Softimage Videos!

THESE VIDEOS ARE (SORT OF) CURRENTLY UNAVALIABLE
I DO HAVE A FEW OLD SETS THAT I WILL SELL (CHEAP)
CLICK HERE If you want information on how to order these old videos.
This is because, a sequel to them is currently being created.
If there is something that you would like to see covered in the sequel,
please send your requests/suggestions to: EdHarriss@EdHarriss.com

SOFTIMAGE|XSI: Mastering Lighting This Two tape set covers all the the complex lighting controls in SOFTIMAGE|XSI. It comes with a bonus CD-ROM* containing all of the scenes, utilities and texture maps used in that video. During the video, all the important dialog boxes and dropdown menus are blown up to full screen so that the user can easily read the contents and follow along using the files on the accompanying CD-ROM*.

One set of videos: $149.95 for NTSC $169.95 for PAL Any two sets of videos: $279.95 for NTSC $319.95 for PAL All three sets of videos: $419.95 for NTSC $479.95 for PAL These video sets are being created by Ed Harriss. Who is this guy? Click here to find out.

SOFTIMAGE|XSI: Mastering Lighting covers all the lighting tools available in SOFTIMAGE|XSI and how to use them in conjunction with mental ray to produce photorealistic results.

Here are a few examples of what's covered on SOFTIMAGE|XSI: Mastering Lighting.
1. Anatomy of a light: What are all the different components of a light? Light Node, Shader node, Soft_light, Spot node, Associated models, etc...
2. Once you under stand the light, how do you control it? Shadows, Intensity, Spread, Color, Color modes, Attenuation, Fall off, etc...
3. Spot, Infinite, Point and Area lights. What's the difference? How are they used and when to use which one.
4. XSI Manipulators. Translating and Orienting your lights and cones with out using the Transformation keys.
5. The Ambient light and why you should never use it.
6. Selective lights/Associative lights. Controlling which light shines on what.
7. Controlling Shadow individual objects shadow color and intensity without affecting any of the other objects in the scene.
8. Light shader: Projector light. How to create animated and non animated projectors and what they are useful for. Creating a movie projector type of effect using the "Fast light effects" shader.
9. Lighting, Beyond the basics.
a. Shadow mapped shadows. (Resolution, Softness, Samples, etc) How they work, and how to tune them for faster rendering.
b. Ray Traced Shadows. How they work. When to use them and when not to.
c. Area lights. Soft shadows with out the limitations of Shadow mapped shadows. (Geometry, Samples, Area Transformation, Etc...)
d. Volumic Lights. Understanding all the variables and how they work together. (Reflectance, Map sizes, Shadow options, Shards,etc..)
e. Lens Flares. Controlling, Attaching to multiple cameras, Effects, Flare, Glow, Star, etc...
f. inclusive/exclusive lights. Why associative lights are so powerful.
10. Lighting Setup: Key Light, Fill light, Back light, Rim lighting.
11. Caustic Lights. What's a caustic light? How is it controlled. (energy, photons, accuracy, radius, photon map, etc...) What to do for specific effects.
12. Final Gathering. How to light your scene realistically with no lights! (or only one) How to tune your render so that it looks good.
13. Global Illumination. Learn how to adjust your renders to remove artifacts and create smooth looking radiosity effects.
14. Plus a whole lot more than what's listed here.

Learn how to set up your scenes for Global Illumination and Final Gathering.	Learn how to turn your "Boring" scenes into photorealistic ones like......	This one! (to keep rendertimes down, actual scene used on the tape is a different one)

These videos are hosted by Ed Harriss, an 8 year veteran of SOFTIMAGE. He started teaching Softimage over 6 years ago. He'll show you alot of the tricks that he's learned over the years to help you create some of the effects like the ones you see above.

*For copyright reasons, some of the textures and models will be replaced with working substitutes
SOFTIMAGE|XSI: Lighting is produced independently from SOFTIMAGE®, and is not endorsed by SOFTIMAGE.
SOFTIMAGE is a registered trademark of SOFTIMAGE, Inc. a subsidiary of Avid Technology Inc.

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