"I am beginning to work on my CG art demo reel. I estimate that within two years I'll have a completed multimedia CD of models and rendering shorts. Would the inclusion of models for existing game engines be acceptable or considered a faux pas? And am I being too ambitious planning such a long development time for a demo reel, considering the speed that the industry is evolving?"

Submitted by: Simon Jensen

Answered by: Al Eufrasio (artist, Cavedog)

"By sending models made for predetermined game engines, you're in effect assuming that the people who will look over your work will have the appropriate game(s) at hand to view it. If you want to send model data, then definitely work this out ahead of time with the companies you plan to submit to. Otherwise, it's better to submit animation samples rendered in the standard AVI or MOV formats. Provide at least one "spin-around" of each model in a neutral position, and definitely experiment with different angles to get the best presentation for each animation.

"Though it might be a bit overzealous, ambition can never hurt you. Keep in mind that you should stay concise. 10 good samples of various character or object types are better than 30 samples of same if the general look is going to be similar between a few of them. In other words, if you have different characters with similar body types, don't be redundant by presenting all of them.

"Good luck!"

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