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Hi Jeff - I really liked the concept of your animation. It definitely made me laugh. As you continue to learn the program and continue to gain an understanding of animation, you will be able to take this even further. Regarding rendering times - if you are looking to just get an idea if your animation is working, you can render it out in Shaded mode and not Final mode. This will render MUCH faster as it doesn't take into account shadows, reflections, etc. This will help you to quickly see if an animation needs tweaking before final rendering. Also, as stated above, if you are rendering a long sequence or series of sequences, you can break them up. Render them in bits at a time. The animation doesn't have to be rendered all at once. Great job! I look forward to seeing more. - Michael

This is a brilliant animation! I think you did an incredible job. The character had real weight to him. btw - What is the 11 second contest? It sounds like fun - is this a monthly contest? Where is on the forums? - Michael

I have no critiques on this. Your characters are phenomenal. I cannot wait to see them interacting and animating. I absolutely love all of the characters you have created thus far. Your style is incredible. This is truly high-quality stuff. Now it's time to animate some life into them . - Michael

I just went to the Natural History Museum in NYC a few weeks ago and they have updated a number of their dinosaur exhibits. Your model is very accurate from my memory of the changes they made to the theropods. I don't know much about the current information about dinosaurs but I was with a friend who was educating me. I'm sending him a link to this image - he will be thrilled! Incredible work. I immediately recognized that you had feathers on the velociraptor. Looks fantastic! - Michael

William - This is just amazing. Your skills with AM, Paint and PShop are astounding. I cannot wait to see this scene completed. Excellent work. I think I need to go to your website and get some training videos . - Michael

I have the same issue. I think it's because of my graphics card and drivers (Intel integrated piece of junk). I have to normally save, close A:M and reopen it again to solve the problem. I'm using the latest update to v.13. - Michael

Good God! That's a fantastic model! And the texturing and particles look incredible! I wish I could help with your rigging issues. All I can do is give you a giant virtual pat on the back for a job EXTREMELY well done . - Michael

You can definitely use the fog and volumetric lighting together. Give it a shot. Place your Kleig so it is sitting behind the furthest section of the bridge. Now have it shine toward the foreground bridge. You may have to help the volumetric light look by placing an object between the bridge and the light - an object like a grid. The light will then shine through it, creating those volumetric rays of light (like when the sun shines through the clouds). Anyway - I don't know how much help I can be with this. But keep working at it. The image is really beautiful. - Michael

Beautiful image and very nice use of the fog. Are you looking for a volumetric lighting effect? Like the light reflects off of the fog so you see streams of light shooting through the open areas of the bridge? If so, you will need to set up a light (a kleig, or spot light) with volumetric lighting turned on. I haven't experimented much with volumetric lighting just yet. I've been able to get it to work, just not with the results I was looking for . I hope that's what you were looking for. - Michael

PB is so cute! Sorry, couldn't resist. Looks good. My only comments on the lighting: I like the deep blue you've got on the stones, the ground, the tent and the rock. But why isn't that light also on PB? He almost looks like he was pasted in. It's kind of strange. He's only orange. Just my two cents. Otherwise, I love it! Now add trees to the bg and flames to the fire (and some roasting marshmallows) and you've got a camping scene! . - Michael

This image is absolutely gorgeous as is the modeled version. Perhaps adding some geometry to the models and using textures with alpha maps on them could create the effect of the brush strokes? It's worth a shot. This is stunning work and if you could animate it to look like the still image - it will be even more phenomenal . This is actually the same technique I'm going to apply to my textures for the Lost World image I am working on. Except, I'm going to make it look a bit less impressionistic. Of course, I will be painting over parts of the final render to make it look more like a painting and less "3D". - Michael

Wow! The toon render even "toonifies" the textures? That looks brilliant! But I see what you mean by the lighting. It's rather flat. I cannot wait to see it with the lighting completed - the model and textures are beautiful! - Michael

Excellent character design. He looks fantastic! My only comment is that his hands look a bit boney - more like an old man than a young kid. What are you planning on using this character for? - Michael

Hi Charlie - Here's a link to a tutorial by Paul Forwood on how to create a hole in a cylinder. I hope it's helpful for you. http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14312 - Michael

Great animation, Heath! I love the music and sfx they fit beautifully. My only comments - while the sfx helped so that we knew there was water in the cup/bowl, some visual indication of liquid would be helpful. Also, it looks like the blue ball ends up sitting in the "event" before bouncing away. Perhaps having the blue ball move further away so it doesn't look like, to the audience, it's getting a little "wet". Otherwise, really good stuff! - Michael

I also read it as a joke. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously. I would think he would be thrilled that someone was using A:M for a commercial endeavour. A:M has been used for video games and for commercials. It's good publicity for the software and thusly for the company. I doubt he meant it negatively. btw - excellent animation on the commercials. I really enjoyed them. "Belle Tire!" "Belle Tire!" - Michael

That's hilarious! And ingenious. And it appears to be working really well. Looks fantastic thus far. - Michael

OMG, Lee! These are amazing. I must say Guri looks particularly fantastic! I don't have any comments to make. You did such a marvelous job. I can't wait to see these characters in a movie!!!! - Michael

I second that thanks to Rodney! Rodney - You're fantastic! Thank you so much for all your help and continued help . You ROCK! - Michael

With your obvious talent and dedication, you will land a fantastic job! "The Mountain" is looking incredible and I can't wait to see your final cut . With the skills and talent you have already demonstrated here, I think you will be extremely successful. - Michael

Looks fantastic! Wonderful job on the look of the captain. I think Conan would make an excellent captain!

Damn! Any other job interviews you have lined up? Or does this free you up to continue working on your movie? . - Michael

My roommate mentioned these to me just last week. I'd never heard of them till then. This is really fantastic, so far. Nice job on you labels (and on the models too!). Hmmmm.....What can be added to your basket: Soup cans...brands....Progresso, Campbell's, Healthy Choice Frozen meals - Swanson, Lean Cuisine, Stoffers, D'Giarno (not sure what spoof you'd do on that one). Ice Cream - Haagen Daz, Ben & Jerry's (I can see a Bush and Cheney joke in there somewhere), Dreyers, Edy's Green Giant Lay's potato chips (perhaps that one is too obvious?), Ruffles, Doritos, Tostitos, Fritos, etc. Have fun spoofing. I can't wait to see what else you come up with . - Michael

Wow, Daniel! That is really cool. I love fiber optic lights - I have a few of them from various tech expos . I second a tutorial (when you have time). - Michael

OMG, it's beautiful! WOW!! My only comment is I really like the thicker tubing on the actual image. Otherwise - SPOT ON! - Michael