10 BEST WAYS TO CREATE ANIMATION SHOWREEL

Animation is the best skill-based program and learning; this can create multiple job opportunities for you. An animation showreel is like a beads necklace, where small pieces of several video-clips are put together forming a single piece of a compact video.

The viewing duration is kept short in order to avoid monotony and also enhances the efficacy of the video-clip. Animators usually use animation showreels as a part of their professional portfolios. It showcases the creative skills for promoting a personal brand, individual, service or a product.

The showreel at any given time performs multiple functions. Some of them are as under,

• Highlights your practical skills
• Help in creating an impressive portfolio
• Catch your client’s attention
• Develop web connectivity with clients and partners, etc.

Animation can be described as the skill that enhances freedom of creative expression. This skill helps the creator in conceptualizing ideas and brings it to life through several visual narratives. Design, computer software, and programming are some of the major aesthetic and technical skills that are required for pursuing animation. These skills are easy to adapt and industries like web design, graphic design, and video creation utilizes the application of these technical talents.

Animation is a very strong visual tool of communication through which the artist portrays visual narratives in order to initiate interaction of intricate concepts and ideas. Since animation helps make the complex concepts appear to be easily approachable and more exciting. It can have a significant impact on the education industry to enhance effective learning.

Pursuing a career in animation can help develop and improve one’s communication and social skills which are immensely appreciated both at personal and professional ends. Showreel plays a key role in this industry.

Now let us check out what we need to do for creating a showreel.

1. As visual trends, techniques and mechanisms undergo constant change, it is very essential that you eye-ball your work and choose the current and most appropriate technique to make your assignment stand out.
2. Your showreel content should convey a message. If you are creating a showreel for a particular job, make sure the message reflects the theme and purpose. E.g. you should include more story-telling animations while applying to a film studio (Disney).
3. Determining the best shots and spectacular scenes plays a key role while showcasing your successful performance.
4. To avoid copyright violation, you can opt for theme audios from free music services when selecting good music for your video.
5. Compilation of the showreel involves editing which is only possible by using professional softwares.
6. Allow your animation showreel flow. Your focus should be laid on the blending of video clips during the transition of individual shots, while creating the animation showreel. Avoid making your animation showreel either too lengthy or too short. An appropriate length of the showreel to achieve should range from over one second and not exceed seven seconds.
7. Honest and unbiased feedback from viewers is very essential for assessing overall performance.
8. Upload the video on the internet, share it with a client. To allow easy access to the video, you can also attach the showreel to the cloud or upload it on YOUTUBE.

Choose The Right Niche: It is very important to identify your niche-the particular category where you can excel or be an expert. There is no room for a ‘Jack of all trades master of none’ in this industry but a person with super-quality skill sets will always be on high demand. The animation industry is huge and offers diverse areas of animation (e.g. educational content for kids/videos explaining technical corporate concepts, etc.)

The Need for A Niche: Niche will make you standout distinctively and entice customers seeking a specific animation style. You can have your brand grow mightier if you keep your animation workshop niche-focused.

What Are Your Skill Sets?

Skillsets are the first thing that comes to your mind as an animator & while choosing a niche for your animation workshop. Your niche will define your brand. Hence, you should be extra careful while finalizing your niche in a way that it helps you sustain for 10-15 years.

An animation showreel involves a video compilation of your best projects or work accomplished. An animation showreel highlights your achievements in a competitive market.

Let us take a brief look at the 10 key areas to focus on, while making your own animation showreel:

1. Determine your animation showreel precisely: Do a thorough market research before showcasing your animation skills.
2. First impression is crucial: Introduction and conclusion in a showreel is important. Add your best work in the beginning and in the end to attract clients.
3. Keep it compact: The first 5 seconds is very crucial. It will either make or break your career. Organize your showreel skillfully putting the best efforts at the beginning.
4. Zero compromise with quality/errors: A short showreel with a handful of good shots is always appreciated over a lengthy reel with deficient performance. Leave no space for any imperfection in the quality of your work. Also, there is no room for errors—if the client finds any mistake in the content your work might get rejected and your performance will be judged on the basis of that. Therefore, leave out anything that creates doubts.
5. Avoid copyright violation while adding music to your clip: Think wisely before adding music. Choose perfect audio and ensure proper linking.
6. Collect genuine feedback from people you admire: Although friends and family play the role of support pillars in all our lives, receiving unbiased advice from a pro will only help you improve your performance. People from the industry, having a keen eye for detail will be able to spot the areas of improvement and provide you with best guidance. This will also skill up your assessment ability as a critique of your own work.
7. Add reel-breakdown list on the reel at the ending: If there is any part in the showreel where you have put zero effort, give complete recognition to the designer in the end. This industry is a small world and you might get caught red-handed.
8. Add individuality to your showreel: Provide your contact details at the beginning and end. This includes, your full name, your blog/website, your contact number, and your email address. ALWAYS choose a professional email address, avoid improper or casual email address, such as “gr8swtheart@yahoo.com”
9. A “public” reel is a must for your website: Upload your showreel on the digital space and online. The first thing that the clients will see is your showreel when they visit your website. Your work should be bold and widely visible on your we“gr8swtheart@yahoo.com”bsite/blog. The showreel that you create should be back-linked with your LinkedIn profile, YOUTUBE channel, FACEBOOK page or Instagram bio.
10. Frequent upgradation of your work: Improvements on your work should be reflected on your showreel. Addition of latest clips to your work helps you keep your animation showreel updated. Create more reels to exhibit your particular skill sets and core areas of expertise.

KEY POINTS TO MAKE YOUR SHOWREEL STANDOUT FROM OTHERS:

1. Length of the showreel should not exceed over 2-3 minutes.
2. Showcase your best efforts.
3. Show your individuality. Clients should be able to read you through your performance.
4. Using authentic animation voice-over audio adds weight to your work.
5. Avoid using collage patterns rather display individual pieces of work.
6. Avoid using audio clips that create a distraction thereby interrupting active involvement of the viewer.

GUIDELINES FROM RECRUITERS

Tip 1: Do not include everything you have worked on so far. Recruiters would rather prefer to see your 2 to 3 best performances than whatever you have learnt earlier.

Tip 2: Incorporating uniqueness is playing the ACE: Observe your friends, associates and family members or renowned actors and understand their body postures and facial mannerisms, how they become the role they are playing. In other words, develop the character backstory and decide upon what expressions or oddity they possess that are unusual. Observe→Act→Plot→Animate.

Tip 3: Each person has a distinct sense of humor. Choose safe shots for your showreel. Avoid being offensive to prevent yourself from getting rejected.