3D Pipeline

# 1 13-01-2015 , 10:56 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2014

Posts: 20

Okay, so from my understanding, a pipeline is the process followed by a 3D artist to get to the final cut.

Here are the steps in order (Correct me if im wrong):

2D Drawing/Posing/Storyboarding
Modeling
Coloring/Texturing
Rigging
Animating
Effects/Sound

Now, my questions is what programs I should use for these? Can all of this by done in Maya or do I need to export it into After Effects/Premiere Pro to composite with sound. Also, what programs are the best for each and what are some common pipelines in the industry?

Can you please point me to a overall beginner's guide or something that includes all this info along with the best uses for each program?

I have searched online and it seems most programs can do all these to some degree, but what are their major purposes? For ex: Modeling (Zbrush)

Also, how easy is it to import/export models/rigs/animation/renders from each of these programs to each other? Basically are most of them compatible with most of them or can they be made compatible.

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# 2 14-01-2015 , 02:52 AM

EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Toronto

Posts: 3,374

I replied in your other thread, but I'll give some general advice here on programs.

For a beginner I would highly recommend a Maya/After Effects/Photoshop exclusive pipeline. Don't get worried about other programs at this point. They will only add to your significant learning load.

Storyboarding: Photoshop
Animatic: Depending on the complexity of the animation, many people create a 2D animatic in After Effects using your photoshop or scanned storyboard drawings. This is to get your pacing/timing/editing exactly how you like it. You can google some examples from feature films and see how they look.
Modeling: Maya
Texturing/Shading: Photoshop and Maya. To start, maybe just do procedural textures, which is just putting shading nodes together in the hypershade and ignoring image textures or painted photoshop textures.
Rigging: Maya. Can be technical and complex, but basic rigs aren't too hard.
Animation: Maya. Technically very simple. Artistically very very hard. You will probably end up with amateurish looking animation until you've animated for hundreds of hours and that is totally okay.
Lighting and Rendering: Maya. Also quite technical, but simple lighting setups aren't too hard.
Compositing: After Effects. Can be mostly ignored for beginner projects. Just get your rendered image files (one per frame) together into a movie file.
Sound: After Effects. Keep in mind you'll have to do a RAM preview to hear any audio you put in the timeline.

Effects are tricky and really depend on what kind they are. Can be dynamics in Maya or 2D effects in After Effects (or pseudo-3D effects in AE).

With a pipeline that is just AE and Maya, you don't need to worry about compatibilities so much. AE can take pretty much any image file format Maya renders.

-stwert

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# 3 14-01-2015 , 03:34 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2014

Posts: 20

Alright thanks man, I was planning on keeping it simple.

So from some research online and what not it seems that AE only has pseudo 3D. I am not sure what that technically means but i'm assuming it gives the feel of 3D but you do everything in 2D.

Also is there a guide on all this stuff with all the info in one place? I will be sticking to Maya,AE/PS, but just for the future.

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# 4 14-01-2015 , 06:40 AM

Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: South FL

Posts: 3,522

Actually there are Youtube videos offering overviews of the pre-production, production and post production process for 3D animated films. Here is one of them.

https://youtu.be/rJaN643ri7s

- Genny
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