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Autodesk Maya: Create expansive worlds, complex characters and dazzling effects
3D animation and visual effects software
Still from The Addams Family (2019), courtesy of Cinesite Studios
What is Maya?
Maya is professional 3D software for creating realistic characters and blockbuster-worthy effects.
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Bring believable characters to life with engaging animation tools.
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Shape 3D objects and scenes with intuitive modelling tools.
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Create realistic effects – from explosions to cloth simulation.
Maya overview (video: 7:18 min.)
Why use Maya?
Accelerated workflows
Maya’s powerful tools help you iterate faster so you can focus on creativity and meet deadlines.
Deliver stunning visuals
Add fine details to characters and scenes, and deliver quality work that keeps clients coming back.
Scale for complexity
Top artists in the industry rely on Maya to create the most complex shots, characters and worlds.
What you can do with Maya
Still from the film Avengers: Endgame
Breathe life into 3D models with powerful animation tools
Whether you are animating lifelike digi doubles or lovable cartoon characters, Maya has the animation toolset to bring your 3D assets to life.
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc
Grass scatter using Bifrost Graph by Vipin A
Create detailed simulations with Bifrost for Maya
From blazing explosions to complex snowstorms, Bifrost makes it possible to create physically accurate simulations in a single visual programming environment.
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“[Maya] offers ample flexibility and versatility so that artists and studios can […] achieve incredible results.”
— Amy Ash, Head of Characters, Axis Studios
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Image courtesy of Crafty Apes“[With Bifrost for Maya], we were able to get results that were photorealistic and that worked for our show.”
— Sean Willis, Senior Technical Artist and Pipeline TD at Crafty Apes
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Video courtesy of Adrian Bobb“[Maya] was very cohesive. I understood precisely how to build everything and where everything was.”
— Adrian Bobb, Film Director
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Video courtesy of Phil Radford“Bifrost’s flexible functionality allows for experimentation, which is invaluable as an artist.”
— Phil Radford, VFX Generalist, Freelancer and Founder of Strangebox
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“[Maya] offers ample flexibility and versatility so that artists and studios can […] achieve incredible results.”
— Amy Ash, Head of Characters, Axis Studios
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Image courtesy of Crafty Apes
“[With Bifrost for Maya], we were able to get results that were photorealistic and that worked for our show.”
— Sean Willis, Senior Technical Artist and Pipeline TD at Crafty Apes
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Video courtesy of Adrian Bobb
“[Maya] was very cohesive. I understood precisely how to build everything and where everything was.”
— Adrian Bobb, Film Director
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Video courtesy of Phil Radford
“Bifrost’s flexible functionality allows for experimentation, which is invaluable as an artist.”
— Phil Radford, VFX Generalist, Freelancer and Founder of Strangebox
Key features of Maya
From fantastic creatures to sweeping landscapes and explosive battle sequences, the Academy Award—winning Maya® toolset is a top choice for creating believable characters and the worlds around them.
Bifrost for Maya
Create physically accurate simulations in a single visual programming environment.
USD in Maya
Load and edit large datasets quickly and work directly with data using native tools.
Fast playback
Review animations faster and produce fewer playblasts with cached playback in Viewport 2.0.
Unreal Live Link for Maya
Stream animation data from Maya to Unreal in real time with the Unreal Live Link for Maya plug-in.
Time editor
Make high-level animation edits with a nondestructive, clip-based nonlinear editor.
Graph editor
Create, view and modify animation curves using a graphical representation of scene animation.
Polygon modelling
Create 3D models using geometry based on vertices, edges and faces.
NURBS modelling
Construct 3D models from geometric primitives and drawn curves.
Character setup
Create sophisticated skeletons, IK handles and deformers for characters that deliver lifelike performances.
Integrated Arnold renderer
Use Arnold Render View to view scene changes in real time, including lighting, materials and cameras.
More features of Maya
Bifrost visual programming environment
Create physically accurate and incredibly detailed simulations in a single visual programming environment.
Simulations
Deliver natural looking effects like smoke, snow or particles with Aero, MPM and Particles systems.
Scattering
Use Bifrost’s scatter nodes to procedurally scatter objects like trees or stones.
Ready-to-use graphs
Create great-looking effects, such as explosions and dust storms, right out of the box with prebuilt graphs.
Interactive hair grooming
Use powerful interactive groom tools to create realistic hair and fur for your characters.
Physics and effects
Create highly realistic rigid, soft-body, cloth and particle simulations.
Fast playback
Review animations faster and produce fewer playblasts with cached playback in Viewport 2.0. (video: 12 sec.)
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Unreal Live Link for Maya
The Unreal Live Link plug-in lets you stream animation data from Maya to Unreal in real time. Whether working between the two in a virtual production environment or building your next game, you can now work on character assets in Maya and see your work reflected immediately in Unreal as you make changes.
Time Editor
Make high-level animation edits with a nondestructive, clip-based, nonlinear editor.
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Graph Editor
Create, view and modify animation curves using a graphical representation of scene animation.
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Blue pencil toolset
Sketch poses over time, define motion arcs, mark up a shot or add comments and annotations to your scene.
Ghosting Editor
Precisely visualise movement and the position of animated objects over time.
Deformation effects
Enhance character and object animation with powerful deformation effects.
Native Motion Library plug-in
Access high-quality motion capture data right in Maya.
Character setup
Create sophisticated skeletons, IK handles and deformers for characters that deliver lifelike performances.
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Skinning
Seamlessly bind any modelled surface to a skeleton using skinning.
Retargeting
Easily transfer animation between skeletons that have the same or different skeletal structures.
Polygon modelling
Create 3D models using geometry based on vertices, edges and faces.
NURBS modelling
Construct 3D models from geometric primitives and drawn curves.
UV editing and toolkit
View and edit the UV texture coordinates for polygon, NURBS and subdivision surfaces in a 2D view.
Sculpting toolset
Sculpt and shape models more artistically and intuitively.
OpenSubdiv support
Accelerate performance with interactive workflows.
Integrated Arnold renderer
Use Arnold Render View to view scene changes in real time, including lighting, materials and cameras.
GPU and CPU rendering
Use Arnold for production rendering on both the CPU and GPU.
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Standard Surface Shader
Model materials such as car paint, frosted glass and plastic, and preview renders in the viewport.
Look development with Hypershade
Build shading networks by creating and connecting rendering nodes, such as textures, materials and lights.
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Colour Management
See accurate previews of final colours in the viewport and Render View.
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