Mafic Studios Services....
Why would I want 3D?
What can it be used for?
How long does it take?
How much does it cost?
What do I need to know?
What do I provide?
What else do you do?
Why
would I want 3D?
 |
The world is ever changing, and full of depth. Life is in
four dimensions: three spatial, and time. Our services range
with that of life; yet can leave those constraints behind. We
can create processes and systems viewed from impossible angles,
products that do or don't yet exist, as well as many other possibilities.
Why limit yourself to a still image in 2D? |
| Reality isn't a barrier: create what doesn't exist. Or, perhaps,
create an unreal environment for your project. The option is
yours. We can take blueprints and schematics to recreate your
project exactly, or take a simple sketch or idea and develop
it into a final image. |
 |
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3D has a versatility unlike virtually any other medium; it
can be changed with relative ease. Detail can be added or removed
at any point during a project, camera angles can be changed
without having to rebuild the imagery and interactive effects
can be added without affecting the rest of the scene. Furthermore,
the finished product can work its way into various incarnations.
The images we create can be used on CD, in video, print and
on the web. |
| Depending on the nature of your project, we vary detail and
general quality to suit the need and budget of the project.
You can use anything from simple visualization to photorealistic
images, still images or full animations - the choice is yours. |
 |
What
can it be used for?
Our services can be used in for a wide variety of purposes. Here
are some examples of what 3D can be used for:
- Advertising and Promotion
- Architectural Renderings (interior and exterior)
- Broadcast
- Client Relations
- Ergonomic Design
- Flying Logos
- Marketing
- Mechanical Design
- Industrial Planning
- Planning (Layouts of factory floors, for example)
- Product Development & Design
- R&D
- Recreations (documentary, forensic and historical)
- Safety/Training Videos
- Special F/X
- Title Sequences
- Video Supplements (Transitions, supplements to narration)
- ...and the list goes on!
How
long does it take?
The amount of time that it takes a given project depends entirely
on the nature of that project. Some projects can take as little
as three or four hours, while others can take several weeks (or
months) to complete.
Accuracy, level of detail and complexity are all issues that have
to be considered. Upon consultation on a given project, we can give
you a reasonable estimate as to the amount of time it will take.
Depending on your deadlines, the project can be adjusted to meet
the desired timeline.
How
much it does it cost?
The cost of a project is directly proportional to the amount of
time it takes. Additional cost may be considered if special effects
or other factors are brought into play. The nature of the project
also has an effect; converting a 2D logo into a 3D logo is a very
different prospect than a commercial with several different high-end
effects and models. The latter will obviously cost more.
More information can improve work flow, and as a result can have
a positive impact on the end cost of the project. Should you need
a product to be rendered, for example, the price will be greatly
reduced if you can provide measured drawings from several angles,
rather than a rough sketch.
Most contracts are priced at a flat rate, based on the conversations
leading to the signing. Depending on the nature of a job, there
may be supplemental costs, but we endeavor to inform you of all
expenses ahead of time. We do our best to come in at or below budget,
and are willing to work with you to make a budget that suits your
needs.
For projects that have a great amount of uncertainty (be it experimental
or with an unknown finish point), our base hourly rate is $150/hr
(CDN).
What
do I need to know?
You, as the client, should first have an idea of the scale of the
project. This is usually tied to the budget; the resulting imagery
will be vastly different for a $10,000 project than for a $1,000
project.
- Level of Detail (LOD): simply put, the level of detail is the
proximity to reality of an object; an object with a high LOD will
be very smooth (as opposed to having evidence of angular curves),
with a lot of the little elements that are found on objects. A
bridge with a high LOD, for example, will have individual bolts
visible, whereas a low LOD will show plain geometric girders.
- Accuracy: if it's necessary to show something as accurately
as possible. Do two objects have to be precisely three millimeters
apart, or does it have to just look about that far?
- Complexity: the number of varied objects in the scene. A complex
street will show dozens of cars, people, fire hydrants, etc. A
simplified scene will have all but one or two simplified cars.
- Rendering time: the amount of time it takes our computers to
generate the images. In larger and more complex scenes, the longer
it takes. This has an influence on delivery time and a relatively
small impact on the price.
- Lighting: having something look real requires accurate lighting
to simulate reality. To do so takes its own time. Real or faked
radiosity (lighting that comes from surface reflection), or simple
lighting influence this.
- Textures: the 'look' of an object is based on the surface covering;
in 3D, the surface of an object is defined as the texture. Accurate
textures take time to create, especially if real surfaces have
to be photographed and/or simulated.
All of these issues are good for everyone to know; though you don't
have to worry too much about all of them. However, the more you
know of what you want, the easier it will be for us to produce an
image that answers to your vision.
What
do I provide?
It is only necessary for you to provide an idea of what you want.
From there, we can refine your idea into a full fledged animation.
However, the following can help the process:
- any designs, drawings, plans available
- colour schemes or advertising materials already available
- vector (line) drawings of any logos required
- photos of any relevant objects
- a text outline of desired sequences
What
else do you do?
We offer numerous services beyond 3D, as part of a 3D project or
as a stand alone. Some of the services are:
- digital photography
- digital retouching of photographs
- conceptual design services
- and more...
