Return-Path: Received: from mail-gy0-f169.google.com ([209.85.160.169] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 4654176 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:50:26 +0100 Received: by ghrr18 with SMTP id r18so875416ghr.28 for ; Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:57:32 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:from:date:message-id:subject:to :content-type; bh=vGv92sCy0Xpzmvw0qiy7dIH/DMGvwC+8lMeNrIdBXR4=; b=zOZm6bBMiU962QfL4Axn5aUgJHL9GMK4JBqe/4Ey3QnXJO1e3JzTY+yGiX3Hbk/OBu F8e4dD5/Nk8dXmxz4jP5KUoKqdyP2SdpbCE3Sg/L/qlzKPo7VB2/8jWdHH/UIZmTrRqO GteYu+f5gToXPowSkeyPLeIbBDQ51AgrsOfKmXS1aAtnHV4EnONOvlLfwcN0RQFSwdw8 vpxHWjF6vmeOvt7eXJDwr+PDhwrkTvMJcagh1SvwRWD0dlQUEs54Kf2LS3ja1yWQwKJs SNaWCyKAgr1WrosJOoC2BCMixc6bp7jlY9T4i52EOzz/b885EGjw2zBlWpuIirERrIgj cUfQ== Received: by 10.60.28.103 with SMTP id a7mr12808611oeh.24.1331661452299; Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:57:32 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.182.52.233 with HTTP; Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:56:52 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: From: Teddy Gage Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:56:52 -0400 Message-ID: Subject: Re: [AE] [OT] 3D program discussion To: After Effects Mail List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=e89a8ff1cafad34f1604bb239727 --e89a8ff1cafad34f1604bb239727 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hmmm that is really good to know, Alex. I'm a bit rusty but I have the fundamentals down, so maybe it is worth another look. And honestly the things you can do with it are amazing, I just wish I had better math skills. On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 1:47 PM, Alex Czetwertynski wrote: > If you are able to teach yourself Houdini and use it in production, you > will never run out of work...The biggest problem Houdini shops have is > scarcity of talent. > It will probably also be a very intellectually rewarding process.... > > > On Mar 13, 2012, at 10:24 AM, Teddy Gage wrote: > > Hi guys just curious for some opinions - not looking to start any "which > is best" flame fest, but a rational discourse on the current state of 3D > tools many of you use in conjunction with AE. > > As a little background, I'm currently looking to pick up and teach myself > a new program, but don't really want to invest hours of training into > something I'll never use on an actual job. As a caveat, I would already > consider myself an intermediate to strong Maya / Mental Ray user. Maybe > it's all I need to know, but I have a new computer and I'm itching get some > new software under my belt. I've started some of the basics of Cinema 4D, > which seems to be a relative standard in terms of fast workflow and easier > learning curve in motion graphics. > > My question is: what would be the best use of my time to begin picking up, > or should I just further my investment in Maya? > > here's sort of a rundown of the current state of things as I see it. I'm > sure I have some inaccurate preconceived notions > > Cinema 4d: easiest to use, fast workflow, something of a "standard" for > motion graphics? Is it still being actively developed etc? Is it something > every studio is using? > > Maya: used a lot in film / high end commercials - steeper learning curve > but very flexible. shaders are complicated but powerful. Good dynamics > engine > > 3dstudio max: used mostly for games / particles work? > > Houdini: largely programming / expression based workflow, shaders are a > nightmare, most powerful rigging / muscles / particle system. learning > curve is like a cliff (took two months of instruction, barely scratched the > surface) > > XSI / softimage: don't know much about XSI, good particle systems? > > zbrush: specialized modeling, used a lot in games and creature design. > confusing GUI (imo) and strange workflow. very fun to use though... > > blender: used it extensively five years ago, have seen some great work out > of it. Very different paradigms, and was never very user-friendly. > > again, I know the line is "whatever you can use to do the job" but I'm > wondering what would make the most sense to be competitive and compatible > with most studios as a freelancer. I'm sure there are things I'm > overlooking as well. > > > > -- > Animator & Editor > www.teddygage.com > Brooklyn > > > -- Animator & Editor www.teddygage.com Brooklyn --e89a8ff1cafad34f1604bb239727 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hmmm that is really good to know, Alex. I'm a bit rusty but I have the = fundamentals down, so maybe it is worth another look. And honestly the thin= gs you can do with it are amazing, I just wish I had better math skills.
On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 1:47 PM, Alex Czetwe= rtynski <ale= x@disciplefilms.com> wrote:
If you are able to teach yourself Houdi= ni and use it in production, you will never run out of work...The biggest p= roblem Houdini shops have is scarcity of talent.
It will probably also = be a very intellectually rewarding process....


On Mar = 13, 2012, at 10:24 AM, Teddy Gage wrote:

Hi guys just curious for some opinions - not looking to start any "wh= ich is best" flame fest, but a rational discourse on the current state= of 3D tools many of you use in conjunction with AE.

As a little background, I'm currently looking to pick up= and teach myself a new program, but don't really want to invest hours = of training into something I'll never use on an actual job. As a caveat= , I would already consider myself an intermediate to strong Maya / Mental R= ay user. Maybe it's all I need to know, but I have a new computer and I= 'm itching get some new software under my belt. I've started some o= f the basics of Cinema 4D, which seems to be a relative standard in terms o= f fast workflow and easier learning curve in motion graphics.=A0

My question is: what would be the best use of my time t= o begin picking up, or should I just further my investment in Maya?

here's sort of a rundown of the current state of thin= gs as I see it. I'm sure I have some inaccurate preconceived notions

Cinema 4d: easiest to use, fast workflow, something of = a "standard" for motion graphics? Is it still being actively deve= loped etc? Is it something every studio is using?

Maya: used a lot in film / high end commercials - steeper learning curve bu= t very flexible. shaders are complicated but powerful. Good dynamics engine= =A0

3dstudio max: used mostly for games / particle= s work?=A0

Houdini: largely programming / expression based workflo= w, shaders are a nightmare, most powerful rigging / muscles / particle syst= em. learning curve is like a cliff (took two months of instruction, barely = scratched the surface)

XSI / softimage: don't know much about XSI, good pa= rticle systems?

zbrush: specialized modeling, used= a lot in games and creature design. confusing GUI (imo) and strange workfl= ow. very fun to use though...

blender: used it extensively five years ago, have seen = some great work out of it. Very different paradigms, and was never very use= r-friendly.=A0

again, I know the line is "wha= tever you can use to do the job" but I'm wondering what would make= the most sense to be competitive and compatible with most studios as a fre= elancer. I'm sure there are things I'm overlooking as well.=A0



--
Ani= mator & Editor
www.teddygage.com
Brooklyn





--
Animato= r & Editor
www.teddyg= age.com
Brooklyn

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