Why Your Demo Reel Needs Quadruped Gaits

Horse gallop by Mark Lawson-Hall

Most student demo reels focus on human characters, but if you are looking to get hired onto animal and creature projects, you will need to show an understanding of quadruped locomotion - one of the core skills we teach at Animation Apprentice. 

A solid walk, trot, and run cycle for a four-legged character shows range, versatility, and an understanding of animal and creature mechanics.  Layer in some acting and personality, and you have a great demo reel. 

Animators: Embed Your Demo Reel at LinkedIn

Animation recruiters "live at Linkedin" 

A strong demo reel is essential for launching an animation career — but it only works if people see it. Too many graduates upload their reel to YouTube or Vimeo and stop there. 

One of the smartest places to share your reel is LinkedIn.  It’s quick, it’s professional, and it’s where animation recruiters are already looking. Your reel is your most important asset. Don’t hide it. Put it where the industry can find you easily.

2025 Animation Masters' Demo Reel

We're proud to present the latest edit of the best work done by our animation masters' degree students (MA Animation for Professionals) at Buckinghamshire New University over the past year.  Our 2025 Animation Masters' Demo Reel is a selection of the best work completed on our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice.  Congratulations to all our students on their excellent work. 

Animation Mechanics Demo Reel

For our Animation Masters Students at BNU, taught in partnership with Animation Apprentice, the next module - COM7022 - Animation Mechanics - started on 8 January 2024.  In Animation Mechanics, BNU students create one or more physical actions and combine them into a single shot to create a performance.  Exclusively for our students, we have hundreds of video tutorials to support the study of the art and craft of animation.  Above is a compilation of some of the best animation mechanics work done by our post-graduate animators at BNU. 

How to Animate a Neon Sign in Maya

In this free tutorial we show how to animate a neon sign in Maya. The idea is to create a personal logo for your demo reel, something that has a little more style and invention than a simple title card.  Start by creating a logo for your animation reel, then import the logo into Maya, and use the technique described above to turn your logo into neon letters. From there, you can easily animate the letters, render some images, and create a movie file for your demo reel. 

2024 Animation Demo Reel

We're proud to present the latest edit of the best work done by animation masters' degree students at Buckinghamshire New University.  The work showed was completed on our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice. Many congratulations to all our students on their excellent work, including Joshua Reynolds, Marc Stevenson, Mark Masters, Michael Monks and Sean Rubin.

2023 BNU Animation Demo Reel

Above is our latest edit of the best work done by animation students at Buckinghamshire New University, specifically those enrolled in our MA in 3D Animation, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice. Many thanks to all our students on their excellent work.

2022 BNU Animation Demo Reel

Above is our latest edit of the best work done by animation students at Buckinghamshire New University, specifically those enrolled in our MA in 3D Animation, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice. Many thanks to Robin Herrmann, Kristis Bandzevicius, Alex Southcombe, Brandon Barwise, Michael Davies, Liam Devinney, Carla Narvaez, and Michael Acosta on their excellent work.

2020-21 BNU Master's Animation Reel

We're proud to present the 2020 Buckinghamshire New University Animation Masters' Reel. All the work shown above was completed by our Masters' degree students, who study online at Animation Apprentice, which delivers the practical content for the master's degree at Bucks. Many congratulations to BNU students and graduates Michael Davies, Kente Sunde, Adam Sale, Kristis Bandzevicius, Lisa Springett, and Lee Caller on their excellent work.

Jinng Hwee Tan Animation Reel

Animation Reel 2020 from Jinng Hwee Tan on Vimeo.

Check out the latest demo reel cut by Bucks New Uni MA animation student Jinng Hwee Tan, now an animator at Industrial Light and Magic in Singapore. Jing Hwee Tan's new reel contains some excellent work on many feature films, including Transformers: Age of Extinction, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Hitman: Agent 47, Warcraft, The Great Wall, Skull Island, and Ready Player One. Many congratulations to Jinng Hwee Tan on his continued career success.

Bucks New Uni Masters Animation Reel 2019

We're proud to present the 2019 Buckinghamshire New University Animation Masters' Reel. All the work shown above was completed by our Masters' degree students, who study online at Animation Apprentice, which delivers the practical content for the master's degree at Bucks. Many congratulations to Joe Gamble, Lee Caller, Amedeo Beretta, Jonathan Humphries and Anna Zielinska on their excellent work.

Bucks New Uni Animation Showcase 2018-19

Check out the latest Bucks New Uni animation demo reel; this one is a compilation of the best work done by our undergraduate animation students at Bucks between 2018 and 2019.  Congratulations to all our animators on their excellent work; standards keep rising at Bucks and this is very encouraging; as we strive to help more and more of our graduates break into careers in the animation, games and VFX industries. 

BYOA in Fitzrovia on Monday 18th February

BYOA (Bring Your Own Animation) is back - taking place on Monday 18th February. As ever, we recommend that our students and recent graduates attend events like this one whenever possible.

BYOA is an animation event that takes place every month at a pub in London, generally on a Monday night. Next month the event is taking place at the Smugglers Tavern in London's Fitzrovia.

Bucks New Uni Animation Demo Reel 2018

Check out our latest animation demo reel; this one is a compilation of the best work done by our undergraduate animation students at Bucks over the past year.  Congratulations to all our animators on their excellent work; standards keep rising at Bucks and this is very encouraging, as we strive to help more and more of our graduates break into careers in the animation, games and VFX industries. 

2018 Animation Masters' Demo Reel

We're proud to present the 2018 Buckinghamshire New University Animation Masters' Reel. All the work shown above was completed by our Masters' degree students, who study online at Animation Apprentice, which delivers the practical content for the master's degree at Bucks. Many congratulations to Lee Caller, Amedeo Beretta, Brendan Hobbs, Jeton Lakna, Jinng Hwee Tan, Olavo Lins, Oliver Canovas, Faye Robinson, Tim Milson and Victoria Bailey on their excellent work.

Demo Reel Advice at Skwigly

Last week I was interviewed at Skwigly, the online animation magazine, with my top 12 tips on how to make a great animation Demo Reel.

 "What should go in my demo reel?" is one of the most common questions asked by students.

Bucks Animation & VFX Reel 2017

Check out our latest animation and VFX demo reel here at Bucks. This is our latest showcase of student work, and reflects the huge leap in both the quality and quantity of animation and visual effects work that has been going on at Bucks in recent years. Congratulations to all our graduating students, and to Rob Penhaligon and Sydney Padua for their sterling efforts to keep raising the bar at Bucks.  An animator's demo reel is never done. It is a constant work-in-progress, always being refined and updated to showcase your best work. Above is a compilation of some of the best animation that has been done at Bucks over the past year.

Anton Alfimenko Animator at Bleacher Report

Check out the excellent demo reel of Bucks Animation graduate Anton "Alfy" Alfimenko. Anton graduated from Bucks last year, and immediately found work in the industry in London, securing a work visa as well as the start of a career in animation and VFX. Congratulations to Anton on his excellent work, and on his job working as a Motion Designer at Bleacher Report.

BYOA Tonight!

Lukin pub, Fitzrovia

One of the great advantages of studying animation and VFX at Bucks is our close proximity to London and the expanding industry in our capital city.

One event we highly recommend our students attend is - "Bring Your Own Animation". The monthly event takes place tonight, Monday June 19th.

Animal Logic - What's in a Demo Reel?

The folks who brought you Lego Movie

At a recent talk in London Patricia Kung, head of Recruitment at Animal Logic, explained what Animal Logic look for in an animation demo reel. 

Animal Logic is one of Australia's leading animation and VFX companies, responsible for global box office hits like the Oscar-nominated The Lego Movie. Other movie credits include Babe, Mouse Hunt, Face Off, The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, House of Flying Daggers, 300, The Great Gatsby, Happy Feet, Legend of the Guardians, and Walking with Dinosaurs 3D.

So, what is life like down under for animation and VFX graduates, and (most importantly) how can our animation graduates start their careers at Animal Logic?