Dave Scotland - The Digital Artist’s Portfolio & Demo Reel Guide

The Digital Artists Portfolio & Demo Reel Guide

Inside Knowledge for Landing Your Dream Job in the Digital Art, Animation, CG, Motion-Graphics and VFX Industries

By Dave Scotland

Copyright 2015 by Dave Scotland.

All Right Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of very brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Images provided by Ahmad Turki, Hristian Plamenov and Dave Scotland

Image by Ahmad Turki

Whenever I do lectures or speaking engagements, the most common questions people ask are, Have you got any tips for portfolios or demo reels? or What should I be including in my portfolio? or even How can I get my dream job in the industry? This line of questioning comes as no surprise to me, as these were the same concerns I once had as a struggling artist, just starting out.

When it comes to working in a creative-based industry, the fact is, and always will remain, Your chance of being employed is directly related to your body of work. It sounds easy right? All you have to do is complete lots of really good work, put it in a portfolio and demo reel and then you get a job.

Well, there is a problem with this convenient theory and it comes in the form of competition. These days, the world is a lot more populated with great artists and animators, all possessing dreams of making it in the exciting world of films, games or television, and they too have lots of really good work.

So how can someone stand out from this ever growing crowd, especially when learning the craft has become easier today than ever before?

This led me to consider the question Is there possibly some kind of formula or recipe that exists, and can it be broken down into easy to follow steps. Well, after extensive research and correspondence, I can honestly answer this question with a resounding, yes . You can follow a simple formula to land your perfect job, in any of the digital content and creative industries.

It is, however, extremely important to note that this formula is not a magic potion, which when taken, results in instant success. In fact, its relevant steps will involve effort and persistence, but rest assured, if you create strong content and you follow the advice contained in this book, you can achieve your goal of landing your dream job.

I can confidently say this because the information I have gathered is not wildly speculative, it is accurate, objective feedback and real-world advice, collected from leading experts in the digital content world. Project Managers, Lead Artists, Educators, Professors, Artists, Industry Analysts, Producers, Directors, Commentators, Recruiters and Personnel Officers have all contributed to the advice and guidelines contained in the book.

As you work through this guide, try to plot your own situation into the principles and concepts discussed. This will help to strengthen both your understanding and your ability to implement the steps required for marketing yourself to the industry.

Another important objective, of this book, is to help you focus on what you should be doing and to stop you from wasting time on what you shouldnt be doing. Time is a precious commodity and by targeting the right areas and building only what you need, you can shortcut your career entry path and in most instances, overtake your competition.

This book was specifically created to advise and assist anyone who is required to market and promote themselves, via a portfolio and or demo reel. There are many careers which can directly benefit from the principles and advice contained within this book, and even though it was written from a digital content creators perspective, it is equally applicable to many other fields and vocations. Here are some examples;

3D Modeler

Animator

Concept Artist

Character Designer

Environment Artist

Character Rigger

VFX Artist

Compositing Artist

Photographer/Cinematographer

Director

Motion Graphics Artist/Designer

Texture Artist

Storyboard Artist

3D Lighting Technician

Rendering Specialist

Production Artist

Look-Dev Artist

Graphic Designer

I would also like to make special mention of how useful this book would be, to anyone teaching in a related qualification. I have covered these principles while teaching students and Ive had great success with both student engagement and student outcomes.

If however, you are looking for a tutorial on how to build a website or how to edit a video, then you have come to the wrong place. The intention here is to introduce the principles of successful self-promotion, through real-world experience and feedback, which you can implement directly to your portfolio and demo reel.

But the best way to assess if this guide will be useful for you, is to ask yourself the following question.

Do I gain employment, based on the presentation of my body of work?

If the answer to this question is yes, then this book is definitely for you.

Preparing your portfolio and demo reel is not as simple as it once was. In the past, you basically printed out your best work and placed it in a nice binder, ready for presenting to a potential employer. Then came the age of the CD/DVD portfolio, which had its own set of challenges and became non-current, the minute it was sent. Now, thanks to a large and ever-growing number of digital media institutions and the advent of high speed internet bandwidth, the landscape is more crowded and the creative options are vast.

So what can you do to separate yourself from the masses and land the perfect job in your chosen industry?

Well the most important thing is to realize the presentation of your work, via your portfolio and demo reel, is as imperative as the quality of your work itself. Some might even suggest it is more important, as it sends a strong message about you as a professional, something which employers hold in the highest regard.

Your artwork or product will illustrate your skills, but the presentation of this product will illustrate your professionalism and suitability for working in a production environment.

Your portfolio and demo reel is a large brand declaration, full of many smaller statements, and the brand is you . The trick is to only say the right things and to avoid unwittingly saying the wrong things.

The following guidelines are designed to help you say all the right things, when presenting your portfolio and demo reel, and to avoid portraying yourself as anything less than the skilled, professional and creative operator that you are. This information was gathered from leading industry experts and has been fine tuned to bring you only the latest and most relevant advice.

Whether youre just starting your career or you are looking to reposition, re-promote or transition yourself, these principles can help build a strong brand around you, the individual. In fact I can guarantee, if you create strong content and you follow these guidelines you will definitely be noticed by potential employers.