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Leonard

11-11-2002, 10:49 PM

The good folks at New Riders publishing have just released another compelling book title in their [digital] array of books for 3D animators and visual effects artists. According to the press release: [digital] Cinematography & Directing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735712581/qid=1036812756/sr=2-3/cgnetworks-20) is unlike any other cinematography or directing book you’ve seen. This book was written entirely for 3D animators. Based on real-world photographic and cinematic principles, it teaches you essential skills and concepts that you can apply to any industry 3D application, such as LightWave 3D, Softimage XSI, 3ds max, CINEMA 4D, Maya, and other leading programs.

This book does not focus on using software but rather teaches you how to understand and use the camera within your 3D application. Author Dan Ablan instructs on: Mastering focal lengths, f-stops, and apertures within your 3D application; Pre-production planning and how it can guide and enhance your project by applying essential storyboarding techniques; Using light as not only an illumination source, but as a tool for cinematic storytelling; How to direct your digital cast with proper staging techniques; and much more.

"Dan Ablan’s years of innovating digital production techniques and his undeniable expertise at teaching CGI, FX, and Film, makes Digital Cinematography & Directing a must-have! " -Dave Adams, Dreamworks

[digital] Cinematography & Directing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735712581/qid=1036812756/sr=2-3/cgnetworks-20)

Jaspar

11-11-2002, 11:06 PM

Excellent! I've been waiting for that to come out. Hope it lives up to expectations.:buttrock:

alphatron

11-11-2002, 11:19 PM

This should help a lot of animators out.

I come from a film and cinematography background, and it pains me to see fundamental concepts of lighting, composition, and camera movement ignored in most of the short animated films I see. Almost every other aspect of the animation is fantastic, but the lack of accomplished cinematography and direction always kills it.

amphex

11-11-2002, 11:45 PM

Damn, that looks freaking awesome!

webfox

11-11-2002, 11:49 PM

I've got a couple of Dan Ablan's Lightwave books around here. He is very thorough in explaining what he knows, and when he has a guest-written chapter, he always makes sure that everything is clear to the reader, as well as to someone already way ahead of the curve as far as knowledge and experience may go.

I have talked to him before and can recommend any of his instructional materials.

kwshipman

11-11-2002, 11:50 PM

He had some posts a few months back on 3d-discussion.com (which is run by Jeremy Birn of [digital] Lighting and Rendering) about the book. It looks awesome, the other two in the series were great so I am sure that it will be good. Way to go new riders!:thumbsup:

keops

11-12-2002, 12:05 AM

sweeet, hope it's gonna be rich in contents as the other books of this collection

santiago

11-12-2002, 02:51 AM

finally

danRod

11-12-2002, 02:57 AM

SHWEEEEETT:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Gamoron

11-12-2002, 03:02 AM

Hopefully they read this. I like their books but I've noticed that their books tend to be for the advanced user even if directed at a beginner. Gaps in their tutorials. they don't flow well.

But this book looks great and I might just pick it up.

wmendez

11-12-2002, 04:10 AM

I can second WebFox's comment, Dan's writing is concise and gets his point across to the audience in a clear and understandable manner. Im more of a Video Tutorial type guy but when it comes to Dan's books I will surely read them from cover to cover.

Kudos to Dan!

Nando3D

11-12-2002, 09:21 AM

I just order the book from Amazon.com $38 including post...

Delivery estimate: November 28, 2002 - December 3, 2002

thanks a lot ...one more to my library...

I'll post comments, when i get it

Nando

raffael3d

11-12-2002, 12:42 PM

great.
Looking forward to it. Dan is a great author. The LW books are great. I can imagigne that this one is too.

show

11-12-2002, 12:53 PM

excellent, i preordered this a few months ago.

hope its on my door any day now :)

dablan

11-12-2002, 04:11 PM

:rolleyes:
Hey all,
thank you very much for the support of my new book. It was a very difficult one to put out, as it is not specific to any software.
We worked hard to make it easy to follow and informative.

Note that this is not a tutorial book - but rather an instructional guide on an area of 3D that most animators often overlook. The book flows from info/clarification of f/stops, t/stops, aperatures, etc, to project planning, storyboard techniques, blocking and staging, direction, through editing, audio, rendering and compression. It's about 225 pages, so, not quite as thick as my LightWave tomes :) I want readers to gain insight and be inspired by the types of shots possible in 3D - studying these real-world principles will add to your animations and images. For example, many animator never change the camera lens, and shoot there animations from a standard "over the shoulder" height. Booms, cranes, dollys and so on are often over looked in 3D. Zooming the camera, wide angles, cross cuts... there are so many avenues you can persue. No wires or unions to deal with either!

You can get a free chapter at www.newriders.com. Go there, and click to the 3D section- there, look for the Digital Cinematography & Directing book (top right I think) and follow the links to the sample chapter.

Please, if you have a question or anything, email me at
dablan@earthlink.net. And, we're always happy to have some positive reviews on amazon.com.

Best regards,
Dan Ablan

wmendez

11-12-2002, 04:29 PM

Thanks again Dan! looking forward to it.

HapZungLam

11-12-2002, 04:31 PM

is it a foundation book? or its like an advance according to some others foundation books.

I am a pretty new guy on directing. But this is my favourite feild.

SheepFactory

11-12-2002, 04:32 PM

Thanks for putting this book together Dan. The book fills a much neglected gap in the 3d training sources.

best,

Ali

scribble

11-12-2002, 09:35 PM

:thumbsup:
Should be a good book to have in my personal library.

kwshipman

11-12-2002, 10:42 PM

Good to see ou hear Dan! I hope you will hang arround and take part of our community.

Dominique

11-12-2002, 10:55 PM

thanks,

I'll buy!!!

Leonard

11-22-2002, 09:33 AM

Hey guys,

I just interviewed Dan about the book.

Check it out here:
http://www.3dfestival.com/story.php?story_id=389

Best

Leo

dobermunk

11-24-2002, 01:06 PM

EUR 64,50 for Germany
$35.00 in the states

$1 = 1 Euro (app.)

Damn. Once again, I live on the wrong continent for this kind of stuff. How could Amazon possibly justify nearly doubling the price for European distribution?

dark_lotus

11-24-2002, 01:46 PM

Oh My

God hath posted on this forum :bowdown:

beaker

11-25-2002, 03:53 AM

>>Damn. Once again, I live on the wrong continent for this kind of stuff. How could Amazon possibly justify nearly doubling the price for European distribution?

Same reason why it costs double for us to buy stuff that is only manufactured over in europe. You have to deal with importation and tarrifs and taxes and a whole bunch of other stuff because it is made overseas. Also if it is in german then your also paying for the translation costs too.

dobermunk

11-25-2002, 08:02 AM

No, that's not translated.
That's 1:1. Just shipped to Europe. I'll find an American site that won't refer me to a European dependance and have it shipped air mail. Much cheaper.

The book looks very promising!

danyrey

11-25-2002, 01:13 PM

Another book on my wishlist :love:

The actual reason for the high prizes in germany is a law called "Buchpreisbindung". Resellers are bound to a certain price so that smaller publishers can survive. Maybe this law will fall soon as EU gets its hands on this topic.
We'll see

wmendez

11-29-2002, 04:32 AM

To add to Leonards interview check out http://www.xsibase.com/articles.php?detail=16 as well....Dan is a very popular (well even more popular) guy these days):cool:

Leonard

11-29-2002, 04:40 AM

Coolness, good interview! :thumbsup:

Leo

wmendez

11-29-2002, 05:03 AM

Thank you sir!

HapZungLam

11-29-2002, 01:04 PM

i preordered the book in Amazon!!!!

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