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Modeling non t-posed characters for demo reel

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#1

Hey,

I’m starting to put together a reel, and I have just one issue that I’d like to clarify before I embark on it. Will modeling a character directly into a pose work against me on a demo reel? Say I still have some decent edge loops in my wire frame, are companies set on seeing the thing in t-pose? The reason I ask, is because there are some very specific poses that I want to nail, that would be a bit time consuming for me to make the nuetral pose, stick joints in it, weight paint it, then re-zbrush in certain pose specific details like fat folds, cloth folds, ect. It seems a bit faster to get the pose right from the get go since the content won’t be animated, will simply just be a display of digital sculpting ability. I’m targeting film and game companies, with a little emphasis on film. I don’t mind going back in Silo and redrawing a mesh to generate one that is even more conducive to animation, just to show that I understand that aspect of the process. Does anybody see me running into issues with sculpting directly into pose? Will companies be confused and not understand that I am capable of T-pose nuetrality, but for presentation sake, would like to show more dynamic and less corpse like models? Btw, I do have several T-posed characters already, so that will be in the reel as well.

Thanks,
-J

#2

Just show your best work. If you can sculpt in a pose, you can sculpt’“T”. BTW sculpting in a pose is way more difficult.

#3

Josh,

Here is a site to offer you some good advice on your demo reel.
http://www.lucasarts.com/jobs/demoreel.htm
another site for some good advice…
http://www.eits.uga.edu/dms/demos.html

I kind of think of it as make a big impact right in the begining to keep them interested… get their taste buds going so to speak…
For your intro think of it as the begining of a DVD where the production company puts there intro to their company, a intro of your work so to speak with all elements highly polished, only a couple seconds long but totally awesome, then go with your content (models camera lights use it all and don’t forget MUSIC…ever watched a silent film…lol thought not same here.) short and sweet and awesome…have the above set-up to auto-play…then when done with above go to a menu that would allow viewing of your full length stuff or other examples of your work. If you have kept them interested thus far they will appreciate being able to see more plus this will also allow you to easily edit your demo for different versions specific to a company.
Read the above sites great advice in them.
As for the T-pose or specific pose all up to you but why not both or a morph from T to the specific, T or Neutral is what it all starts with if you plan on animating it…start out with a T then take about 4-5 seconds to Morph into your specific pose all while doing a 360 for total view of the model, assuming your doing a character model …for a building do some nice angle shots and movement don’t just fly down the hallway, think of it as if you were seeing through the eye of a fly in your building…at the end of the fly through spin the camera to reveal what creatures eye they were looking through…Shock and Awe them …BUT most of all make it specific to the needs of the company your going for…If it’s a generic one put it all in there cause your talent is the product your selling…if it’s for a toothpaste company might want to make some product models or a model using a model of a product…know what I mean.
Another thought on a demo reel…might want to show a something using Level of detail…what I mean by this is that if your model is far away (using the camera tricks) it wouldn’t be that detailed…but up close awesome detail…many different awesome tricks to use…keep it inovative and show your knowledge and execution of the art.

Escape

PS: Once you have finished the demo…let it sit for a week untouched (don’t view it or anything)…then revisit it for final editing to give yourself a fresh perspective on it. then don’t forget to show us too.