Writing: Demo Reel FAQ II

Installment two. I had to help Kaitlin on something, and I think documenting it would be pretty helpful.

More questions? Ask away.

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Why do I run out of undos in Maya?

Maya is configured to only handle a certain number of undos (Ctrl-Zs). To adjust the number of undos you can do, go to Windows -> Setting/Preferences -> Preferences -> Undo. Change the "Queue Size" as you see fit.


Should I do snappy editing? Cut my reel at the end of an action?

There are actually different kinds of demo reels. Depending on what position you are applying for and to where, different things will work. Because this is so varied, you may want to have multiple demo reels.

Commonly, people who apply for technical director positions will have a cut between each project they are showing off. A common thing animators do is slice up various parts of the different pieces they have worked on and intersperse them so they flow together. It depends on what you are applying for and where. For example, Pixar doesn't particularly like sliced reels (thanks for the tip, Sam!).

If you intend to cater your reel to a specific place, look at the samples they have up or search people who already work there and look at their demo reels. But for a general reel, I would personally play it safe and just show work-by-work, best foot forward.

Should I edit my reel to music?

No. Unless you are a composer, music should not be essential to your reel. Your work must be able to stand on its own, music or not. Because we take so many mental cues from sound, some companies (I know, Pixar for a fact) will turn off the music while viewing a reel. The basic principle is that, even if the reviewer cannot hear what a character is saying, the reviewer can see what the character is saying.

If you have something where sound is essential, such as lip-synching or a music video, you should write on your title card that the viewer will require sound.

You may have music to make viewing a little more entertaining, but it shouldn't make or break your reel. Whatever you chose, try to pick something which is not too extreme but still reflects the style of your work. Personally, I'm partial to jazz, and I know a lot of people who use techno..


What's a turntable?

A turntable is a clip of a spinning 3d model. It's pretty essential for any modeler reel.

What renders do I need for a turntable?

There are three ways to show off a model: textured, shaded (Ambient Occlusion), and contour. If you don't have a texture model, or you are not interested in a texturing position, textures aren't essential (just like, if you didn't model your piece, you don't need to show off its wireframe). However, if you made your model, you will want to show off both a shaded version and a wireframe. The former shows your understanding of form, and the latter shows off your understanding of good mesh construction.

How do I transition from textured to shaded to wireframe?

Truth be told, you can't do it in Maya. This is a video editing technique. Render out a sequence of images from Maya. Then import them into AfterEffects/Premiere/Final Cut Pro and keyframe their opacity.

How do I make a turntable?

I'm only go over the easiest way possible. In Maya 2008 and later, there is a turntable button. First, change the mode drop-down menu in the Status Line to "Rendering." Then select all the items you wish to rotate around. Finally, go to Animate -> Turntable and enter the number of frames long you wish your turntable to be. Then render from the created turntable camera.

My shadows look funny. How do I parent the lights to my camera?

If you parent your lights to your camera, then your lights will revolve with your model. That means, when your model's back faces you, your light will be on his other side.

• Turntable cameras are automatically invisible. Set it to visible by selecting it. Then go to Display -> Show -> Show Selection. (Or you can use the hypergraph, which will list the camera.)
  
• Select the lights in your scene.
• Select your (now visible) turntable camera.
• Hit 'P' on the keyboard.