As graduation approaches, I have started to think more seriously about how my work is presented to potential employers. One of the most important steps in this process has been creating a showreel. While I had previously viewed a showreel simply as a collection of completed work, the process of putting one together encouraged me to reflect more critically on my skills and the direction I would like to take professionally.
One of the first challenges was deciding which pieces of work to include. Looking back through projects completed during both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, I realised that not every finished piece was equally relevant to the type of work I would like to pursue. Instead of focusing on quantity, I began to consider which shots best represented my strengths as an animator.
As I am particularly interested in 2D animation and character performance, I selected work that demonstrated acting, expression and movement rather than purely technical exercises. Revisiting these projects allowed me to evaluate them from a different perspective. Rather than asking whether a shot was complete, I found myself considering whether it communicated a clear performance, emotional intention or believable character behaviour.
During this process, I also spent time looking at the portfolios and showreels of professional animators. Comparing different approaches helped me understand that effective showreels are often concise and focused. Many of the examples I looked at placed greater emphasis on performance, draftsmanship and clarity than on elaborate editing or presentation. This reinforced the importance of selecting work that clearly demonstrates core animation skills.
Creating the showreel also highlighted areas that I would like to continue developing. While I was pleased with the progress I have made in character acting and performance, I became more aware of the value of strong visual storytelling and shot design. As a result, I would like to continue developing storyboard work alongside my animation practice.
Overall, the process of creating a showreel was not only useful as a professional preparation exercise but also as an opportunity to reflect on my development as an animator. It helped me identify the skills I feel most confident in, recognise areas for further improvement and think more carefully about how I would like to present my work as I begin applying for opportunities within the animation industry.
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