20 Tips For An Amazing Showreel | Motion Graphics & Animation

I share 20 tips and common mistakes to avoid in order to create the best possible showreel to attract new paying clients. If you make motion graphics and animation, your showreel is the first thing a potential client will look at and is your best chance to make a great first impression.

I'm planning to review some showreels from you guys in a few weeks, so please click on the link below to submit your reel and get it featured on this channel! Please know that I will offer feedback only on the reel itself, not your animation skills.

I've just launched mu first animation course!

►Please tag me on Instagram @ben_marriott_ if you've used any of the techniques from my videos so I can see what awesome things you create

I'm uploading new motion design & animation tutorials every Thursday! (Sometimes Monday too)

►Find me elsewhere!

►Music:
Massive thanks to madmomentsgo for providing that amazing music for my intro!

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
~ God bless Kevin ~

[Workbenchtv]

I've said a lot of these myself. Bang on man! I am totally guilty of not updating...as my current public reel is from....uhh....2014. But we did just finish off an intro for a 2020 reel yesterday! Anyway, I have a tip. As you work, keep a folder for reel bits. Render out 5-10 seconds of the coolest part from each piece. That way you have stuff ready to edit. And if you decide later that another part might be better, you'll at least remember the piece exists. I'm not as disciplined as I should be with this, but when I am it helps a ton!

[donutcare]

1. Length 30-60 secs
2. Only show your best
3. Include work you want to get
4. Structure; strong start, strong end
5. Make your role clear
6. Include personal project
7. Music
8. Update often. Once a year or 6months
9. Show the process
10. Show your personality
11. Show design
12. Tailor your reel
13. Treat it like for client
14. Get feedback
15. No tutorials. Take what you learn and do it your own
16. Avoid cliche
17. No long intros
18. Use editing software
19. Time remapping, speed or slow
20. Reanimate your work
21. Upload!!

Thanks for the awesome tips ben! Wish me luck for making a good showreel ya ♡

[sappyfx]

bruh this guy's intro is literally his showreel lmao

[Eindrew]

omg this video comes at the perfect time!!!! i´ve been working on my showreel for a couple of weeks and I feel like I´ve watched every "tips and tricks" video for showreels out there

[ottessirbob]

Love this. Definitely sound advice. When I was in school, the general idea for your reel was to "shotgun" them with everything in a desperate attempt that SOMETHING on your reel will stand out to an employer (maybe as an intern or a swiss army man at a startup) and the school can say you're now a working a professional to their credit. But even when I graduated I defiantly adopted the, "put your best, favorite work on your reel" in regards to your rule 3 and specialization has served me well since.

Though as time goes on, I often think these sorts of guidelines are just as subjective as the art itself. When I reviewed portfolios/reels I always wanted to absorb a lot of content personally speaking. Show me your best stuff for sure, but I'll also look at whatever ya got - good, bad, whatever. I think I was always trying to size up how proficient, how passionate an artist it. Maybe you got a couple knock out pieces, but for me, it didn't speak to someone's character or consistency. I can make an educated guess that a killer 30 second reel is a good hire, but it's still a guess. Compared to someone with a slew of projects that tell me exactly what I'm getting. I'll try to research the candidates' sites and social media to get a bigger picture than just the submitted portfolio/reel. And I'm not saying your best work won't make a good impression, it definitely will, and you'll probably make the cut, but I'm probably gonna dig for more than that. So if you have A LOT of good work, or a real LONG reel, I probably don't need to look any further. Then again, I often would review work on the weekends/down time instead of leaving it to a first impression. And maybe that speaks to my time management skills...aaaandd now I'm babbling... 😉

Ha! Thanks Ben! I'll see about submitting a couple of my older reels too! 👍

[robmonk]

Top advice! Another tip is to consider mixing 2 tracks. I found this helpful, as some of my work is really dark and moody, and other work is bright and colourful. Obviously its not for everyone, but can work well I think!

[pedroandrade]

I'm starting my carrier as an animator and have only recently come across your channel, but I'm already in love with it.
Keep up the amazing work!
Cheers from Brazil

[Abdodngk]

This is just what I needed! Thank you so much for sharing 🙏

[BriChiGuy]

Incredibly helpful, thank you! Working on building a new reel so this couldn't have been more perfect timing.

[velinagarabedyan]

What a motivation to finally make the showreel I've been putting off for ages, thanks Ben! I'll also try to gather the guts to forward it to you in a few weeks.. :D

[annafromm]

Thank you for the help full video, I'm currently refreshing my reel, and your advice is very useful

[elisakrings]

Thank you so much for all this tips ! I'm making my first show reel and i'm stressed to make stupid mostakes, so thanks a lot, life savior ! love your intro, so dynamic and creative

[geka]

Thanks) Yes, it's really important!

[tando]

Thank you for all your great content!!!! Love you ❤️

[liamstritt]

I think a lot of the tips in this video apply to all sorts of art & design portfolios too — keep it concise, only show your best work, show your best pieces first but still end strong, only show the work you want to attract, tweak a piece to make it better if you can… almost every tip in this vid can be translated and applied to different types of portfolios/showcases. Thanks Ben!!

[Jasperi]

These are great tips that can mostly apply to any sort of reel! I'm primarily a filmmaker but have the same considerations when putting together my reel.

[RyokerDesign]

Thank you for all of these videos Ben you are awesome!

[lailacoolkat]

Thank you so much <3 love your video. it really helps me to do my showreel

[EA-nrhc]

Love this! Really helpful, as always <3 Thank you! :D

[squareintheeye]

Great tips and well timed - I'm sure everyone in the industry is currently going through these motions (these motions...)