Maya Level 2: 3D Animation

This Maya Level 2: 3D Training (Animation) focuses on more advanced animation, modeling, and optimization features. Autodesk Maya 3D animation software offers a comprehensive creative feature set for 3D computer animation, modeling, simulation, rendering, and compositing on a highly extensible production platform. Maya now has next-generation display technology, accelerated modeling workflows, and new tools for handling complex data.

Students will be lead through the entire process of animating a short-film from concept to completion. This process includes storyboarding, character design, concept work, modeling & animating a character, rendering a production, and finalizing your look using Adobe After Effects.

Introduction to Maya or prior Maya experience.

• Customize your Maya environment using MEL.
• Understand the importance of attributes and be able to work with them.
• Proper technique regarding animated cycles.
• Run & walk cycles.
• Lip-Sync for speaking characters.
• Acting and Animation.
• Timing and weight and how they influence believability.
• Build custom user-interface elements using MEL.
• Use expressions to add power to your animations.
• Create and use MEL procedures for use in script files.
• Understand the different elements that comprise Maya Dynamics.
• Create and animate Rigid Body objects.
• Create and animate particles using fields, goals, ramps and expressions.
• Render particles with hardware graphics and software techniques.
• Dynamically animate NURBs and polygonal surfaces using Soft Bodies.
• Utilize Artisan functionality in conjunction with Maya Dynamics tools.
• Instance geometry with particle motion.

• Real world deadlines and how they relate to your workload.
• Give and takes of production. Quality of work relating to deadline. What is possible in our allotted timeline?
• Discuss MEL procedures vs manual procedures.