CoolMovies - Ani-fi-ed.

3D Animation

From Wired Feb. 1997:

"I could have very easily shot the Young Indy TV series on Hi-8. Young Indy looks like big, giant movies. I mean, the quality is just as good; no one would have known the difference. So you can get a Hi-8 camera for a few thousand bucks, more for the software and the computer; for less than $10,000 you have a movie studio. There's nothing to stop you from doing something provocative and significant in that medium.
...you're going to find more and more people - especially as the Internet-cable configuration begins to become more accessible - start doing it. Once distribution frees itself up, you're going to find more people doing that."
--George Lucas

We have the technology...

For anyone who has dabbled with Photoshop, an editing program, or a 3D animation program knows the potential that is being handed to the masses. Once hindered by issues of quality and resolution, today's aspiring celluloid dreamers are trading in their parents' Super 8's and picking up fully digital cameras, shooting shorts, editing non-linearly and adding effects and a score on their computer. All with--or nearly so--broadcast resolution. And no strings, fishing wire, and scotch tape. A revolution is coming. The "next big thing" could be coming from two kids with a beefed-up computer in a garage in Minnesota. Now it's up to the dreamers.

So what's the deal with 3D computer animation, and how does it fit into this scheme?
Simple. No overhead. For anyone who has tried to make a film or a cell animation knows how time, effort, and resources balloon exponentially once the project takes off. Now that can all be cut away to a staff, location, and talent--of one. There are several programs out there that are reasonably priced ($1000-3000) that allow you to level the technological playing field in one swoop. These programs are creating the effects on several television shows, cartoons, and films and give you the same potential from your bedroom. Your bedroom computer, that is. You also get in on truly the infancy of a new form in the medium. It is unexplored.

If you want to check out a high quality example of a team 3D effort, take a look at Pixar's Toy Story again. Their box-office follow-up to that smash, A Bug's Life, will be out this fall. Be sure to check back with CoolMovies for a review.

Or if you want to see a couple sites to learn more about how to start up your own mini-studio, check out some of these for a start. They'll link you off to anything you need.

• Newtek
• Adobe
• Hash
• Metacreations Bryce 3D
• 3D Design Magazine
• 3D Artist Magazine