Leading Computer Animation

Technology used from the broadcast and print media to the multimedia is advancing almost every day. Animation in the movies and television is just one example. Animation is responsible for the funny, adorable and sometimes-tough cartoon characters we love to see on TV and in the movies. Before, it the making of cartoons was just done manually (drawn by hand) but now, computer animation is the latest trend. Walt Disney used to be synonymous to cartoons but today; numerous companies have gotten into the business of animation. The latest buzz is that Disney Animation officers are planning to return the Walt Disney studios in Burbank, California to its original status as an exclusive hand-drawn animation company. “Lilo and Stitch” was Disney’s last hand-drawn and big hit animated film. Computer animation makes use of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics. When used in films, it is referred to as computer generated imagery or imaging (CGI). This digital technology has somehow replaced the stop motion animation of 3D models and frame-by-frame animation of two-dimensional illustrations.

In making 3D animations, objects or models are normally built on the computer monitor and 3D figures are manipulated with a so-called virtual skeleton. For 2D animations, separate drawings and separate transparent layers are used even without a virtual skeleton.

Computer-animated films usually cover animal characters such as in “Finding Nemo,” fantasy characters like “Shrek” and “Monsters, Inc.” as well as humans that are still cartoons such as “The Incredibles.” A more realistic simulation of humans has been attempted via the movie “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” but it needs further improvement.

Other than the U.S., another highly developed country that has a great fascination for animation is Japan. Anime (short for animation) in Japan became famous because of its unique format of storytelling compared to the country’s live-action industry. Japan is known for its robot anime like the Gundam, Voltes V and Mazinger Z that became classics in the 1980s. The origin of Japanese anime can be traced to the early 20th century when Yamamoto explored the techniques in animation that were being done in Germany, France, Russia and the United States at that time. Anime has also been greatly influenced by the Japanese manga and light novels and covers genres such as action, adventure, children’s stories, drama, comedy, fantasy, horror, science fiction and romance. Animation companies actually have a staff of creative people who can really draw well. Some of them have also outsourced their services and have put up offices in countries whose citizens are blessed with great talent in drawing and have a passion for animation.

Advantages with Flash Animations

In today's market, it's becoming more and more important to catch people's attention quickly before they click away. Flash allows you to convey additional meanings to your message, more than just print or static images allow. Movement accentuates emotion, or can eliminate the need for emotion, depending on the purpose, allowing your message to be delivered to the consumer with less room for interpretation on their part. A mini-commercial for your website. If people read it, see it in action and hear it, they are more likely to remember it in the future. People love entertainment. If you can entertain and educate people they will be more likely to desire your product and services. Consumers will be more likely to stay on your website to find out more if you can capture and intrigue them.

Flash allows you to be funny, excited, determined and many other emotions, at the same time of showcasing what your company provides. This helps differentiate your business from all the others. Consumers are inundated with information that sounds and looks the same as the last guys. Flash animation gives you a chance to showcase what you do best, but you need a professional to do it. There is a tendency for many inexperienced web designers to go flash crazy. Your audience can only look at one thing at a time.

Too much flash confuses the consumer and makes your website difficult to navigate. If you overload them, or have flash that takes too long to upload, the consumer will click away and you may lose them for good. A professional graphic artist can design animation that accentuates the message, at the same time entertaining and educating the audience.

Maya: Software Package used for Animations

Maya is a high-end 3D computer graphics and 3D modeling software package originally developed by Alias Systems Corporation, but now owned by Autodesk as part of the Media and Entertainment division. Maya is used in the film and TV industry, as well as for computer and video games. Maya is a popular, integrated node-based 3D software suite, evolved from Wavefront Explorer and Alias Power Animator using technologies from both. The software is released in two versions: Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited.

Maya was originally released for the IRIX operating system, and subsequently ported to the Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. IRIX support was discontinued after the release of version 6.5. When Autodesk acquired Alias in October 2005, they continued Maya development. The latest version, 2008 (9.0), was released in September 2007.

An important feature of Maya is its openness to third-party software, which can strip the software completely of its standard appearance and, using only the kernel, can transform it into a highly customized version of the software. Apart from its intrinsic power and flexibility, this feature in itself made Maya appealing to large studios that tend to write custom code for their productions using the provided software development kit. The core of Maya itself is written in C++. Project files, including all geometry and animation data, are stored as sequences of MEL operations which can be optionally saved as a 'human readable' file (.ma, for Maya ASCII), editable in any text editor outside of the Maya environment which allows for a tremendous level of flexibility when working with external tools. A marking menu is built into larger menu system called Hotbox that provides instant access to a majority of features in Maya at the press of a key.