DEMO REEL TRIBULATIONS
by Ben Wyrick
23 July 2002

I came to SIGGRAPH with nine demo reels. Oh, if those reels could talk.

I gave four to the Career Center in hopes that someone influential will single out my resume from the cacophonous sea of other resumes posted there. As I reach across the counter to surrender my reels to the attendant, I think about all the late nights spent building my reel.

I remember my demo reel's epic journey to San Antonio in the trunk of my friend Robert's Saturn. Hopefully all nine reels successfully braved the wilting Texas heat to arrive intact in the NTSC VCR of a kind human resource manager who understands the limitations of their fragile magnetic bodies. Like a mother hen brooding over the safety of her eggs, the integrity of my precious reels weighs heavy on my mind.

Standing on the exhibition floor today, I thought about how much of myself is invested in my demo reel. It's like having a son. I teach him everything I know, nurturing him through the rocky years of adolescence, scolding and editing out undesirable behavior. And then I give him up for adoption. I hope my reels find a good home.

I try to remain calm and professional as I hand my reel to a stranger in a booth on the exhibition floor. Does this stranger understand the gravity of the situation? Will she conscientiously review my demo reel?

Fare thee well, my darling demo reels! Spread your wings and fly far, far away to the humidity-free shores of southern California. Find a conspicuous place to hang out, perhaps near daylight-balanced track lighting. Make me proud. Don't let me down.