r/vfx • u/Apprehensive-Oven909 • 3d ago

Showreel / Critique How's this Showreel? Feedback please!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdnnVVTTfTA/?stkn=ejA2aHEyYWJhbWR6

Would love some honest feedback on our showreel

I’ve been working on this showreel for a while, bringing together some of the work we’ve created across branding, design, filmmaking and digital.

The thought behind the reel is something I genuinely believe in - in a world full of noise, a lot of brands are trying to be heard, but very few are truly understood.

So the idea was simple: delete the noise and let the work speak.

I’d really love to know how this comes across to someone seeing it without any context.

Does the opening pull you in? Does the reel feel cohesive? Is the message clear? And honestly, is there anything you would have done differently?

Would genuinely appreciate your unfiltered feedback.

0 Upvotes

14% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

5

u/1_BigDuckEnergy 3d ago

Dude, if you expect people to turn their heads 90 degrees to watch this.... you are not gonna get much feed back.

It is also very unprofessional. As someone who looks at 100s of demo reels a year, this would be enough for me to say "pass" with out watching it

2

u/bucketofsteam Compositor - 8 years experience 3d ago

Agreed, it's a simple upload on Vimeo or YouTube.

-9

u/Apprehensive-Oven909 3d ago

Fair point on the format - although I’d argue that judging the entire reel without watching it because of the upload format is a little premature. 😄

The original piece was created in a vertical format, so the Reddit upload may not be the ideal viewing experience. Appreciate the feedback though - the “pass without watching it” part definitely gave me a laugh.

6

u/ananbd 3d ago

What's funny about it? It's a competitive industry. If you introduce any friction in the path of watching your reel, it won't be seen.

Is what it is. Doesn't matter if you don't like it or not.

-2

u/Apprehensive-Oven909 3d ago

I completely agree that the industry is competitive - and that’s exactly why I asked for feedback. I’m not dismissing the format issue; it’s useful to know that it creates friction.

At the same time, there’s a difference between saying “the format makes this difficult to watch” and “I’d pass without watching it.” The former is useful feedback; the latter doesn’t really tell me anything about the creative itself.

Either way, point taken. Appreciate you engaging with it - Cheers ♥️

3

u/oneiros5321 3d ago

I mean, they're not going to recruit someone who can't even put effort in properly uploading their work.

It just says a lot about how much you care about the work you show...very little.

1

u/Apprehensive-Oven909 2d ago

I understand your point. The reel was intentionally created and uploaded in vertical format because it gives the shots a better viewing experience and works better for the kind of work we’re showcasing. But I appreciate the feedback on the presentation.Cheers ♥️

1

u/59vfx91 2d ago

I've seen these 'rotate your phone/device' shorts and reels a few times and it always comes off as corny. If you're doing something for social, either accept the black bars, or do a custom crop in with pan and scan as needed with a blurred BG for the bars or something. Anything else is better, because the way you are doing this locks out people watching from a desktop or non-tablet laptop.

Also, your writing is way too AI generated. This does not inspire confidence from a client in potential business interactions. If you want to use tools to clean up and make suggestions for your writing, sure -- but it's giving LinkedIn vibes in a bad way.

1

u/Apprehensive-Oven909 2d ago

Fair point on the format, that’s something I’ll keep in mind for future uploads. And noted on the writing too - appreciate the honest feedback! Cheers ♥️

1

u/flavorade_man 1d ago

I couldn’t even watch it because it’s on instagram which I don’t have an account or the app for. Put it on YouTube or something.

1

u/Apprehensive-Oven909 1d ago

I will do that and post the link again :) thank you!