AM AND HASBRO ENTERTAINMENT

[Tom Rennen]

Hello all,

I have been a little slow in getting this post out. I have been REALLY busy. Many of you do not know me. I am not really very good at AM! I grew up on Lightwave but have always been amazed at the power and capabilities of AM since version 3, my first version. I saw it at SIGGRAPH but when I got home with it and tried to use it, I wanted to kill everyone! Needless to say documentation has been lacking for a while now! Anyway, I tried again at version 5. Same results.. so I continued doing my work in Lightwave and Maya. Then I got a wild hair and decided to try it again... version 11!

 

Last year I produced and animated a direct to DVD project for Hasbro Entertainment. Unfortunately, they also dictate what program you create the work in because they want not only the finished product, but the models, textures, scene files and your underwear! This time around I got lucky and finally was able to launch another project for them but was not held to the fire on method. I chose AM. Quite risky since I don't know a ton about AM but have always been impressed with the people out there working with it. Seems like the underdogs are always the poeple who go one step further. yeah, I'm talking about you guys!

 

I received a response from my executive producer at Hasbro today, the comment is as follows:

 

"Tom, I am sorry for being so late in my reply to you. The work looks fantastic! It is amazing how quickly you guys get this stuff out and with such incredible quality. I can't wait to see the motion tests!"

 

I must say that I had little to do with this praise. I did do the textures and lip sync animation for this model but the real credit goes to others, not me.

 

RICH JACKSON

 

I must say that I have never had such a great experience working with anyone as I have with RJ. He jumped in with both feet and never hit the ground! Never questioned anything and worked on this as if it was his own project. His talent stands along side of his work ethic... If it were not for his assistance, I could not have done this. You're the best RJ!

 

While I was not able to use everyone who responded to my post, I would like to thank all of you that remained in contact with me and I am hopeful that I will keep you all VERY BUSY in the months ahead! I just needed to get these tests out of the way first but it seems clear that I will create this project in AM when and if I get the green light from Hasbro. (My doubts are few)

 

I will be posting work in progress on my server. You are welcome to visit often should anyone care to see how we are progressing.

 

http://www.tomrennen.com/hasbro

 

Thanks for taking the time read this (if you really did!) All my best!

 

Tom Rennne

Intelliegent Light LLC

www.tomrennen.com

[3DArtZ]

Hi Tom,

great to hear everything worked out so far!

 

Keep us posted

 

 

Mike Fitz

www.3dartz.com

[KenH]

Great work Tom and Rich.....AM hits the big time! Whoohoo! Hasbro know a character when they see it.

[itsjustme]

Congrats Tom and Rich!

[robcat2075]

Sounds great. I presume that character is a Hasbro product?

[heyvern]

Holy cow!

 

Is that OUR Rich Jackson? Proud member of MAAM? The forum member better known as Entity?

 

this guy:

 

 

Rich have you been holding out on us?

 

 

-vern

[dougwills]

Tom,

 

That's great news. Please keep us updated on what happens.

 

-Doug

[Gerry]

That's some great news! The world needs to know about AM!

[Paul Forwood]

Well done Rich and Tom!

 

She has turned out really well. Only thing that I can see that might need attention is the weighting in the hands. Otherwise right up there with the rest of Rich's modelling.

Did you use simcloth on that skirt, Rich?

 

Looking forward to seeing her go public.

[Tom Rennen]

Sounds great. I presume that character is a Hasbro product?

 

Yes.... This is a new Hasbro product.. this test will determine if they proceed with a full blown product line including action figure, DVD and more.

[Tom Rennen]

Well done Rich and Tom!

 

She has turned out really well. Only thing that I can see that might need attention is the weighting in the hands. Otherwise right u there with the rest of Rich's modelling.

Did you use simcloth on that skirt, Rich?

 

Loking forward to seeing her go public.

 

The model is in progress.. all we have is a lipsync test and a textured example. The rest is coming when I create the full motion tests.

[Tom Rennen]

That's some great news! The world needs to know about AM!

 

I agree. AM is a capable program. I use most all depending on the project that I am creating. Maya, 3DS Max, Lightwave.. Am is excellent for this type of character animation and I prefer to work with the AM user base. LOTS OF TALENT OUT THERE! Too bad EVERYONE is working on TWO!

[Tom Rennen]

 

Rich have you been holding out on us?

 

 

-vern

 

He's not holding out.. HE'S GETTING PAID!

[entity]

Paul Forwood:

Did you use simcloth on that skirt, Rich?

 

The skirt is not simulated in the provided image... but all Tom has to do is to set the choreography settings and right-click on the chor then select- "simulate simcloth" and away we go! The skirt is meshed very lightly and grouped with the legs... with no weighting.

 

Paul Forwood:

Only thing that I can see that might need attention is the weighting in the hands.

 

Yes!... the freakin hands are difficult... I have this feeling that when I fixed the length of the fingers, I may have moved the fanbones into the wrong places on the fingers... I don't need to weight them because there are fanbones.

 

Thanks all!!!!!

This was a big surprise, and a bit scary, but I hope Hasbro goes forward with AM in all of there future advertising and products, wherever it might apply!