Update 7/29/2019:  Omar's new scene is ready to render and already underway on SheepIt. If you're part of the CG Cookie Render Monsters team, we'd appreciate you launching the SheepIt app on your computer to contribute. NOTE: Make sure on your SheepIt account "Options" you enable Render my team's projects first. Thanks!
Update 7/18/2019: Omar is polishing new scenes.
Update 7/3/2019: Omar has 2 new files ready for rendering. Let's do dis.
Update 7/1/2019: We have finished rendering two of Omar's reel projects. Way to go community. Omar still has several to prep for rendering. I'm going to unpin this thread and re-pin once it's ready to render again.
Update 6/17/2019: Omar has updated his shared project folder with new scenes to render. It was accidentally uploaded as a new folder so if you've already synced the previous folder, you can delete that one (if it's still there) and you'll have to sync this new one. From now on we know how to avoid this so no more re-syncing.
The time to render is now!
Update 6/16/2019: We've finished Omar's first 2 scenes! Way to go People đđ Thanks to everyone for contributing. Now we're waiting for Omar to setup and upload his next scene.
@theluthier Kent after comparing the original Cycles renders and Element 3D real time ones, I think you are right, rendering it out of Cycles is totally worth going the extra mile for. Although you and Lampel said it was great, that it's 95% there, for a second I saw a twinkle in your eyes saying "C'mon dude, you know it, I know it... there is no spoon." And then the twinkle continued "No one eats an Oreo and doesn't go all the way to the stuffing in the middle, the cookie part is just enough". I see what you mean twinkle.
I didn't want to bother people though, but I guess if I'm going to try this there's no way around that. I don't know how to use Drop Box, I've never used it before. Should I get an account? I hope it's enough space. I remember you kinda set things up in a similar way in the Rendering & Finishing A Blender Animation course. I should re-watch that. I have never done things through the internet so this should be a learning experience.
I, Kent Trammell, am commandeering Omar's original post! [evil laugh] I'm the one that encouraged Omar to reach out to the community for helping him render his demo reel. My computer just sits collecting dust most nights and I'm happy to lend some rendering power to this project while I'm asleep. I suspect that there are a number of CGC community members willing to do the same đ
If you want to help out, please follow the instructions below!
The status of the project will be stated and updated at the end of the thread title in brackets. When it says "READY TO RENDER" that means a project has been submitted to SheepIt for rendering. If it says anything else, the project isn't ready for rendering yet.
The status of the project will be stated and updated at the end of the thread title in brackets. When it says "READY TO RENDER" that means it's ready to sync the project folder and start rendering. If it says anything else, the project isn't ready for rendering yet.
STEP 1 -- Sync Omar's project folder to your Google Drive.
If you have a gmail account, you have 15 GB of free Google Drive space. Just click the link and when you're redirected to the Google Drive website, right click on the "Demo Reel Files" folder and choose Add to My Drive.
If you're on Mac or Windows, use the official Google Drive app (personal version) to sync your Google Drive to your computer's file system.
Render_Scenes_1_Packed.blend
If you're on Linux like me, there is no official app. I've had some success with Open Drive but it seems to have stopped syncing on my system. I'm currently using  Insync and it's working beautifully. It's $30 after the 15 day trial period, which I will likely pay.
STEP 2 --Â Open one of the render-ready .blends with Blender 2.8
After the project folder has finished syncing *entirely* to your computer, launch Blender 2.8Â and open Demo Reel Files > Blend Packed Files > Render_2.8-Scene_1_Packed.blend. Then follow Omar's instructions in the file for CPU or GPU rendering, whichever your machine is best equipped.
Enable viewport rendering to double check the scenes look fine (no pink from missing textures). I've tested these files myself and they should be ready to render without problems.
STEP 3 -- Render the Animation
The files should all be setup properly so anyone that opens them doesn't have to do anything but click the Render button.
That should be all you need to do to contribute rendering to Omar's project! Note that these scenes are heavy and can take an hour or more per frame, even on a high end machine, which is why Omar needs our help.
When the rendering is all done (or you need to stop and regain your own GoogleDrive space), simply navigate to the Google Drive website, right click on the folder and choose "Remove".
ssmurfmier1985 Thanks Miranda, I am ashamed though of never doing the other type of flexing either, I work at an office, the sedentary life is killing me.Â
dostovel right there with ya..
But back to the dilemma at hand. As for the hyper real barrel, I donât know if Kent will be online today as itâs weekend so Iâll give you my two cents.
Personally I think creating new work regularly and continuously improving your skills is super important. Itâs also good to keep your portfolio fresh and up to date with new work. Youâve been working on your reel for quite a while and besides creating scenes with preexisting models you havenât done any new work (correct me if Iâm wrong).
Might be a nice change of pace, to keep your creative juices flowing. It is only a 3 week class this time so it wonât be a full month.
Ultimately I think you should do what feels good to do. Do you want to create some new stuff? Or do you want to work through the demo reel? Follow your inner artist heart, itâs like a compass.
I always think that the best art comes from following your heart, make what you  want to make.
For example, I tried to do the wooden stylized treasure chest for class. But I wasnât feeling it. I like realism in games, stylized is not my thing. So after many hours staring at my screen doing nothing I switched to making a sci-fi treasure chest. Within no time I had the basis of the chest done!
So my advice is, do what you want to do the most at this moment in time.
Hope this helps..
ssmurfmier1985 Thanks for the advice, that's nicely put. Let me check my compass.

ssmurfmier1985 Well I think I've got it. Drink up me hearties yo ho.

dostovel We all know you, dude: You're not a flexer. Here's where I describe flexing from last week's stream. If you decide to take the clase, even if you do work that's better than all of us, treat your homework thread like a worklog for sharing insight and you become a helpful resource.
That's to say you're 100% welcome to participate in the class. I also know that you've got a lot going on with your demo reel. What you build in the class could look good on a reel. Being lo-poly and stylized would show another side to you skills. But you're reel is going to be awesome with or without it.
It's really up to you, my man! Either way is fine by me đ
I've put in a request to join the team as well should another cgcookie project need some render time!
showersja Awesome, thanks Jeff. @theluthier Kent will probably add you in no time.Â
Sorry this is so late on , some of you will know that things have been pretty hectic for me these past few months,Â
Anyways, I thought it was worth a mention though , even if it is something for the future , but my PC has one GTX 1080Ti and three GTX1080 FTWs in it, so if I can help with rendering any projects for anyone let me know.Â
I unfortunately don't have time to read back through this thread , but if I can help out at all, add me to the team (if thats how it works)Â
ThanksÂ
frikkr Hot dangs Matt, that's quite an arsenal. Thanks for making it available. Here's the link for you to join the CG Cookie Render Monsters Team on Sheepit
https://www.sheepit-renderfarm.com/team.php?id=924Â
Once the current course is over I'll get back to working on scenes for the demo reel, and when I have on ready to render I'll post it here.
Am I allowed to join the Sheepit team without participating in this thread?
williamatics Of course. Joining the team is not specific to what we're doing with the demo reel. It's more like "we have a team, we're doing this one task here as a team and we can do many others"
Ok so I joined the team and started some renders to test it all out , but it looks like I can only render with one of my GPU's at a time , rather than all four at once like I can in Blender.... Is this right or have I set it up wrong? It would be so much more beneficial if I could leave it rendering on 3 cards and still use my primary card to work away with. If I could do that I could render a lot.Â
frikkr I don't know really, maybe Kent knows, he has Linux Luke now.Â
I summon thy @theluthier
frikkr 4 graphics cards?! Yikes, allow me to wipe off the drool from my keyboard...
@theluthier Yeah they come in handy for rendering animations :)Â

Ill give that a try when I get chance Kent , thanks!