Why We use 3d applications...

[Camby1298]

I just got hired by a firm that is wanting to jump start its computer renderings and animations service. I am to present to my project managers why use 3d applications (in this case 3ds max), what it can do (image wise, and for clients and the company), and how it help the company translate its designs (in a different way) and not to mention make a little $$$ . The majority of their work is done by hand and AutoCAD, they do some awsome designs but I think 3ds max can help them a lot in the DD process. I have been researching these topics and figure I would present to them example images while speaking about how to introduce this new service to their clients. I thought I would drop this thread here because I was curious what you 3d gurus, with all your years of knowledge and expereince, would do or say if you were in my position. Thanks so much for your input!!

[kippu]

i would show them this site and the best rendering firms out there

[mskin]

There are many arguments for and against CG. I work in an "old school" firm that does a lot of physical model making. I think one of the best arguments for CG is that it provides the owner with a human scale experience of a project. You cant put a client inside of physical model, but you can put them in front of an AVI and they can really get the sense of a space. It also gives the designer an oportunity to inject some life into the design with enterouge - expressing his idea of how the space will be used to the client.

 

I have noticed lately that our designers are exploring some pretty organic shapes that are much easier and quicker to explore on the computer than than they are with chip board or clay.

 

I think the firm needs to be prepared to invest in what you need to do it justice. A lot of guys seam to want to cheap out on the hardware, and then are dissapointed with the results.

 

good luck

[Dan J]

Most firms don't realize the extent of time, effort and expense needed to facilitate this route as a design tool. They maybe disappointed if they think 1 person is going to take care of all their needs and using this for DD isn't always going to give them the high end renderings they think they will get. Also they may believe they can just assimilate the knowledge required to learn the app's needed to get the tools to do what they want.

 

Don't set yourself up for a lot of frustration either. Don't over sell the renderings on this site and have your employer believe that you can crank out a rendering in a few weeks of starting up this new service.

 

As for making $$ off of this, most firms don't unless the set the group as a seperate company and take on extra work. Most don't because they generally gaurd their talent from the competition. What firm would farm out their best 3d guru to a competitor for work they might want to go after?

 

Make sure you ask for the most you can get to support you new department and make sure you give yourself enough ramp up time to produce the work the need.

 

Good luck.

[M. Steadman]

There may be an article or two in the CGArchitect resoursces that may help.

Check under David Wright "Marketing your services" from 2003.

It may be a hard sell to get an entire office to see the light....

Good luck

[tcorbett]

In addition to just showing pretty pictures of the project to be, there's an added value for a company to be able to pre-visualize and thus better understand and communicate their designs. It also has a potential $$ savings in bringing issues to light early on - rather than in the field when it is far more costly, or just too late.

 

The current animation project I am working on still has a few weeks to go before completion, but already it has sparked discussions between client and company, and changes to the design to better compliment other components.

 

Can you quantify that value? Not really, it's more of a quality of final product issue.

[Vince Paske]

In addition to just showing pretty pictures of the project to be, there's an added value for a company to be able to pre-visualize and thus better understand and communicate their designs. It also has a potential $$ savings in bringing issues to light early on - rather than in the field when it is far more costly, or just too late.

The current animation project I am working on still has a few weeks to go before completion, but already it has sparked discussions between client and company, and changes to the design to better compliment other components.

Can you quantify that value? Not really, it's more of a quality of final product issue.

 

I have to agree whole-heartedly with Tom. Working in-house as you are, you have the ability to jump in early into a project and start visualizing. The amount of questions created and answered up front save money down the road. Plus, you can constantly refine your model, lighting and textures as the project moves forward. The goal is better communication with the owner, getting sign-off faster on ideas =+$

Ask for a workstation caliber machine and a dedicated renderfarm - even if its just one other computer to send renderings to, it pays for itself because you can continue to do work while its cranking out renderings. Ask IT to load Max/Backburner on a handful of the faster machines in the office so you can set them upto crank out renderings/animations at night. Its free cpu power your company already has.

[Justin Hunt]

The discussion of offering out out in-house services often crops up here. There are two trains of thought.

 

The first is that Viz is more valuble as a design and presentation tool to give the company the "Edge"

 

and the second is, there is money in them thar hills, we have a captive audience in our clients so why not get them to pay for the high-end marketing images that we can do already.

 

My perfered argument is a combination of the two, it goes such. Start with the design development in aiding in the desgn, the client pays $XX. Once the project gets to that stage where marketing is needed then as a separate fee charge $XXX. You already have the model, now all it needs is to spend that extra time in getting it to the next level of beauty.

 

With time I am wining over the skeptics and I do see a way of getting it to work. It just needs the support from above.

 

JHV

[alexg]

Sorry to be skeptical, but being an in-house 3d renderman in arch firm is a nightmare. they will just squeeze you out dry. Typical working time is around 80-100hrs a week in a large firms, but you do get involved into nice projects sometimes.

Presentation-wise, apart from what has been said, I suggest you better show them what you can do most, not what the other (especially the 3dgurus) can do. It will help your bosses not to expect and demand something too much on a daily basis. If you can do better, than that's a good progress, if not, then there's no pressure.

[Justin Hunt]

At the end of the day it comes down to time managment and not being afraid to say, "forget it, not enough time". I am in constant workflow development as to how I can get more work done in less time. I am also always on at some of the other guys in the team that not every project worrents the time for GI, or needs to be photoreal. Sure I can do a render with glossy reflections and caustics, but do I need to? or better still, can I afford to?

 

It was a very hard lesson I had to learn and one my old boss drummed into me, "Work to the budget, if there is no money it doesn't get done." For the marketing images I do for my own conpany its the opposite, produce as much as possible to the best quality, but stick to the budget. I am looking forward to the day when I can give in-house work the flick, just waiting for the kids to get out of daycare.

 

True the end product is very different for in-house compared to that of a visualisation firm, but they also serve very different purposes.

[Nic H]

Well said justin!

[Camby1298]

When it comes to companies as Neoscape, Weta or such, they're work is top notch because that is exactly what they specialize in, I wouldn't expect different. But as Calvin said earlier there are some serious advantages for a render man/team being in house. But you are also right Justin, there is some sacrifice in the end for that advantage. Its just a way to balance the scale I geuss.