Amitabh Sharma, Features Coordinator
Imagine walking through the isles of a supermarket in the United States, strolling down the beach, watching the sun rise or a taking a tour in your favourite theme park on your computer. Sounds like a science fiction or a dream sequence, but this is the next level of animation and design, the 3-D.
What is 3D
The 3-D computer graphics, as the name suggests add 'depth' and are often referred to as 3-D models. Wikipedia describes a 3-D model as 'the mathematical representation of any three-dimensional object (either inanimate or living).' A 3-D model is not technically a graphic until it is visually displayed. With the advent of 3-D printing, these are not confined to virtual space.
The process of creating 3-D computer graphics can be sequentially divided into three basic phases: 3-D modelling which describes the process of forming the shape of an object, layout and animation which describes the motion and placement of objects within a scene, and 3-D rendering which produces an image of an object.
The dimension
3-D animation and design is one of the most fast-paced, youthful and exciting industries in the world. You could create an animation film or start your own graphic design firm with few resources.
Career opportunities are in the creative or the technical sphere. A mix of both would be desirable as both aspects complement each other. Some of the areas that you can look at are:
Development
This involves conceptualising ideas and designing initial concepts. Pitching the product and securing funding and intellectual property rights are also important at this stage.
Pre-Production
A person in pre-production gives 'life' to the idea. This involves writing the script, drawing the storyboard, designing character turnarounds, designing layouts/backgrounds and creating animation.
Production
Production involves building, rigging and texturing models animating characters, and setting up and lighting scenes.
Post-Production
Post-production involves collating assets, e.g. filmed footage, digital animation sequences and special effects into the finished film. It includes editing, scoring the music, quality checking and outputting the final product into the required formats.
Get started
The Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the University of the West Indies offers two short courses in 3-D Animation and Graphic Design to help make this dream a reality. The courses, which begin in January 2008, offer fundamental skills needed to create animated shorts and graphic design using open- source software.
The two highly intensive and comprehensive short courses aim to foster the creative and artistic genius of teens and adults. The 3-D Animation course involves basic 3-D animation, interactive programming and modelling. The graphic design course, also available to adults, teaches basic advertising publicity techniques including: logos, brochures, posters or billboard advertising.
"If we were using a proprietary application, such as Maya, a full version could cost each student up to US$7,000, which is way out of our reach. My students are free to continue learning without needing to find exorbitant fees, as long as they can figure out how to install the software on their machines at home. They are encouraged to share the software with as many persons as they wish. This is the exact opposite of proprietary software," says David Bain, one of the instructors for the 3-D animation course.
Big vision
From I was smaller, I had this big vision. I was hoping to actually create an entertainment company that dealt with animation, music, toys, all those kind of things. I also wanted to establish a school. If I could build a kind of 3-D animation school, then I could teach this kind of stuff. With this and the company, the Caribbean flavour could be given out to the world," says Matthew Anderson, who took the 3-D animation course in July. "I learned a whole lot, crazy! My cousin gave me a 3-D programme to toy around with. It took me weeks to know the kind of stuff that I do now in only four days," continues Anderson.
"We really want to expose the students to the principles of 3-D animation. I really get excited when the students understand the 'why' and not just the 'how'. Hopefully, this will lay a foundation and they can build on the knowledge they have gained," says Bain.
"I find that thinkers and those with an experimental mindset tend to do well. Also 3-D animation rewards those who are patient," says Bain. Who said this is about instant gratification?
amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com
