6d (edited) • ANIMATION SUBMISSIONS
YOUR PORTFOLIO: Part 1
We are in the portfolio business. Your portfolio—your demo reel—is how studios meet you for the first time, both as an artist and as a person. When done well, it showcases not just your technical ability, but your taste, personality, and storytelling.
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a steady drop in reel quality, so we’re going to reset and get back to fundamentals. The goal is to give you a clear blueprint for building a strong, focused reel that presents your work professionally and makes a great impression on potential studios.
A high-quality character animation reel is usually built from the following core shot types:
- Character Walks / Runs- polished, high-quality render of a character walk or run that shows weight, balance, and personality.
- Acting Shot or Sequence- high-quality, dialogue-driven acting scene or sequence that demonstrates your ability to bring characters to life through body language, facial performance, and believable timing.
- Action Shot- high-quality, dynamic action shot that highlights your skills with physicality and staging—ideal for applying to video game studios or action-oriented TV/film projects.
- Animal Walk/Run and Animal Action- high-quality animal walk or run, plus a simple but well-executed animal action shot that shows your understanding of animal mechanics and behavior.
These are the essential building blocks of a top-tier demo reel. As you plan your portfolio, you should be deliberately aiming to create and refine these types of shots.
Next: How to properly research and select these shots to work as stand-alone sections of your Demo Reels.
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YOUR PORTFOLIO: Part 1
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Where timeless animation craft meets cutting-edge software — Rocket Sky trains the next generation of digital storytellers.
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