October 9th, 2009, 03:05 PM
I need help trying to figure out what kind of computer rig I need to build for work. I work heavily in 3D Vfx and Film.
What I know so far.
Desktop vs Laptop
Why? SO I could change a customize parts if I need to. Plus it can hold more ram and other components. I could buy more ram and better components for much cheaper.
Also I already have a laptop. I have to disable the graphic card just so maya would work. It's daul booted with mac but I can't get programs like Final Cut to Work because the graphics card on it isn't compatitble with the Mac OS X Operating system.
Mac Vs PC
First of all I want to be able to daul boot between both mac and windows operating systems.
Mac's I hear have no problems having a windows os installed on it but I haven't tested it out myself yet, but I don't anything about Mac Hardware and if it's even customizable. I read in 3D world a few months ago most 3D Artists choose Pc's because Mac's are very limited in graphics cards.
Pc's I could daul boot, but I may be very limited with the hardware I could have on my computer. It doesn't look like Nvidia Quadro Fx's and FireGl's graphic cards are compatible with Mac Os X.
Linux os I may want because I hear helps render times. But it would probably work either way. I'm not even really gonna look into that right now.
Processor
I need the fastest processor possible
why? sounds like most people say that. And I know it must help with render times because batch renders usaully ask for multiple processors.
Questions:
Does it basically help to work in realtime when working in heavy scenes in 3D apps like Maya?
Can multiple processors be installed into one computer?
Graphic Cards:
For graphics cards it looks like Nvidia Quadro Fx's and FireGl's work the best with 3D.
Question:
Is it basically for better hardware renders in 3D apps, Or is there other reasons?
Is it hard to switch between graphics cards?
Can multiple graphic card be installed into one computer?
Does it effects maya software render and mental ray renders at all?
Does it help with render times?
Does it help working in real time and working on Heavy scenes and renders?
Memory and Motherboards
I'll probably start of with 8gb of ram. I think the ram helps with working on heavy scenes, and allows users to work in multiple apps at one time without there comp slowly down. As well as having more processes running. Is that right?
Questions:
How many ram slots can one motherboard have?
Is there a way to add more ram after the slots are full?
Does it help with render time
HardDrive
I'd get a hard draive with alot of storage but I don't find it really necessary because I'm constantly buying external drives.
Question:
How important is the speed of the hard drive?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Pt 2 of my conversation tsuperb - He asks about the hardships of the Fx Industry
Re: Gnomon School or VFS? or any other?
Postby tsuperb on 10/6/2009, 9:42 pm
My school of choice would probably be Gnomon, but I have to that's partly because I already live California even if it's still pretty far away. I haven't done my research on VFS, but I've seem some great reels on youtube of their work...[]
Thank you so much for you reply, it has been very helpful. I'm glad that you ask me to let you know what i decide, and i decided to reply your post because right now i am facing a two way exit and i don't know which one to choose, let me explain.
As i said i am a graphic designer, i love typography, great logos, posters, photoshop working, and above all that i love motion graphics (title sequences, advertising, etc) i came across a video that showed the process in the making of a character, from sketch to modeling, and i found it to be actually boring, so i said to myself, "is this what i want to end up doing my whole life?" Don't get me wrong, i really love visual effects and 3d, but i had a class with 3ds studio max and i really really hated it. So i don't know if you actually get what i am saying, but i would really appreciate if you could tell me something about being in the FX industry, i have read a lot that it is VERY TIME CONSUMING and that people end up practically with no social life, and actually not getting paid what they deserve. so what do you think about this?
tsuperb
Posts: 3
Joined: 07/25/2009, 11:51 pm
Top
Re: Gnomon School or VFS? or any other?
Postby NinjaTronix on 10/24/2009, 1:05 am
I understand what your saying. Personally though I'd choose 3D character modeling over title sequences.
As for the people in the industry not getting paid what they deserve, and the work being very time consuming. I'm not sure how well I could answer this considering I've only recently started making some serious money starting early this year, but my view on it is that you get paid for your skills as well as how well you sell yourself for.
The more people you network with the more jobs you'll come across, and the more chances you have to get jobs that pay well. I've seen some great portfolio's with people asking for a crazy amount hourly and I'm sure they must still be getting paid. I don't know if 3D artists get under paid because there's so much to learn in that area, and I've heard it's overpopulated with people and reels that aren't very good. Motion graphics I don't know if it's the same way, but in my opinion is way easier then 3D and people with not much skill could still have a great looking reel so people with different levels of skill would be completing with each other and more likely to be underpaid.
Also where and who you work with would also play a big factor in how well your paid. I'm guessing working in a studio you'd probably get paid alot more then if you were just doing freelance work. I never really worked in a studio so maybe someelse on the site could talk about that. Also a good example about "who" would be if you worked doing many weeks on a great looking music video for a local music artist you may still get very little because music artists are usaully pretty broke, but if you spend a day doing a simple commercial for a company you could probably get alot of money cause they have the money to spend it and there often more professional.
As for time consuming this also depends on where and who you work with. If your producing music videos for someone your probably calling the shots telling them when it will be done working in your own hours. If your working at a studio your probably working as long as it takes to finish within the deadlines they set.
Social life, I think is the same thing. If your working on a if your working on a big film your probably going to come on set and work with alot of great and interesting people, or if your in 3D at studio you'll be working with a lot of people along the pipeline. But if your doing freelance work with crazy deadlines like I am right now. I've pretty much been stuck in the same room for the past few months. Haha.. i've met some people on online dating sites while I work, but it's still no use if I don't have time to meet with them. But even if your faced with crazy deadlines there's also another side to it. Once you reach that deadline you'd have 24/7 to socialize or do anything you want. Something I have heard in the industry is that you may need to learn to live off of 6 months of income because lots of people get laid off when projects finish.
As for me I'm probably going to start my own production company, and provide services for pretty much everything.
(Wow.. I almost lost everything I typed because when I clicked submit it went to "page not available." and my internet froze. I selected everything and copied incase that would happen, but it didn't paste on the first two placing i pasted to nothing happened so i though I lost everything. Luckily it work the third time. I don't know if I would've really wanted to type this whole thing over again lol..)
NinjaTronix
Posts: 3
Joined: 10/1/2009, 11:46 am
Postby tsuperb on 10/6/2009, 9:42 pm
My school of choice would probably be Gnomon, but I have to that's partly because I already live California even if it's still pretty far away. I haven't done my research on VFS, but I've seem some great reels on youtube of their work...[]
Thank you so much for you reply, it has been very helpful. I'm glad that you ask me to let you know what i decide, and i decided to reply your post because right now i am facing a two way exit and i don't know which one to choose, let me explain.
As i said i am a graphic designer, i love typography, great logos, posters, photoshop working, and above all that i love motion graphics (title sequences, advertising, etc) i came across a video that showed the process in the making of a character, from sketch to modeling, and i found it to be actually boring, so i said to myself, "is this what i want to end up doing my whole life?" Don't get me wrong, i really love visual effects and 3d, but i had a class with 3ds studio max and i really really hated it. So i don't know if you actually get what i am saying, but i would really appreciate if you could tell me something about being in the FX industry, i have read a lot that it is VERY TIME CONSUMING and that people end up practically with no social life, and actually not getting paid what they deserve. so what do you think about this?
tsuperb
Posts: 3
Joined: 07/25/2009, 11:51 pm
Top
Re: Gnomon School or VFS? or any other?
Postby NinjaTronix on 10/24/2009, 1:05 am
I understand what your saying. Personally though I'd choose 3D character modeling over title sequences.
As for the people in the industry not getting paid what they deserve, and the work being very time consuming. I'm not sure how well I could answer this considering I've only recently started making some serious money starting early this year, but my view on it is that you get paid for your skills as well as how well you sell yourself for.
The more people you network with the more jobs you'll come across, and the more chances you have to get jobs that pay well. I've seen some great portfolio's with people asking for a crazy amount hourly and I'm sure they must still be getting paid. I don't know if 3D artists get under paid because there's so much to learn in that area, and I've heard it's overpopulated with people and reels that aren't very good. Motion graphics I don't know if it's the same way, but in my opinion is way easier then 3D and people with not much skill could still have a great looking reel so people with different levels of skill would be completing with each other and more likely to be underpaid.
Also where and who you work with would also play a big factor in how well your paid. I'm guessing working in a studio you'd probably get paid alot more then if you were just doing freelance work. I never really worked in a studio so maybe someelse on the site could talk about that. Also a good example about "who" would be if you worked doing many weeks on a great looking music video for a local music artist you may still get very little because music artists are usaully pretty broke, but if you spend a day doing a simple commercial for a company you could probably get alot of money cause they have the money to spend it and there often more professional.
As for time consuming this also depends on where and who you work with. If your producing music videos for someone your probably calling the shots telling them when it will be done working in your own hours. If your working at a studio your probably working as long as it takes to finish within the deadlines they set.
Social life, I think is the same thing. If your working on a if your working on a big film your probably going to come on set and work with alot of great and interesting people, or if your in 3D at studio you'll be working with a lot of people along the pipeline. But if your doing freelance work with crazy deadlines like I am right now. I've pretty much been stuck in the same room for the past few months. Haha.. i've met some people on online dating sites while I work, but it's still no use if I don't have time to meet with them. But even if your faced with crazy deadlines there's also another side to it. Once you reach that deadline you'd have 24/7 to socialize or do anything you want. Something I have heard in the industry is that you may need to learn to live off of 6 months of income because lots of people get laid off when projects finish.
As for me I'm probably going to start my own production company, and provide services for pretty much everything.
(Wow.. I almost lost everything I typed because when I clicked submit it went to "page not available." and my internet froze. I selected everything and copied incase that would happen, but it didn't paste on the first two placing i pasted to nothing happened so i though I lost everything. Luckily it work the third time. I don't know if I would've really wanted to type this whole thing over again lol..)
NinjaTronix
Posts: 3
Joined: 10/1/2009, 11:46 am
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