Alias is the company responsible for creating the Maya software, a 3D graphics package that has helped bring animation to life, with stunning quality, in some of the industry's most innovative films. Maya was the primary software used by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) in the recent Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, to create not only the special effects, but some of the characters as well. I caught up with Bill Coleman, Director of Global Marketing, and Robert Hoffmann, Senior Entertainment Product Marketing Manager, to tell me some information about their company, and find out about how Alias and Maya played a part in creating one of the most anticipated movies of the year.

 Computer Times: How did Alias get started as a company? How has it grown and developed over the years?

Bill Coleman: Alias began in Toronto in 1983 as a much smaller company than it is today. Since then, many exciting things have happened.

In 1995, Wavefront Technologies of Santa Barbara (founded in 1984) merged with Alias Research under SGI to become Alias/Wavefront. Today, Alias still has custom-engineering offices in Santa Barbara with global headquarters located in Toronto.

In July 2003 the company changed its name to Alias in conjunction with its 20^th anniversary celebrations.

Accel-KKR and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan acquired Alias from SGI in 2004, making Alias an independent company.

In September 2004, Alias finalized an agreement to acquire Kaydara. Kaydara was a leading developer of real-time 3D character animation and motion editing solutions in the entertainment industry.

Alias continues to grow and develop today. By continually improving product and service offerings available to our customers and working to meet their ever-changing needs, we help to drive the 3D graphics industry.

Computer Times: What exactly is Maya, and what is unique to that product?

Robert Hoffmann: Maya is an Academy Award winning software package, considered one of the most powerful integrated 3D modeling, animation and rendering solutions available today. Based upon years of production use, Maya is the choice of animators, technical directors and production facilities throughout the world to deliver the highest quality results in the least amount of time. Maya's robust feature set and industry-leading innovation (such as: Fluid Effects, Paint Effects, etc.) provides artists the creative freedom to bring their ideas to life.

Computer Times: Is Maya the only technology being utilized by Alias now, particularly in film, or are the older programs still being used alongside it? Do animators utilize two or more software packages in tandem, when creating the effects in a film, or stick to just one?

Robert Hoffmann: Production pipelines utilize a variety of software and hardware to complete a project. Many production facilities throughout the world are using Maya as the backbone of their games, film and broadcast 3D pipeline.

As productions begin, the facilities have to commit to a version of software and remain using it through the duration of the production. In many cases, these productions can last several years so by the time the production concludes, they may be using software that is several versions behind what is currently commercially available.

Computer Times: Which operating system does Maya use?

Robert Hoffmann: Maya is available for multiple operating systems. Current versions of Maya can run on any of the following operating systems:

• Windows® XP Professional or Windows ® 2000 Professional
• Red Hat Linux 9.0 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0 WS
• SUSE Linux 9.1
• IRIX 6.5.15
• Apple® Mac® OS X 10.3 or higher

Computer Times: Can the technology developed by Alias, particularly Maya, be purchased for home use by consumers? Is the consumer product the very same as that used by the professional animators, or is it a simplified version?

Robert Hoffmann: Yes, Maya is available to consumers for purchase globally from the Alias web site and authorized Alias resellers. There are two versions of Maya available for purchase:

Maya Complete is the most comprehensive 3D software solution for producing professional-quality graphics on desktop PCs or graphics workstations. It integrates all of the foremost tools for 3D modeling, animation and rendering within a single, production-proven workflow.

Maya Complete is the number one choice of award-winning digital artists and animators. Its intuitive design makes it a favorite amongst digital content creation artists and enthusiasts of all experience levels who develop 2D and 3D artwork for film, broadcast, game development, multimedia (print and Web) or design visualization.

The ultimate version of Maya - Maya Unlimited - is the choice of digital artists who are looking to make their 3D projects stand out. Maya Unlimited is typically the choice of professional animators.

Maya Unlimited includes all the functionality found in Maya Complete, plus, it provides professional artists and animators with additional industry leading innovations such as Maya Fluid Effects™, Maya Cloth, Maya Hair, Maya Fur and Maya Live, for the creation of superior digital content.

Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited are available for Windows®, Mac OS® X and Linux®.

Computer Times: When you provide software to a film production, do you also provide the animators from in house, or are they hired separately by the film studio?

Robert Hoffmann: The artists working on the projects are hired by the production facilities. Alias supplies the software, support, training materials and many times provides consulting to assist with certain aspects of the production/project.

Computer Times: Do your animators and designers have mostly programming or mostly artistic backgrounds? How many years of training are involved in creating and using the Alias/Maya technology?

Robert Hoffmann: In many cases the Maya developers have backgrounds in both programming and art. We have developers at Alias with backgrounds in both areas.

The learning curve for using Maya varies from individual to individual. Alias has done a good job with reducing this learning curve through the release of Learning Tools, Master Classes, software documentation and by developing the Maya software to have an intelligent and intuitive user interface and workflow.

Computer Times: How did the alliance between ILM and Alias come about?

Bill Coleman: Maya has been used as a 3D software and animation package at ILM for many years; however, with this latest production it was elevated to the role of primary animation package.

Alias software has been helping ILM to create visual effects for blockbuster movie projects since 1989 when they were working on The Abyss with Power Animator.

Other notable ILM projects that have been fuelled by Alias technology include Terminator II: Judgment Day, Jurassic Park, The Mask, Perfect Storm, Pearl Harbor and Star Wars Episodes: I and II. This latest installment in the Star Wars series, however, marks the first time that ILM has used Maya software as their primary 3D package for animating characters.

One of ILM's veteran animators, Shawn Kelly said this about Maya and I am quoting exactly: "It was a little scary, the idea of moving over to a whole new software but Maya is actually much easier to use than what we were using in the past. It's so easy and so intuitive I've never wanted to go back."

Computer Times: What contributions did Alias/Maya make to the technology already utilized by ILM? Did Maya supplement or replace what they were already using?

Robert Hoffmann: Maya replaced other technology that was used in previous Star Wars films, working alongside with Alias software. At the time of the production of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, ILM made the decision to have Maya as the primary character animation package for this production and for future productions, assisting with all 2151 CG shots.

Maya allowed the company's talented animators to create such key scenes as the film's opening - a fast-paced, riveting space battle over the planet Coruscant that ends with the stunning acrobatics of a Maya-driven Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Computer Times: What were some new features in the Maya technology that were used in Star Wars: Episode 3 that were not employed in the first two Star Wars films? What breakthroughs were made this time around?

Bill Coleman: I can only say so much about ILM's workflow because I always respect each of our customer's confidentiality but they are on record as saying that beyond ease-of-use and the power of Maya, another key factor in making the move to Maya was the software's customizability. They had the ability to create a custom character interface for the animators and this let them concentrate on the performance of the characters, so they could focus on the acting and the emotion instead of the tools they were using.

The superb performances of ILM's digital characters speak for themselves. They have been helping to win the film rave reviews, and keep the theatres packed. We are psyched that we were part of their success!

Computer Times: Which of the Star Wars characters did Maya help to create?

Bill Coleman: The character of Yoda appeared in 173 shots in the film and was created 100% in Maya. The other primary character who is 100% CG is the part-droid, part-alien General Grievous. Grievous, who appears in 84 shots, has to interact - often at the point of a light saber - with real actors.

Because Grievous' alien visage is predominantly sheltered behind a droid mask, he did not require the high levels of detailed facial animation seen in Yoda. Nevertheless, Grievous has many unique, visually impressive and sometimes "creepy" Maya-driven moves. Actually, Grievous was modeled using a combination of Maya and Alias' StudioTools software.

Many of the key, "live" cast members - including Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), Ian McDiarmid (Supreme Chancellor Palpatine) and Christopher Lee (Count Dooku) - had their own Maya-powered stunt doubles. These digital doubles, while never obvious, are often used to perform daring feats and acrobatic stunts that would be highly difficult or dangerous for live actors.

Computer Times: Were all of the characters strictly computer generated, or were some actor driven, like the motion capture animation used in other films this year?

Bill Coleman: The characters were a combination of both traditional keyframe animation and motion capture.

Computer Times: Which are easier, projects that are entirely animated, or projects that have live action, supplemented with graphic effects?

Robert Hoffmann: It really depends on the project. Both have their complexities and unique challenges.

Computer Times: What other films is Alias most proud to have been a contributing force behind? Was Maya the primary software used for these films?

Bill Coleman: Alias is proud of all of its customers, and the opportunity we've had to contribute to their success. Our contributions to the following features films were significant over the past few years. Maya was the primary software used for all of these blockbuster hits:

The Matrix Trilogy - Manex/Esc

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - WETA Digital

Spiderman 2 - Sony Pictures Imageworks

I, Robot - Digital Domain

Madagascar - DreamWorks

War of the Worlds - ILM

Computer Times: To what other markets, apart from film, does Alias provide its technology?

Bill Coleman: Artists in every profession use Maya software because it's the world's most powerfully integrated 3D modeling, animation, effects, and rendering solution. Alias technology contributes to many industries, including: digital publishing, games, education, broadcast and design.

Computer Times: What is the next project that Alias is working on?

Bill Coleman: In the film and video realm, Alias is excited to be working with our customers on upcoming feature films including:

Stealth - Digital Domain

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Cinesite/ILM/ Moving Picture Company/Framestore

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Sony Pictures/

Imageworks/Rythym & Hues

King Kong - Universal Pictures/WETA

Spiderman 3 - Sony Pictures/Imageworks

Da Vinci Code - Moving Picture Company

Computer Times: Are there any final words you would like to say?

Bill Coleman: Computer graphics fosters the whole idea of "suspension of disbelief." Alias is committed to continually improving CG to make this possible in film, in video, in broadcast, in all forms of digital creation. This is a great business to be part of because we are really proud of the software that we create, but our customers are what really blow us all away.