This is not a book about Maya software with a few animation pointers thrown in here and there. This is a guide to Maya software written by professional animators. This book provides you with complete, set-by-step walkthroughs of essential animation techniques that increase your speed and efficiency while using Maya 2017 for character animation. From curves to constraints, this book covers all of the methods available in the latest version of Maya. Featuring gold-mine coverage this book teaches you new techniques for working with characters in animation tests and short films. Accompanied by a companion site, this is the one and only guide to get you up to speed. Key Features Complete step-by-step, walkthroughs of essential techniques every animator needs to know. Features interviews with leading experts and experienced animation leads. Companion web site including all exercise/example scene files and extras such as video tutorials and animation files. Interlude articles covering everything from Reference Video to Resumes.

Composition for the 21st 1/2 century: Image-Making for Animation focuses on composition and its technical and artistic application in animation, illustration, games, and films. It covers all aspects of design and discusses in detail their artistic applicability and impact on image and narrative. Emphasis is placed on the ability of each aspect to support and affect the narrative. Additional case studies explain the successful use of these concepts in films and animation. This book is geared toward students; however, it is also reader-friendly for professionals. Composition for the 21st 1/2 century: Image-Making for Animation's goal is to comprehend composition as an artistic tool and as a significant part of the professional image-making process. Key Features: Teaches the complexity of composition in image-making. Closes the gap between praxis and theory in animation. Explains how to produce images that support the narrative in their visuals. Discusses the need for artistic reasoning in image-making. Presents case studies that assist the reader in understanding the process as they progress through this book. Author Bio: For more than twenty years, Thomas Paul Thesen's career has been about learning and understanding the complexities of art, animation, and image-making, both in still illustration, drawing, and photography, and in the moving image. He has worked in the industry as a character animator and visual development artist for companies such as Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sprite Animation Studios. He has also taught for many years at universities across Asia, the USA, and the UK.

Composition for the 21st 1/2 century: Characters in Animation focuses on characters and their application in animation, illustration, games, and films. It covers various technical aspects of character design and their artistic applicability. This book analyzes in detail the purpose of these character design features and provides examples of their impact. Emphasis is placed on each aspect and how it affects and is affected by the narrative. Additionally, complex case studies that assist in explaining the successful use of these concepts in films and animation are included. This book is geared toward students; however, it is also reader-friendly for professionals. Composition for the 21st 1/2 century: Characters in Animation's goal is to comprehend composition as an artistic tool and as a significant part of the professional character design process. Key Features: Teaches the complexity of composition in the professional character design process. Closes the gap between praxis and theory in character design. Explains how to produce believable characters that express their narrative in the visuals. Discusses the need for artistic reasoning in character design. Presents case studies to assist readers in understanding the process as they progress through this book. Author Bio: For more than twenty years, Thomas Paul Thesen's career has been about learning and understanding the complexities of art, animation, and image-making, both in still illustration, drawing, and photography and in the moving image. He has worked in the industry as a character animator and visual development artist for companies such as Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sprite Animation Studios. He has also taught for many years at universities across Asia, the USA, and the UK.

This edited collection brings together a team of top industry experts to provide a comprehensive look at the entire media workflow from start to finish. The Media Workflow Puzzle gives readers an in-depth overview of the workflow process, from production to distribution to archiving. Pulling from the expertise of twenty contributing authors and editors, the book covers topics including content production, postproduction systems, media asset management, content distribution, and archiving and preservation, offering the reader an understanding of all the various elements and processes that go into the media workflow ecosystem. It concludes with an exploration of the possibilities for the future of media workflows and the new opportunities it may bring. Professionals and students alike looking to understand how to manage media content for its entire lifecycle will find this an invaluable resource.

Go from 'beginner' to 'expert' with this professional, tutorial-based guide to Maya 2016 Mastering Autodesk Maya 2016 is your professional hands-on coverage to getting the most out of Maya. If you already know the basics of Maya, this book is your ticket to full coverage of all Maya 2016's latest features, and showcases the tools and methods used in real-world 3D animation and visual effects. From modeling, texturing, animation, and effects to high-level techniques for film, television, games, and more, this book expands your skill set, and helps you prepare for the Autodesk Maya certification exam. Filled with challenging tutorials and real-world scenarios this book provides valuable insight into the entire CG production timeline. Take your Maya skills to the next level with step-by-step instruction and insight from the industry professionals. * Learn professional techniques used in real-world visual effects * Master Dynamics, Maya Muscle, Stereo Cameras, mental ray, and more * Expand your skills with advanced techniques for cloth, fur, and fluids * Understand everything you need to know for the Maya certification exam

Make motion capture part of your graphics and effects arsenal. This introduction to motion capture principles and techniques delivers a working understanding of today's state-of-the-art systems and workflows without the arcane pseudocodes and equations. Learn about the alternative systems, how they have evolved, and how they are typically used, as well as tried-and-true workflows that you can put to work for optimal effect. Demo files and tutorials provided on the companion CD deliver first-hand experience with some of the core processes.
* An accessible introduction to motion capture principles and techniques that does not require a computer science background
* A survey of the state-of-the-art hardware and software tools, workflows and techniques.
* A CD with sample motion capture data, clips, scripts, and Maya/Motion Builder turorials.

If you want to take your Flash Professional 8 skills to a new level while learning how to produce games that rival anything available on the web, this is the book for you. Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development is written by a professional game developer. Using the power of Flash and the most recent advancements in ActionScript, the book progresses through the entire development process to teach programmers and Web developers how to create professional quality games quickly. It teaches techniques for producing fast 3D effects that can be used with "cheat" techniques to produce powerful, high-performance results. It details the actual science of game development, including design, character development, the physics and motion of a game, and audio issues. And in this new edition, all of the latest features of Flash Professional 8 are covered, including the new sound channels, bitmap caching, texture pages, and more. The book covers many advanced topics in a simple, easy to understand way. It emphasizes the incredible power of the new BitmapData class and teaches how it can be used to take the performance of Flash games to a whole new level. It has never been easier to get right down to the pixel level and manipulate things at blazing speeds, making previously impossible games a breeze to make. So get to your computer, insert the CD-ROM, and prepare to begin your journey into the world of Flash Professional 8 game development.

This book offers a clearly written and engaging introduction to the basics of interactive digital media. As our reliance on and daily usage of websites, mobile apps, kiosks, games, VR/AR and devices that respond to our commands has increased, the need for practitioners who understand these technologies is growing. Author Julia Griffey provides a valuable guide to the fundamentals of this field, offering best practices and common pitfalls throughout. The book also notes opportunities within the field of interactive digital media for professionals with different types of skills, and interviews with experienced practitioners offer practical wisdom for readers. Additional features of this book include: An overview of the history, evolution and impact of interactive media; A spotlight on the development process and contributing team members; Analysis of the components of interactive digital media and their design function (graphics, animation, audio, video, typography, color); An introduction to coding languages for interactive media; and A guide to usability in interactive media. Introduction to Interactive Digital Media will help both students and professionals understand the varied creative, technical, and collaborative skills needed in this exciting and emerging field.

We are witnessing a revolution in storytelling. Publications all over the world are increasingly using immersive storytelling-virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality-to tell compelling stories. The aim of this book is to distill the lessons learned thus far into a useful guide for reporters, filmmakers and writers interested in telling stories in this emerging medium. Examining ground-breaking work across industries, this text explains, in practical terms, how storytellers can create their own powerful immersive experiences as new media and platforms emerge.

Audience and media analytics is more important now than ever, and this latest volume in the cutting-edge BEA Electronic Media Research Series collects some of the top scholars working with big data and analytics today. These chapters describe the development and help define media analytics as an academic discipline and professional practice. Understanding audiences is integral to creating and distributing media messages and the study of media analytics requires knowing a range of skills including research methods, the necessary tools available, familiarity with statistical procedures, and a mindset to provide insights and apply findings. This book summarizes the insights of analytics practitioners regarding the current state of legacy media analysis and social media analytics. Topics covered include the evolution of media technologies, the teaching of media measurement and analytics, the transition taking place in media research, and the use of media analytics to answer meaningful questions, drive content creation, and engage with audiences.

Create compelling, original characters using archetypes and design elements such as shadows and line with the tips and techniques found in this image-packed book. Bryan Tillman bridges the gap between the technique of drawing characters and the theory of good character design by using case studies, examples of professional art, and literary and pop culture references to teach you how to develop a character, not just draw one. The book also features Character Model Sheets that will guide you through the creation of new and unique characters. Finally, Bryan will break down established character archetypes to show you why and how the different aspects of good character design work. Key Features: Learn what makes a character unique and powerful through tools like character model sheets and case studies from established artists. Develop your abolity to use story and archetypes to create compelling new characters. See artwork by professional artists as examples of the techniques shown in the book Bridges the gap between the technique of drawing characters and the theory of good character design in a practical, hands-on way - learn how to use story and archetypes to develop compelling, new characters Based on a standing-room only presentation at Comic-Con 2009 in San Diego.

Learn to see the patterns and relationships in visual mediums and buildings as you push the boundaries of design. Sarah Bonser's Virtual Vernacular breaks the barriers between architectural theory and game design. The text explores the way in which architecture can convey history, culture, and emotion to occupants, audience members, and players. Divided into three sections, the text guides the reader on how to tackle creative problem solving and development strategy. Key Features: Architectural theory is hard to navigate, and this approach is an accessible way to start learning it. Learn more specifically how pop culture parodies these design theories. Find ways to solve abstract design problems by using the built environment as a case study. Learn about technical limitations on the built environment that visually impact the look and feel of spaces. Each piece of architectural theory comes with abstracts and applications, which is a more organized and network-style way to teach an otherwise long-winded subject.

Single frame film-making has been around as long as film itself. It is the ancestor to modern day special effects and animation. Despite its age-old practice, Single frame film making and stop-motion animation continues to influence media and culture with its magic. Current advances in technology and classic stop motion techniques, such as pixilation, time-lapse photography and down shooting have combined to form exciting new approaches. Tom Gasek's Frame-By-Frame Stop Motion offers hands-on experience and various tricks, tips, and exercises to help strengthen skills and produce effective results. Interviews from experts in the field offer not only offer inspiration but also help readers learn how to apply skills and new applications. The companion website offers further instruction, recommended films, tools and resources for the both the novice and the expert. Key Features Features interviews with industry experts that offer inspiration and insight as well as detailed explanations of the inner workings of non-traditional stop motion techniques, processes, and workflows Applies professional stop motion techniques that have been taught and refined in the classroom and applied to leading stop motion films, exhibiting at South By Southwest, Cannes, and more Explores the stop motion opportunities beyond model rigs and puppetry. Re-visualizes stop motion character movements, build downshooter rigs, and configures digital workflows with After Effect tutorials while creating dynamic, creative and inspired stop motion films Offers new coverage of smart phones and their application in stop motion Covers motion control, Dragon Frame, evolution of timelapse, expanded light painting, DSLR cameras, and more

A comprehensive introduction to 3D modeling, from the fundamental ideas of topology to in-depth examples that will help you take your projects to the next level Key Features Overcome complex topology problems while working through projects Learn to topologize quad-based and non-quad-based meshes with step-by-step examples Optimize your models by reducing the triangle count to improve performance Book DescriptionThis book is an introduction to modeling and an in-depth look at topology in Blender, written by a Blender topology specialist with years of experience with the software. As you progress through its chapters, you'll conquer the basics of quad-based topology using triangles and Ngons, and learn best practices and things to avoid while modeling and retopologizing. The pages are full of illustrations and examples with in-depth explanations that showcase each step in an easy-to-follow format. Squeaky Clean Topology in Blender starts by introducing you to the user interface and navigation. It then goes through an overview of the modeling techniques and hotkeys that will be necessary to understand the examples. With the modeling basics out of the way, the next stop on our journey is topology. Working through projects like a character and a sci-fi blaster, the book will illustrate and work through complex topology problems, and present solutions to those problems. These examples focus on deforming character models, non-deforming hard surface models, and optimizing these models by reducing the triangle count. By the end of this book, you will be able to identify the general flow of a shape's topology, identify and solve issues in your topology, and come out with a model ready for UV unwrapping, materials, and rigging. What you will learn Identify the general flow of a model's topology, and what might cause issues Understand the topology of a character, and the joints that they make up Handle non-quad based topology Lay out your meshes for UV seams Explore and use hotkeys to get things done faster Optimize models for a reduced triangle count Who this book is forThis book is for character modelers, sculptors, poly modelers, and hard surface modelers. Whether you're looking for an introduction to modeling, optimizing high poly or sculpted models, or just a deeper dive into the subject of topology, this book will walk you through the topology workflow from beginning to end.

Virtual Reality Filmmaking presents a comprehensive guide to the use of virtual reality in filmmaking, including narrative, documentary, live event production, and more. Written by Celine Tricart, a filmmaker and an expert in new technologies, the book provides a hands-on guide to creative filmmaking in this exciting new medium, and includes coverage on how to make a film in VR from start to finish. Topics covered include: The history of VR; VR cameras; Game engines and interactive VR; The foundations of VR storytelling; Techniques for shooting in live action VR; VR postproduction and visual effects; VR distribution; Interviews with experts in the field including the Emmy-winning studios Felix & Paul and Oculus Story Studio, Wevr, Viacom, Fox Sports, Sundance's New Frontier, and more.

Would you rather take months to learn every tool, every feature, and every concept in Adobe Animate or start right now making your own creations with just a few steps? Myra Ferguson is teaming up with Chris Georgenes to help you create great animation, bring objects to life with cool motion effects, and enhance your productivity in Animate CC! How to Cheat in Adobe Animate CC is a goldmine of artistic inspiration, time-saving practical tips, and step-by-step walkthroughs. Let your sasquatch sunbathe, your coyote howl, and your lint spider see the light of day. With real-world projects and project source files, you can follow along and try for yourself. This book includes all NEW content and cheats for Animate CC, such as making cinemagraphs, creating a double exposure effect, speeding up the process of making real life doodles, simulating a bokeh effect, converting your documents to HTML5, and more. Key Features * Glimpse into the workflow of digital media and animation experts and apply practical techniques and tips to your own projects with source files, examples, and tutorials. * Learn a myriad of tricks based on real-life working methods to help you work faster and more efficiently with new features in Adobe Animate CC and the Creative Cloud. * Work from the problem to the solution to gain the best possible results from Animate.

Game Audio Implementation offers a unique practical approach to learning all about game audio. If you've always wanted to hear your sound or music in a real game then this is the book for you. Each chapter is accompanied by its own game level where you can see the techniques and theories in action before working through over 70 exercises to develop your own demo level. Taking you all the way from first principles to complex interactive systems in the industry standard Unreal Engine you'll gain the skills to implement your sound and music along with a deep transferable knowledge of the principles you can apply across a range of other game development tools. The accompanying website (www.gameaudioimplementation.com) includes: 12 downloadable demonstration games A unique exercise level for you to develop for your portfolio An up-to-date online bibliography with further reading for each chapter A free sound library with hundreds of game SFX

Blender is a vast and customizable 3D-modeling application used by many artists across creative industries, from television to games. This newest book, in Alan Thorn's How to Cheat series, offers insightful and bite-sized power-tips to help you develop Blender mastery. More than five hundred figures illustrate interesting shortcuts and clever ways to improve your Blender workflow. A companion website at http://www.alanthorn.net provides bonus content, including videos and resources to help sharpen your skills further. How to Cheat in Blender 2.7x is for Blender users of all levels, offering time-saving tips and powerful techniques to increase your productivity. Key Features Bite-sized tips and tricks that can be read in any order Illustrated examples and step-by-step guides for improving your workflow Explores practical applications and real-world contexts Demonstrates "lesser-known" and unconventional tips Improves your efficiency and workflow

In this lavishly illustrated full-color retrospective, discover never-before-seen photos that bring to life the people and stories behind the most popular games of all time, including Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Centipede, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, SimCity, Quake, Myst, Tomb Raider, and more. This is the inside scoop on the history, successes, tricks, and even failures of the entire electronic games industry.

Welcome to the second volume of Game Audio Programming: Principles and Practices - the first series of its kind dedicated to the art of game audio programming! This volume features more than 20 chapters containing advanced techniques from some of the top game audio programmers and sound designers in the industry. This book continues the tradition of collecting more knowledge and wisdom about game audio programming than any other volume in history. Both audio programming beginners and seasoned veterans will find content in this book that is valuable, with topics ranging from extreme low-level mixing to high-level game integration. Each chapter contains techniques that were used in games that have shipped, and there is a plethora of code samples and diagrams. There are chapters on threading, DSP implementation, advanced middleware techniques in FMOD Studio and Audiokinetic Wwise, ambiences, mixing, music, and more. This book has something for everyone who is programming audio for a game: programmers new to the art of audio programming, experienced audio programmers, and those souls who just got assigned the audio code. This book is for you!

Rolf Giesen's Puppetry, Puppet Animation and the Digital Age explores the unique world of puppetry animation and its application in the digital age. With the advent of digital animation, many individuals see puppetry and 2D animation as being regulated to a niche market. Giesen's text argues against this viewpoint, by demonstrating the pure aesthetic value they have, as well as examples of some of the greatest cinematic uses of puppets. Such samples include, The Adventures of Prince Achmed, Ladislas Starevich, O'Brien, Harryhausen and Danforth, Trnka and Svankmajer, Aardman and Laika Studios, ParaNorman, and the Boxtrolls. Even live-action blockbusters, such as the Star Wars saga utilize puppetry for costume applications as noted within the text. The use of puppets not only helps create a wonderous world and memorable characters, but is also one of the purest extensions of an artist. Key Features Includes interviews with past and present practitioners of model animation as well as computer animation Reviews of classic and recent entries in both fields Comparison of what is better in stop motion versus computer animation A detailed history of animation and stop motion films

In introducing new students to video game development, there are two crucial components to consider: design and implementation. Unity 3D and PlayMaker Essentials: Game Development from Concept to Publishing provides theoretical background on topics such as characters, stories, level design, interface design, audio, game mechanics, and tools and skills needed. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic, with topics building upon each other so that by the end of the book you will have looked into all the subjects relevant to creating your own game. The book transitions from discussion to demonstrations of how to implement techniques and concepts into practice by using Unity3D and PlayMaker. Download boxes are included throughout the book where you can get the version of the game project under discussion or other content to add to the project, as well as any supplementary video tutorials that have been developed. Addressing both theoretical and practical aspects, Unity 3D and PlayMaker Essentials enables you to understand how to create a game by having you make a game. By gradually completing your own design document through the course of the book, you will become familiar with core design principles while learning the practical skills needed to bring your unique game to life.

Achieving believable motion in animation requires an understanding of physics that most of us missed out on in art school. Although animators often break the laws of physics for comedic or dramatic effect, you need to know which laws you're breaking in order to make it work. And while large studios might be able to spend a lot of time and money testing different approaches or hiring a physics consultant, smaller studios and independent animators have no such luxury. This book takes the mystery out of physics tasks like character motion, light and shadow placement, explosions, ocean movement, and outer space scenes, making it easy to apply realistic physics to your work. Physics concepts are explained in animator's terms, relating concepts specifically to animation movement and appearance. Complex mathematical concepts are broken down into clear steps you can follow to solve animation problems quickly and effectively. Bonus companion website at www.physicsforanimators.com offers additional resources, including examples in movies and games, links to resources, and tips on using physics in your work. Uniting theory and practice, author Michele Bousquet teaches animators how to swiftly and efficiently create scientifically accurate scenes and fix problem spots, and how and when to break the laws of physics. Ideal for everything from classical 2D animation to advanced CG special effects, this book provides animators with solutions that are simple, quick, and powerful.

This book teaches students and entry-level novices how to create games using the GameMaker engine. Readers will quickly hone their design skills with tutorials that are written so that beginners can quickly start building games while also providing lessons on how designers can 'level up' and add advanced options to their games. Readers will also have access to a website containing all the assets and resources to create their games, including sprites and animations, walk-through video tutorials of each lesson and music composed by professional musicians. Also provided are rubrics for instructors to use when grading student work or for readers learning on their own to evaluate their own work.

This book teaches students and entry-level novices how to create games using the GameMaker engine. Readers will quickly hone their design skills with tutorials that are written so that beginners can quickly start building games while also providing lessons on how designers can 'level up' and add advanced options to their games. Readers will also have access to a website containing all the assets and resources to create their games, including sprites and animations, walk-through video tutorials of each lesson and music composed by professional musicians. Also provided are rubrics for instructors to use when grading student work or for readers learning on their own to evaluate their own work.