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Alias Offers New Maya/MotionBuilder Learning Tools

Alias now offers two new Learning Tools: PIPELINE TECHNIQUES|MAYA AND ALIAS MOTIONBUILDER and MAYA TECHNIQUES|MAYA FLUID EFFECTS examine areas of Maya relatively unexplored by Learning Tool authors prior to now. Both tools further complete a full range of Learning Tools that offer 3D professionals, students and enthusiasts a collection of books and DVDs for self-paced learning.

"Alias Learning Tools are designed to complement Alias' advancements in software development, and to encourage learning as the software expands to involve new features and functionalities," explains Danielle Lamothe, product manager, Learning Tools and Training at Alias. "The continual release of new Learning Tools reaffirms Alias' commitment to providing education tools for the graphics and animation community, supporting artists in vertical markets including game development, pre-visualization, film and broadcast, digital publishing and design."

* PIPELINE TECHNIQUES | MAYA AND ALIAS MOTIONBUILDER is authored by Marc-André Guindon, the founder of Montreal-based production facility Realities Studio. With experience working on a variety of projects for both film and games (XXX: STATE OF THE UNION, SCOOBY-DOO 2 and DAWN OF THE DEAD), Guindon has established complex pipelines and developed numerous plug-ins and tools. Priced at $69.99, the Pipeline Techniques | Maya and Alias MotionBuilder DVD explores the best practices for setting up a production pipeline from the early modeling stages through the complete production cycle, revealing the best use of the greatest strengths of both Maya and MotionBuilder. The DVD also provides scene files to assist with learning.

* MAYA TECHNIQUES | MAYA FLUID EFFECTS is co-authored by Duncan Brinsmead and Neehar Karnik and is a DVD focused on working with and writing expressions combining particle systems and fluids to produce a wide variety of effects. This Learning Tool, also priced at $69.99, teaches water related effects such as creating foam on an ocean surface using both particles and fluid, creating the most effective gaseous effects, as well as flames and explosions. The DVD also includes MEL scripts, sample expressions and scene files to assist with learning. Brinsmead is a principal scientist with Alias, creator of Maya Paint Effects, a radical brush-based technology in Maya, and Maya Hair, an advanced character creation toolset in Maya Unlimited, also contributing significantly to Maya Fluids. Karnik is an Alias support engineer with the MEL API team, bringing his experiences as an effects animator/technical director at Spin Studios to his role at Alias.

Alias Learning Tools are authored by Alias software experts and industry professionals sharing projects and experiences at a variety of learning levels. Offerings include the Beginner's series for novices to beginners; the Discover series for novice to intermediate users; the Learning series for beginner to intermediate users and the Techniques series for intermediate to advanced users. Alias Learning Tools are priced from $19.99 and are available at www.alias.com/learningtools.

As a leading innovator of 3D graphics technology, Alias (www.alias.com) develops software for the film and video, games, web, interactive media, industrial design, automotive, architecture and visualization markets. Alias has headquarters in Toronto and a custom development center in Santa Barbara, California, with offices worldwide.

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Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.