Re: Sami animation project

Paul,

<< The startup is going to aim for a 3d feature animation based on Sami
legends and characters. During the 3 to 5 years this development might
take we're going to produce 5 to 13 minutes animations for children....>>

An animated feature would be about 90 minutes long. Are you planning on that 
in addition to the 5 to 13 minute animations you're producing for TV? Are 
you producing TV first and a feature later? When?

<< I'm therefore trying to find out what kind of software and hardware to
aim for in some areas: audio, video and 3d. The timeframe is 6 months
until start-up...>>

To know what gear you need the story development has to come first. The 
process is to create a script and the complete storyboard, then decide what 
you'll need to produce that story into a movie. If you get gear first, your 
story will have to live within your equipment limitations.

A traditional 3D artist -- a sculptor, not 3D animation -- can choose 
between wood, clay, bronze, marble, or other media. Until you purchase tools 
you have total freedom in the approach you choose for making your art. 3D 
animation isn't only CGI. There's also stop-motion (CHICKEN RUN), 
puppeteering (TEAM AMERICA), and game engine (emerging real-time animation 
based on something like DOOM).

<< For 3d modelling I'm sad to say that we're more versed in 3d studio
max than in Maya, even though Maya have had their learning edition
available for free for several years...>>

Maya PLE is useless for commercial production. If you want free you're 
better off with Blender. The least expensive commercial tool is 
SoftImage|XSI Foundation for $500 which also includes Mental Ray.

<< What renderer do you use, why do you like it, what don't you like in
it? >>

Find movies that have a look similar to how you want your picture to appear 
and find out what renderer they used. Asking a tool question generically is 
a bit like asking who makes the best computer -- to do what? Performance and 
image quality depend upon what you're rendering.

<< Do you guys on this list use Linux exclusively, or do you more or less
use linux for rendering farms? >>

Large studios use Linux on desktops and renderfarm. Smaller studios may use 
Linux, Mac or Windows on the desktop and Linux on the renderfarm. Something 
other than Linux as the renderfarm is rare, but Windows and Mac renderfarms 
exist.

<< What kind of rendering solutions do you use? What are your experiences
in building a render farm for 3d/video work? >>

People here have experience in everything from a few nodes to the largest 
renderfarms in the world. All different.

<< What do you view as the greatest pitfall? >>

Putting technology before story development. Acquiring gear at random in a 
mistaken belief that's progress.

<< Finally, before I spend a dime on buying stuff I'm going to try to
travel to some effects and animation outfits in London, try to get a
feel for workflows they are using. >>

Poking around London doesn't seem enough. You need to consider coming to 
SIGGRAPH and even our own Linux Movies conference in Los Angeles.

http://www.siggraph.org/s2005/
http://linuxmovies.movieeditor.com/conf2005/index.html

Everyone in animation will be here in August with much the same questions 
you have -- even folks who've been doing it forever. The technology changes 
every year.

Robin
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[email protected]   Beverly Hills, California
www.LinuxMovies.org - Advancing Linux motion picture technology




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