Maya

I was watching my friends television show, Couples Clash, on ICTV.  It is a game show where two best friends or people dating, compete against another team by answering questions about their counterpart.  One segment had a 3D timer, in the shape of a heart, with numbers on it, that counted down every time the heart rotated.  I thought this was really cool because the heart was actually 3D with lighting and shadows and everything. I asked my friend Josh how he made the heart. He mentioned after effects and directed me towards a mutual friend that made it for him.

Having worked in After Effects for a little bit now, I am relatively sure that there is a way to make 3D models ( and since creating a light is an option for a layer, shadows and that kind of thing are definitely do able). I went and talked to Josh's friend.  Josh's friend said he used after effects a little but he also used maya. Maya is free for students and there are many tutorials online.  I am hoping to start messing around with maya soon since it works well with after effects and also because making 3D models intrigues me.  I thought it was pretty interesting that Josh also said that there aren't to many people (that he knows here) that can do after effects or maya.  It is comforting to me to know that we are learning programs that many other students do not know because I will be in L.A. next semester and knowing these things will help me get an internship, as well as a job once I graduate.