New challenge soon! - Page 7 - Simply Maya User Community

# 91 03-11-2005 , 11:54 PM

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If we do have a fairy challenge, I will dedicate my farie to Pure_Morning. Here's to half naked chicks buddy. user added image

# 92 04-11-2005 , 01:31 AM

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YOU KNOW IT!!!!:attn:

I sure have never done one myself, but already the ideas are flowing....:attn:

# 93 04-11-2005 , 02:54 AM

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no organics for me :headbang:
no experince
no trys
no whatsoever

but you could always learn

how about a robotic fary ?

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# 94 04-11-2005 , 09:14 AM

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just had an idea to *possibly* get more people entering the challenge.
How about you offered a point or two to everybody who starts a challenge thread at least 3 weeks before the end and makes sure they post visuals at least once a week?
That way it might encourage more entries and keep people coming back to the boards.

Just an idea - rip it apart for impracticalities user added image

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# 95 04-11-2005 , 09:28 AM

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then ill make 3-4 threads :attn:

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# 96 04-11-2005 , 09:38 AM

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Alan,

Is body tracking possible in Maya, or do I need another piece of software for that?

Originally Posted by

body tracking is done in maya with simple animation rigs and geometry

OK, I knew what tracking was but wondered if it was something else in this case because it didn't seem like an entry job.

Also, why only 9-12 months? I guess its not to tie them into anything long term. But if they find some good staff do they keep them permanent?

Originally Posted by

Lol!! Tracking is entry level trust me! user added image

And believe me you don't want to made a tracker permanently... trust me!!!!! 12months is a long time to spend tracking!

user added image

Ps. No f**king fairies.. f**king robotic faries!?!? are you kidding me?!?!... please have some imagination and not just the first thing that pops into your head! user added image

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# 97 04-11-2005 , 09:39 AM

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t1ck135, thats an intresting idea. I guess we will see what Mike thinks.

Supra Devil, I think a robotic Fairy would be cool to see.

palpstudios, I have never done one either, the closest I have comne to a chick is a half finished head which I am still working on. This challenge is right up my ally as I need this practice on making chicks anyway.:p

# 98 04-11-2005 , 10:37 AM

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Hey Mike, I have a suggestion for next challenge.
In last challenge, I saw a plenty of people who wanted to vote in somebody. So why don't you make a place for SimplyMaya community to vote?
When competitors submit their final entries, maybe SimplyMaya could put a radio buttons box for us to vote. And then you could destinate an appropriate value for community vote, something like 10, 20 percent of total (I'm just guessing. You mods could define this better than me). And finally, maybe the most voted could earn some points in SimplyMaya. What do you guys think?

# 99 04-11-2005 , 11:33 AM

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# 100 04-11-2005 , 12:01 PM

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Originally posted by jsprogg
I have a suggestion for a challenge that might be interesting, how about modeling a famous real life landmark.

Originally Posted by

I agree.

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# 101 04-11-2005 , 12:16 PM

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I like the real life place idea. Take some photos (or sketches?) of the place and post them up before starting modelling. Then go for it. Final entry could be 2 pictures. One scene duplicating one of the original photos and another of your 'favourite scene'. Photorealism isn't a requirement as you could model it for a film set or instead for a game.
Just some more ideas to throw into the mixing bowl user added image

# 102 04-11-2005 , 12:26 PM

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Tracking is entry level trust me! And believe me you don't want to made a tracker permanently... trust me!!!!! 12months is a long time to spend tracking!

Originally Posted by

Hey Alan, I'm sorry, but you are definitely wrong about this. You might see tracking as an entry level position, but believe me it isn't, and I don't want you giving people on this board that impression. Roto/prep and render wrangling might be classed as 'entry level' but tracking is definitely much more difficult and involved than either of these, although in general I hate anything in this industry being classed as 'entry level'.

At MPC we take matchmoving (not 'tracking'!) very seriously, with our own quality team that produce the most fantastic results. We have been trying very hard to change this attitude to tracking, and what you said has actually p***ed me off quite a bit. I've been doing matchmoving for over a year, had the opportunity to move into another area, and decided to stay doing tracking for a bit longer. If anybody here thinks that they can just come and work for a high quality company and be good at tracking, think again. It can be very, very difficult and stressful, and the work that the rest of pipeline does can be very dependant on how well the matchmoves are.

Please people, don't be put off of matchmoving. It has many plus points:

* You get to work on a variety of shows all the time (so get lots more credits than everybody else user added image

)
* You don't get stuck on the same shot for about 3 months
* Its an excellent way to see how the rest of the 3D pipeline works
* Yes, from tracking you can move into other areas of 3D, but tracking helps to set you up for this as you will be constantly liasing with other departments (animation/lighting/modelling/etc)
* When you have completed a track really well, its satisfying to know that the rest of the shot will go smoothly thanks to your good work.

Obviously, most people don't go into tracking with the intention of staying in it for life (however, some people are matchmovers for their career) but I do intended to further my career in other areas, but for now I enjoy matchmoving, and there is absoloutely nothing wrong with doing it for more than 12 months!!! The people that I work with at MPC are all excellent experienced matchmovers, some with many years experience, and they enjoy their job.

Sorry for my rant, and if I have potentially offended anybody, but this attitude to matchmoving (and other opportunities in the industry) I really want to change. If anyone would like any more info about matchmoving, please don't hesitate to ask me user added image

Is body tracking possible in Maya, or do I need another piece of software for that?

Originally Posted by

Body tracking is also known as 3D rotoscoping, and at MPC the matchmovers also deal with this. To do body tracking can be very difficult, depending on what it is being used for. You use an animation rig to copy the animation from the backplate onto your 3D character (sorry if this isn't explained very well!), so that a 3D object can interact with what has been filmed.

Anyway, better get back to work!!

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# 103 04-11-2005 , 01:15 PM

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I have a suggestion for a challenge that might be interesting, how about modeling a famous real life landmark.
I'm sure that this is something that if you progressed into the industry you might come across at sometime be it creating a game scene or movie scene ect.
The challenge of having to recreate say a realistic looking Taj Mahal or Eiffel Tower or even the pyramids at Luxor could prove interesting in my opinion.
It could be a monument of your choice or if the mods prefer a specific monument or location.
The point of the challenge is to be as photorealistic as possible.

Shoot me down now if you like .....

Intresting idea, but not too many people here can model photo-realisticly at this point. You will end up with alot people that will start a project and then quit beause of lack of skill. Lighting also plays a big role in making something photo-realistic, and there are not too many people here who are experts at lighting. I am by no means an expert in that dept.

I have seen really good models that look like crap because of poor lighting.

# 104 04-11-2005 , 01:50 PM

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To be honest THX I can't do photorealistic either but isn't that the point of a challenge ?
If you are not pushing yourself to try and learn something new or at least try and grasp it theres not really any use in entering is there?
Maybe it's just me and some are happy just to use the skill they already know.
Just a thought anyhow, I'm sure Mike will come up with something interesting user added image

# 105 04-11-2005 , 01:58 PM

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@Lisa: Good I'm glad that you enjoy your job so much. That's very important in this industry due to the demands placed upon us. However where I work, and generally throughout the industry tracking is considered entry level. From what I can see you're pissed because you think I said it isn't skilled, I didn't say that at all. Tracking is a very skilled job, however at the end of the day junior tracking positions are entry level. I can't overstate the importance of a good track, trackers do provide a shot with one of the most important elements, and it's also pretty thankless work. Most people expect their tracks to be perfect everytime. However most of the trackers I know can't wait to get out of it as it's pretty boring work when you look at the bigger picture of what's involved with vfx. I'm glad you enjoy it and I wish you well in it. but if you gave me a choice of being "stuck on a shot for 3 months" doing TD work or tracking, sorry matchmoving user added image

, 10 shots i know what I would pick. Maybe when you run a few shots on a movie your opinion may change, I dont mean that to sound patronising and I'm sorry if it does, but it's true.

* When you have completed a track really well, its satisfying to know that the rest of the shot will go smoothly thanks to your good work.

Originally Posted by

Having a good track is the starting point for a shot it doesn't really solve any other problems on the shot. Having a bad track can cause untold amounts of problems re-rendering etc.

For anyone considering any of these positions let me say that tracking is by far the best one to go for, with running being the worst (in terms of pay and actual work). Lisa's right you get to see a lot of the pipeline and see how the shows work. Some people do spend their careers tracking and they are invaluable team members but I know that it's not something I would ever like to do for any length of time.

@THX1138: that's the point of these challenges, to learn new skills. There's plenty of people here who will help you and guide you to make your work better.

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