Modeller Showreel 2010

[Loud_noises]

I have been browsing this forum for a while and finally decided to put my work up for critique. I am planning on submitting my reel to some of the larger studios in the UK as I am keen to work on larger projects and thought it would be best to get some expert opinion on my reel and where my chances surrently stand.
I come from a product/industrial design background (this is what i gained my degree in) but I found I didn't really enjoy the "reality" of the design world as it was very different to the academic side of things. I decided to learn programs such as Maya and Zbrush in my own time. I have done a few short courses but I am largely seft taught from DVDs and the net.
I got a break in February 2008 on a work placement at 422 in Bristol and I have been freelancing for a few companies ever since. I guess I would probably be going up against jobs probably targeted by recent graduates, so it would be nice to know if I stand a chance at some of the bigger VFX houses such as those in Soho. I would like to work as a modeller but to be honest I am prepared to try any field.
Cheers

http://www.vimeo.com/13178280

[PascalR]

Nice reel Chris:D I like the fact that you're showing wireframes and UVS. I would avoid coming back to fully rendered models once you show the uvs, it feels like we see the same thing twice (eventhough the cams are different). I would simplify some camera movements, and try to make the reel as short and dynamic as possible.
My 2 cents

Best of luck

Pascal

[JohnSG]

Hey Chris

You have come from the same sort of background as I have. I used to be an Architect and didn't enjoy the mountains of paperwork. So starting playing with Maya and 8 years later I am here.

Nice Reel. Pascals points are spot on as always. I have a few more tips and suggestions.


For the turntables & your camera moves, I would half the speed of the camera and keep the movement very soft and in one continuous direction, If you want to cover another area, just cut to that area and show a slow move past that section too. You want people to focus on your nice model and not get distracted by the camera moves.

This comment is more for the car then the other models, I find that adding a ground plane to cars so that it can cast an occ shadow helps to give the car weight, the ground plane can be invisible if you want. Its just another thing that will help to sell a photo-real model.

You models look nice and clean, cant see anything there to comment on.


Just keep up the good work :thumbsup: and I look forward to seeing more posts.

[Loud_noises]

Thanks guys. It is nice to know all those late evenings after work and a reduced social life don't appear to be wasted time:D I did wonder if switching career paths was going to make life harder after spending 3 years doing a degree and then working in a bank while I taught myself maya. At 29 I was wondering if I had left it a bit late, so it appears there might be hope with film work.

I guess my computer is going to be rendering for the next week! I'll redo the camera moves in line with your suggestions. I still wonder if I should remove some of the production work.

Hopefully later down the line my human model will be finished along with the suit as it is part of a Dark Knight model (though I am having to remodel parts of it after I lost some work).

Thanks.

[Loud_noises]

After a few weeks of rendering and tweaking (and tweaking) I have updated my reel taking into account your advice. I think I may have to resort to putting my fingers in my ears if I hear the words Linear colour space over the next few months:banghead:

http://www.vimeo.com/14156355

I will be sending this reel off to several companies over the next few days.

[PascalR]

Looking much better Chris :thumbsup: One thing ( I know , probably too late now), it would have been good to see the shaded models without any wireframe as well.
Basically : shaded, then shaded+wireframe, and then textured.

Anyway, good work man, best of luck!

[Loud_noises]

Cheers again. I can have a look at changing the reel for the next batch, but I have a few copies ready to go for a couple of companies that are advertising or I know to be expanding their workforce. I think it is about three companies that I don't want to miss the boat with an application.
I can render of some grey shaded passes and add them to the comp scripts quite easily, it will just take time to render. I assume I am understanding the suggestion correctly that it is the same camera passes but just the models start on a basic grey shader and then into the wireframes and then the textured model?
Fingers crossed about getting a longer period of work from it, still I have been forced to learn about how to do contact shadows in maya and the joys of linear colour.

[Loud_noises]

It has been a while since I have posted due to work. I have been working at the BBC Post Production department in Cardiff since February on VFX for a documentary which has now broadcast so I am able to post a slightly updated reel.

As usual crits are welcome, especially considering I will be looking for work again come July when I finish on Doctor Who.

http://vimeo.com/24586096