₦airaland Forum

Your post is a little murky but here's what I picked from it: You want to do a 3 minute animation with Max from scratch.

If yes, I say that's way to go.

Here's what I'd suggest.

1. Put together a storyboard (Do that first) this will help you determine where to use short cuts and also give you an idea of the duration. The storyboard doest have to be detailed. . . heck you can use stick figures as long as it helps to depict poses, camera angles., etc.

2. Now this is where u experience the importance of storyboards. Put your characters together (if there is character animation involved) and the props. From the storyboards you will be able to know the amount of props/background involved.

3. I am assuming you've got the voice over intact (If it will be involved) so I will say go to the next level. . . animate and render,composite,edit/mix(audio). . . out up

Word of advise: Don't jump from Point A to point C. Start from point A to point B and finish the project.


DISCLAIMER: Okay this is by no means a cast iron solution, just what works as far as I am concerned.




Now I have to contend with the fact I may have misinterpreted your post, in which case you should ignore that rant up there. Good luck sha

Ajayi u sure say no be toast you wan toast Gamine? Be kiaful broda, she is my niece,

@ Zpixel no problemo, I'll let ya know.

Maya is a very powerful program and THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN NOT DO WITH IT. It is the most used app (By studios that is). Just make sure you know it pretty well and you'll be ok. Like I said before, I do not use it simply because I do not lack anything (at least for now) in my present pipeline.

@ zpixel. Actually, I can rig and animate in Max but it serves me no purpose at the moment since I have to plan of exploring the world of game development (Max's stronghold, no dispute) I did fiddle with Maya but I do not use it not because it is bad but because I am not missing anything with a combination of Modo, Lightwave and Softimage XSI. The only 3D software I am missing badly are Massive Prime (crowd simulation) and Houdini Master (Particles and dynamics) but I had to pass because they are well out of my reach.

About the IT part. Honestly, I don't believe there is any dedicated 3D animation/VFX studio in Nigeria. Hopefully, in a few years/months, that will change. I will keep digging and if I find any worthwhile, I'll let ya know 'cause it won't serve you any purpose to do your IT with a half assed studio.

@Seun Ulead Video Studio runs smoothly on a system with 512 MB of RAM. I tried it on such a system before and It was almost running faster than the speed of light, the rendering of a 1 GB mpeg 2 file on that software was twice faster than the more expensive Adobe Premiere.

Here's the link:

http://www.ulead.com/vs/features_plus.htm

desiree:
Thanks grafikdon, please drop your contact details at desiree_charm@yahoo.co.uk.

I have a small-scale project for you, if you can help, i had a look at your website, impressive work bro. Are you a freelance Animator? I also noticed that lightwave is not the favorite software of choice for most people but it has its potentials.

Yup, a freelancer right here. Lightwave was my first app. . . actually I was a Lightwave fanatic and could punch the Lightwave naysayers and I used to do everything from scratch in Lightwave, from modeling to animation. The truth is every 3D app out there has strengths and weaknesses. At the moment I can't say I have a favourite application 'cause I use three 3D programs for differents tasks depending on which one gives me more efficient result; Lightwave (for non character work or simple character animation,) Softimage XSI (exclusively for character animation and cloth simulation) and Luxology Modo (exclusively for modeling). The transition was easy because I customized Modo to work EXACTLY like Lightwave Modeler and the best part. . . it supports native Lightwave object format (.lwo) with all the morph targets. I also use Pointoven to move data between Lightwave and XSI. Softimage supports Lightwave object import and export so that makes my life a little easy and saves me the agony of using the Shape manager in XSI,

LOL, Lightwave heavily influenced my choice of complementary apps since I only work with the two most friendly Lightwave software, I often import Lightwave camera into Softimage through pointoven. That's the way to go . . . getting the best of both worlds.

lol, the modeling part, I dropped modeling in Lightwave after I used Modo. Animation part, I stopped doing 'character' work in Lightwave after I used Softimage XSI, but yeah, I still use Lightwave when I want to put something together without hassling myself with point weighing, or when I want to use particles (Hypervoxels rocks!!!!), Am I proficient in Lightwave? Started from 7.0 until 8.5, yup the Lightwave Mojo never died,

Don't worry Gamine, your uncle Grafik will hook you up with a gig when that time comes

SPAWN it is (a.k.a Al Simons). Rip out his head, rip out his limbs. . . he's gonna git ya! If ya doubt, go ask the Violator.

Saintjoe:
@grafikdon, Yeah you liked it no one is against that.

But WE DON'T LIKE IT, AND YOU CAN'T FORCE ANYONE TO LIKE IT!!!!

As far as I am concerned it sucks 100%

Neither can YOU FORCE ANYONE TO DISLIKE IT!!!! Different strokes for different folks. . . I have no problem with anyone who hates the song. It is not the best thing since sliced bread and mountain Dew but it sure isn't as 'wack' as people told me it was.

@ Seun, you're wrong. I have never read anything good thing about that music until today. Yup, many people said it wasn't 'polished' including those who have not wathced it. I liked it, including the lyrics.

There's no dialogue in this one.

http://www.mayhemproductions.org/Theatre.htm

I clicked on the link hoping to watch the most horrendous video considering that I have heard the most horrible things about that video. I was totally shocked because that video is POLISHED. This is why I pay no attention to critics, I just watch whatever I want to watch, whenever I want.

I like that video pretty much and that girl sure got a good voice. Obvuously, people joined the condemnation wagon without even watching the video. Na real wa for WAEC o. N a so them badmouth Aeon Flux but I enjoyed the friggin movie.

@ Seun, it's someone that's good at modeling stuff like humans, animals or monsters using 3d software like Modo, Siftimage XSi etc,

@ meela. Yup, character modeler here. How may I help u?

It is nice when they live in a western country or a secular country. I have lots of Muslim friends oveer here and religion has never been an issue. Though they get peeved when I eat pork but I made it known to them that I respect their religion and everything that comes with it and I will appreciate it if they stop making a case about the fact that I love pork. We drew a line there and we continue to live happily ever after. We don't have much religious discussion but when we do, nobody pulls a knife to cut off somebody's head. Maybe the Muslims in America are different from the ones in Naija, I have no idea.

And the INTEL/AMD flame war rages lol. Just read a lot of reviews and ask those who have actually used both system for the same task you're aiming to use it for. In my own case I will be rolling with Intel til further notice.

I suggest you join the numerous blender forums. You will gain a lot that way. I couldn't be of much help since I have never used blender. Good luck man.

@Candylips

Something like that. It's a bit sketchy though. One of the producers is my friend so I believe I can get a concrete info by the end of the year.

They don't necessarily have to use CGI in their movies to make it appealing. A lot of Hollywwod movies do not drive their stories with visual effects and these movies are masterpieces. With that said, I'd like them to improve on that area but there is no cause for alarm since a lot of people are working towards that underground and I predict before the end of 2007 there will be a couple of well done Naija films with a near perfect blend of CGI and live footage.

I heard from a reliable scource some Naija/UK based producers are working on a heavy effects epic film. From the look of their software line up (Masive Prime, Natural Motion Endorphin, Vicon Mocap System, Softimage XSI Advanced, Houdini Master) I don't think these guys are joking. If they can invest over $100,000 on software/hardware alone, we shouldn't wave them aside.

I will keep my fingers crossed till I get more info on the cast and crew since my info is rather sketchy at the moment.

feelgod, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD, I AM CONVINCED ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, see the keywoord 'CONVINCED' which is greater than 'BELIEVE'.

Sure my post is a tad out of line and I take it back, but the point is no man should tell another they are doomed unless they are part of their religion. This is very wrong and it goes every minute. Nobody pays attention to the basic thin and most important things.

Ekwulobia/Anambra/Naija

Don't you hate it when spiritually indolent narrow minded superficial morons tell you their religion is the only way to God, anything else is hogwash. It beats me why people can't just live by the will of the Almighty God and stop degrading anything that doesn't flow in line with their man made religion (yeah I said it because you were born without a religion and you will leave without a religion) what's the gaddem noise about 'my religion is the shiznita and yours sucks big hairy, ' u knwo what

Interesting.

Sad that people waste their time yelling out their lungs with morbid utterances like "Accept Islam or else, " and "Accept Christ as your private Personal saviour or else, ". Nobody pays any attention to the fundamental things that fall in line with the will of the Almighty God.

We waste our time swimming on the surface of religion and flushed spiritual accent down the abyss of disintegration. Of what use is the sickening outcry over the real and fake religion when you kill your human being simply because they have a view that challenges the foundation of your religion (Take note ye hellbound spiritually indolent religious fanatics). Where is the decency and respect when you go and have sex with a married woman/man? Dou you stuff your bank account with 'stolen' money when your neighbour cannot afford three square meals? Are angry and enraged because your neighbour who was once a pauper has become wealthy out of his own sweat? Do you go to church on Sunday to exhibit 90% of your spotless firm breasts? Where's the love when you give a friend a loan only to threaten him hwen he is struggling to pay you back?

The questions are endless and we should be concerned about how to be of help to the world in general instead of blaming the infidels and non infidels for everything including erectile disfunction. Or trying to threaten people with hell fire and brimstone when they refuse to go to church and shake their booty in the name of the lord. Or goping on a killing spree in Nigeria when a man fromplanet mars draws a cartoon of Mohammed in Push up bra,

A word is enough for the wise. Cast away the bandage of religious fanaticism and spiritual indolence and you will begin to understand the world as it should be.

Ahhh, cut the guy some slack! My Violator action figure came to live this morning and started chasing me all over the house with a meat cleaver. I had to call 911. immediately the police knocked on the door, it droped the cleaver and became a lifeless statue again. Yup, they doubted my genuine story and recommended a shrink.

Yup, I am a rockhead,

Mudvayne
Godsmack
Linkin' Park
Greenday
Sum 41
Three Doors Down
POD
Lenny Kravits
Nickleback
Staind

The list is damn endless

Currently feeling Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day) and Crawling (Linkin' Park)
and

@ darkman zero I think you can get it from lagos, not sure now ;'cause it's been a long time and I have almost forgotten.

@Garmine, your uncle Grafikdon is in his late twenties.

I do not understand why we are having an argument over this. Religion is not something that imposed on you. I am not a religious person but I do not need a prophet to tell me that the true meaning of going to church is to establish a connection with the Almighty God and draw enough strength to carry on your activities. That short moment of connection with the light should not be hindered by any form of distraction. There is a need to be presentable inside and outside. Since we do not run around naked anymore, I do not see any reason why a woman should go to church with an outfit revealing 70% of her breast or tight pants clearly showing the contours of her Behind. I know someone will say you have no business loking at that but yes, a distraction is a distraction and should not be condoned, be it people playing their ipod and nodding their head,people reading magazines, or a woman in a skimpy outfit rolling her twins and land cruiser. Remember it called the house of God and not the house of boobs.

I understand if a woman wants to 'flaunt it' , sure you can flaunt it until it flops but the church/mosque/temple is definitely not the appropriate place to shake your 'braless' boobies and almost naked body. We need to look into our hearts and start telling our selves the truth. If your church discourages reavealing outfit, you can either dress up or quit, no need to argue with them or suggest they 'lighten' up and admitt the naked broads and the thong brigade. Simple. Nobody held a gun to your head and forced you to become a member. This world is fullof hypocrites and by that I am including those women that go to Church half naked. 100% percent of the naked squad will tell you that their dress does not matter and God looks into the soul and not the boobs. You will shudder when you take glipmse at their twisted and distorted thought forms laced with amorous machinations. Deep down they know they are actually going there to 'flaunt' they asses. So much for Sunady worship. Before you call someone against your church fashion a hypocrite, kindly look in the mirror. To the men who huff and puff and tell us that we have no right to juge, next time a half naked woman sits close to you shifting her slender legs and with her boobs hanging out I hope you have fun communicating with your God. I forgot, you actually love that because with the eradication of the naked women, the 'spice' will be taken out of church and you will find it 'boring'.

Before you jump on me and call me 'preachy' I am not religious, haven't been to church in 6 yrs but that has not changed anything about me. I still have a sense of right and wrong. I maintain a strang connection with the Almighty Father and it feels good. I do not fool myself because I am in free world. I know when I am fitting a square peg in a round hole and I do not pretend. Let's take a look in our hearts and start telling ourselves the truth. What harm could befall a woman if for a few ours she wears something that is a little loose, knee length and does not reveal 80 % of her breasts?

Think about it.

Finally,

More Black Guardian,

Here is the one I did in (2001). This one na Yankee version of 'Black Guardian'. Another super hero that didn't see much daylight.

These are panels from my comic book that never saw the light of day, back in the days (2000).