Starting out in the VFX industry? Here are my tips collected over the years from industry professionals on what to look out for when creating your showreel.

Your showreel should be a collection of well-presented, professional looking shots. Demonstrate your technical skills and the process you use in your work. Include a breakdown with layers of your work where possible proving you can work un-destructively, keep it flowing and don’t linger. Show your drive through your projects  and attention to detail as well as what kind of work interests you. Be diverse, embrace different moods, topics and techniques within your field.

Showcase your best work at the start to grab attention right away. Show what you can do immediately, and only put in work you’re proud of. Some say that you’re as good as your weakest work in your reel so make sure your work quality is consistent.

Tailor your showreel with examples relevant to your specific job role. If you’ve developed a range of skills, include them if they’re applicable, but maintain focus on the role you’re applying for.

Flashy titles and graphics aren’t necessary. Let your work speak for itself. Invest your time into honing what you want to do daily at work, focusing on quality over quantity. Keep your focus – don’t spread yourself thin.

Once you’ve made your showreel check it through carefully. In VFX attention to details are important so make sure it is clear, well presented, obvious that you understand the process, and you have checked your spelling.

Even if you worked on all aspects of the project from start to finish make sure to define your steps – this shows understanding of the process.

When showcasing team projects, make sure you clearly describe what work you contributed to. Take credit only for the work you’ve done.

If you’re using Vimeo, take advantage of features like timecode hyperlinks to detail what you did at certain points in the reel in the video description.

Aim for concise, high-quality work. A shorter, impactful 40 second reel is more effective than longer, mediocre content. Focus on showing your ability to contribute something valuable that you’re good at, and your standards for quality looking work overall.

If you are using the same training material as other students consider differentiating your work by adding personal touches or showing breakdowns from what you’ve created specifically. Consider investing additional time post-graduation to enhance your reel with fresh content unique to your interests.

• Best work comes first!
• Showcase your passion to increase chances of landing a job that aligns with your talents.
• Tailor your reel for clarify your specific contributions in team projects.
• Demonstrate understanding by correctly naming your steps in the process.
• Highlight your skills without feeling the need to complete full VFX shots.
• Display what excites you and highlight your unique creativity.
• Critically review and refine your reel.
• Keep it under one minute.

If you found this guide helpful and are eager to dive deeper into getting your first job in the VFX industry, I’m excited to share that I’m developing a comprehensive course tailored just for you! Let me know that you’d be interested by sending me a message and you’ll be the first to know when it becomes available.

Take the next step towards your dream career as a Digital Matte Painter in the Visual Effects industry. Let’s make your passion your profession!