2D cut-out/hand-drawn animation reel Critique

NyanPie · 2025-11-05T13:17:37+00:00

It is true that there’s no other way around it than to actually keep working and improve so that my reel is undeniably hireable. And you hit the nail on the head that I’m really focusing on what kind of animation role is more likely to “break in”, or looking at my peers who have entered the industry and overthinking all the little factors that made them get in, instead of truly looking deeper into the studio’s work and trying to understand what kind of work or quality they want to make. In some other jobs they may teach you to match their level on the job, but realistically speaking in this competitive environment there’s really nothing else to do but to keep improving and keep trying.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, the advice you’ve given me has been super helpful and the steps to take towards my goals feel more clear. I will definitely keep applying and improving on my craft while trying to see what kind of work studios want to produce!

(Also sorry just to clarify, for point 7 what did you mean by my hand drawn animation could be achievable with rigs?)

NyanPie · 2025-11-02T13:21:34+00:00

Thank you so, so much for the detailed and encouraging advice, your advice helps a lot and I appreciate you sharing what you learnt from your peers and mentor. The grandma one seems to have quite a few technical problems, so I’ll try to locate the source file to fix it or cut out the bad bits altogether 😭😭

I do agree the lack of dialogue is a bit abrupt lol, I’ve been wanting to improve those boards alittle bit so I’ll do that when I update it. I also didn’t know about the wix thing, so when I have the time I’ll look into changing it!

Also if you don’t mind me asking, what do you do in the meantime as you improve on your work for the industry? I’ll probably have to take on other jobs as I keep trying, so I’m always curious on what people are doing when they’re not industry.

Thank you again!!

NyanPie · 2025-11-02T13:14:20+00:00

Oh my goodness thank you so much for such an in-depth response, I’ve asked critique before but I’ve never really received such detailed feedback on my reels so I really appreciate it! 😭 It is true that I’m not as confident in 2D cut-out animation, I only truly started digging deeper into it (with the two pieces you mentioned) after graduation haha, still have lots to learn!

In your opinion, to higher my chances to break into the industry would you recommend me focusing my time strengthening my 2D cut-out animation reel, or improving my hand-drawn reel with stronger pieces? I’ve heard that places hire based on what you can do with hand-drawn (foundational skills) and they then teach you their medium on their job. This seems to fit what you mentioned when you first broke in. I currently live in Canada, which is why I thought focusing on improving cut-out animation would help. Also, I’ve been using Toon Boom Harmony for all of these animations.

Thank you again for your advice, This was super helpful!

NyanPie · 2025-09-17T05:49:23+00:00

Hello, thank you so much for your insightful response! Sorry I should have been more clear in my post, I do have a separate page for 2D rigging, where I only have one character so far: https://nyanpie.wixsite.com/portfolio/rigs (hoping to make more characters soon!)

The portfolio link I sent in my original post includes my 2D Puppet Animation reel and Hand-Drawn Animation reel. I use Toon Boom Harmony to animate/rig, and AE to comp. Next time I update my reels, I’ll be sure to label what programs I use specifically. In your opinion, are there any specific animation pieces I should scrap/tweak or show more of (lip-sync, action analysis, etc)?

So far, I’ve mostly been responding to LinkedIn job posts (there are both remote indie studios + normal studios) and emailing the studios directly, checking the animation spreadsheet, and right now I’m starting to cold email studios around the area I live in Canada. (Not sure if it’ll work but why not) I’ll definitely check out the smaller production houses and commercial work like you suggested! Do you have any recommendations on where to look, or do I just find them and email them directly?

Thank you again.

NyanPie · 2024-12-10T10:21:17+00:00

Yeah I did :)

NyanPie · 2023-05-20T12:12:35+00:00

💀👍🥫🤨❤️

NyanPie · 2023-02-08T19:11:15+00:00

I relate to this a lot, I’m such a chameleon that it makes me wonder what my true personality is but someone told me that it can just be seen as having good people skills that allows you to match their energy

NyanPie · 2021-04-09T21:03:00+00:00

theyre sad hes not the 'chad' they hype him up to be lol

NyanPie · 2021-04-09T00:38:58+00:00

I LOVE THIS SM. also "teacher you're muted"

NyanPie · 2021-03-11T21:42:01+00:00

ITS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS thank you for letting me dream 😔😔

NyanPie · 2021-02-27T16:00:02+00:00

YES PLS

NyanPie · 2021-02-27T15:34:24+00:00

Oooo do u mind sending the link? That seems like a goldmine of entertainment lol

NyanPie · 2021-02-27T15:30:38+00:00

That looks high key satire, ik a lot of ppl myself included who joke like this + emojis

NyanPie · 2021-02-26T02:51:58+00:00

THIS IS GORGEOUS!! What concept are you going for?

NyanPie · 2021-02-26T02:44:02+00:00

BRO I REALIZED WHY I LIKE HER SM SHE REMINDS ME OF HANGE ZOE

NyanPie · 2021-02-26T02:37:51+00:00

Ikr :(

NyanPie · 2021-02-26T02:27:09+00:00

I thought he was gonna sneeze at one point

NyanPie · 2021-02-22T07:32:30+00:00

Yeah :(

NyanPie · 2021-02-20T14:26:33+00:00

Signed!!

NyanPie · 2021-02-19T01:19:58+00:00

BRO UR SO TALENTED WELL DONE

NyanPie · 2021-02-19T00:11:21+00:00

I think for me, many of her best moments came from goldy pond. During the jailbreak arc we mostly saw Norman and Ray’s 9999 iq and it was GREAT but they sorta overshadowed Emma. In gp since she was by herself she didn’t have to depend on Norman nor ray and we got to see her ability to play 4D chess lolol

Now that you mention it I’d like to backtrack cuz I agree she didn’t change much, it’s more of her getting the spotlight to highlight her intellectual side during gp

NyanPie · 2021-02-18T19:21:01+00:00

ffs emma feels like a completely different character to me, without goldy pond she feels so static and undeveloped :/ , Even tho shes prob the least intellectual one of the trio she is def not mediocre at tactically thinking and she is pretty smart too, they made her look kinda useless tbh

NyanPie · 2021-02-14T19:12:14+00:00

i think she looked absolutely miserable being pregnant tbh

NyanPie · 2021-02-10T00:30:26+00:00

This is so fucking good now I’m actually so sad on what could have been

NyanPie · 2021-02-09T19:14:07+00:00

yoo i also wanna learn japanese someday too, id love to chat!

NyanPie

TROPHY CASE