Maya 4.5 Bible - Softcover

Spadaro, Joe; Kim, Don

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764536451 ISBN 13: 9780764536458

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2003

Synopsis

* All the information needed to create professional-quality 3D animations and visual effects in Maya, the Alias
* Wavefront/Silicon Graphics software used for special effects in movies such as Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
* Explains how to move a project from concept to completion-an ideal quick-start alternative to the fourteen volumes of official documentation
* Covers everything from interface basics and modeling to animation, character setup, and effects
* Concise tutorial allows the Maya user to learn by doing with the help of behind-the-scenes production examples from animated television programs
* CD-ROM includes sample models, scripts, shaders, and textures

About this title

From the Back Cover

"This book . . . manages to cover a great deal of ground with needed depth in critical areas of Maya, especially those pertinent to character animation. Joe Spadaro and Don Kim have instilled real-world production experience into this massive volume."
–Duncan Brinsmead, Principal Scientist, Alias Wavefront

If Maya 4.5 can do it, you can do it too...

It’s not magic, but it’s close. With the Oscar® Award-winning tool that created the lovable Stuart Little® and the thrilling special effects in Star Wars® Episode II: Attack of the Clones, you will become your own set designer, actor, director, and cinematographer. In this groundbreaking guidebook, two well-respected TV and movie animators demystify the complexities of this professional 3D modeling animation and rendering program. With concise and expert instruction, the authors show you how to apply proven Maya workflow principles to help you keep your projects on track in the production "pipeline" from conception to completion. In addition, the Quick Start tutorial gives you firsthand experience creating an animation right from the start.

Inside, you’ll find co mplete coverage of Maya 4.5

• Navigate the new Maya user interface and take advantage of the powerful Hypergraph, Maya’s award-winning dependency graph architecture
• Become skilled in using the Maya Embedded Language (MEL) to script and automate almost anything you can do in Maya
• Discover the sophisticated NURBS advanced curve and surface modeling tools and the suite of polygon modeling tools for games and interactive uses
• Learn the techniques that’ll make you a digital puppeteer, and create emotion in 3D characters as well as motion and physical characteristics
• Use Maya Live to match-and-move 3D cameras to a live-action video
• Explore the features of Maya Unlimited, including cloth and fur, and extend Maya using subdivision surfaces
• Study the work of leading animators in behind-the-scenes examples from familiar movies, games, and television shows

Bonus CD-ROM

The interactive CD-ROM includes a variety of clips, images, textures, bonus chapters, and other animation tools

About the Author

Joe Spadaro is a professional animator who has held positions ranging from CGI Supervisor, Character Technical Director, and Character Animator/Modeler Project Lead Animator for companies including MTVN/Nickelodeon Digital Labs in Manhattan and Victory FX Animation Studios at Walt Disney M.G.M. Studios, Florida. Joe’s past CGI projects include “The Dooley and Pals Show” (Victory Television), “Sabrina Down Under” (Viacom), “Cruiseline Tinkerbell “ (Disney), and “The Spell of Sistina” (HR Giger). Current projects include two unannounced Saturday morning CGI cartoons (Victory Television & Fred Silverman) and “Sheena” (Disney/TriStar).
Joe has produced artwork or animation for many major companies and clients including the following: Walt Disney World Companies, Columbia TriStar, Viacom, CBS, H.R. Giger, ElfQuest, Tupperware, Alias|Wavefront, Esso/Exxon, American Express, Burger King, Toyota, Campbells, MasterCard, BELLSouth, The Box Music Television, Flowers Bread, Sportpads, Arkansas Razorbacks, Florida Marlins, Florida Panthers, Natcom, Alamo, Camel, Impact, Style Club (Disney and Marvel Comics licensed and approved), Condor Farms, Coral Gables Federal, Bacardi, Coca Cola, Hiram Walker, McCann-Erickson, Tropicana, S.G.I., Readers Digest, Expert, Infosource Rainbow Optics, Anne Klein, Kodak, Interaxx, and Erickson.
Joe’s artwork and animation have been featured and/or published in numerous trade magazines including Digital Magic, CGW, Post, Markee, Hot Rod, Hot Truck, Sport Truck, All Chevy, Low Rider, Easy Rider, V/W Trends, and Truckin’. Joe has served as a member of the executive committee for the AWGUA and is often called upon to give animation lectures and instruction for Alias|Wavefront, AWGUA, SIGGRAPH, Full Sail School of Animation, and other universities. Joe also contributes regularly to the board of advisors for Full Sail’s animation curriculum. He has spent two decades working in the art field, with one decade focused on using computers for 3D character animation. His work at Lightpoint Entertainment and Victory FX Animation Studios at Disney M.G.M. Studios in Florida has been a valuable experience and has provided many examples in this book.

Don Kim is an animator/SFX supervisor from Los Angeles who began his career in 3D while working on digital cel animation production at Rough Draft Studios, Inc., on “The Maxx for MTV Oddities.” During the last few years he has worked on animated pilots and development for major studios in the United States and abroad, and has worked on commercials and music videos for the United States, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea. He has been using Maya since it was released and used Alias PowerAnimator, Electricimage, FormZ, and Softimage3D prior to that.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0764536451
• ISBN 13: 9780764536458
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 1202