Todd Palamar - Maya Studio Projects Photorealistic Characters

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Copyright 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

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ISBN: 978-0-470-94497-4

ISBN: 978-1-118-08860-9 (ebk.)

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Acknowledgments

The versatility and flexibility of Autodesk Maya never ceases to amaze me. This book started as a question: could you simulate muscle contraction using a human performance to drive the motion of the muscle? That quickly led to another question: could the muscles be used to simulate lip syncing and facial expressions, and would the results be believable? The questions didnt stop after that. After a little testing, the answers became clear: simulating muscles using data captured from a human performance would work. Not only does it work, but it can simplify or make unnecessary many of the laborious procedures used by the industry today. Of course, the process has issues of its own, but the idea was worth pursuing. I built a prototype, and the book began. Without the love, friendship, and participation of my wife, Brindle, this book would never have been written. Her devotion and belief in me are amazing. I am grateful for every day I get to spend with her. In addition, this endeavor would not have been possible without the trust, patience, and understanding that embody the entire Wiley Publishing team. Your support is greatly appreciated. Furthermore, a big thanks to Vcom3D, Inc., for allowing me the use of their facility and cameras. I also thank my daughter, Makenna, for deciphering my meanderings and taking them down as dictation. Lastly, I want to thank my biggest fan: my son Reece. His motivation, input, and assistance were priceless throughout the process of writing this book.

About the Author

Todd Palamar is a 21-year veteran in the computer animation industry. After transitioning early in his career from traditional special effects to computer-generated imagery, Todd did effects work for several direct-to-video movies. He later went on to work on numerous video games, including Sega of Japans coin-operated title Behind Enemy Lines, as well as Dukes of Hazzard and Trophy Buck 2 for the Sony PlayStation console. For six years, Todd taught at Full Sail University. During this time, he received numerous accolades as an outstanding educator. Additionally, Todd was a trainer at the DAVE School, bringing postgraduate students up to speed in Maya. Todd has written five books, including Maya Cloth for Characters and Maya Studio Projects Dynamics . His breadth of experience has allowed him to work in location-based entertainment, military simulation, television commercials, and corporate spots. Todd is currently Technical Art Director at Vcom3D, creating real-time characters capable of sign language and lip syncing.