How do you choose the best clips for your animation demo reel?

I have seen too many generic reels with no focus. This isnt entirely helpful for a recruiter looking for a specific skill, or a company with a specific job. Ensure that your reel matches the target job that you are applying for!

The most common flaw I see in reels is a lack of context to the viewer. Is it an agency, an animation studio, a university? One size doesn't fit all and your content NEEDS to be tailored. In the opening 7 seconds, show something that directly connects with the viewer, whether it's a specific style of content or a demonstration of software capability. The person viewing will judge the whole showreel, by that first few seconds, so make it connect.

I totally agree with this. I would add that if you are talking about character animation and object animation then it's best to include variety too so you can present the breadth of your skills.

True. Having a top notch, quality 5 seconds of animation beats having 30 seconds of mediocre work. It is important to know what are your best, quality work. Ask your peers to help choose.

Its extremely important to have a well edited reel, on top of your animation work. - Good pace and music that fits the theme of work, and ensuring that the clip isnt too long, draggy or too short for viewers to analyze. - Label it! If it is not labelled with what parts are your work, it can be difficult for viewers to assess what you work on. Having a short side title card helps greatly. - Get feedback from your peers is important as well! Listen to their suggestions on what works and what doesnt.

Three Quick Tips: - Use the appropriate music that matches your animation style. Consider whether your animation is fun or thoughtful. - Edit the video according to the rhythm of the music. - Remember to include a clear call-to-action or accurate contact information.

The main thing to consider is TIME. The people watching your reels don't have the time to watch a 4-5 minute movie. They'll likely have dozens of applicants, and even if the 5 minute movie is absolutely riveting, they're not going to have time to watch the whole thing. So keep it short, a minute or less. This is very difficult, because you may have hours of footage and a lot of it may be great, and you have to shave it down to barely anything to send as a reel. But that's where "Knowing your Audience" comes in. If you can tailor a reel to fit precisely the type of show you're applying for, you should be able to come up with 30 seconds to a minute of footage to show as an example. And if you can't, then that's where you start.

I agree that it shouldn't really be longer than 60 seconds. Treat it like another client project. This is a much more effective mindset than thinking of it just as a side job or personal project to get done at some point. Don't go over the top, but this is great opportunity to learn how to edit, to choose the right clips, how to piece them together into something that flows and is engaging and ultimately something you can be proud of and that reflects you and and your work. When editing there will be many tough choices to make over work you might have slaved over, but if it doesn't fit don't force it.