I am aspiring to be a rigger, care to critique? and get to know me

Rigging
#1

So why dont we get to know each other by ripping apartmy last demo reel I posted on youtube =) I am currently working on newer rigs but I dont want to make the same mistakes. I also have some friends from DHX that will be animating my reels but ehhhh xD I feel like you guys get me so I know your input would be seriously helpful.

A little about me, Im a animation graduate who live as a graphic designer while doing a bunch of freelance for animation and such. Now I want to focus on my love of rigging. So I moved to Vancouver and the possibilities are everywhere, but I need something to push myself to the next level. I really really want to get in and learn so many different techniques and make my own as well. @_@ I really want to. below is my last demo reel.

Malcolms Demo Reel

~Cheers to the future
Malcolm

#2

heh I wonder if I posted this in the wrong section =) If so let me know I really need some input on my next few steps for my reel.

#3

I’m wondering, what are you trying to achieve with this reel? Is it to land a job, or to just get critique?
Have you had a look at all the free rig tools that are out there already?

#4

No I havent, Im new to the grind and trying to establish myself so that I can become a trusted Rigger but I know I am missing some key elements. Of a proper rigger. Your question kind of opens up the door for me. Please point me in the right direction. I am an extremely fast learner and work truly hard to deliver.

#5

Have a look at these:




That will give you an idea what is out there right now.

As for the reel, it really isn’t that relevant to see many different models, rather it’s your technical knowledge and your solutions that are interesting. Show the more advanced aspects that you’ve created, simpler things like a pure IK leg and constrained joints aren’t that interesting.

#6

o__O Thank you so very much! I was kind of on the edge about focusing on one rig and just showcase my solutions. Thank you! Ill get to work on myself today and come up with something fresh and a better reflection of my personality and knowledge. Thank you!

#7

over on the TAO slack channel there was recent discussion about what makes a good rigging reel.
One bit of wisdom was “don’t just wiggle the controllers”

Chris Lesage posted what he felt was an example of a good rigging reel:

Here is an ideal rigging demoreel. Animated, appealing, but still shows off the features. Not by wiggling controllers, but by showing them in animated context!
https://vimeo.com/217328889

I would suggest you not satisfy yourself with rigging tools made by others but rather learn to script and build your own.
Use the work of others to learn of course.

There are Two GDC talks on rigging I consider indespendible:

GDC 2006 Rigging Best Pratices by @Theodox
audio here: https://archive.org/details/GDC2006Theodore2
the slides are difficult to google, perhaps Steve will help

GDC 2009 Modular Procedural Rigging by David Hunt
disused here: http://tech-artists.org/t/modular-procedural-rigging-presentation-for-download/408
The basic idea is to leverage Maya’s network nodes to automate rigging.
Approach seems to be embraced by the best riggers I have worked with.

2 Likes
#8

Yeah, rig-wiggle is my new pet peeve after watching a lot of students reels this year.

Sometimes they speed up the footage so fast (because their professor said to keep it under a minute) that all you see is wild, gyrating camera moves, and you can’t even see the control moving!

Similar to Juan’s reel, here is a creme-de-la-creme reel that DOES sort of wiggle the controls. Josh Carey’s Loony Tunes reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLWpKxDSVhk

But again, Josh pre-animates the wiggling in a way that is designed to show off the rig in the best possible way. It isn’t a screen-capture of wiggling boring FK controls one-at-a-time. It is a well-designed animation that shows the range and appeal of the rig. And the camera isn’t exploding everywhere.

If you pre-animate your rig, you can show more poses in less time, without having to speed up the footage. You show nicer work, and your reel stays short.

https://vimeo.com/38257543 Cenk is also a great reel. It has a lot of wiggling, but notice 2 things. It is well-edited. There are pre-animated camera transitions, and when wiggling, the camera stays still. The wiggling is showing off the range of control the face poses have. It isn’t wiggling every single control.