Skill Trumps the Tool Used, Debunked?

[CapnPanic]

Is the job market so competitive that one needs to know both Maya and Max?

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: It would do you some good to be at least somewhat competent in other applications for this very reason. I personally much prefer 3dsmax as a modeling tool, but I can still model in Maya if needed. Same with basic animation, simulation, lighting, shading, etc. It's good to have some knowledge of the other major packages, so that when you are asked, in an interview, if you've used Package X, you can, without lying, say that you have. Sure, you might not be a Maya rockstar, but there is time for that once you are on the job, using it every day, and have some coworkers nearby to ask questions of.

Think of it this way: Learn enough to at least be able to do some basics and scrape by if needed. Then once you have the job, learn like crazy. It's much more work to fire you and hunt for someone else than it is to just let you get up to speed over the course of a few days or a week, which everyone does at a new job anyway.

[DustinBrown]

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it. That was my gut feeling even as I asked the question, but thanks for confirming what I already suspected.

[Jettatore]

You know, I can see this from two sides depending on the subject matter. But for modeling I think that it's pretty easy and mostly foolproof to go back and forth between packages. So easy, that their response in this case is a bit puzzling.

[Jesse-Irvin]

I've always felt that the skill trumps the tool idea to be more for inwards reflection than something to be imposed on companies. I See it from the other way around. As a modeler I feel my skills should be up to a level that I am capable of modeling with whatever you give me and not demand my own tool of choice. Poly's are poly's line flow is line flow. Form, proportion, mass, etc, all things I don't need to relearn, tools are the easy part. Give me a toolset that works and I'll get the job done.

You don't need to know everything, I would even go so far as to say that if you are talented enough you only need to know one package, Max should be enough, but know that you may need to jump at the chance to learn another toolset. Don't be unwilling to pick up another package, certainly don't impose it on potential employers. Prove that your knowledge and skill in modeling is not restrained by your preferred toolset.

[DustinBrown]

I'm going to download the 30-day trial of Maya and cram as much learning as I can in a month. That should at least get me going strong with the modeling tools.

[guitarmunkee]

I had the same problem DustinBrown. I just finished my demo reel and sent it out to as many studios as I could. I got some replies and others nothing. My reel is primarily 3d max but I do know Maya but I didnt think that was a big deal because I hear everywhere saying that the 3d program doesnt matter and blah blah. So a few weeks later a huge animation studio(shall remain nameless) liked my work but told they told me I should concentrate on using Maya instead because it was in there pipeline, this particular company could afford numerous max licenses but I guess it didn't matter. And yes it was for a modeling position, so now I must put together a Maya reel so that I can have a few 3d packages in my arsenal. So I guess knowing more then one 3d package wouldn't hurt.

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