Reel Intentions

This is another version of my reel that I am currently working on along with some stills of what I have been doing to improve on it. As you can see, I have been trying to tie everything together using the hovercraft ship. I am going to drastically change what I have here since this version was not that well received. I have to figure out whether it is worth it to tie everything together or if I am just creating more work for myself. Every idea I have come up with has seemed forced.

Here is a quick run through of what I was trying to do here and what I may do now.
After the intro animation with the hovercraft, I was going to tie the next project with the Optimus model using a hologram wireframe effect through the ships "monitor." The ship would see the toy lying in the street next to the garbage cans and then pull up its "data" on the ship's monitor. This would then fade into Optimus on a lift up a mountain. He is damaged and on his way back to base.
I was then thinking of having a pair of headlights pass Optimus as he is on the lift. This would then fade into the Mandy scene as lights pass an open window in her scene (I am no longer planning to have her posed in front of the mirror in the bathroom). As you may have noticed, I skipped the handgun section of my reel. I am actually considering taking it out or moving it after the Mandy scene. I think I would place the gun next to Mandy which could possibly hint at some sort of "assassin girl" alter ego. This would then play into the handgun animation. If I take out the handgun animation, then I think I would go with the picture frame or television transition into the Hera scene. Although, that seems a little cliche. I was then tying the Hera scene back the the beginning with the ship coming down and observing Hera at the edge of the mountain.

I am also including some stills I have available that show where I am at with these projects. Some are still a little out of date but are the closest I have at this minute. Some are lighting tests and screwing around with Global Illumination and Final Gather in the Optimus scene. The other is a still of the Paint Effects grass for the Hera scene.