<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:10pt"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>In my opening class presentation, I show Maya and 3DS Max demo reels and point out how much they cost and what makes them so.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The differences in the user interface are pointed out and compared to Blender.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I then show the Blender Demo reel and *SELL IT*.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Next,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>bring up the syllabus and show them how much there is to learn and how little we can cover in the class.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>I drive the point home that we are after the process! <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A large investment in Maya or 3DS is totally unnecessary at this point.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They’ll have plenty enough to deal with.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; RIGHT: auto" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>After the first hour in Blender moving, stacking, rotating and scaling blocks to test<VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR> if they can “see” in 3D, I never hear any comments again about why we’re using free software.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Big Buck Bunny, Blenderella and other DVDs are made available to any student who wishes to gauge which area of 3D modeling and animation they want to master.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For my intro class, we touch on everything on the premise that a working knowledge of every skill is necessary for communicating properly with a large production team.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The credits to any hit movie will attest to the size, specialization and complexity of these teams, right?<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Most important is the development of the attitude and aptitude to “learn to learn”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They cannot expect to be at the cutting edge if they wait to be taught everything.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>By the time someone is able to turn around and teach them, they’re already obsolete.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face=Calibri> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>These are the objectives of my Intro to 3D Modeling and Animation class.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="RIGHT: auto"><BR style="RIGHT: auto" class=yui-cursor></SPAN></div>
<div><BR></div>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: tahoma, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV style="RIGHT: auto" dir=ltr><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px" class=hr readonly="true" contenteditable="false"></DIV><STRONG></STRONG></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>