3D Animations - Infinite Possibilities

The term Animation broadly covers a wide variety of genres and applications. The simplest way to break it down is into the categories of 2D and 3D animation. 2D animation, often referred to as vector animation. Programs like Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Director, Flash movies, cartoons, E-cards, and advertisement shorts are fine examples of Vector animation. 3D animation, however, is rendered in a virtual three-dimensional space, using polygons captured by various virtual views to create the animation.

3D animation has a variety of applications, from video games to animated films. Most commonly, 3D animation is used to render many of the special effects seen in live-action films, removing the need for scale model sets or staged stunts. While both types of animation can be accomplished by either frame-by-frame animation or by mathematical interpolation between key frames, the initial steps prior to animating are totally different. The two separate processes require different software packages. The 2D animations normally are made with Flash and Director/Shockwave, while the 3D animations use 3D Studio Max and Maya 3D. In essence, there is truly little difference between animation and computer animation.

The primary difference is in the tools used to create these animations, the cost and effort involved in the processes, and the quality of the final output. 2D animation is accomplished by hand-drawing hundreds upon thousands of individual frames only to transfer them to clear plastic cells, hand-paint them, and then film them in sequence over a painted background image. This requires a team of artists, cleanup artists, painters, directors, background artists, and film/camera crews, along with the storyboard artists and script writers to work out the original concepts; for large-scale projects, the amount of time, labor, and equipment involved can be staggering.

3D Animation uses more complex methodologies. Using well-developed, highly effective softwares, 3D animation depends on maps like importing, editing, opacity and cropping, using tools like gradient, shaders etc. 3D modelling tools like object compounds, 3D mesh etc are used to create special effects. Rendering tools and other important sectors of the 3D animation software, effectively replicate real life action in the form of computer animation.

The great box-office success of 3D animation movies like 101 Dalmations, Lion King, The Prince of Persia etc followed by the stupendous success of 3D games like Half Life, Unreal Tournament etc catapulted 3D animation technology new heights. The demand for 3D animation software became crazily frenzied with the tremendous success of special effects movies like Mummy, Jurassic Park, Matrix and others. The cash registers kept ringing non-stop. The 3D softwares and 3D animators became the most sought after things in the world. The focus of animation shifted from the likes of Industrial Light and Magic (George Lucas) to Indian 3 D developers who were experts in typical indigenous softwares like Maya 3D etc.

Today no movies worth their salt, comes without at least some scenes using 3D animation. Live action, interpolation of cartoon characters amidst real-life characters and stunning special effects like exploding planets, crumbling metropolises and erupting volcanoes etc are the handiwork of 3 D animation. Education too has benefited from the good uses of 3D animation with Discovery ™ channel pioneering educational short films on pre-historic eras through exciting 3D animation techniques.

The worlds of entertainment and education have been turned on their heads with the remarkable achievements on the 3D animation front. The focus of animation technologies is shifting to third world countries like India on account of the low cost of operations and the availability of trained talent in abundance. Already, the Hollywood animation giant, Toonz animations have set up development centres in the Techno park facilities in Thiruvananthapuram. This centre is today producing quality cartoons being aired across premier TV channels during prime time. Here the Indian developers lock horns with the best animation minds of the world and come out on top with unique and innovative 3D animation products.

Truly, 3D Animation is replete with infinite possibilities which are being cashed in on by the abundant and rich talents of the third world countries like India and China.

PKP Iyer,
Senior Editor, Excellone Technologies
http://www.excellone.com

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