Production
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Modeling
Virtual 3D models are created, incorporating physical details of the scene and actors. Realistic materials and textures are applied to the wireframe surface. LIghting is added, and camera viewpoints are determined.
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Animation
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Rendering
In keyframing, each animated component is placed in position at a certain point on a timeline. The computer calculates the movement needed between the keyframes. For simple movements, the keyframes can be widely spaced; for more complex movements, the keyframes will be much closer together.
For human actors, the goal of animation is smooth natural movement. For a product animation, the goal is precise technical accuracy.
The computer renders a single graphic image for each frame of the animation and saves it as an individual picture. At thirty frames per second, a sixty-second animation contains 1800 frames. If each frame took 20 seconds to render, the entire animation would take ten hours.