One of the most difficult things for a newcomer to the world of VFX is to build a demo reel that will help you land a real production job. The problem is that you cannot build a demo reel without getting a job, and you can’t get a job without a demo reel. This Compositing Demo Reel Workshop is the answer to that frustrating Catch-22. You get to select five spectacular feature film VFX compositing shots that you will composite yourself, then put them on your own demo reel. It will be a compelling demonstration of your own work and skill using the very impressive feature film elements provided by this workshop to help you land that big job in the VFX compositing industry. You have to show them you can do the work before you can get a job.

Add feature film quality VFX compositing shots to your demo reel
All material provided - greenscreens, cgi, and digital matte paintings
Reference video and shot requirements included
Professional workshop review of your shots to ensure industry standards
Use any brand of compositing software
Select from a growing group of shots
Just like producing a feature film shot at a top VFX facility

Each shot comes complete with a high resolution QuickTime movie reference of the finished shot which you can preview below, plus all the elements that make up that shot at 2k (feature film) resolution. The shot elements include all of the cineon film scans, 3D animation, or digital matte paintings required to build it. There is also a write-up on the shot requirements, its elements, and the special compositing effects to be added to make it professional quality – everything you need to build the shot yourself. If you are not targeting a career in feature film then the same elements can be provided in Hi-Def video format.

Professional Shot Reviews – in Person

In addition to all of the elements required to build each shot, the Demo Reel Workshop comes with 4 hours of one-on-one professional shot reviews. As you complete each shot, you will meet with me on the Internet using Skype (Voice Over Internet) in a “shot review” session where I will be your personal VFX Supervisor. I will evaluate your shots and advise you where they need polishing to bring them up to industry standards. Any questions you have will be answered right then, plus you will receive tips on how to approach the various effects and solutions to problems. It will all be your work, but you will have the support and advise of a senior industry professional just like in a real VFX facility.

Reference Movies	High Resolution Shot Elements	One-on-One Tutoring

One-on-One Tutoring

The main feature of this workshop is the one-on-one personal tutoring you get in addition to QuickTime movie tutorials, prepared Shake scripts, and project media. After you turn in each assignment we get together on Skype (voice over Internet) to discuss your work, answer any questions, make suggestions, and offer tips - all specific to your needs. It’s like having a senior VFX compositing instructor at your side.

I have full copyright permission to pass these elements on to you for use in your demo reel, and these shots will truly be your own work. After the shots are completed you can then create a professional shot breakdown for each one as required by many VFX studios. The shot breakdown is a short “making of” sequence that you create for each shot showing the elements that went into it (greenscreen, cgi, digital matte painting, etc) plus the 2D effects you added (motion tracking, VFX treatments, color correction, etc) to help sell your skills. This allows a prospective employer viewing your demo reel to know exactly what you did and how you did it.

Watch a low resolution shot breakdown tutorial. You will get the high resolution tutorial with your workshop.

Who Should Take This Workshop

This workshop is intended for digital artists serious about creating a demo reel that will help them get a real production job in the VFX compositing industry and are at least a junior compositor. You must already have training on your compositing program for how to use the greenscreen keyer, cgi compositing, motion tracking, rotoscoping, and color correcting. If you have not yet had training in these core compositing skills then you may wish to take my One-on-one Compositing Workshop first. You can composite these shots using any compositing program you wish – Shake, Combustion, Digital Fusion, Nuke, After Effects, or any other. Keep in mind that your shot reviews will be about the compositing techniques required to create a professionally finished shot, not on the operation of your particular compositing program. You will need to be reasonably proficient with your own compositing software.

Price

The cost is only $500 for the Compositing Demo Reel Workshop. You get all of the high resolution elements for five feature film VFX shots, the QuickTime reference movies demonstrating the completed shots, the shot descriptions, the shot breakdown tutorial and four hours of one-on-one shot review with me. The only other things you will need are a USB headset and a Skype account. A USB headset can be had for as little as $19.99 and Skype can be downloaded for free.

How to Sign Up

Use the contact button below to let me know you would like to start your Compositing Demo Reel Workshop. I will send you a PayPal invoice for easy online payment and follow up with the download information for the first shot’s elements. The other shots will be provided as soon as you are ready for them. You could be working on advancing your visual effects career tomorrow!

Testimonials

Steve's workshop was brilliant. Covering so much in so little time!
Steve is truly a top mentor!

Ricardo Ruiz-Fearon
London, England
http://www.vimeo.com/1867946

THE WORKSHOP VFX SHOTS

Here is the collection of eight VFX compositing shots to choose from, and more will be added in the future. Select any five shots for your demo reel. Their difficulty ranges from easy to very complex and entail core compositing skills such as greenscreen compositing, motion tracking, rotoscoping, cgi compositing, and of course, color correction. Click on the icon for each shot to play a low resolution version of the reference video you will get with each shot. Use that video and the shot information next to it to judge the suitability of the shot for your skill level.

Length: 127 frames
Difficulty: medium
File Size: 1.7 GB

Motion track the latern glow and the gingerbread sign, add the firefly animation and a magical glow to the string of lights.

1) background plate
2) digital matte painting
“Grandma’s Bakery”

1) motion track Bakery sign
2) add interactive shadow
3) create fireflies
4) motion track glow to lantern
5) add glow around lights
6) interactive lighting from door

Length: 43 frames
Difficulty: easy
File Size: 820 MB

Composite the greenscreen layer with the cgi doorway over the digital matte painting and add depth of field and light glows.

1) greenscreen boy
2) cgi doorway
3) digital matte painting BG

1) depth of field to BG
2) add glow around lights
3) interactive door shadow
on boy

Length: 335 frames
Difficulty: very complex
File Size: 5.7 GB

Demonstrate your command of motion tracking, multi-plane animation and multiple green-screen compositing skill with this complex shot flying through a window over an enchanted village to a wonderland of children’s toys

1) background plate
2) 5 layer digital matte painting
3) video curtain element
4) duck greenscreen
5) puppet greenscreen
6) cars greenscreen
7) rabbit greenscreen
8) airplane greenscreen
9) cgi baby bubbles
10) cgi planets

1) Add smoke to painting
chimney
2) Motion track matte painting
3) Add 3D camera move
4) Fade video curtain in/out

Length: 56 frames
Difficulty: medium
File Size: 938 MB

A beautiful greenscreen composite requiring the creation of the floor and wall from a digital matte painting all motion tracked together.

1) greenscreen plate of boys on set
2) BG matte painting
3) cloud painting

1) Create floor and wall from BG matte painting
2) Motion track floor and wall
3) Motion track cloud to plate
4) Motion track glows to lamps
5) Add cloud reflection
6) Add model castle reflection

Length: 56 frames
Difficulty: medium
File Size: 1.3 GB

Two greenscreen layers plus the creation of the wall and floor are required to create this delightful moment.

1) greenscreen plate of
boy on set
2) greenscreen dove
3) BG matte painting

1) Create floor and wall from BG matte painting
2) Motion track floor and wall
3) Add interactive dove shadow

Length: 101 frames
Difficulty: easy
File Size: 5.6 GB

Three greenscreen layers plus the live action moon and cloud plate are joined with some secret sauce to make this enchanting shot.

1) greenscreen plate maiden 1
2) greenscreen plate maiden 2
3) greenscreen plate maiden 3
4) moon & clouds layer

1) Duplicate cloud layer

Length: 64 frames
Difficulty: medium
File Size: 2 GB

Show your rotoscoping skills at the waterline plus a magical transition from the lady to the cgi fish.

1) live action plate
2) cgi fish

1) Roto mask waterline
2) Wipe reveal lady to fish

Length: 121 frames
Difficulty: medium
File Size: 1.9 GB

Another rotoscoping opportunity as you reveal the lady becoming an enchanted fish and swimming away.

1) live action plate
2) cgi fish

1) Roto mask waterline
2) Wipe reveal lady to fish
3) Lantern glow
4) Interactive light on boy’s chest & boat