That’s right.  This former model builder and stop motion animator is embracing the evil, evil world of CGI.

Way back in the before time when I was a kid, my first step into narrative film-making was stop motion animation.  I was a model builder and it was a natural step.  It was also the only way for me to create the SciFi worlds I saw in my young head.  Since then as technology advanced I always wanted to try computer animation.  In fact, when I bought my first non-linear editing system, it was a toss up between that and a Kinetix 3Dmax system.  I went the editing route and I have the heavy iron D/Vision workstation holding my door open to prove it!  Cut to today:

Right now I’m experimenting with DAZ studio which is free software for the new CGI/Illustration market.  (Go check out anything traditionally illustrated with paintings like romance novel covers and chances are you will see a CGI image created with DAZ models.)  DAZ also has a marketplace where you can buy reasonably priced CGI characters, clothes, environments, and yes, spaceships!  Right now I’m at the basic learning stage.  I have goals like: “Can I make a character stand in a room, set a camera, and render it properly?”  Well, what do you think?  (click to embiggen)