1. Portfolio / demo reel preparation guide
Door to the future

Portfolio / demo reel preparation guide
Dr. Midori Kitagawa

2. What do you want to do after getting the degree you are currently working on?
What’s next?

3. Going to a graduate school and getting another degree may be an option.
Earning a graduate degree is an investment of your time and money.
Many graduate programs offer fellowships and assistantships that pay monthly stipends, tuition and fees.
Graduate degrees?

4. If you want to teach at a four year college or university, going to a graduate school to earn a terminal degree (e.g. M.F.A. and Ph.D.) is a "must".
Be aware that a M.A. degree is not a terminal degree, but a Masters of Fine Art (M.F.A.) degree is.
M.A., M.F.A. or Ph.D.?

5. M.F.A. requires a creative project (and a written thesis at most schools).
Ph.D. requires scholarly research based on an appropriate research method, a dissertation, and journal publications.
M.F.A. or Ph.D.?

6. Graduate school application: Statement of intent
When a statement of intent is required as one of the admission materials, it is often an important factor in the admission consideration.
Write about:
Academic goals (i.e., what you plan to study while you are in a graduate program)
Professional goals (i.e., what you plan to do after graduate school)
Reasons why you have selected the graduate program.
Have someone proofread it and make sure that there are no misspellings or grammatical errors!
Graduate school application: Statement of intent

7. College level teaching job
Teaching experience is a big plus. When you teach, collect the best student works.
Develop your teaching philosophy.
Industry experience is good in animation/game programs.
Non-tenure track positions (e.g. lecturers and visiting faculty) vs. tenure track positions (e.g. assistant professors)
Ph.D. holders may seek post-doc positions before going for tenure track positions.
College level teaching job

8. If you want to get a job in the industry, find out in what area you have your strongest skills.
It is usually in the area that you most enjoy.
What is your strength?

9. Focus on your strongest skill
Once you recognize your strength:
Focus on it (i.e., strengthen your skills in the area).
Create works for your portfolio/demo reel that showcase the skills.
Find a position that matches your skills.
Learn about the company and the position that you are applying for.
Focus on your strongest skill

10. Having a secondary skill in an area that is different from your primary skill area may allow your employer to keep you longer on the payroll.
Production pipeline
You
You
Secondary skill

11. Ready to be a team player
While in school, develop your:
Communication skills
Organization skills
Teamwork skills
Learning skills
These skills will be as important as technical skills!
Ready to be a team player

12. Industry is smaller than you think
The industry is smaller than you think and the people are well-connected.
Your reputation will follow you.
Industry is smaller than you think

13. No matter which direction you are heading to, start portfolio / demo real preparation early.
Do not wait until your last semester.
Start early

14. Collaborate You can collaborate with your peers on your demo reel.
Be sure to include a breakdown guide.
Collaborate

15. Reviewers have hair triggers and are often looking for any reason to slap the book shut and get through the stacks so that they can go home. Don't give them a reason to reject yours.
Include only the best of your best.
If something doesn't seem quite right with a piece, leave it out.
Do not include everything that you have created in a portfolio site just because there is enough space for it.
Be selective

16. Be selective, Be selective, BE SELECTIVE
Quality matters much more than quantity.
Leave reviewers wanting to see more.
If you have long animations, make a compilation of the excerpts that are the best parts from your animations.
If your demo reel consists of animations, the total viewing time of your reel should be less than 3 minutes.
Some recruiters say less than around 1 minute!
Be selective, Be selective, BE SELECTIVE

17. Many companies and schools review a large number of applications.
No reviewer wants, or is willing, to sit through a 5 or 10 minute piece, looking for what they want to see.
If the first few seconds of your demo reel does not catch reviewers’ eyes, they will probably stop reviewing your reel before it ever gets to "the good stuff".
Best work first

18. Best work first, Best work first, Best work first
Show the very best of your best work in 2 or 3 second clips at the beginning of your reel.
Make reviewers want to see what's next. Make them want to see more.
Put "the director's cut" at the end of your reel. If they liked the clips enough they may be willing to see what they came from.
Best work first, Best work first, Best work first

19. Clean and simple portfolio site
Make a clean and simple portfolio site.
Navigation should be simple.
Every content should be easily found.
Since you are not applying for a web designer position, the design of your portfolio site does not have to stand out. Be functional.
Let your work do the talking.
BE SELECTIVE.
Clean and simple portfolio site

20. Label your portfolio / demo reels
If you are sending your application in a physical form, put your contact information on each and every piece you submit.
Label your portfolio / demo reels

21. Include reference materials
Employers want to see how closely you will be able to follow the preproduction and reference materials (e.g., model sheets, lighting design, and live action footages) if you are hired.
Show the preproduction and reference materials that you used side-by-side with your final products in your demo reel/portfolio.
Include reference materials

22. Include reference materials
Include reference materials

23. Include a breakdown guide
Your breakdown guide should describe each project on your demo reel briefly and your "role" on each project.
Don't make them guess what you did or did not do.
Never try to get credit for something you didn't do.
Include a list of software you used to create each piece as well.
Include a breakdown guide

24. Your resume should not be wildly creative -- it should be legible.
It should include:
Full name
Address
Phone numbers (home/work/cell)
address (that you can use after graduation)
Objective
Education
Work experience (most recent employment first)
Relevant experience (e.g., internship)
Staff at the Career Center can improve your resume.
Your resume

25. Have web presence Have your portfolio / demo reel on line.
Use SNS to get connected.
Vimeo lets you upload a new reel to replace old one and keep the same html address for your reel but Youtube does not.
Have web presence

26. Develop your creative talents as well as your technical skills
Production companies and schools want to find people who have unique talents that add something new to their teams.
They don't want to hire copycats or software operators who know how to use certain software packages but have no creativity or artistic skills. reels.
Develop your creative talents! Be fresh and unique!
Develop your creative talents as well as your technical skills

27. If you have questions or want me to review your portfolio, contact Prof. Midori Kitagawa