We have entered into a production agreement with the Non-Profit organization Hugworks. We will be producing a fully animated children video for them and we are honored to be part of their heart-felt cause. They are a wonderful company dedicated to bringing joy to ill stricken children through their music.

3D Magic Factory is a 3D animation production studio in Austin, TX

Question: I don’t understand the process of Animation or the technical jargon used. Please explain what modeling, texturing, animation, lighting, rendering and all that technical stuff means?
Answer: Below is a very simplified outline regarding the differant phases of animation production. 

Modeling Phase
This is the phase where we take your 2-D concept drawing or image of a character, or object and sculpt it into a 3-D computerized model in our software. This requires the 3D artist to have a solid understanding of anatomy, form, and volume. Some common names for he finished product is called a 3D model or a 3D Asset. Popular methods of modeling are polygonal modeling, Sub Division modeling, and Nurbs modeling.Texturing Phase
This is the phase where we apply a surface to the 3-D modeled character, object, or environment. At this stage the 3-D model needs surface information. UV coordinates are laid out to give the model an applicable surface to receive color and texture. An easy way to understand it is to think of the skin on your body and the model is the form underneath. Some additional properties are applied such as transparency or how reflective the object is. Well-defined textures are very important for rendering realistic 3-D images and also establishes some character qualities to bring it to life.Rigging Phase
In this Phase we take the modeled, textured 3-D character, or object and set it up with a skeletal system or joints if needed. This is a crucial phase to prepare the model to be animated correctly. Just like in real life we need muscles to flex and joints to move, animators need to create them for the model. This is also the stage where an animator will create “blend shapes” or “morph targets” that allow a character to have many different facial expressions and if needed the ability to talk which is better known as lip sync. Without this step, the 3D model could not animate, talk or move fluidly and correctly. Animation Phase
This is the phase where animators take the Sculpted, Textured, and rigged 3D Model and breathe life into the 3-D character or object. This is through sequencing consecutive images, or key frames, that simulate motion by each image showing the next in a gradual progression of steps, filmed by a virtual “camera” and then output to video by a rendering engine. In general one second of animation needs 30 individual frames per second to look realistic. It takes allot of work to create one second of high quality animation. Animating objects or characters involves great skill, acting ability, and a solid understanding of how things move.

Lighting Phase
In computer graphics, lighting is the technique to add depth, realism and set the mood. Lighting an animation requires the artist to create variations of shade, color intensity, and shadows that would be produced by having one or more light source. Lighting establishes the time of scene such as dawn, dusk, night etc. Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the tone in animation and in making every animation second beautiful.Rendering Phase
Rendering is the process where the cg artist takes all the data in their scene such as models, textures, animation, lighting, etc and outputs them as individual frames of animation. It can be a very complex and tedious process. The resolution of the final images is set here and many technical issues need to be flushed out to create quality images.

Compositing Final Output Phase
Compositing in Computer Graphics or Animation refers to organizing and combining many images from different sources – such as real-world digital video, digitized film, synthetic 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, painted backdrops, digital still photographs, and text. In most cases with regards to compositing for Animation, it consists of layering individual frames of animation on top of one another to create final images that in the end creates one finished frame of animation. This is also where color timing, color correction, filters, some FX, etc are adjusted to make sure the finished piece looks cohesive. Lastly all these images are then strung together to create complete shots or mini animated movies. This is the stage where the entire animation starts to come together as a complete piece.

Final Output Phase
This is the stage where we take all the shots or individual movies created in compositing and string them together for the finale. This is the stage when all the other phases are complete and the animation really takes shape and makes sense. In some cases this is also the phase where music, sound FX, voice over’s, etc are infused into the finished piece. This is a very wonderful and exciting phase for animators and clients!

3D Magic Factory is a 3D animation studio located in Austin, Texas

Question: What are the benefits of working with 3D Magic Factory?
Answer: When you decide to use our company, you will be talking directly to the creators of your project that are personally involved in your production. The true benefit can only be fully realized by actually working with us. We let our work speak for itself, and our rates are more affordable and flexible than most other studios. Our reputation is very important to us and we work very hard to please all our clients regardless of their budget range. Our past clients have been very happy with the work we created for them as well as our service. You can read some of their comments on our website in the ”About Us” section under the tab “Our Clients Say It Best“.

3D Magic Factory is a animation studio in Austin, Texas

Question: My project is confidential, will it be secure?
Answer: We understand and fully respect the importance of Non Disclosure Agreements. We use them ourselves. In fact, a lot of our recent work cannot be shown because of NDA’s with respect to past clients. We have worked on some of the highest profile films and games in our time. So naturally NDA’s are an important part of everyday business.

3D Magic Factory is a animation producion studio in Austin, TX

Question: I am not local to your area, can I trust and use your service?
 Answer: We understand the importance of relationships and keeping our clients in the loop and relaxed. Communication is key to the success of any project or animation production. If you have specific needs to make you feel more comfortable, we will do whatever we can to accommodate those. Our animation studio has been doing business as a virtual office for many years. In fact, the Internet has been the most powerful tool to our success.

3D Magic Factory is a 3D animation company in Texas

Question: What are your animation rates and how will you determine the cost of my project? 

Answer: In order to give you a quote on your animation project we need to discuss your vision. We do not charge to discuss your project or provide a proposal, and their is no obligation after a consult or once a proposal is made. It is important to mention that every animation project is unique which truly makes it difficult to provide fixed prices.You will find that we are very straight forward and will go out of our way to help you find a quality solution. The example work on our demo reel consists of work our company has produced for past clients who wanted quality yet affordable animation solutions that they could not find elsewhere. When you work with us, you will deal directly with the people involved in your project, who care about your project, and who are actually creating your project.

3D Magic Factory is an animation company in Texas

Question: What does it cost to create an animated movie like “Shrek”, “Toy Story”, or “Finding Nemo”? 

Answer: Below is a list of successful animated movies, and what it cost to produce them. Popular and successful animated movies employ large production teams and take several years of production to complete. Animated movies are still among the most profitable for the movie industry. The movie figures below are rounded to the nearest million, but do not include promotion costs, which can run anywhere from 10-50 million per picture. This should give you a really good idea of what it takes and how much it costs to create animation at a larger scale. The list starts with most expensive.

*The above data was provided by http://www.the-numbers.com. For more information please visit their site.

3D Magic Factory is an animation studio in Austin, TX