In my desire to become the best trained monkey I can be, I've pretty much decided to take some part time course in 3D as soon as I complete my classic animation course, and was wondering which program is the most sought-after.
Lately, it seems that Maya will get you further than any of the competition because it's the most widely used. But maybe that's just among the people I know. One friend of mine swears that 3D Studio Max is just a better program, and it has a kind of cult following. But does that equate with employability?
im learning Maya this quarter actually! (didnt realize the class i had was actually maya and not 3d max until when i got there today on day one)
and so far....i want my Max back :(
I can see why 3dmax is used for modeling.
"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo
Thanks for the responses! The guy at Vancouver Film School said I should learn classic animation, then pick whatever software seems the hottest and get some of that under my belt. It's really a matter of learning the fundamentals, then learning different systems that let you APPLY the fundamentals. Plus, I'm mostly wanting to focus on storyboards and animatics. And quick sketching is pretty essential for both.
For now, I might pick up some Aftereffects, then probably do a Maya course after a year of classic animation-- unless things swing back to 3D Max or somewhere else...
use whatever they are using at the part time course your taking,
ANIMATION FORUM
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When 3d stuff was just happening 3d Studio Max was the way to go but Maya is by far more widely used today, but who knows about tomorrow. With all things computer you just have to keep your ear to the track and see if you can tell which train is on the tracks today. But just learning to use a program is helpful, no matter which because a lot of the issues carry over to new programs. But you'll always be learning something new and trying to keep up.
And they are expensive, so if I had to choose one I'd say Maya.
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Maya would be the most popular choice but a lot of high profile work is happening in Soft Image.
Bryce 3d is where it's at yo! Isn't that what pixar uses?
www.MattOrnstein.com
Character Animator - Lucas Arts
pixar uses their own special software.
3D max seems to be what moddelers work in and maya for animation.
I hear 3dmax is easier to start to learn, its what i started in so im biased. Max rules! haha.
Max or Maya, probably maya since it is used quite a lot.
"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo
yea, it was a joke. Of course pixar doesn't use bryce 3d! And the special software is called "marionette".
www.MattOrnstein.com
Character Animator - Lucas Arts
Maya by far is the most popular. What you're best off doing is learning Maya (or XSI/Softimage) and be prepared to learn whatever the studio you end up at is using. Pixar and ILM, for instance, both use their own proprietary software (ILM's is very close to Maya) and want intelligent, talented people that they know they can train.
Maya and XSI/Softimage offer a good bench mark for that talent/intelligence.
So far of the 4 different studios I've worked in, I've seen primarily Maya (with a number of proprietary add ons), and one minor occurance of XSI (they were in the process of getting rid of it).
Learn how to learn and you'll do fine.
Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
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Now with more doodling!
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I'm going to say Maya as well. Don't just learn the program though, learn how to actually animate and don't let the software do everything for you. I've seen amazing animation using the Hash program and seen aweful animation in Maya. It all depends on how well you can animate, so forgo applying fur, fancy shaders and lighting at the expence of your animation.
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."