It's #EducationDay, and to celebrate, we wanted to share some animation knowledge with our community!

Who better to get some top tips from than one of our incredibly talented lead creatives - the Head of Animation in our Toronto studio, Adrian Hansen. Adrian was able to give us some pro tips for what the industry is looking for, as well as some fun creative pearls of wisdom to help give your reel that extra oomph!

Keep It Quick and Cheerful

Make your reel 1 minute or less - with a 2-3 second title card at the beginning and end. Make sure to include your name, target position, and email.

Start Strong & End Strong

Take your top 3 animation pieces and arrange them strategically. Position your best pieces at the beginning and end of your reel. Excite us and leave us wanting more!

Consider Your Audience

What does your audience want to see? Show your strengths in the areas that are most desirable for the studio you're applying for. If their work is heavy on hand drawn animation, showcase that.

Silence is Golden

Don't edit your showreel to music. Show the work. JUST the work (not your editing skills).  Which brings us to the next point: Remove all music from your showreel. We know, we know, music is fun! But it can be distracting and can even get slightly muddled over any dialogue pieces.

Make It Easy

Make it easy to see your work! Send a showreel link directly (with an easy to find password if needed). Don't send a portfolio link where someone has to look for your reel among thumbnails, or a link to a website that requires a sign in. Take away all the barriers for your viewer!

Don't Forget To Get Creative

We're here to entertain audiences. Make laughter, memories and invoke thoughtfulness. Show us how you're able to bring your thoughtful creativity to life with work that isn't just moving pixels but moving the audience. Show us how funny you are, how creative your ideas are, and how thoughtful you are towards the entertainment for the audience.

Ultimately, we're all nerds about animation. Show us! Find work that shows production, but just as important, shows your individual spark.