drop it, but it's always felt a little off to me.

I've been very interested in the comp internship you mentioned - especially after reading you and Aruna talk about how it went with you. I actually spoke to a recruiter at the job fair this past week at Siggraph but basically found out I was more or less ineligible for the internship since I've been out of school a couple years - she didn't say that exactly but seemed to lean that way. I'll try it anyway. After getting that news, I'd decided I was going to focus on a couple good roto shots to add to the reel and try for roto/paint to get a start - I'll send it in anyway and see what happens.

Thanks a lot for taking a look! I'll pull together a new cut of the Hummer shot soon.

daddywags214 · August 1st, 2010, 11:54 AM

I think it would be better to fix it than to drop it, but in general, if you're not happy with a shot, it might be better off not having it. So yeah, take another pass and see how it goes.

Hmm.. Well, nothing is for sure, internshipwise. Some of the interns they've hired have been in their mid- to late twenties... so who knows. Definitely submit your stuff anyway. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Kevin George · August 1st, 2010, 05:09 PM

Well thanks, I'll submit my stuff. I haven't actually sent anything out to companies yet - I incorrectly assumed I'd be able to send it around at the job fair at SIGGRAPH. Everyone told me to just mail it. Maybe if nothing else I can decide to go back to school toget an internship to get a foot in the door

I agree with all the hummer shot critiques but am a little surprised it's determined the weakest. I'd give that distinction to the pan and tile shot but left it in for some shot diversity. Good to see some other opinions

. Thanks again!

daddywags214 · August 1st, 2010, 05:11 PM

Huh, strange, I submitted lots of stuff at SIGGRAPH last year; got contacted by Digital Domain 2 weeks later. Oh well.

Funny--I really liked the pan and tile shot. :-) Oh for differing opinions.

Kevin George · August 4th, 2010, 05:11 PM

Well, I submitted my info - put in a good word for me, yeah?

I'm working up a more dirty hummer to hopefully post tomorrow. Thanks again everyone for the comments!

jackjune · August 11th, 2010, 08:06 PM

i like your sense of color. did you do the hummer? look real. it needs some dirt, dust and a bit bounce to run. very nice job!

stephen12holbrook · August 11th, 2010, 10:16 PM

nice! thats some solid roto skills you got there. I liked the hummer shot, despite what others may say. It's very hard to make a cg vehicle look real, since we all know what hummers look like, so given that I think you did a really good job, and yea dirtying it up should help it a lot too. My other fav was the star trek shot, solid stuff, good work!

Kevin George · August 12th, 2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackjune

i like your sense of color. did you do the hummer? look real. it needs some dirt, dust and a bit bounce to run. very nice job!

Yes I did the Hummer. I'm working on texturing it more dirty. I thought I had that almost done, then I watched Green Zone (with lots of dirty Hummers) and went back to do another round of work to try to de-CGify my textures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephen12holbrook

nice! thats some solid roto skills you got there. I liked the hummer shot, despite what others may say. It's very hard to make a cg vehicle look real, since we all know what hummers look like, so given that I think you did a really good job, and yea dirtying it up should help it a lot too. My other fav was the star trek shot, solid stuff, good work!

Thanks for the kind words

I'm still working on the Hummer shot to try to improve it.

I've made what I consider a nice looking patch for the grass for where the tires go, but I'm having difficulty getting it to stick with the track I currently have. I think I'm going to try another go at the track focusing only on that area to try to nail it down. Does anyone have any other suggestion? With my current track/projection it's close, but it's definitely moving around unacceptably.

krottman · August 17th, 2010, 01:52 AM

Really nice reel.....

The star trek shot is really well done. I thought the hummer shot was really well done as well, but the added dirt will make the texturing look much better.

If the track is pretty solid could you just add more trackers after the solve? Not sure what program you're using but in SynthEyes you can add zero weight trackers after the solve for areas that you might not have enough points in, just to get that little part to stick better.