[Bubbaloo]

I'm researching what compositing software to learn/purchase. I'm looking at Nuke. Anyone here have Nuke experience? Does anyone with experience recommend any specific software? Pros and cons? Any advice would be much appreciated!

[polynurb]

personally i have never used nuke... but heard good things about it. but it is pricy!

i liked AfterEffects the first time i used it.. and i still do.
it has some advantages if you know PS.. you will get around quite fast..

but in your case, as a 3dmax user, you should check out combustion.
Adesk hasn't updatet it recently.. so i don't know what their plans are.. but it is well integrated into their other products.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc ... id=5562401

[Bubbaloo]

I heard that Maya got a compositor integrated into the software. I may need to wait and see what Max has in store for 2011. Maybe we'll get something. In the meantime, I'll check out AE. Thanks for the help!

[polynurb]

I heard that Maya got a compositor integrated into the software.

indeed.. looks like it http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc ... d=13583239

are you thinking about switching from max to maya?

i am also strongly considering maya right now.. cause i will need to do animated stuff sooner or later this year.
..but hey .. it is already march an Adesk has not released maya 2011.. let's wait a bit...

[Bubbaloo]

I don't think I'll switch to Maya. Too much invested in Max right now (since Max7). Here's hoping Max will follow maya.

[yolk]

working in AE too. you can get great plug-ins for it from various vendors, red giant has some very nice ones. also CS5 is going to be released very soon and the new mercury playback engine is going to be very nice.
check out http://www.cs5.org


http://cs5launch.adobe.com/

[ivox3]

working in AE too. you can get great plug-ins for it from various vendors, red giant has some very nice ones. also CS5 is going to be released very soon and the new mercury playback engine is going to be very nice.
check out http://www.cs5.org


http://cs5launch.adobe.com/

I like how the New Mercury engine code gets the glory for scrubbing the timeline
in HD, ..but at least they show the real heroes !
I guess my mom can just forget ever making movies of her garden with a 550D on P4 2.8.

[Ringas]

I would say go for Nuke 100%.

I never liked AE as IMHO node based post apps like Nuke, Shake and Fusion are more intuitive.

That being said, Nuke is really made to take full advantage of multichannel EXR files, which are not currently supported by MW. I personally use, apart from MW, Vray in Max and MR in Maya which both support these multichannel EXRs.

Despite this problem, Nuke or Fusion is still better than AE, or more powerful if you like (I don't want to start a flame war here).

Tassos Ringas

[yolk]

oh i just saw nuke isn't that expensive.. i thought it was in the 6 figure price range of flame

[Tora_2097]

I think Max2011 will include Toxik as well Bubba. I'm sure it'll serve for most purposes just fine.
Shake is not being developed any further though Apple is now working on a new compositor.
We are using Fusion at work, its really powerful and feature rich, there's not much you can't do in Fusion. I could give you suggestions for tutorials and a helping hand here and there too.
If you want to invest in a standalone product however I'd also vote for Nuke, just because it's becoming the standard app for all major houses .
All compositors are nowadays reeeaaallly huge and take years to learn the ins and outs of.

BB

[Bubbaloo]

Thanks Ben. I want to learn the software that is most likely to help strengthen my resume too. It means a lot to me what the large companies use. I'll probably start with Max's implementation, get the basics down, then check on some of the bigger software when the time is right.

[ivox3]

Most houses also require the pre-requisite of a Blade Runner viewing too...

I also hear that Tron has been added to the list. I myself would of thought it to have always been on the list ... Just me tho..

Just a heads up ... ..

[Bubbaloo]

Give it up for Ivox3, ladies and gentlemen!

[yolk]

bubb he's right. imagine you'll finally get your highly paid job a s a flame compositor and one day a coworker reads this thread and finds out you haven't seen blade runner. your boss will put you in front of a wang computer doing spread sheets all day

[ivox3]

.... could you imagine ? In that world, .... blasphemy.