In this new title Matt discusses and demonstrates the steps he takes to produce a finished visual effects shot using Maya, Mental Ray and After Effects. With the benefit of his many years of production and teaching experience, Matt focuses on the techniques needed to get the project done fast and efficiently. "Matt's new DVD will reveal to you his true area of expertise," says Alex Alvarez, Director of the Gnomon School of Visual Effects. "His thorough break down and explanation of his process, from modeling to compositing, will greatly enhance your ability to use Maya, Mental Ray and a compositing package effectively."


Mental Ray Production Practices with Matt Hartle

In this lecture, Matt Hartle will lead you through the steps necessary to produce a finished visual effects shot from conception to the final composited rendering. Along the way we will examine modeling, texturing, animation, lighting and rendering using Mental Ray. We will then composite the rendered layers in After Effects, using a 3D composition with a camera exported from Maya. By bringing in the camera from Maya we will be able to integrate photographed elements with our rendered elements to create a final composite. Render layers from our Maya scene will include beauty, ambient occlusion, particles, ground fog and color alpha among others.