Your demo reel is your first impression make it count. Focus on quality, clarity, and aligning your work with the job you want.

Good Luck :)

Targeting a stylized game? Highlight bold colors and playful animations that match their style. This also depends on the style you choose to specialize in.

𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲

This is key: customize your reel for each application. Applying to a studio that focuses on realistic effects? Showcase your lifelike fire or explosion simulations.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆

Studios want to see your range. Include effects for characters, environments, and different scenarios to demonstrate your versatility. Bonus points if you can show work from various stages of the pipeline concept sketches, simulations, and the final effect.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲

It's better to make a simple fireplace or magic projectile effect that is well-polished rather than a huge ultimate effect with many things happening that have many flaws. Complex effects easily expose mistakes of starting VFX Artists.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸
Lead with your strongest project, then follow with your second and third best. This is often the first thing employers see, so make those initial seconds count.

𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆

Only include your strongest work Don’t feel like you need to include every project you’ve ever worked on. Instead, focus on 2-3 strong pieces that highlight your skills and attention to detail. One great explosion effect is better than five unfinished projects.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱:

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴

Your demo reel should be under 1 minute and 30 seconds, including the intro and outro. Use this brief window to make a strong impression.

A mentor gave me the best advice I’ve ever received: "Cut it down to your top 2-3 pieces and focus on the type of job you want." Once I made those changes, everything shifted. My reel looked more professional.

When I was starting, my first demo reel was a mix of everything I’d ever created some polished pieces, a few unfinished projects, and even effects I wasn’t particularly proud of. I thought including more work would make me look more skilled. It didn’t.

That choice fast-tracked my learning by years I got incredible feedback and advice, which has been a game-changer for my growth and skills.

Breaking into games as a VFX artist is tough, but persistence and a willingness to learn can get you there. Keep going you’re on the right track!

-F𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿
One of the smartest moves I ever made was finding a mentor. I was lucky to meet mine back in school when he taught a VFX class. I took his class three times and was blown away by his skill and the way he taught. Eventually, I asked if he’d mentor me.

-𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀
One thing I did when I was starting was to record some of my favorite effects in Dota 2. I tried to break down how they worked and how everything came together in the end. This process helped me learn how to analyze effects and understand their construction.

We didn’t have the resources or community events that are so widespread now. But in 2024, things are completely different. It’s easier than ever to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can boost your career.

-𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀
connect with others, learn new things, and grow in the field. When I was starting in VFX, opportunities like these were hard to come by.

Your first projects don’t have to be perfect what’s important is that you’re learning and improving. Every project, no matter how small, helps you move forward in your journey.

-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀
to gain practical experience. Join game jams, contribute to personal projects, or collaborate with small teams to get a feel for how game development works.

When I started, learning about VFX I had no idea how the game industry worked. It took time to understand the unique aspects, but once I did, doors began to open. here are some things I learned over the last 10 years as a VFX artist