Return-Path: Received: from omr15.networksolutionsemail.com ([205.178.146.65] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 4654904 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:35:53 +0100 Received: from cm-omr10 (mail.networksolutionsemail.com [205.178.146.50]) by omr15.networksolutionsemail.com (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id q2EAh0e4023399 for ; Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:43:00 -0400 Authentication-Results: cm-omr10 smtp.user=chris@chriszwar.com; auth=pass (LOGIN) X-Authenticated-UID: chris@chriszwar.com Received: from [58.104.23.2] ([58.104.23.2:49255] helo=[10.1.1.5]) by cm-omr10 (envelope-from ) (ecelerity 2.2.2.41 r(31179/31189)) with ESMTPA id 81/A1-06633-236706F4; Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:43:00 -0400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v1084) Subject: Re: [AE] [OT] 3D program discussion From: Chris Zwar In-Reply-To: Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:42:53 +1100 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message-Id: <37968359-9D25-45BE-BE18-217B72F1BCA9@chriszwar.com> References: To: "After Effects Mail List" X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1084) I actually think that you need to figure out what sector of the industry = you're aiming for, and think more about the types of places you want to = work rather than decide on a piece of software to learn. It's much = harder to change industries than it is to learn new software. Corporate = events, broadcast TVCs, feature films, architectural renders, branding = and design are really quite distinct sectors and most people end up = specialising in one of them. If you want to design title sequences then = I wouldn't suggest learning zbrush. If you want to work on feature = films then I wouldn't suggest learning cinema 4D. My opinion is that = trying to get a job in broadcast design if you've only worked in = corporate events will be more difficult than learning Max if you've only = used Maya before. But here are some observations from my own experience: > 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? As the others have noted, Cinema 4D is growing rapidly and has a very = solid base in the design markets. In the studio I'm working in now, it = is constantly turning the heads of the Max/Maya guys and they're = increasingly deferring to Cinema 4D for specific tasks. it will only = get bigger and better. > Maya: used a lot in film / high end commercials - steeper learning = curve but very flexible. shaders are complicated but powerful. Good = dynamics engine=20 > 3dstudio max: used mostly for games / particles work?=20 Max and Maya are the two most common 3D programs. I haven't heard = anyone mention XSI or Lightwave for about 10 years. Maya seems more = buggy but it works on Macs - and that's a really important consideration = for smaller agencies that don't run windows. I think that Max has = better support for low-poly real-time engines, but those sort of = generalisations can easily be inaccurate or outdated. The particles = thing is a case of the grass being greener - neither have especially = amazing particle systems, and anything really really complex will bring = both packages to their knees. Depending on the markets you get work in, you may find that the real = skill is learning a rendering engine (ie vray, mental ray or renderman) = and that skill will be more important than the animation package you = use. -Chris