This document provides an overview of key concepts in filmmaking, design, and animation. It discusses techniques like framing shots in thirds to create movement, using lighting and contrast to make subjects pop out, and principles of animation like squash and stretch to convey weight over time. Basic film concepts like scenes, shots, and acts are also covered. The document recommends further resources to develop skills in computer graphics, art, design, and film.
This is an in-detail analysis of two film openings, focusing on the different cinematographic techniques used and their effect on the overall aesthetic of the piece.
Semiotic analysis of a film magazine front coverbir
The document analyzes the front cover of a film magazine semiotically. It examines the denotation and connotation of elements like the masthead, tagline, main image of Megan Fox, color scheme, and text hierarchy. The masthead stands out against the blue-grey backdrop. Megan Fox's provocative image aims to attract male viewers. The text is organized from largest to smallest to guide attention and information processing.
Application of Codes and Conventions to Our Short FilmMediaGirlsAndBoy
The document outlines codes and conventions that will be used in a short film. It discusses applying Barthes' Hermeneutic Code to leave questions unanswered and create mystery. Low-level lighting and shadows will be used to build tension. Fast cuts and shallow focus will be employed to keep viewers engaged. Medium close-ups will maintain mystery and focus on characters. Parallel editing and non-linear storytelling will feature a protagonist referring to past events and scenes of a girl in the recent past. The narrative will follow Todorov's theory of upsetting a state of precarious equilibrium to create chaos until restoring balance through resolution or destruction of one side.
Halloween is one of the most influential slasher films ever made based around the traditional American holiday. The title is in big bold orange letters fitting with the color of pumpkins, an iconic Halloween symbol. The movie poster depicts a hand holding a knife emerging from a pumpkin on a black background, common conventions to convey the dark and slasher themes. It promotes the film's fear factor and lists the director and actors to attract existing audiences.
The document discusses conventions used across different ancillary products for a thriller film, including a magazine, poster, and film trailer. It notes that the magazine uses a dark color scheme and font from the film to match the thriller genre. The poster also uses a dark color scheme and split images of characters/locations. Both the magazine and poster use mid-shots of characters. The film trailer provides snapshots of the plot without revealing too much and uses varied camera angles, lighting, and editing techniques conventionally seen in trailers. Music and mise-en-scene create mystery. Typography, images, and continuity across elements effectively capture audience attention and link the products to the film.
This document discusses different cinematography techniques used in television dramas and provides example images to illustrate each technique. It covers shot distance including long shots, medium shots, and close-ups. It also discusses techniques like extreme long shots, zoom shots, partial shading, proximity, soft focus with fuzzy frames, and deep versus shallow focus to direct the audience's attention and influence their understanding of characters, settings and mood. Each example image shows how a technique is used to achieve a certain effect in a drama scene.
This document summarizes the opening sequence of a film trailer. It describes 10 shots that make up the opening sequence. Each shot is described in terms of how it advances the plot or builds suspense. Overall, the sequence introduces the main character and sets up a sense of mystery about where he is going and what he plans to do through the use of different camera angles, effects, and cuts between multiple locations and perspectives. The sequence leaves the audience with open-ended questions to engage them in wanting to watch the full film.
This movie poster uses dark colors and a central image of a girl's face to attract the audience's attention. The girl's cute facial expression is meant to make the audience sympathize with her and want to know what happens in the film. Short text is used for optimal readability, with the title standing out in a distinctive font at the bottom to draw the eye down after viewing the key image.
This is an in-detail analysis of two film openings, focusing on the different cinematographic techniques used and their effect on the overall aesthetic of the piece.
Semiotic analysis of a film magazine front coverbir
The document analyzes the front cover of a film magazine semiotically. It examines the denotation and connotation of elements like the masthead, tagline, main image of Megan Fox, color scheme, and text hierarchy. The masthead stands out against the blue-grey backdrop. Megan Fox's provocative image aims to attract male viewers. The text is organized from largest to smallest to guide attention and information processing.
Application of Codes and Conventions to Our Short FilmMediaGirlsAndBoy
The document outlines codes and conventions that will be used in a short film. It discusses applying Barthes' Hermeneutic Code to leave questions unanswered and create mystery. Low-level lighting and shadows will be used to build tension. Fast cuts and shallow focus will be employed to keep viewers engaged. Medium close-ups will maintain mystery and focus on characters. Parallel editing and non-linear storytelling will feature a protagonist referring to past events and scenes of a girl in the recent past. The narrative will follow Todorov's theory of upsetting a state of precarious equilibrium to create chaos until restoring balance through resolution or destruction of one side.
Halloween is one of the most influential slasher films ever made based around the traditional American holiday. The title is in big bold orange letters fitting with the color of pumpkins, an iconic Halloween symbol. The movie poster depicts a hand holding a knife emerging from a pumpkin on a black background, common conventions to convey the dark and slasher themes. It promotes the film's fear factor and lists the director and actors to attract existing audiences.
The document discusses conventions used across different ancillary products for a thriller film, including a magazine, poster, and film trailer. It notes that the magazine uses a dark color scheme and font from the film to match the thriller genre. The poster also uses a dark color scheme and split images of characters/locations. Both the magazine and poster use mid-shots of characters. The film trailer provides snapshots of the plot without revealing too much and uses varied camera angles, lighting, and editing techniques conventionally seen in trailers. Music and mise-en-scene create mystery. Typography, images, and continuity across elements effectively capture audience attention and link the products to the film.
This document discusses different cinematography techniques used in television dramas and provides example images to illustrate each technique. It covers shot distance including long shots, medium shots, and close-ups. It also discusses techniques like extreme long shots, zoom shots, partial shading, proximity, soft focus with fuzzy frames, and deep versus shallow focus to direct the audience's attention and influence their understanding of characters, settings and mood. Each example image shows how a technique is used to achieve a certain effect in a drama scene.
This document summarizes the opening sequence of a film trailer. It describes 10 shots that make up the opening sequence. Each shot is described in terms of how it advances the plot or builds suspense. Overall, the sequence introduces the main character and sets up a sense of mystery about where he is going and what he plans to do through the use of different camera angles, effects, and cuts between multiple locations and perspectives. The sequence leaves the audience with open-ended questions to engage them in wanting to watch the full film.
This movie poster uses dark colors and a central image of a girl's face to attract the audience's attention. The girl's cute facial expression is meant to make the audience sympathize with her and want to know what happens in the film. Short text is used for optimal readability, with the title standing out in a distinctive font at the bottom to draw the eye down after viewing the key image.
O documento descreve a Escola da Malta, um portal online e CD-ROMs educacionais direcionados para crianças dos 6 aos 10 anos. O portal apresenta conteúdos curriculares de forma lúdica através de histórias, exercícios e jogos. Inclui seções de Língua Portuguesa, Matemática e Estudo do Meio com exemplos de exercícios e jogos.
En dos oraciones breves, el documento expresa gratitud por los dos años pasados aprendiendo a aceptarse a uno mismo, valorarse y quererse a uno mismo, así como por las mañanas, salidas y compañía compartidas durante ese tiempo.
This document defines and provides examples of area, perimeter, and volume. It explains that:
- Area is measured in square units (cm2) and represents the number of squares that fit inside a 2D shape.
- Perimeter is the distance around a shape and is measured in linear units (cm). It provides examples of calculating perimeters of rectangles and triangles.
- Volume is measured in cubic units (cm3) and represents the number of cubes that fit inside a 3D shape. It gives examples of calculating volumes of cubes and cuboids.
The document concludes with practice problems for the reader to calculate areas, perimeters, and volumes of various shapes.
The document discusses effective questioning techniques for developing critical thinking skills in students. It provides examples of different types of questions teachers can ask, including essential questions, hypothetical questions, telling questions, planning questions, organizing questions, strategic questions, elaborating questions, probing questions, and clarifying questions. These questions can be used to engage students' thinking, promote reasoning, encourage speculation and hypothesis, and clarify understanding. The document also discusses using a series of questions in an "arc" to lead students to deeper understanding and having a toolbox of generic questions available for students.
Poor literacy is linked to negative outcomes in health, wealth, and happiness. Specifically, poor readers are more likely to smoke, have poorer physical health, engage in risky sexual behavior, earn less money, experience unemployment, be single parents, and feel depressed or that they have little control over their lives. A framework is proposed to improve literacy across subjects in school by focusing on developing skills in talking, reading texts, and writing. Teachers from all departments will be trained to incorporate literacy objectives into their lessons to help raise standards.
Este documento lista varios libros de literatura para adultos, incluyendo títulos de las autoras Cristina Bajo y Diane Setterfield. También menciona varias series de libros de Charlaine Harris sobre Sookie Stackhouse y de J.R. Ward sobre La Hermandad de la Daga Negra.
Longevità e abitazione - Presentazione del 21-11-07Stefano Palumbo
Una ricerca sul futuro dell'abitazione, letto con la prospettiva dell'aumento della longevità e delle relative conseguenze sociali, culturali, economiche e politico-amministrative. L'indagine, realizzata da S3.Studium su incarico di "Rino Snaidero Scientific Foundation", ha preso in esame l'arco temporale 2008-2012.
Este documento presenta el programa de actos navideños y fiestas de San Antón en Alcublas del 19 de diciembre de 2008 al 19 de enero de 2009. Incluye conciertos musicales, proyecciones de películas, cenas, cabalgatas de Reyes Magos, exposiciones, presentaciones de libros, misas, procesiones, fuegos artificiales, espectáculos y otros eventos para celebrar la Navidad y las fiestas patronales de San Antón y el Cristo de la Fe.
Viral clearance studies are important for evaluating the safety of biopharmaceutical products during development and should become more stringent as the product progresses through clinical trials. Early phase studies emphasize safety and use model viruses to evaluate individual purification steps, while later phase studies treat viral clearance as part of overall process validation and use multiple viruses to model unknown contaminants. Key considerations for viral clearance studies include risk analysis, selection of critical manufacturing steps to evaluate, choice of model viruses, validation of scaled-down process and assays, and interpretation of virus reduction factors at each step. Regulations and guidelines provide recommendations on the appropriate scope and design of viral clearance studies during different phases of product development.
Il testo integrale di un'indagine sul futuro della città di Roma, realizzata alla fine del 2008 dalla S3.Studium. Lo scenario descrive l'economia, la società, la cultura e la pubblica amministrazione nella prospettiva del 2015.
La ricerca è stata realizzata con metodo Delphi
Il futuro delle arti visive contemporanee - SlideStefano Palumbo
L'indagine sul futuro delle arti visive contemporanee è stata commissionata da Terna alla S3.Studium nel 2009. E' stata presentata a Ravello (Sa) in occasione del II Premio Terna per le arti visive.
L'impatto del cambiamento climatico 2008-2012Stefano Palumbo
Nel 2007 la S3.Studium ha realizzato un'indagine previsionale sull'impatto economico, sociale e politico del cambiamento climatico in Italia, nell'orizzonte del 2012. Il documento qui caricato è il rapporto finale della ricerca.
This document discusses different types of communication. There are two main types - verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication can be further divided into formal and informal communication. Formal communication includes downward communication from higher to lower designations like bosses to employees, and upward communication from lower to higher designations. Informal communication includes lateral communication between peers, diagonal communication between different departments, and grapevine communication which spreads rumors. Non-verbal communication conveys messages through signs and symbols without the use of words.
Este documento presenta un plan curricular anual para la asignatura de Educación Física en el primer grado de educación primaria. El plan contiene 6 unidades de planificación con objetivos específicos relacionados al desarrollo de habilidades motrices, juegos, gimnasia y expresión corporal a través de prácticas seguras. Cada unidad incluye criterios de evaluación, indicadores y una duración de 6 semanas, con el objetivo de desarrollar capacidades físicas y motrices en los estudiantes a través
Il futuro della consulenza nel sistema finanziario italiano - rapporto finaleStefano Palumbo
L'indagine previsionale è stata commissionata alla S3.Studium da Fineco, che l'ha poi presentata, durante il "Fineco Financial Village", in otto città italiane. Realizzata nel 2009 con metodo Delphi, la ricerca abbraccia l'orizzonte temporale del 2015.
What should you outsource, and what do you need to do in-house? How to segment the vendors that you need? What vendors do you need right when you start, and what vendors will you need as you grow? How do you recruit and select the important vendors? What are tips and tricks to manage vendors in order to ensure a consistent level of quality? How do you fire and replace under-performing vendors? What are common mistakes made when dealing with vendors?
The document discusses niche outsourcing, specifically outsourcing cell banking and characterization. It notes that niche outsourcing allows companies to avoid resource constraints and focus on core competencies. It then provides details on the regulatory requirements and testing involved in cell banking, characterization, and establishing master and working cell banks for different cell types including mammalian, bacterial, human, primate, insect, and E. coli cells.
The document discusses various cinematography techniques including framing, the rule of thirds, depth of field, and their effects on conveying meaning. It explains how character positioning within a frame can indicate their status, power, and personality. Shots from higher or left angles are usually more dominant. Depth of field refers to what is in focus in the foreground, middle ground, and background and how this directs viewer attention. Examples are provided of different depth of field techniques and their purposes.
Year 11 english studies the big screen student bookletLisa Logan
This document provides information about cinematic terms and techniques used in filmmaking. It discusses different types of films including narrative features, documentaries, short films, and advertisements. It also covers various film genres like action, horror, romance, comedy, and more. The document then examines key film techniques such as camera shots, camera angles, camera movement, lighting, cinematography, mise-en-scene, and special effects. It concludes by discussing aspects of sound, editing, and different types of documentaries.
O documento descreve a Escola da Malta, um portal online e CD-ROMs educacionais direcionados para crianças dos 6 aos 10 anos. O portal apresenta conteúdos curriculares de forma lúdica através de histórias, exercícios e jogos. Inclui seções de Língua Portuguesa, Matemática e Estudo do Meio com exemplos de exercícios e jogos.
En dos oraciones breves, el documento expresa gratitud por los dos años pasados aprendiendo a aceptarse a uno mismo, valorarse y quererse a uno mismo, así como por las mañanas, salidas y compañía compartidas durante ese tiempo.
This document defines and provides examples of area, perimeter, and volume. It explains that:
- Area is measured in square units (cm2) and represents the number of squares that fit inside a 2D shape.
- Perimeter is the distance around a shape and is measured in linear units (cm). It provides examples of calculating perimeters of rectangles and triangles.
- Volume is measured in cubic units (cm3) and represents the number of cubes that fit inside a 3D shape. It gives examples of calculating volumes of cubes and cuboids.
The document concludes with practice problems for the reader to calculate areas, perimeters, and volumes of various shapes.
The document discusses effective questioning techniques for developing critical thinking skills in students. It provides examples of different types of questions teachers can ask, including essential questions, hypothetical questions, telling questions, planning questions, organizing questions, strategic questions, elaborating questions, probing questions, and clarifying questions. These questions can be used to engage students' thinking, promote reasoning, encourage speculation and hypothesis, and clarify understanding. The document also discusses using a series of questions in an "arc" to lead students to deeper understanding and having a toolbox of generic questions available for students.
Poor literacy is linked to negative outcomes in health, wealth, and happiness. Specifically, poor readers are more likely to smoke, have poorer physical health, engage in risky sexual behavior, earn less money, experience unemployment, be single parents, and feel depressed or that they have little control over their lives. A framework is proposed to improve literacy across subjects in school by focusing on developing skills in talking, reading texts, and writing. Teachers from all departments will be trained to incorporate literacy objectives into their lessons to help raise standards.
Este documento lista varios libros de literatura para adultos, incluyendo títulos de las autoras Cristina Bajo y Diane Setterfield. También menciona varias series de libros de Charlaine Harris sobre Sookie Stackhouse y de J.R. Ward sobre La Hermandad de la Daga Negra.
Longevità e abitazione - Presentazione del 21-11-07Stefano Palumbo
Una ricerca sul futuro dell'abitazione, letto con la prospettiva dell'aumento della longevità e delle relative conseguenze sociali, culturali, economiche e politico-amministrative. L'indagine, realizzata da S3.Studium su incarico di "Rino Snaidero Scientific Foundation", ha preso in esame l'arco temporale 2008-2012.
Este documento presenta el programa de actos navideños y fiestas de San Antón en Alcublas del 19 de diciembre de 2008 al 19 de enero de 2009. Incluye conciertos musicales, proyecciones de películas, cenas, cabalgatas de Reyes Magos, exposiciones, presentaciones de libros, misas, procesiones, fuegos artificiales, espectáculos y otros eventos para celebrar la Navidad y las fiestas patronales de San Antón y el Cristo de la Fe.
Viral clearance studies are important for evaluating the safety of biopharmaceutical products during development and should become more stringent as the product progresses through clinical trials. Early phase studies emphasize safety and use model viruses to evaluate individual purification steps, while later phase studies treat viral clearance as part of overall process validation and use multiple viruses to model unknown contaminants. Key considerations for viral clearance studies include risk analysis, selection of critical manufacturing steps to evaluate, choice of model viruses, validation of scaled-down process and assays, and interpretation of virus reduction factors at each step. Regulations and guidelines provide recommendations on the appropriate scope and design of viral clearance studies during different phases of product development.
Il testo integrale di un'indagine sul futuro della città di Roma, realizzata alla fine del 2008 dalla S3.Studium. Lo scenario descrive l'economia, la società, la cultura e la pubblica amministrazione nella prospettiva del 2015.
La ricerca è stata realizzata con metodo Delphi
Il futuro delle arti visive contemporanee - SlideStefano Palumbo
L'indagine sul futuro delle arti visive contemporanee è stata commissionata da Terna alla S3.Studium nel 2009. E' stata presentata a Ravello (Sa) in occasione del II Premio Terna per le arti visive.
L'impatto del cambiamento climatico 2008-2012Stefano Palumbo
Nel 2007 la S3.Studium ha realizzato un'indagine previsionale sull'impatto economico, sociale e politico del cambiamento climatico in Italia, nell'orizzonte del 2012. Il documento qui caricato è il rapporto finale della ricerca.
This document discusses different types of communication. There are two main types - verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication can be further divided into formal and informal communication. Formal communication includes downward communication from higher to lower designations like bosses to employees, and upward communication from lower to higher designations. Informal communication includes lateral communication between peers, diagonal communication between different departments, and grapevine communication which spreads rumors. Non-verbal communication conveys messages through signs and symbols without the use of words.
Este documento presenta un plan curricular anual para la asignatura de Educación Física en el primer grado de educación primaria. El plan contiene 6 unidades de planificación con objetivos específicos relacionados al desarrollo de habilidades motrices, juegos, gimnasia y expresión corporal a través de prácticas seguras. Cada unidad incluye criterios de evaluación, indicadores y una duración de 6 semanas, con el objetivo de desarrollar capacidades físicas y motrices en los estudiantes a través
Il futuro della consulenza nel sistema finanziario italiano - rapporto finaleStefano Palumbo
L'indagine previsionale è stata commissionata alla S3.Studium da Fineco, che l'ha poi presentata, durante il "Fineco Financial Village", in otto città italiane. Realizzata nel 2009 con metodo Delphi, la ricerca abbraccia l'orizzonte temporale del 2015.
What should you outsource, and what do you need to do in-house? How to segment the vendors that you need? What vendors do you need right when you start, and what vendors will you need as you grow? How do you recruit and select the important vendors? What are tips and tricks to manage vendors in order to ensure a consistent level of quality? How do you fire and replace under-performing vendors? What are common mistakes made when dealing with vendors?
The document discusses niche outsourcing, specifically outsourcing cell banking and characterization. It notes that niche outsourcing allows companies to avoid resource constraints and focus on core competencies. It then provides details on the regulatory requirements and testing involved in cell banking, characterization, and establishing master and working cell banks for different cell types including mammalian, bacterial, human, primate, insect, and E. coli cells.
The document discusses various cinematography techniques including framing, the rule of thirds, depth of field, and their effects on conveying meaning. It explains how character positioning within a frame can indicate their status, power, and personality. Shots from higher or left angles are usually more dominant. Depth of field refers to what is in focus in the foreground, middle ground, and background and how this directs viewer attention. Examples are provided of different depth of field techniques and their purposes.
Year 11 english studies the big screen student bookletLisa Logan
This document provides information about cinematic terms and techniques used in filmmaking. It discusses different types of films including narrative features, documentaries, short films, and advertisements. It also covers various film genres like action, horror, romance, comedy, and more. The document then examines key film techniques such as camera shots, camera angles, camera movement, lighting, cinematography, mise-en-scene, and special effects. It concludes by discussing aspects of sound, editing, and different types of documentaries.
The document provides guidance on mobile photography techniques for trainees. It begins by explaining how smartphone cameras have increased accessibility of photography. It then discusses various composition techniques like using gridlines based on the rule of thirds, embracing natural light, including negative space, finding unique perspectives, playing with reflections and symmetry, and using leading lines. It also encourages trainees to capture small details and advises only using flash during the day. The document emphasizes that editing photos is an important second step after taking the photo.
This document provides an overview of animation concepts and skills. It defines animation and discusses different animation mediums. It outlines important animation skills such as drawing, storytelling, and an understanding of motion. The document then explains common animation terms like pre-production, storyboard, script, timeline, and walk cycle. It provides a breakdown of the key elements of a walk cycle animation.
The document discusses several techniques for improving photo composition, including following the Rule of Thirds for subject placement, using contrast in lighting and size/shape to add depth and drama, blurring backgrounds to isolate subjects, paying attention to helpful details, opting for simplicity over complexity, and varying perspectives by changing the camera position. Mastering these techniques can help photographers direct viewer attention and tell more compelling visual stories through their photos.
This document provides an overview of techniques for analyzing television shows through a shot-by-shot analysis. It discusses various elements of the television text including camerawork, lighting, editing, sound, graphics, and mise-en-scène. For each element, it defines relevant terminology and explores how different technical choices can influence the mood, style, and meaning constructed for the viewer. The document aims to equip students with the basic understanding and vocabulary needed to closely examine how television shows are produced and can be interpreted.
The document defines various motion graphics and animation terminology used in programs like After Effects. It provides descriptions of terms related to 2D/3D space, layers, effects, keyframing, camera movements, compositing, and other animation and video editing concepts. Terms covered include things like adjustment layers, alpha channels, parenting, expressions, motion blur, precomposing, and trimming. The document acts as a glossary to explain technical terms for those working in motion graphics.
Mise-en-scene includes everything visible to the audience on camera, such as lighting, costumes, setting, and sound. The rule of thirds uses a 3x3 grid to help compose balanced shots with the subject typically centered. Eye room and depth of field are also important techniques; eye room gives space for where a character is looking while depth of field separates the foreground, middle ground, and background to characterize subjects differently based on their placement.
This document provides guidance on key elements of filmmaking for student filmmakers working with limited budgets. It discusses the importance of considering script, locations, lighting, sound, and composition. For script, it notes the value of withholding information or having the audience know more than characters. Location selection requires considering affordability and conveying the desired mood. Lighting must support the story, characters, and genre. Sound recording quality is important. Effective composition involves techniques like a clear focal point, rule of thirds, simplicity, and leading lines to guide the viewer's eye. Careful attention to these elements even with constraints can help produce an effective film.
Cinematography is the art of capturing motion pictures through lighting, camera shots, focus, composition, placement and movement. It involves recording light onto film or sensors to tell a visual story. A cinematographer, or director of photography, oversees the camera and lighting crews to collaborate with the director to create the images seen on screen. They consider various elements like lighting types, shot sizes from establishing shots to close-ups, focus, composition techniques like rules of thirds, blocking, and leading lines, camera angles from eye-level to aerial shots, and camera movement.
Lighting is an essential part of cinematography that can set the tone of a scene and influence how good a movie looks. It can be used artistically to represent feelings or presences through techniques like colored lights. The basic 3-point lighting setup uses a key light as the primary light source, a fill light to reduce shadows, and a back light to make objects stand out from the background. However, cinematographers often modify this system using variations like only one or two lights. The key question is where to place the key light source, as this establishes the lighting design and placement of shadows for the scene.
The document provides information on various camera angles, camera movements, and composition techniques used in filmmaking. It includes descriptions and examples of close-ups, establishing shots, extreme wide shots, wide shots, mid shots, medium close ups, extreme close ups, cutaways, two-shots, over the shoulder shots, point of view shots, tracking, tilting, zooming, framing, and the rule of thirds. Each technique is explained in terms of how it is used to convey meaning, focus audience attention, or establish elements like location, characters, and relationships between characters.
The document discusses various editing techniques used in filmmaking such as linear and non-linear editing, montage editing, the 180 degree rule, and shot-reverse-shot. It analyzes how editing can be used to convey information efficiently through montages and establish relationships between characters through techniques like the 180 degree rule. Key terms are defined, such as linear editing which presents scenes chronologically and montage editing which juxtaposes shots to create new meanings.
This document provides an overview of compositing in film production. It defines compositing as combining different visual elements, such as live action footage and computer-generated imagery, into a single coherent scene. The document traces the history of compositing from early techniques using painted glass and double exposures, to modern uses of green screen and digital compositing. It also examines how compositing is used to seamlessly integrate visual effects into live action shots through techniques like wire removal, match moving, and color matching. Experts in the field were interviewed to support the idea that compositing has transformed audiences' perspectives on media.
This document provides descriptions and examples of various camera angles, camera movements, framing rules, and the rule of thirds that are used in filmmaking. It defines close ups, establishing shots, extreme wide shots, wide shots, mid shots, medium close ups, extreme close ups, cutaways, two-shots, over the shoulder shots, and point of view shots. It also explains tracking, tilting, zooming, framing, leading room, and using horizontal and vertical lines. Finally, it describes the rule of thirds and how important elements should be placed along the intersection lines to create tension and interest.
Table of ContentsP E A R S O N C U S T O M L I B R .docxdeanmtaylor1545
Table of Contents
P E A R S O N C U S T O M L I B R A R Y
I
Glossary
1
1Stephen Prince
1. Film Structure
13
13Stephen Prince
2. Cinematography
57
57Stephen Prince
3. Production Design
95
95Stephen Prince
4. Acting
121
121Stephen Prince
5. Editing: Making the Cut
149
149Stephen Prince
6. Principles of Sound Design
187
187Stephen Prince
7. The Nature of Narrative in Film
229
229Stephen Prince
8. Visual Effects
287
287Stephen Prince
9. Modes of Screen Reality
325
325Stephen Prince
381
381Index
II
G L O S S A R Y
3D digital matte A matte painting that has been camera
mapped onto a 3D geometrical model in computer space.
The digital matte can then be moved or rotated to
simulate the perspective of a moving camera. See also
camera mapping .
Additive Color Mixing A system used for creating color
on television where red, blue, and green lights are mixed
together to create all other hues.
ADR Automated dialogue replacement (ADR) is a post-
production practice in which actors re-record lines of dia-
logue or add new ones not present at the point of filming.
Computer software enables proper synching of these lines
with the performer’s lip movements as recorded on film.
Aerial Image Printing Method of producing dimensional
effects using matte paintings in an optical printer. An image
(such as a matte painting) is projected to a focal plane in space
(rather than onto a surface) where it can be photographed by
the process camera in the optical printer. That footage can be
combined with live action footage and other optical elements.
Aerial Perspective A visual depth cue in which the effects
of the atmosphere make very distant objects appear bluish
and hazy.
Alpha Channel In a digital image, this channel of informa-
tion specifies a pixel’s degree of transparency. The alpha
channel is often used for generating male and female mattes.
Ambient Sound The background sound characteristic of an
environment or location. For a film such as The Last of the
Mohicans , set in a forest, ambient sounds include the rustle
of branches and the cries of distant birds.
Anamorphic Method of producing a widescreen (2.35:1)
image by squeezing the picture information horizontally and
stretching it vertically. This method is used for both theatri-
cal films and for DVD home video formatted for 16 × 9 (wi-
descreen) monitors or projection systems. Unsqueezing the
picture information during projection or viewing produces
the widescreen image.
Ancillary Market All of the nontheatrical markets from
which a film distributor derives revenue. These include home
video, cable television, and foreign markets.
Angle of View The amount of area recorded by a given
lens. Telephoto lenses have a much smaller angle of view
than wide-angle lenses.
Animation 2D Traditional form of animation in cinema
wh.
All lighting in the film falls under the category of natural or artificial. Natural lighting could come from the sun, moon, fire or anything else occurring in nature. Artificial lighting is things like streetlights, flashlights, LED lights and even the massive spotlights used in big production films. Ambient lighting is a crucial way to use lighting. It refers to any light the crew didn't bring. This could refer to car headlights, or the most potent ambient light - the sun.
WCC FILM 100 mise-en-scene-chapter #3 LUTHERprofluther
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The notion of Dwayne Johnson kidnapping seems straight out of a Hollywood thriller. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, known for his larger-than-life persona, immense popularity. and action-packed filmography, is the last person anyone would envision being a victim of kidnapping. Yet, the bizarre and riveting tale of such an incident, filled with twists and turns. has captured the imagination of many. In this article, we delve into the intricate details of this astonishing event. exploring every aspect, from the dramatic rescue operation to the aftermath and the lessons learned.
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The Origins of the Dwayne Johnson Kidnapping Saga
Dwayne Johnson: A Brief Background
Before discussing the specifics of the kidnapping. it is crucial to understand who Dwayne Johnson is and why his kidnapping would be so significant. Born May 2, 1972, Dwayne Douglas Johnson is an American actor, producer, businessman. and former professional wrestler. Known by his ring name, "The Rock," he gained fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) before transitioning to a successful career in Hollywood.
Johnson's filmography includes blockbuster hits such as "The Fast and the Furious" series, "Jumanji," "Moana," and "San Andreas." His charismatic personality, impressive physique. and action-star status have made him a beloved figure worldwide. Thus, the news of his kidnapping would send shockwaves across the globe.
Setting the Scene: The Day of the Kidnapping
The incident of Dwayne Johnson's kidnapping began on an ordinary day. Johnson was filming his latest high-octane action film set to break box office records. The location was a remote yet scenic area. chosen for its rugged terrain and breathtaking vistas. perfect for the film's climactic scenes.
But, beneath the veneer of normalcy, a sinister plot was unfolding. Unbeknownst to Johnson and his team, a group of criminals had planned his abduction. hoping to leverage his celebrity status for a hefty ransom. The stage was set for an event that would soon dominate worldwide headlines and social media feeds.
The Abduction: Unfolding the Dwayne Johnson Kidnapping
The Moment of Capture
On the day of the kidnapping, everything seemed to be proceeding as usual on set. Johnson and his co-stars and crew were engrossed in shooting a particularly demanding scene. As the day wore on, the production team took a short break. providing the kidnappers with the perfect opportunity to strike.
The abduction was executed with military precision. A group of masked men, armed and organized, infiltrated the set. They created chaos, taking advantage of the confusion to isolate Johnson. Johnson was outnumbered and caught off guard despite his formidable strength and fighting skills. The kidnappers overpowered him, bundled him into a waiting vehicle. and sped away, leaving everyone on set in a state of shock and disbelief.
The Immediate Aftermath
The immediate aftermath of the Dwayne Johnson kidnappin
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1. core concepts ■ 23
Symmetrical objects in a frame are mirrored from one side to another and create a cer-
tain static balance in the frame. An asymmetrical composition, therefore, denotes move-
ment in the composition.
A popular technique used by painters, photographers, and cinematographers is called
framing in thirds. In this technique, the frame is divided into a grid of thirds vertically and
horizontally. Interesting parts of the frame or focal points of the subjects are placed at
strategic locations in the grid. Placing your subject in the lower third makes it seem small
or insignificant. Placing it in the upper third makes the viewer look up to it, magnifying its
perceived scale or importance. Figure 1.4 illustrates the difference between a static, sym-
metric frame and a frame based on thirds.
Figure 1.4
A purely symmetri-
cal frame looks
static, but framing in
thirds helps create a
sense of motion.
Contrast
Contrast in design describes how much your foreground subject “pops” from the back-
ground. As you can see in Figure 1.5, when you create an area in your frame that contains
little variation in color and light, the image will seem flat and uneventful. Using dark
shadows and light highlights increases the perceived depth in the image and helps pop out
the subject from the background. Animating contrast can help increase or decrease the
depth of your frame.
Figure 1.5
With low contrast,
the subject seems to
disappear into the
background. If you
add shadows and
highlights, the sub-
ject will “pop out.”
2. 24 ■ chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D
As you’ll see in Chapter 10, light plays an important role in creating dynamic contrasts
within your frame.
Color
Your use of color also plays a big part in creating impact in your frame. As stated above,
warm colors tend to advance toward you, and cooler colors seem to recede into the frame.
Placing a warm color on a subject on a cool background creates a nice color contrast to
help the dynamics of your frame.
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary colors and usually
clash when put together. Using complementary colors can create a wide variation of con-
trast in your scene.
Basic Film Concepts
In addition to the design concepts used in framing a shot, you’ll want to understand some
fundamental filmmaking concepts.
Planning a Production
Understanding the paradigm filmmakers use for their productions will make it easier to
plan, create, and manage your own shorts. Most narrative films are broken into acts,
which comprise sequences made up of scenes, which in turn are made up of shots. CG
productions concerning even the simplest topics should follow this pattern. By using a
similar layout in the scripting and storyboarding of your own short, you will find the
entire production process will become easier and the effect of your film will be stronger.
A narrative film is a film that tells a story of a hero called a protagonist and his or her
struggle against an antagonist. Narrative films are typically divided into three acts. The first
act establishes the main characters and the conflict or struggle that will define the story.
The second act covers most of the action of the story as the hero attempts to overcome this
conflict. The third act concludes the film by resolving the action in the story and tying up
all the loose ends.
Acts can be deconstructed further into sequences, which are groups of sequential scenes
that unite around a particular dramatic or narrative point.
A scene is a part of a film that takes place in a specific place or time with specific charac-
ters to present that part of the story. Films are broken into scenes for organizational pur-
poses by their locations (that is, by where or when they take place).
Don’t confuse the filmmaking concept of a scene with the word scene in CG terms, which
refers to the elements in the 3D file that make up the CG.
3. basic film concepts ■ 25
Scenes are then broken into shots, which correspond to a particular camera angle or
framing. Shots break up the monotony of a scene by giving different views of the scene and
its characters. Shots are separated by cuts between each shot.
Shots are defined by angle of view, which is the point of view (POV) of the camera.
Shots change as soon as the camera’s view is changed.
Lighting
Although CG lighting techniques can vary wildly from real life, the desired results are
often the same. The more you understand how real lights affect your subjects in photogra-
phy, the better you will be at CG lighting.
Without lights, you can’t capture anything on film. How you light your scene affects
the contrast of the frame as well as the color balance and your overall design impact. If the
lights in your scene are too flat or too even they will weaken your composition and abate
your scene’s impact.
Most lighting solutions are based on the three-point system. This method places a key
light in front of the scene, which is the primary illumination and casts the shadows in the
scene. The key light is typically placed behind the camera and off to one side to create a
highlight on one side of the object for contrast’s sake. The rest of the scene is given a fill
light. The fill acts to illuminate the rest of the scene but is typically not as bright as the
key light. The fill also helps soften harsh shadows from the key light. To pop the subject
out from the background, a back light is used to illuminate the silhouette of the subject.
This is also known as a rim light because it creates a slight halo or rim around the subject
in the scene. It’s much fainter that the key or fill lights.
You’ll learn more about Maya lighting techniques in Chapter 10.
Basic Animation Concepts
As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, animation is the representation of change
over time. This concept is the basis for an amazing art that has been practiced in one way
or another for some time. Although this section cannot cover all of them, here are a few
key terms you will come across numerous times on your journey into CG animation.
Frames, Keyframes, In-Betweens
Each drawing of an animation, or in the case of CG, a single rendered image, is called a
frame. The term frame also refers to a unit of time in animation whose exact chronological
length depends on how fast the animation will eventually play back (frame rate). For
example, at film rate (24fps), a single frame will last 1⁄24 of a second. At NTSC video rate
(30fps), that same frame will last 1⁄30 of a second.
4. 26 ■ chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D
Keyframes are frames at which the animator creates a pose for a character (or whatever is
being animated). In CG terms, a keyframe is a frame in which a pose, a position, or some
other such value has been saved in time. Animation is created when an object travels or
changes from one keyframe to another. You will see firsthand how creating poses for ani-
mation works in Chapter 9, when you create the poses for a simple walking human figure.
In CG, a keyframe can be set on almost any aspect of an object—its color, position,
size, and so on. Maya then interpolates the in-between frames between the keyframes set
by the animator. In reality, you can set several keyframes on any one frame in CG anima-
tion. Figure 1.6 illustrates a keyframe sequence in Maya.
Weight
Weight is an implied facet of design and animation. The weight of your subject in the
frame is a function of how it is colored, its contrast, shape, and location in the frame, and
the negative space around it. In animation, the idea of weight takes on a more important
role. How you show an object’s weight in motion greatly affects its believability. As you’ll
see in the axe tutorial in Chapter 8, “Introduction to Animation,” creating proper motion
to reflect the object’s weight goes a long way toward creating believable animation.
Weight in animation is actually a perception of mass. An object’s movement, how it
reacts in motion, and how it reacts to other objects all need to convey the feeling of
weight. Otherwise, the animation will look bogus, or as they say, “cartoonish.”
Weight can be created with a variety of techniques developed by traditional animators
over the years. Each technique distorts the shape of the character in some way to make it
look as if it is moving. Although it may seem strange to distort an object’s dimensions,
doing so makes the character’s motion more realistic. Chapter 8 will touch more on creat-
ing weight in animation. Here’s a quick preview.
SQUASH AND STRETCH
This technique makes a character responds to gravity, movement, and inertia by literally
squashing down and stretching up when it moves. For example, a cartoon character will
squeeze down when it is about to jump up, stretch out a bit while it is flying in the air, and
squash back down when it lands to make the character look as if it is reacting to gravity.
EASE-IN AND EASE-OUT
Objects never really suddenly stop. Everything comes to rest in its own time, slowing
before coming to a complete stop in most cases. This is referred to as ease-out.
Just as objects don’t suddenly stop, they don’t immediately start moving either. Most
things need to speed up a bit before reaching full speed. This is referred to as ease-in. The
Bouncing Ball tutorial in Chapter 8 illustrates ease-in and ease-out.
5. basic film concepts ■ 27
Figure 1.6
Keyframing.
In the first frame of
this sequence, a
keyframe is set
on the position,
rotation, and scale
of the cone. On
frame 30, the same
properties are again
keyframed. Maya
Keyframe at frame 1 calculates all the
movement in
between.
Frame 5 Frame 10
Frame 15 Frame 20
Frame 25 Keyframe at frame 30
6. 28 ■ chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D
FOLLOW-THROUGH AND ANTICIPATION
Sometimes exaggerating the weight of an object is necessary in animation, especially in
cartoons. You can exaggerate a character’s weight, for instance, by using follow through
and anticipation.
You should create a little bit of movement in your character or object before it moves.
Anticipation is a technique in which a character or object winds up before it moves, like a
spring that coils in a bit before it bounces.
Likewise, objects ending an action typically have a follow-through. Think about the
movement of gymnasts. When they land, they need to bend a bit at the knees and waist to
stabilize their landing. Likewise, a cape on a jumping character will continue to move a bit
even after the character lands and stops moving.
The Axe tutorial in Chapter 8 will give you a chance to implement these two concepts.
Physics
In Chapter 12, “Maya Dynamics,” you’ll see that one of Maya’s most powerful features is
its ability to simulate the dynamics of moving objects. To use that capability effectively,
you need a general awareness of the properties of physics—how objects behave in the
physical world.
Newton’s Laws of Motion
There are three basic laws of motion. Sir Isaac Newton set forth these three laws, summa-
rized here. Everyone in animation needs to understand the first two laws because they play
a large part in how animations should look.
• An object in motion will remain in motion, and an object at rest will remain at rest
unless an external force acts upon the object. This is called inertia, and understanding
it is critical to good animation. You’ll find more on this in Chapters 8 and 9.
• The more massive an object is, the more force is needed to accelerate or decelerate its
motion. This law deals with an object’s momentum.
• Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When you press on a brick wall, for
example, the wall exerts an equal amount of force on your hand. That way your hand
doesn’t smash through the wall.
Momentum
In particular, it’s important to understand what momentum is all about. When an object
is in motion, it has momentum. The amount of momentum is calculated by multiplying
the mass of the object by its velocity. The heavier something is, or the faster it is moving,
the more momentum it has and the bigger the bruise it will leave if it hits you.
7. basic film concepts ■ 29
That’s why a tiny bullet can cause such a great impact on a piece of wood, for example.
Its sheer speed greatly increases its momentum. Likewise, a slow-moving garbage truck
can bash your car, relying on its sheer mass for its tremendous momentum.
When one moving object meets another object—moving or not—momentum is trans-
ferred between them. So when something hits an object, that object is moved if there is
sufficient momentum transferred to it. For more on this notion, see the Axe-Throwing
exercise in Chapter 8.
SUGGESTED READING
The more you know about all the arts that make up CG, the more confident you’ll feel among
your peers. To get started, check out the following excellent resources.
Art and Design
These books provide valuable insights into the mechanics and art of design. The more you
understand design theory, the stronger your art will be.
Bowers, John. Introduction to Two-Dimensional Design: Understanding Form and Function.
New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
Itten, Johannes. Design and Form: The Basic Course at the Bauhaus and Later. New York:
John Wiley & Sons, 1975.
Ocvirk, Otto G., et al. Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.
Wong, Wucius. Principles of Form and Design. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1993.
CG
CG has an interesting history and is evolving at breakneck speeds. Acquiring a solid knowl-
edge of this history and evolution is as important as keeping up with current trends.
Kerlow, Isaac Victor. The Art of 3D: Computer Animation and Imaging. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 2000.
Kundert-Gibbs, John, Derakhshani, Dariush, et al. Mastering Maya 8.5. San Francisco:
Sybex, 2006.
Kuperberg, Marcia. Guide to Computer Animation. Burlington, MA: Focal Press, 2002.
Masson, Terrence. CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference. Indianapolis: New Rid-
ers Publishing, 1999.
Periodicals
Computer Graphics World (free subscription for those who qualify)
cgw.pennnet.com
Cinefex
www.cinefex.com
continues
8. 30 ■ chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D
continued
HDRI3D
www.hdri3D.com
3D World
www.3Dworldmag.com
Websites
www.animationartist.com
www.awn.com
www.highend3D.com
www.3Dcafe.com
www.learning-maya.com
Film
Block, Bruce. The Visual Story: Seeing the Structure of Film, TV, and New Media. Burlington,
MA: Focal Press, 2001.
Must-Read
Myers, Dale K. Computer Animation: Expert Advice on Breaking into the Business. Milford, MI:
Oak Cliff Press, 1999.
Summary
In this chapter, you learned the basic process of working in CG, called a workflow or
pipeline, and how it relates to the process of working on a typical live film production. In
addition, you were introduced to the core concepts of CG creation and the fundamentals
of digital images. Some important ideas in design as well as traditional animation concepts
were also covered.
Now that you have a foundation in CG and 3D terminology and core concepts, you are
ready to tackle the software itself. Maya is a capable, intricate program. The more you
understand how you work artistically, the better use you will make of this exceptional tool.
There is a lot to think about before putting objects into a scene and rendering them
out. With practice and some design tinkering, though, all this will become intuitive. As
you move forward in your animation education, stay diligent, be patient, and never pass
up a chance to learn something new. Above all else, have fun with it.
9. CHAPTER 2
The Maya 2008 Interface
This chapter takes you on a guided tour of all the elements visible on the
Maya 2008 screen. You will visit the menus, the icons, and the shelves, just to get an idea
of what everything is. You’ll learn how to work with these tools later in this book. For
now, while you’re first getting into this, knowing what everything is called and its purpose
is a good idea. Don’t get nervous, though; you won’t need to retain all this information at
once. Think of this more as a nickel tour.
This chapter can also serve as a good reference for later, when you’re wondering what a
particular icon does. If you are already familiar with the Maya interface, you might want
to skip this chapter.
Topics in this chapter include:
■ Navigating in Maya
■ A Screen Roadmap
■ Panels and Frequently Used Windows
■ Maya Object Structure
10. 32 ■ chapter 2: The Maya 2008 Interface
Navigating in Maya
The key to being a good animator, with Maya or with any other tool, is not necessarily
knowing exactly where to find all the tools and buttons. It’s about knowing how to find
the features you need. Don’t let the interface intimidate you; it’s much friendlier than you
might initially think, and there is more than one way to get something done through the
user interface (UI).
Maya is intricate and multifaceted, with layers upon layers of function sets and inter-
face options, separated into categories. The purpose of this chapter is to help you get to
know Maya and how it operates rather than how to use it. If you’re looking to get your
feet wet right away, you may even want to jump ahead to the Solar System exercise in the
next chapter; you can then check back here for explanations of UI elements and windows
in this chapter.
The best way to start is to explore the interface. Using your mouse, check out the
menus and the tools. Just be careful not to change any settings; the rest of this book and its
projects assume your Maya settings are all at their defaults. Just in case you do change
some settings, reverting to the defaults is easy. Choose Window ➔ Settings/Preferences ➔
Preferences. In the Preferences window, choose Edit ➔ Restore Default Settings. Now, all
the settings and interface elements are restored to their default states.
A Screen Roadmap
Let’s get to the basics of how Maya is laid out (see Figure 2.1). Running across the top of
the screen, right under the application’s title bar, are the main menu bar, the Status line,
and the shelf.
To the left of the screen, running vertically, is the Tool box, offering quick-view selec-
tions, and across from it is the Channel box/Layer Editor and sometimes the Attribute
Editor (not displayed in Figure 2.1). Running horizontally at the bottom of the screen
(from the top down) are the Time slider, the Range slider, the Character Set menu, the
Auto Keyframe button, and the Animation Preferences button.
In the middle of all these elements is the workspace, which is host to your panels (or
Scene windows) and their menu options, (known as views or viewports in some other 3D
packages). This is where most of your focus will be; this is where you create and manipu-
late your 3D objects.
11. a screen roadmap ■ 33
Figure 2.1
The initial Maya
screen
MOUSE CONTROLS
Maya requires the use of a three-button mouse, even on a Macintosh system. The clickable
scroll wheel found on most mice can be used as the third button. The scroll wheel also lets
you zoom into or out of a View panel.
In Maya, holding the Alt key on a PC or the Option key on a Mac along with the appropri-
ate button allows you to move in the View panel. The left mouse button (LMB) acts as the pri-
mary selection button (as it does in many other programs) and allows you to orbit around
objects when used with the Alt key. The right mouse button (RMB) activates numerous short-
cut menus and lets you zoom with the Alt key. The middle mouse button (MMB) with the Alt
key lets you move within the Maya interface, and the mouse’s wheel can be used to zoom in
and out as well.
12. 34 ■ chapter 2: The Maya 2008 Interface
The Main Menu Bar
In the main menu bar, shown here, you’ll find a few of the familiar menu choices you’ve
come to expect in many applications, such as File, Edit, and Help.
One difference in Maya, however, is that menu choices depend on what you are doing.
By switching menu sets, you change your menu choices and hence your available toolset.
The menu sets in Maya Complete are Animation, Polygons, Surfaces, Rendering, and
Dynamics; Maya Unlimited adds the Cloth and Maya Live menu sets to those five. You’ll
find more in-depth information about these later in this chapter.
No matter which menu set you are working in, the first six items are constant: File,
Edit, Modify, Create, Display, and Window. The last menu, Help, is also constantly dis-
played, no matter which menu set you choose.
In Maya, you can also create your own menu sets by choosing Customize from the Menu Set
pull-down menu. Here you can select which menu headings to display. Customizing Maya is
a powerful way to optimize your workflow; however, you should keep your settings at their
defaults until you feel comfortable with the UI first.
When searching for a particular tool, keep in mind that each menu set controls partic-
ular functions. You’ll notice two different demarcations to the right of some menu items:
arrows and boxes (called option boxes). Clicking an arrow opens a submenu that contains
more specific commands. Clicking an option box (❒) opens a dialog box in which you can
set the options for that particular tool.
As noted above, the following menus are always visible:
File Deals with file operations, from saving and opening to optimizing scene size and
export/import.
Edit Contains the commands you use to edit characteristics of the scene, for example,
deleting and duplicating objects or undoing and redoing actions.
Modify Lets you edit the characteristics of objects in the scene, such as moving or scaling
them or changing their pivot points.
13. a screen roadmap ■ 35
Create Lets you make new objects, such as primitive geometries, curves, cameras, and so on.
Display Contains commands for adjusting elements of the GUI (graphical user interface)
in Maya as well as objects in the scene, allowing you to toggle, or switch on or off, the dis-
play of certain elements as well as components of objects, such as vertices, hulls, pivots,
and so on.
Window Gives you access to the many windows you will come to rely on, such as the
Attribute Editor, Outliner, Graph Editor, and Hypergraph broken down into submenus
according to function, such as Rendering Editors and Animation Editors.
Help Gives you access to the help files.
ADVANCED TIP: FLOATING MENUS
In Maya you can “tear off” menus to create separate float-
ing boxes, which you can place anywhere in the work-
space, as shown here.
This makes accessing menu commands easier, espe-
cially when you need to use the same command repeat-
edly. Let’s say, for example, that you need to create
multiple polygonal spheres. You can tear off the Create ➔
Polygon Primitives menu and place it at the edge of your
screen. You can then click the Sphere command as many
times as you need without opening the dual-layered
menu every time. To tear off a menu, click the double line
Click here and drag
at the top of the menu, and drag the menu where you to tear off a menu.
want it.
The Status Line
The Status line (see Figure 2.2) contains a number of important and often used icons.
Figure 2.2
The Status line
The Status line begins with a drop-down menu that gives you access to the menu sets in
Maya. Selecting a menu set changes the menu set in the main menu bar. You will notice
immediately after the Menu Set drop-down menu, and intermittently throughout the Sta-
tus line, black vertical line breaks with either a box or an arrow in the middle. Clicking a
break opens or closes sections of the Status line.