Hi,

An idea,

What would be a great motivator to encourage people to learn Mental Ray for Maya?

Weekly competitions.

eg. Week 1. Outdoor 'Autumn' lighting, etc.....
Week 2. Indoor diffused lighting of room/garage, etc...
blah blah blah......

scene files could be created and downloaded from this forum giving everyone the same springboard in which to apply his creativity. The idea would be encourage learning and sharing of knowledege via a weekly competition.

Shared scene files (maybe even same camera shot) would encourage creativity within a defined framework allowing/encouraging contestants to focus on mood, tone, colour, etc.... rather than models, composition, etc.....

I guess its a bit like fitness.

Who likes to get out on a winters morning and run from point A to point B for the sake of it?

Give 'PEOPLE' an inflated leather ball, throw in some EGO's and viola.

Football.

re Jim